Battle of Midway Aircraft Group Build

traintrak...

I think the reason for there not being much progress pics is because most of us are in a few other builds so progress is spread out and we haven't just had that many posted here yet...

I am just about finished with the interior on my SBD-3...but it's nothing too outstanding so I probably won't post pics right away....the cool thing about this GB in particular is there are a few of us here who are Dauntless freaks...which is not common as there is a definite affinity for Mustangs, Spitfires, and the Luftwaffe planes in most forums....

Thanks Jeeves, that answers a lot, glad I wasn't missing anything. Did you say Dauntless freaks - Oh yeah, got to be my all time favorite aircraft, so add one more "feak" to your list ! Got one saved away in the box, waiting till I get my confidence up a little more. Saw bobbailey's fine looking interior, that accurate minatures kit looks impressive, can't wait to see more.

Traintrak-thanks for the comment regarding the interior.

Open up the box and dive in. I've only been back building for about a year-warmed up on a couple of Monogram kits. The Accurate Min. looks a bit overwhelming, but between the Acc. Min. web-site 'on-line' build and the help of the folks on this and various group builds, it can be done. Come on in...the waters fine!

Tom-Not really subject related, but how did the test go or how is it going? Good I hope.

Hey Bob your really tempting me man! The one I've got waiting in the wings is Hasegawa's "Midway" edition SBD. Its a sweet looking kit and I want to get one or two more builds under my belt so as not to screw it up too bad-ha!
Appreciate you guys replying so promptly and all the encourgagement. I've been lucky today at work with rare access to a pc w/internet connection & fast connection during lunch and breaks.
I'm going to really enjoy watching this GB as it progresses & I hope to jump in down the road.

Phil

Wow! a flurry of movement today!

Traintrak - welcome abourd shipmate! I am ex-Navy as well. Was a HM from 84 to 94. I can't remember if we put a end date on this build... quite a few of us are streched pretty thin so no rush on starting... although I have to agree with the dive right in thing! Whever you are ready to start is fine, otherwise feel free to hang around and chat!

Bob - studying for the test all this weekend, took tomorrow as vacation to get some extra studying done. I took a couple of routers and a switch home to set up a mini network fromthere and practice some hands on. This will be a tough test mainly because of the breadth of info covered in it. I am taking the consolidated version of the test, usually it is divided into two separate tests... wish me luck because I will need it!!!

I agree about the Dauntless freak thing... it was refreshing to come here and find I was not a wierdo... everyone lives those fast mean looking fighters... it surprised me how many people showed up with a real appreciation of the fine plane the Dauntless was! So I say: Freaks Unite!!! haha

I may go ahead and start on mine tomorrow... I dropped the typhoon fgrom the Aussie build and am waiting on my mosquito to arrive and will do that instead... almost to the point for paint on my P-47 for the 201 suadron from Mexico so will be some drying time involved there I can get the interior done in...

I'll post as I go pics Traintrak... I take the pics regardless as I can spot SO much more that needs touching up that way... and I am a bit unashamed at posting pics of my meager offerings, with unresolved glitches and all! (I figure it makes my finished product look that much better) haha

Well fellas, I finally got around to taking some pics of my painted interior. Twas a fun interior to work on, all that detail is fun to pick out. I should have taken more pics before I closed the fuselage up, because now it is hard to get pics of.

First off is the cockpit floor.


And the pilots seat. I tried something different on this one, masking tape seatbelts. Much cheaper than PE, and more realistic than decals. The buckles are some old bits of PE I had lying around, and they happened to look like buckles, so that's what they became.


BTW, I'll put my hand up as a dauntless freak (or is that a freak who's not easily daunted? either one....). Anyone who saw the thread blackwolf started a few months ago would know that.

an finally.... Welcome to the group build traintrak. How's that Hasegawa kit look? I had my eye on one a few months ago, but bought the AM kit instead. You'll have fun around here, especially if kremps pops her ugly head in.

now now Daniel - no need to frighten him off yet, you saw inthe Aussie GB that Kremps is off hiking in Tibet right now... so no need to worry!

