The Official P-61 Group Build Thread

Fred,

I'd like to get into this GB.  I have the Monogram 1/48 P-61 in my stash.  I won't be able to get to it until some time next year but will possibly add some of the resin aftermarket parts that are available for this kit.  I don't know which bird I'll actually build until I do some research on what AM decals I may be able to get.

Steven

Still beautiful, Eric .  I have even more appreciation for it since I assembled the crew pod this morning.  Does anything on there fit together?

You got it, Aggie!  Consider yourself in the group

-Fred

Ok guys,

Settle on a GB badge.  Makes no difference to me, we'll go with whichever one gets the most votes.

Since I won't vote for my own, my choice is kenji's second sub., the one in the second post at the top of page 2.

-Fred

I already voted for the same one.

Speak up, folks!

Okay, I've been inactive on these forums for far too long  . . . I'm commited to four or five builds already, but I'll commit to this one, too, since I'M ALMOST DONE WITH A P-61B ALREADY (for once)! I'll post some pic's as soon as I am able; I've pretty much just gotta glue the wings and the engine nacelles on, and that's it. I'll let y'all know . . . .

P.S. Is it cheating to enter a GB when you're almost already done with your model? 

SoD Stitch wrote:

Okay, I've been inactive on these forums for far too long  . . . I'm commited to four or five builds already, but I'll commit to this one, too, since I'M ALMOST DONE WITH A P-61B ALREADY (for once)! I'll post some pic's as soon as I am able; I've pretty much just gotta glue the wings and the engine nacelles on, and that's it. I'll let y'all know . . . . P.S. Is it cheating to enter a GB when you're almost already done with your model?

I don't see it as cheating as it's not a contest.  We're all here to share ideas, buld techniques and show off.

For instance, the trick to assembling the crew pod, lots of tenax and lots of tape to hold it while it's drying.  I first glued the floor to one side and let that dry.  Then I glued the top of the 2 halves together and secured it with tape while it dried overnight.  Then I had the arduous task of making the bottoms go together - man, what a fight they put up.  But I think I finally got it together with minimum seam gappage.  I'll fix the seams over the next couple of days and hopefully have something to show by the weekend.

-Fred

For those of you just starting to build your P-61's and those who haven't begun yet, I did a little research recently concerning the actual colors of the P-61. The Revellogram instructions for the 1/48th version calls for an interior color of "Green Zinc Chromate"; this is incorrect. A better match for the interior color is Testors' Interior Green, FS 34151. I have a good resource on-line that I am unable to find at the moment (of course); as soon as I find the HTML address for it, I'll post a link here (tomorrow?). However, here's another link that might be of some help:

http://www.virgin-widow.com/Black%20Widow%20Painting%20Information.htm

SoDStitch, thanks for the information.

As for my badge vote, I'll vote for kenji's entry of the top-side P-61.

Aggieman. How do you do the alternating group build badges? And can you slow it down?

Yea! I like the top view widow, too. Actually, I like a couple of them so if I could get that alternating thing goin' I'd use more than one! 

Top view with the hourglass works for me.

As far as colors, I read the the crew areas were painted in Interior Green and unexposed areas such as wheel wells and what not would be yellow zinc chromate. Can anyone confirm this??

Chopperfan,

I use a program called Digital Image Suite (Microsoft 2006 version) and build an animated file out of a bunch of static .jpeg files I created with the various pictures and text.  It can be slowed down, which I think it will do as it does look rather fast on this site.  Yet when I previewed it while creating it, 5 seconds between frames seemed to crawl.

Steven

Ok,  can someone scale down the topview w/ hourglass badge and post a link for it?

Looks like the one we'll be going with.

-Fred

I don' got to show you... Oops, wrong genre.

Here's the shrunken version:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2286/2019622228_d3cb2dc6d2_o.jpg 

okay , count me in....

Monogram 1/48th scale

P-61A 'Moonhappy"

aftermarket decals and (I think) vacuum-formed canopies already in the box.

at present this kit is buried under a bunch of others so I will have to dig it up.

I also like the loooong build time as I have plethora of other kits under construction right now.

(I try to finish kits already under construction before starting new ones, but in practice this is usually just wish-full thinking)

okay , count me in....

Monogram 1/48th scale

P-61A 'Moonhappy"

aftermarket decals and (I think) vacuum-formed canopies already in the box.

(are there any canopy masks for this beast?)

at present this kit is buried under a bunch of others so I will have to dig it up.

I also like the loooong build time as I have plethora of other kits under construction right now.

(I try to finish kits already under construction before starting new ones, but in practice this is usually just wish-full thinking)

Welcome aboard, DGM.  I'll add you to the list

-Fred

Gigatron wrote:

Welcome aboard, DGM.  I'll add you to the list -Fred

Thanks , Fred.

so I dug up the kit the other night and discovered a few things...

Aeromaster decal sheet 48-489 Midnight Widows part 4 (Moonhappy,Cooper's Snooper & Lady Gen)

no vacuum-formed canopies (musta been thinking of the B-26) and the interior parts were already painted in Zinc Chromate.

the cockpit parts have now been re-painted in Testors FS 34151 Interior Green.

p.s. if you want a correct set of propellers for the "C" model then buy yourself a pair of Tamiya P-47 Thunderbolts.

they have really nice Curtiss Asymmetric propeller blades.!

So, anybody making any progress on this beast?

I think I finally finished the crew compartment, I just need to take some pics.  I've been so busy with real life lately, that if I get to do any work on it, it's a major step

-Fred

If I can get the legs on this lady tonite, I was going to post some pics.

Here are some pics of my "Lady" with make-up. Just finished spraying here down with Future and will decal it out when that dries. In the meantime, I have some landing gear and PE for the gear that will need some love while the Future dries. Thanks for looking!!!

Nice looking bird, Jester

I have so much PE and resin on mine, it may very well take the full time of the build to complete .

-Fred

Just a few update pics, nothing much

Enjoy,

Fred

I start on 1/48 Monogram but in mean time here are few pic taken '91 '92 in NASM.

Gumiflex

Looking good Fred!!!

Thanks for the pics Gumi, is that you sitting inside? If so, you are so lucky!

Jester75 wrote:

Looking good Fred!!! Thanks for the pics Gumi, is that you sitting inside? If so, you are so lucky!

Jester yes that is me about 15 years ago...I have more pic where this one came from.

Gumiflex 

I don't know how I missed it earlier but that is an awesome model of 'the Spook'

the contrast in the blue eyes and the red cowl flaps and spinners is very cool!

Gumiflex, Thank You for posting those images they are also excellent !