Dukie99 Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 After finishing my first full resin kit for the Eric Brown GB (HS-123), I needed a good fitting kit for a change. As I just finished reading Flyboys from James Bradley (an excellent book) about Avenger pilots being shot down over Chichi Jima (150 miles from Iwo Jima), one of which being George H. Bush (who was rescued by a US submarine), I decided to finally build the Avenger in which '41 was shot down over Chichi Jima. I had this kit in the stash for a while and had slowly collected AM for this build. I am not aware of decals for the President Avenger so I will go the paint masks route, thankfully the scheme does not look too complex: I will be using D&S Vol.53 TBF & TBM Avenger for reference and it looks like a very useful book. Box shots of the kit with the AM: For once this kit does not start with the cockpit but with the engine and it has been a pleasure to build. Good details and sound construction. I hope you will enjoy following this build. Cheerio, David tucohoward and jgrease 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smitty44 Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 (edited) I'm no expert but I though GHWB's plane was covered in the TBM_3 kit and that is was all GSB. I like the looKs of this aircraft though, good lucK with your build! CORRECTION- ok it is three tone camo, but it is represented in the TBM 3 kit Edited June 12, 2016 by Smitty44 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smitty44 Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 You are definately a photographic library Martin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 I believe it was not a TBM dash3. The reason for this is very simple. , General Motors began building the TBM-3 in middle of 1944. Although it was one of the most numerous variant, most of the carrier based Avengers were the Dash 1s as far as February 45. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_K2 Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Interesting. I've wanted the Avenger for quite a while now. I'll be eyeballing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ade rowlands Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Cowl looks to me to be a -1 model, single cooling vent on the top. -3 has one up top and one lower. So you have the correct kit as far as I can see. D Bellis 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dukie99 Posted June 13, 2016 Author Share Posted June 13, 2016 Martin, Thank you for the pictures. I knew of these pictures because they were all included in the Flyboys book but seeing them in large scale is really nice. I also believe that the TBM used by President Bush from USS San Jacinto was a Dash1. On the pictures below which were taken on San Jacinto on October 6, 1944 en route to Okinawa (i.e. after President Bush was shot down), you can see that all the Avengers are Dash1 models, since they do not have the oil cooler intake on the bottom part of the cowl, a feature present on the TBM3. TBF1-Cs on the left with Hellcats in the background: TBF-1c, some serious pitching going on, but the deck crew seem to be cool as cucumbers! This picture was taken in the Summer of 1944 and the aircraft is clearly a TBF1-C. President Bush is standing, 11th from the right: Finally a shot of the USS San Jacinto in January 44: All pictures come from www.navsource.org. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dukie99 Posted June 13, 2016 Author Share Posted June 13, 2016 Here are some pictures of the engine attached to the firewall. As I will not open any cowl panel, I have not added any details behind the engine but there is plenty of room to go nuts here if one so wish. The engine is OOB with only copper wire added. I hope you like it. Cheers, David LSP_Paul, jgrease and tomv87 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alaninaustria Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Great start on the engine David! Very nice!! I like the idea of building ole '41's bird too!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smitty44 Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 So that aircraft is represented in the TBM 3 kit, but only on the decal sheet. Guess I learnt sumfin new tday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dukie99 Posted June 13, 2016 Author Share Posted June 13, 2016 I like it. I have had the same kit for a few years now and have been slowly building up my AM to do 41's bird. I believe that his plane was the TBF1 as well. Great start so far, and I'll follow this build with much interest. Thank you Ernie, I am using the Avionix resin cockpit and it has been great to work with, very good casting, no bubbles, and extremely nice detail. AFAIK, this is the only Resin pit for this airframe. The Eduard interior set is also extremely nice and actually very complementary to the Avionix set which includes no photo etch. I will be using Airscale decals to do the instrument dials in the pit and placards inside. I will have the radio operator door open to show off the interior which is really enhanced by the Eduard set. I have been dry fitting like made to make sure that the resin fits inside and retain the great fit of the fuselage. So far so good, I am impressed how the kit and the AM mesh together. I will try to post more pictures tonight. I did not purchase the Eduard set for the bomb bay and have no regret. I think the detail in the bomb bay is pretty good OOB and not much will be seen of it once she's on her legs. I also do not have the Eduard exterior set and it seems that this set would make more sense if I wanted to fold the wings but I will have the wings extended so I will probably pass on that one. Any other AM that I should be aware of, which would make sense in your view? I am following your new T-28 build and I have to say I am tempted but if I want to enter the Between the War GB with any chance of finishing in time, I will have to refrain, for now. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Martin, Thank you for the pictures. I knew of these pictures because they were all included in the Flyboys book but seeing them in large scale is really nice. I also believe that the TBM used by President Bush from USS San Jacinto was a Dash1. On the pictures below which were taken on San Jacinto on October 6, 1944 en route to Okinawa (i.e. after President Bush was shot down), you can see that all the Avengers are Dash1 models, since they do not have the oil cooler intake on the bottom part of the cowl, a feature present on the TBM3. TBF1-Cs on the left with Hellcats in the background: TBF-1c, some serious pitching going on, but the deck crew seem to be cool as cucumbers! This picture was taken in the Summer of 1944 and the aircraft is clearly a TBF1-C. President Bush is standing, 11th from the right: Finally a shot of the USS San Jacinto in January 44: All pictures come from www.navsource.org. David You are most welcome David, I am glad that you are ready and loaded with references . I posted the pictures and short statement in order to avoid misunderstanding that Trumpeter created by declaring Dash-3 with Bush machine . I hope you don't mind. I am very excited about your build, good luck I will stick around. Cheers Martin PS: those Signifier wheels are diamond pattern or the block ones ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Hansen Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Hi David, I'm a big fan of the Avenger, and i think this is a very cool project. Haven't bought the Trumpeter kit yet but seriously considered it. Looking at those close ups of ol' George sitting in the cockpit, i think i now understand why Trumpeter chose to go with recessed rivets. For what its worth, i've seen three of these finished and they really dominate a contest table when built up with the wings spread. About the only negative thing i ever hear about the kit is, the parts count is so high. Definitely an example of Trumpeter firing on all cylinders. I'd love to dive into one, once i get my F4U-2 project finished. Watching with close interest, david Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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