That is a great IP Daniel! overall a flat out nice cockpit!!! but I especially was drawn to the IP...

as far as being a Dauntless freak -- who could help it? The aircraft sank more tonnage of Japanese ships than ALL OTHER AC types combined!!! There are numerous Zero kills to both rear gunner and pilot that you have to add in... (on an aircraft with 1/2 the speed of a Zero) exceedingly survivable in a downing etc... and plus.. it's so ugly you can't help but love it!!! (actually I like the design of it... just not a sleak fighter design so many shun it)

Thanks Tom & Daniel. Fine looking cockpit there Daniel, after seeing Bob's & yours AM kits I can really appreciate the detail ! A little "Midway" & "Dauntless" trivia you guys may or may not already know: After all the TBD's were shot down, the Navy named their subsequent TBF's "Avengers" in tribute to the lost members of Torpedo Squadron Eight. The designer of the SBD Dauntless was a fellow named Ed Heinemann who also later on designed the A-4 Skyhawk. I've got some good SBD shots posted on my web site that came from visits to the Naval Air Museum at NAS Pensacola if your interested.
Daniel the masking tape harness looks like the real deal, I had read about that trick, good to see it in action. The Hasegawa kit does not appear to have the detail the AM kit does but I'll dig it out & give you a better update.
You guys can clue me in on this "kremps" subject down the road.

Phil

haha Phil... don't let us drag you down into our madness with this Kremps thing... it's something that started inthe Battle of Britain GD way back when... that has mushroomed since then...

ESPECIALLY if some guy named "Tweety1" comes around spouting off about Kremps you can't believe him in the slightest (nervous look around to make sure Sean isnt reading this as I type)

Interesting trivia.. the A-4 has a soft spot with me too... hmmm an all A-4 build? ACK!!!! MUST STOP THE PROLIFERATION OF MORE GB'S!!!!

I love the Naval Air Museum as well... and I have seen their SBD first hand.. they have a flying SBD here in TX at the lone star flight museum... in fact almost all AC here are flying except for the B-58 on the main display floor... some sort of agreement they have with the AF who loaned/granted it to them...


Daniel - I used the masking tape routine on my last SBD... I must say I was pleased with it... I used thin wire for the buckles, bent around an airbrush needle to achieve the rounded look... but after being introduced to the Ultracast line of resin seats, I will only use those on my builds.... nice looking seats with very realistic belts!

QUOTE: ACK!!!! MUST STOP THE PROLIFERATION OF MORE GB'S!!!!

Why fight them? They cannot be stopped.....All it takes is for someone to make a suggestion, and within a week, we are all out looking for a kit to build for it. But.....I have been meaning to get one of hasegawas A4's for a while, I'd probably do a kiwi one (they used to be based in Nowra near me, so they are of interest to me.)......must....fight....temptation......!!!!

Thanks for the comments on the cockpit Tom and Phil.

Phil I'm probably wrong (as usual), but I think the TBF was called Avenger after Pearl harbor. Apparently, the first prototype was flown not long after December 7th 1941, so Grummann christened it Avenger.

Daniel-great cockpit. I especially like the seat belts. I'll add that option to the list for future builds.

Danielsweet interior mate, the wash really brought out the detail

Speaking of GB's Tom has anyone ever thought of a FW 190 family GB....

Phil Welcome to the GB, I aggree with Tom just grab that kit and jump in and i see that old Kremps has already piqued your curiosity so i'll guess i'll be saying welcome to Happy acre's sometime soon in the future

Oh Yeah Tom Kremps and myself have returned from Tibet, Very invigorating BTW........

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 haha Phil... don't let us drag you down into our madness with this Kremps thing... it's something that started inthe Battle of Britain GD way back when... that has mushroomed since then... ESPECIALLY if some guy named "Tweety1" comes around spouting off about Kremps you can't believe him in the slightest (nervous look around to make sure Sean isnt reading this as I type)

Aww c'mon Tom, y'know I'm always in the shadows, just waiting to hit the 'K' key!!!

Lets face it, not a whole lot else to do here at Happy Acres..............unless crotchet is your thing!!!

