WW2 BATTLES--PEARL HARBOR 2005 (aug 7 - - december 7 07:55am) finished

Thanks Richard! I can see this little plane whizzing around like a little gnat in air ops... too fast to swat it, but it's too small to bring anything else down either.. (two nose mounted .30 cal machine guns)

well got a little done today... got the engine together.. it comes OOB with a PE wiring harness but once the cylinder rods are on you can't really see them... I also finished the exterior with alcad2... it looks a bit TOO metal like for the real aircraft but I am not going back to correct it. The original was only painted with a paint with aluminum flakes in it so I think for the next one I will use MM non-buffing aluminum..

Here's a sneak peak.



now tonight or early tomorrow I hit the BIG test, attaching the upper and lower wings win 'N' braces and then installing the PE rigging... I have to figure some way to paint the fuselage stripe without pulling up the Alclad as I forgot to paint and mask it BEFORE doing the Alclad... I got carried away with this build as it is so nice and precise and forgot that one big thing...

---edit---

I noticed I have a few touch up spots where the Alclad over sprayed on the head rest in the cockpit.. tape must have lifted when I was spraying it...

Tom,

Your F3F is coming along nicely. Thanks for the info on the planes size and performance as I was really suprised at that. Thanks.

Richard

Jules - thanks for the comments... I am going to Hobbly Lobby today in support of their 50% off sale and buy another one for the WWII Carrier Plane GB...

Just something a little different... besides they are so small I can put several in the space one P-47 would take up...

all my aircraft models are in 1/48.........

Tom looking really good there that little kit and it's certainly fringe enough

BTW thanks for the link

Jay - same here, I am a 1/48 kinda person... the little F3F is actually 1/48... amazing the size difference with the Wildcat which was also a small fighter... I have a few 1/72 kits but haven't got around to doing them yet... I have a Storch in 1/72 I might contemplate for the next North Africa GB... of course that 1/32 Mongram would look better but I have to find some more about the kit itself first... (how decent does it build up etc...) I also have an Academy FW190 in 1/72 I might do as a just for fun build sometime... not sure how I will handle the mottle at that size though! Might need a new airbrush!!!

Looking good Tom, I've always like the little tubby Grumman fighters, I actually want to builfd a Goblin (FF-1) in Canadian markings, unfortunately the only one that exists is in 1:72 from MPM. I normally build 1:48 but have dabbled a little in 1:72 - See my Canadian build and the soon to start BoG build, I'm doing a 1:72 Fw-190D9 for that.

I found it here

http://www.accurate-miniatures.com/builds/f3f-1/f3fbuild.shtml

of course it had a MUCH lower service ceiling, max speed and horsepower was lower so that climb wouldn't have lasted as long as the P-51...

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 Darren - the F3F is about 1/2 the size of the F4F... I'll post a pic here for ya... you can see it is considerably smaller... but it was also underrated by many people... it could outclimb the P-51, outmaneuver a P-40... etc... it was just outgunned by far.....

Outclimb a P-51?

>doubting seriously<

Darren - the F3F is about 1/2 the size of the F4F... I'll post a pic here for ya...





you can see it is considerably smaller... but it was also underrated by many people... it could outclimb the P-51, outmaneuver a P-40... etc... it was just outgunned by far.....

Tom great looking progress on the F3F-2 , you can certainly see the ancestry between that aircraft and the Wildcat. How do they both compare in terms of size, is the F3F just an F4F minus its top wing?

Marian - if by chance you get a hankering to build a MArine version from Pearl Harbor the marking would be very similar.. 2nd Aircraft Wing had some SBD's there and it would look something like: 2-MB-X (X being the plane number)

Actually I guess I never looked too much at the prewar sqdn markings before, just prior to midway the USN markings were similar to the USMC ones... it would have looked like 6-S-14 then instead of all one line.. I guess I need to research that more because I feel some more SBD's coming on for me... especially a yellow winged one... If I can still find a dash-1 kit that is...

Well here is a little progress on my build... I'm actually just to the seam sanding stage but thought I would show some of what I'm doing...

This is a really sweet little kit, decent amount of detail for its size (closer to a 1/72 P-47 in size than a 1/48 aircraft)

This is the nice seams it has.. that upper nose piece is just laying there... no glue just gravity holding it down... arrows point to how tight the seams are.



Although bare the cockpit still looks ok... the real ones didn't have much if any more than the model has for a Cockpit...



This is the part that gave me fits... the gear are a 4 or so piece assembly... the lower tank support/landing gear door was a to get on, you had to insert it vertically between both sets of struts, slowly twist it till it loops the lower struts and fits in between upper and lower struts... THEN you have to swing it in and down at the same time to get the piece in the slot... the second one I put on went in a LOT easier than the first let's just say... it was like a brain teaser puzzle. ---edit--- also notice the fine rivet detail... this is usually WAY overstated on other USN Carrier AC I have built..




