South Pacific Group Build 7 August 2006 to 7 August 2007

Nice build Mucker  looks good.  I managed to start painting today, should be finishing it up soon I hope.

Greetings all!

I am just returned from Virginia Beach and four days of continuing education.  Besides leaving, the high point was to see the fly over in honor of the Tomcats retirement.

This evening I was able to do more body work.  Some time ago the was an article in FSM on how to lighten panels using pastel chalks.  I have begun this process.  The one catch is that it must be done over a flat finish surface .  At this point it does look a bit overdone, but alas, clear coats can forgive most sins.

Hey Joe,

I'm having a little problem with my build. I'm too emotionally attached to the B25 that I started with my pop before he died. I just can't bring myself to work on it. I don't want to cover up any of his work with paint. I think I will put it away and leave it just the way it was when we had  quit working on it. So just to let you know I will be buying another one and starting over.

Zip

Zip,

Take that B25 and put into a nice display case.  You're very lucky to have such a physical momento! Looking forward to the new B25.

I sprayed the fabric surfaces today and and only need to mask and paint the nose.  Im almost ready for a future coat.  Im not looking forward to the decals.  Actually Im sorta dreading them.

zipmeister wrote:

Hey Joe, I'm having a little problem with my build. I'm too emotionally attached to the B25 that I started with my pop before he died. I just can't bring myself to work on it. I don't want to cover up any of his work with paint. I think I will put it away and leave it just the way it was when we had  quit working on it. So just to let you know I will be buying another one and starting over. Zip

My condolances, Zip. The B-25 you both worked on is a treasure beyond value. I like Joe's idea: I hope there is space on your display shelf.

Living Legend wrote:

I sprayed the fabric surfaces today and and only need to mask and paint the nose.  Im almost ready for a future coat.  Im not looking forward to the decals.  Actually Im sorta dreading them.

Any pictures of the sanding, filing, masking painting and/or decal process?

mucker wrote:

Living Legend wrote: I sprayed the fabric surfaces today and and only need to mask and paint the nose.  Im almost ready for a future coat.  Im not looking forward to the decals.  Actually Im sorta dreading them. Any pictures of the sanding, filing, masking painting and/or decal process?

Ill post some tonight, no future or decals yet just green over grey.  I didnt mask vey much either, Im trying to learn to free hand, learning curve is tough.  The only masking I did aside from the canopy was around the engine housings.

Progress Update

The rear most section of the engine compartment is now complete.  About 25 pieces of resin and photo-etch in there.  Finishing up the front now.

The painting and weathering are also complete, well all most.  I tried to get some faded panels in there, not sure you can tell by the photo though.  The tail looks out of balance to me, not sure I am totally happy with my results.

Hey guy

Super job! Wow all that on a 1/72! Nerves of steel! You go Joe. I personally would be a little intimidated to put that much AM parts on a 1/32. Great job can't wait to see finish pics.

Thanks for sharing

Zip

Jerry,

Looking forward to seeing your progress.

The panels and cowling will be left off...reason 1. after all the work and possibly going mad and/or blind no way am I going to cover her up and 2.  They do not fit!

QED

Hey guys,

I did alittle kit research the last couple of days to see who made a suitable B25D to replace the one me and pop worked on and I came up with two. One was by Italeri and the other by Accurate Miniatures. I have built Italeri armor before and to tell you the trruth I don't feel comfortable forking out $60.00 on a Italeri kit. I have an Accurate Miniatures TBM-3 Avenger in my stash. The Avenger kit has always impressed me so I went with the Accurate Miniatures B-25.

This kit is equally impressive. Everything is crisp and the decals (which I will not be using) are nicely done for three different planes. Fully detailed interior, weighted tires, canopy mask, and if you want to build the Red Wrath it has a painting mask to paint the Falcon on the nose. For some reason, I guess I will soon find out, there is three canopies. The kit says the nose weight is included and in the instruction the weights in the form of brass plates that you glue together are shown. I searched all over for them and in the false bottom of the box ( which is an ingenious way to protect the clear parts and decals I  found an addendum stating " NOSE WEIGHTS HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED AS THE VENDOR IN KOREA THAT MADE THESE PARTS CANNOT SUPPLY THEM. PLEASE USE SINKERS OR LIKE METAL PARTS TO ADD WEIGHT. Other than that, this kit is very impressive and I can't wait to get started.

Thanks

Zip

Nice one Zip!