QUOTE: Originally posted by j.s.harrison Oh Yeah Tom Kremps and myself have returned from Tibet, Very invigorating BTW........

Well, that explains why my pets started acting weird!![:0]
So when do we get to see the 'home' movies Jules?????

QUOTE: Originally posted by j.s.harrison Danielsweet interior mate, the wash really brought out the detail Speaking of GB's Tom has anyone ever thought of a FW 190 family GB.... Phil Welcome to the GB, I aggree with Tom just grab that kit and jump in and i see that old Kremps has already piqued your curiosity so i'll guess i'll be saying welcome to Happy acre's sometime soon in the future

Pingy, I agree with Jules mate, that is a very nice looking pit

Phil don't bother fighting the urge when it hits ya mate, Happy Acres ALWAYS has room for one more...........................

JulesThat FW190 GB sounds like a winner mate, I have a Dragon G-3 I scored from ebay for a ridiculously low price, something like AU$2.50.
Haven't had a reason to build it, but I'm still hanging for the Nth African GB, thats gonna be a barrel of laughs

QUOTE: Originally posted by tweety1 QUOTE: Originally posted by j.s.harrison Oh Yeah Tom Kremps and myself have returned from Tibet, Very invigorating BTW........ Well, that explains why my pets started acting weird!![:0] So when do we get to see the 'home' movies Jules????? Tweets The movies are in the mail mate but i have to advise that veiwer discretion is advised due to the graphic nature of the materialespecially the bit where Kremps is trying to milk a Yak[:0] And Yeah i'm kinda warming up to the FW 190 Gb thing the more i think about it, i have Tamiya's Fw 190 D9 with the complete Eduard PE set for it but i paid $35:00 for the kit and $39:00 for the PE, and i even got a present from the wife for buying it[:0][:0][:0][:0][:0][:0][:0] Oh yeah BTW NA GB i'm going to start the thread at the end of March I can't wait any longer.............. Reply Edit tweety1 Member since August 2003 From: Alice Springs Australia Posted by tweety1 on Thursday, March 24, 2005 8:19 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by j.s.harrison QUOTE: Originally posted by tweety1 QUOTE: Originally posted by j.s.harrison Oh Yeah Tom Kremps and myself have returned from Tibet, Very invigorating BTW........ Well, that explains why my pets started acting weird!![:0] So when do we get to see the 'home' movies Jules????? Tweets The movies are in the mail mate but i have to advise that veiwer discretion is advised due to the graphic nature of the materialespecially the bit where Kremps is trying to milk a Yak[:0] And Yeah i'm kinda warming up to the FW 190 Gb thing the more i think about it, i have Tamiya's Fw 190 D9 with the complete Eduard PE set for it but i paid $35:00 for the kit and $39:00 for the PE, and i even got a present from the wife for buying it[:0][:0][:0][:0][:0][:0][:0] Oh yeah BTW NA GB i'm going to start the thread at the end of March I can't wait any longer.............. Milking a Yak!! Guess it woulda worked alot better if it had an udder! I'll be watching for the thread Jules --Sean-- If you are driving at the speed of light and you turn on the headlights, what happens??? Reply bobbaily Member since November 2003 From: Nashville, TN area Posted by bobbaily on Thursday, March 24, 2005 8:35 AM QUOTE: Speaking of GB's Tom has anyone ever thought of a FW 190 family GB.... And if memory serves me correct, there was some discussion over in the BoB GB about a JG 54 GB. That way I could work my Monogram bf109g in......but that's a whole 'nother continent... Bob   Reply KINGTHAD Member since May 2004 From: Dallas Posted by KINGTHAD on Thursday, March 24, 2005 9:25 AM Welcome to the nut house Phil, come on in I think we have a jacket thats just your size. Daniel, your pit looks like the one I have been looking at for the last two weeks. Did you already attach the nav. table or are you waiting to do that later??? thad Reply traintrak Member since March 2005 From: Mableton, Georgia Posted by traintrak on Thursday, March 24, 2005 8:51 PM Ok Tom, you and the guys (you silver tongued ...'s) have talked me into it (I'm easy anyway-ha). I would like to join in and submit a B5N2 Kate that I picked up today. After much thought, I figured I wouldn't feel bad if I messed this one up-ha! I'll just imagine her as doing down with the Akagi or Soryu. Its a Hasegawa kit lettered for those two carriers during Pearl, but I figure they were still aboard when they sailed