Finally a blurry shot showing some of the detail just on the inside... the red line points to the included PE seat belts (has engine wiring, intake grills etc on the sheet of PE as well), the green line shows the floor of the cockpit which also seemed to be nicely molded... the blue line points to the gas tank with retaining straps and all... once closed up you can only see a tiny bit of it, simple molding a bulge into the floor would have worked but they included the whole thing!!! ---edit---- as a seperate piece of assembly, not molded in!



This is a very enjoyable build... and once I get through this slump I am in from all the stuff going on after the storm will build another one and take more time on it!!!

I'm anticipating spraying of Alclad on it by Sat or so.... should be fun!

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 Marian - check out this page: http://www.history.navy.mil/docs/wwii/pearl/ph16.htm It only gives the planes lost coming into Pearl that day from the Enterprise, but it does give plane numbers (6-S-4) etc... so you could model one of them... I think there is a stencil and numbering decal set out there that will work on the 1/48 SBD. Has all the plane numbers and letters you'd care to use! Hope that helps! If I find more I will post it here!

Thanks for the link. I poked around that site and found a nice photo of Scouting Six taken a couple months earlier, that clearly shows how the numbers and insignia were arranged on the fuselage. I also found an old thread in the Aircraft forum with some useful information. I'm going to swing by the local gaming store and see if they have the Squadron/Signal "US Navy Aircraft: Camouflage & Markings 1940-1945" book mentioned in the thread. Hopefully it will answer the questions I still have by the time I get to the painting part. I'll have to hunt for that stencil set too.

For once I'm actually looking forward to painting the model. Usually it's my least favourite part.


M.

Marian - check out this page:

http://www.history.navy.mil/docs/wwii/pearl/ph16.htm

It only gives the planes lost coming into Pearl that day from the Enterprise, but it does give plane numbers (6-S-4) etc... so you could model one of them... I think there is a stencil and numbering decal set out there that will work on the 1/48 SBD. Has all the plane numbers and letters you'd care to use!

Hope that helps! If I find more I will post it here!


---edit---

here's another one with Marine planes...

http://www.bluejacket.com/ww2_12-07-41_usmc.html

My Dauntless arrived on Friday, proving once again that spruebrothers.com has cracked the secret of time travel. So far I've painted the cockpit pieces interior green, along with the insides of the fuselage and wings, but haven't done any assembly yet.

One question: I've been unable to find any references on unit markings for the SBD squadrons present at Pearl Harbour--or any decal sheets, for that matter. I would particularly be interested in markings for the planes that arrived from Enterprise during the attack, or the plans stationed at the Pearl Harbour NAS on Ford Island. Are there any web sites--or cheap books--that show markings for these units?


M.

well I did some work last night on the Val's mostly on the engines painted them flat black and dry brushed silver will try to get pics monday then move onto installing them into the cowling and masking the opening before I tack em onto the fuselage for masking so I can get the black done.

Jay - I wouldn't fault you whichever step you took as far as color. Interesting thing though and something I have been finding a lot of... the front 2/3 or less were glossy on many Zeros, the aft was dull... no idea why. I'll see if I can find those resources I saw them in... one was at www.j-aircraft.com. Jules also spotted that and maybe he has the link to where he founfd that... it looks like two different (slightly) colors of paint but basically it is because of the shine...

Good luck whichever path you choose!

It is a good kit over all, though I have found that the wings are not the greatest. There were gaps all around the leading and trailing edges that just didn't seem to fill nicely with Ambro (maybe it was just me?). Also, the port wing root had a big gap but I fixed it with some sqdn white putty. It is going together really fast and with only one colour to paint it, I think I could finish by month end! I still haven't decided wheather to do a custom mix for the ameiro colour or just use the Tamiya JN grey I have.

Hey Jay nice progress on your Zero How are you finding the Tamiya kit I'm just finishing a Has zero for the Midway build (still) and it's a great kit..........

about the buffallos, eight were located on ford island. three with vf-2 and five with the airbatfor pool. i need to search a bit for marking pics but that is the info i have.


marian that sounds like a plan. at some point i want to do some of the buf's but i need a lot more info than what i have.


joe

Hey, Joe, progress is progress...

Hey Guys,

No real progress to report, been caught up in some other projects. Have the upper wing halves attached and the sanding and filling continues. I did however scratchbuild a new ring sight. OOOHHHH Big excitement!

QUOTE: Originally posted by darson Marian I didn't know they even had Buffalos at Pearl. I thought the Navy would have palmed them off to the Marines by that stage, oh well, live and learn. Just a word on the Tamiya Buffalo kit, be prepared for some extra work especially in the cockpit as the kit is 30 years old. Oh and the Pacific Theater edition contains all the parts you need for both the US and Commonwealth versions.

I didn't know either, until I saw them listed on the first page of this thread. They might still have been marine fighters. Marines do use Navy airfields sometimes, don't they? Aurora-7's link on page 5 didn't mention any squadrons. It says there were 8 F2A-3s at the Ford Island NAS, and they were part of the "USN Air Battle Force". I've had no luck finding more information using google.

I did find some information on the Buffalos themselves, though: http://www.kotfsc.com/aviation/f2a-v.htm#F2A-3, and it looks like the differences between the F2A-2 and the F2A-3 were significant--new nose, new canopy--so maybe this isn't the best choice anyway.