I am always a bit surprised to find out the amount of kits that get reboxed.

zipmeister wrote:

Hey guys, I did alittle kit research the last couple of days to see who made a suitable B25D to replace the one me and pop worked on and I came up with two. One was by Italeri and the other by Accurate Miniatures. I have built Italeri armor before and to tell you the trruth I don't feel comfortable forking out $60.00 on a Italeri kit. I have an Accurate Miniatures TBM-3 Avenger in my stash. The Avenger kit has always impressed me so I went with the Accurate Miniatures B-25. This kit is equally impressive. Everything is crisp and the decals (which I will not be using) are nicely done for three different planes. Fully detailed interior, weighted tires, canopy mask, and if you want to build the Red Wrath it has a painting mask to paint the Falcon on the nose. For some reason, I guess I will soon find out, there is three canopies. The kit says the nose weight is included and in the instruction the weights in the form of brass plates that you glue together are shown. I searched all over for them and in the false bottom of the box ( which is an ingenious way to protect the clear parts and decals I  found an addendum stating " NOSE WEIGHTS HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED AS THE VENDOR IN KOREA THAT MADE THESE PARTS CANNOT SUPPLY THEM. PLEASE USE SINKERS OR LIKE METAL PARTS TO ADD WEIGHT. Other than that, this kit is very impressive and I can't wait to get started. Thanks Zip

Check out whats inside the box:

After a closer look I notice even though there are three canopies, they are all different.

Here are the great decals which I will not be using. Thanks to my friends Toother and Hippy Ed I have nose art from the plane my pop flew. In the lower left corner of the pic you can see the mask for the Falcon Nose art. THe yellow sheet is mask for  the canopies.

I should be able to start soon! Can't wait, I've just got a couple obligations to finish.

Thanks

Zip

Zip: Form my experience, pretty much anything Accurate Miniatures is top notch. I've yet to buy or build a B-25 kit, so it's nice I get to follow yours here in the GB. Some day I hope to snatch the "B" version when I'm ready for it.

If you haven't already, check out the Accurate Miniatures website www.accurate-miniatures.com . in the "Catalog" section, they have some nice references for the B-25 kit.

Zip the kit looks pretty good. Looking forward to the build.

Quick progress up date...

Engine is mounted!  I need to extend the exhaust pipes.  I think the main engine assembly is too far forward therefore my exhaust lines are short...

The canopy needs to be masked, prop finished and the wheels and gun bays need to be finished.  Then the final decal details and a shot of Polly Scale flat and she is over and out done.

Great looking build Joe!

Thanks

Zip

Joe,

I have Monograms old P-61 looking for a GB to play in. I know most of you are well into this GB, but she really wants to play. Do you mind if we join in even though we are late?

Great! I can't wait to start. So I'm going to start by asking for opinions. With the age of the kit the panel lines are raised. Should I try rescribing them? I've never done this before. Difficult or hard to do in a somewhat limited time frame?

Personally raised/engraved panel lines doesnt bother me.  Sure Id rather build modern kits with engraved lines, but I dont frett about it.  I know this is heresy to some and others wont build kits without engraved panel lines, Im just neutral.  I have that kit btw and Im going use the ETO markings.

NucMedTech wrote:

Great! I can't wait to start. So I'm going to start by asking for opinions. With the age of the kit the panel lines are raised. Should I try rescribing them? I've never done this before. Difficult or hard to do in a somewhat limited time frame?

 I for one will be very interested in this build because every where I go this model is there. I always pick it up and look at it but for some reason I've never bought it. I agree with Legend, it doesn't affect me either way as to whether a model has raised panels or not. I enjoy all models I build. Yes some require more work (modelling) than others but when your finished those are the ones you take more pride in. I've built a lot of Revells in my life and will continue to.I enjoyed every one of them.

As far as scribing panel lines, I was building the Revellogram P-51 and I wanted a bare metal finish (BMF). During sanding of course I sanded some panel lines off. A BMF shows about every foul up. I remember somewhere I read you can duplicate a raised panel effect by scribing with an x-acto knife if you hold it at and angle when you scribe. So I tried it and wow it works. By holding it on an angle it will raise the plastic on one side of the scribe line simulating a raised panel line. I hade to do several of these on the body and both wings. They came out great. You cant't even tell unless you have a magnifying glass. Even then they look great. I wouldn't suggest doing the whole plane like this but when I sand down a raised panel now I'm in no way worried about it.

Thanks

Zip