for Midway so it should work out fine. Besides it looks like you could use someone besides yourself on the enemy side of this build. Thanks Jules, Sean & Thad for the welcome words, if you guys are like the rest of the group, I'm in fine company. Daniel, I figure your right. I only had one source on that Avenger info and he must have started the first "urban legend" way back then. Everything else I've seen on the subject credits the name to the Pearl attack. Don't worry about being "gentle", you want hurt my feelings, this old corpsman has seen bout everything-ha! Hey guys in your spare time, now thats a joke right! Check out these two sites for some really good Midway info: http://www.nauticos.com/midway.htm and http://www.combinedfleet.com/ Nauticos covers the finding of the Kaga and the other is a great Imperial Japanese Navy site. Guess I'll just have to make room on the bench for two now (small potatoes to some of you guys i know) as I work on my F4U and now the Kate. Reply tho9900 Member since July 2004 From: SETX. USA Posted by tho9900 on Thursday, March 24, 2005 9:32 PM ACK!!! Phil!!! you are a former corpsman as well? Small SMALL world!!! Good to have you aboard for SURE then!!! I was 8541/8404... Respiratory Therapy and FMF NEC's... definitely good to have another pecker checker onboard! I knew I liked ya for some reason but now I know... Don't worry about messing anything up... Kremps will clean up the mess... now that I know you were a corpsman I know you will understand the Nurse Kremps fable... I got the name from "One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest" ... I am sure you have met your share of Kremps in your life.... a swarthy nurse that looks more like a East German power lifter than a health care professional... hair nicley done in a permanent, or better yet, in a bun so tight it makes her eyes look oriental.. she always smelled of cigarettes and could stare you down in a second flat... I had encountered quite a few in my short career... mostly civilian contract but all the same the legend grew... so now you understand our thing with Kremps a little bit... I'll add more later as this has taken MONTHS to unfold... (our involuntary internment at "Happy Acres Rest Home" and our treatment by Kremps.... who at this point spans 5 group builds... Welcome aboard Phil... and we'd be happy to see what ya have to bring us!!! (Kremps especially, she's judging the builds for us...) ---Tom--- O' brave new world, That has such people in it! Reply tho9900 Member since July 2004 From: SETX. USA Posted by tho9900 on Thursday, March 24, 2005 9:36 PM oh yeah.,.. havent done a lot of reasearch on the subject Phil, but as the timeline was so close, you'd probably be safe with the Pearl Harbor squadrons... they were battle tested and that would have been important to take Midway... And as leader of this group build and close pal of Kremps... it's allowable in my eyes fot the subject... PS let me know how that Hasegawa kit goes! The only one I have had trouble with so far is the Typhoon... but curious if there are any other trick kits lurking for me to mess up... ---Tom--- O' brave new world, That has such people in it! Reply pingtang Member since April 2003 From: NSW, Australia Posted by pingtang on Thursday, March 24, 2005 10:01 PM Thanks for the comments Bob, Jules, Tweets and Thad. Thad I'm gonna stick the Nav table in later on. I'd probably knock it off it I stuck it in now. -Daniel Reply darson Member since February 2003 From: Melbourne, Australia Posted by darson on Friday, March 25, 2005 7:18 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by j.s.harrison Oh yeah BTW NA GB i'm going to start the thread at the end of March I can't wait any longer.............. [:0][:0] OMG I almost missed the most this. Mate you can’t wait any longer [:0], what about your loyal builders in waiting, no wait that sounds a bit Camilla Parker Bowlesish doesn't it, (although you've gotta admit she's hot ) I'm plugging away with the Wildcat, no problems at the moment, I'm just detail painting the cockpit and landing gear bay. I'll post some photos before I seal it up. Cheers Darren Reply bobbaily Member since November 2003 From: Nashville, TN area Posted by bobbaily on Friday, March 25, 2005 7:21 AM Morning all. Made a little progress on the SBD2 cockpit last night. After taking the pics and enlarging them in Photobucket, I'm not sure if I like this digital pic stuff! At least I know where to go back