Looking at Aurora-7's link again, the SBD-2 Dauntless is also on the list and doesn't seem to be represented in the GB. Spruebrothers.com has the Accurate Miniatures kit in stock. I've always wanted to build a Dauntless, and from the reviews of the AM kit, I won't need to worry about the cockpit here! Lot more information available about it too, compared to the Buffalo.

I guess I just decided then. I'll be building the Accurate Miniatures 1/48 SBD-2 Dauntless. Given how fast Spruebrothers.com usually ships, I'll probably be able to start this weekend.

I still find the Buffalo charming, though, I'll have to build it another time. Anyone know of any aftermarket sets for the cockpit?


M.

Hi all, sorry I have been MIA lately but I have been concentrating on finishing up a couple of builds for the Nth African GB. I think I'm over the major hump now on those builds so I should be able to get back to work on the Kate shortly.

Tom, it's great to see you back on line after the hurricane and I'm looking forward to seeing some pics of your AM F3F.

Marian I didn't know they even had Buffalos at Pearl. I thought the Navy would have palmed them off to the Marines by that stage, oh well, live and learn. Just a word on the Tamiya Buffalo kit, be prepared for some extra work especially in the cockpit as the kit is 30 years old. Oh and the Pacific Theater edition contains all the parts you need for both the US and Commonwealth versions.

Darren

Jay - I'd never admit it but I had to strip my Zero cowling for the same reason... (mind you, I said I'd never admit it! )

Scott - I remember your news about the flooding... we recently got through Hurricane Rita and a tree fell on my modeling room... luckily no water (yet) got in.. so once I got some window units (the tree promptly rolled off the room onto my outside unit) it is comfortable enough to model... I hope every thing goes well for ya... you wouldn't want to have been in at least MY part of Houston for the storm... it got a bit hairy!! 110mph + winds! And nothing but trees as far as the eye can see! the ironic thing is we stayed at my neighbors house as it is bigger for the storm... the tree hitting my house is what woke me up!

Things are looking good!!!! I got to spend 6 hours last night on my Arizona because I couldn't sleep. I got the PE rails on on her and just finished the PE cranes. All the brass makes it look so shiny that I hate to paint over it. I took some pics but it will be awhile since I'm using 35mm on a 12 roll of film. My digital got flooded back in June. I hope to just post a build log when I'm finished.

Still have a lot of mold and other flood related issues in my build room. We got another 11 inches of rain Saturday and a gutter over the door to the basement gave way causing about an inch of water to fall into my basement. But no models were harmed this time and the pumps kept up even though we lost power for about two hours.

Best $3000 I spent this summer was on that new house generator. I was in Houston during the storm but my emergency back up switch kicked in when the power went out and automatically switched the house to the generator.

Talk with ya all later.


Scott

Tom, Richard and Joe, thanks for the comments, Tom it is the Tamiya 1:48 a6m2. I got a little impatient with the black cowling and handled it too early and got some finger prints on it; as Homer is wont to say: DOH!

I've caught up on some of my other projects and started thinking about this one. Fightnjoe, I'm sorry I never got back to you earlier with a decision on what to build. I have a great fondness for P-40s because I read about the Flying Tigers as a kid, but it looks like the Tomahawk is already well represented. I know duplicates are allowed but I always like to do something different. I saw the F2A-2 on the list of aircraft on page 1, so I'm leaning toward Tamiya's Buffalo in 1/48 scale.

How was the Buffalo involved in the attack? I haven't been able to find anything using Google--plenty of hits about their participation at Midway, though. Including several claims that their "flying coffin" reputation is undeserved, which is news to me.

Aurora-7's link back on page 5 says that F2A-3s were stationed at the Navy field on Ford Island, but doesn't give a specific squadron, and there's no mention of F2A-2s.

Any good references on the Buffalo?


M.

Jay - looking good!!!! which kit of the Zero is that? I did Tamiya's Type 11 recently and think I will try the Hasegawa next time with some interior bits (PE, Resin etc...) next time.

Joe - thanks! yeah it was a long week to being somewhat operational again... I was sitting in 105 degree heat looking at my full compressor and wondering how bad fumes woud affect me with the increased heat... I finally held off as I knew the drying time would be forever in the humidity after the hurricane! (plus with no electricity to refil the compressor what was itr worth? I ended up unscrewing the hose off the AB and cooled myself down with the air... it was better than nothing!!!

Oh yeah --- this AccMin kit is GREAT!!! it has PE rigging and wiring harnesses, also it has decals to mark any F3F-2 ever built either Navy or USMC!!! phenomenal huh??? it even includes the squadron insignia for the all USN squadrons that used it as well...

What I am amazed at is how SMALL this AC was!!! I imagine the P-26 was about the same size in real life... but when I am done I will take a pic of it next to my SBD or F4F and let you see.. it was like a matchbox compared to them!!!

jay looks like a great start.

tom it is about time. thought we had to send out a search party for you.


thanks all for the kind words on the hawk.



joe