and touch up. Still having issues on part placement. A lot of putting a part in (pilots bulkhead for example) then a test fit of the fuselage. Guess that's the price one pays for the added detail. On a secondary note, my lovely child bride (we were both in our mid-30's when we married, both for the first time) and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary yesterday, so being the good wife she is, she picked up a couple Monogram models I had suggested. Added to my stash are the 1/48th bf109g which I plan on saving for a future GB (figure one will come around soon) and add AM decals & maybe PE. The second is the 1/48th Zero, which has less interior detail than the bf109. That one will be used for the Pacific GB. Need to do some research on the plane represented and see to what level of weathering I can take it. I plan a strick OOB for this one, including the decals. Would like to do an extreme weathering scheme, similar to one I saw in the Warbirds edition from FSM a while back. I think Sean (Tweet) did one also...not sure. Enough rambling...here's the pics: btw-welcome aboard Phil-good group of folks here. Hope you enjoy the company. I have. Bob   Reply razordws Member since September 2004 From: Vernon, BC, Canada Posted by razordws on Friday, March 25, 2005 7:52 AM Great looking pit Bob, I just may have to try one of those AM kits one day. Congrats also on celebrating your 15th . My 15th comes up in June . Dave Reply pingtang Member since April 2003 From: NSW, Australia Posted by pingtang on Friday, March 25, 2005 8:21 AM Looks good Bob. The detail painting looks good. Great work . Gotta ask though, Is that where you plan on leaving the pilots bulkhead? Or is it just there for the pictures? Might be the source of some of your fit problems? Look at my pic to see where it should go....dis-regard this if I'm wrong. It's strange that you're having fit problems with your cockpit. Mine is going together perfectly. But, the only other acc min kit I've built (A-36 Apache) had a shocking fitting cockpit, despite everyone telling me how good it was. I worked for a long time just to get it to fit inside the fuselage, and get the wings to fit on without the tops of the gear bays trying to push the cockpit out the top. But no-one I've talked to had any problems like that. Strange.... One for Unsolved mysteries.......Why some Accurate miniatures fit, and others don't.......?!! -Daniel Reply bobbaily Member since November 2003 From: Nashville, TN area Posted by bobbaily on Friday, March 25, 2005 9:14 AM Daniel-thanks for the tip. I believe the bulkhead placement will solve at least one problem. Now to gently pry the bulkhead loose....Thanks again. Bob   Reply Jeeves Member since February 2003 From: Saratoga Springs, NY Posted by Jeeves on Friday, March 25, 2005 12:06 PM Welcome Phil-- good to have you with us.... This build has taken a back seat for a little bit as I am trying to finish my Stang for a local show that's coming up April 9th....once I get that one finished- I will be into this one full force... Mike Reply tho9900 Member since July 2004 From: SETX. USA Posted by tho9900 on Friday, March 25, 2005 2:40 PM Bob - yeah the pilot builhead should mate to the front of that fuselage piece that forms the arch and it fits all the way to the top of the arch. When you glue the two fuselage pieces together there is a tab of sorts protruding from the front of the arch, the u shaped slot on the bulkhead slides onto it. I did almost the same exact thing when I started building my first one... maybe we should write and ask them to add a snippet on it in the instructions as it seems more than a few people have feel prey to it... On a side note I noticed Greatmodels.com is taking pre-orders on the SBD-3a and the SBD-4... I need to get another dash-3 version before they are totally off the market. I have the dash-2 and dash-5 so that would fill out the collection. ---Tom--- O' brave new world, That has such people in it! Reply « First«6789101112»Last » JOIN OUR COMMUNITY! Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account. Login Register SEARCH FORUMS FREE NEWSLETTER SIGN UP By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy. FORUMS PRODUCT REVIEWS READER GALLERY HOW TO VIDEOS SHOP ABOUT US FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER SIGN UP By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy. More great sites from Kalmbach Media Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy