Dana Bell

Hi Thierry, The TBDs were deivered with aluminized enamel in the wheel wells. There was little need to repaint them tinted zinc chromate, though anything is possible. The underwater photos suggest that the aircraft may have repainted the wells Light Gray with the introduction of camouflage. Cheers, Dana

I'm not sure if Squadron has a copublishing or distribution agreement in the UK. In the old days we could rely on Lionel Leventhal and Arms and Armour Press - those were truly great days with one of the best publishers! Dana (You might defray postage by buying multiple copies with friends and sharing postage.)

Hi Rod, Not a problem. There can be endless discussions about color names and applications, and the new book updates that. However, what really matters is how does the paint applied to a model appear, and your choice looks really good. If I can ever make the time to build a TBD, I'll be very happy if mt cockpit looks as good as yours! Cheers, Dana

Looks really good, Rod! Were you quoting the original TBD Devastator in Action or the brand new In Action that came out a few weeks ago? Cheers, Dana

Sounds good - I look forward to seeing your build! Cheers, Dana

Although the Fleet reported that they had painted the cockpits Bronze Green, they had actually used black-tinted zinc chromate - AKA Green zinc chromate. Had they added aluminum the color would have been callled Yellow Green. Had they used a bit less black the color might have matched Interior Green. In fact, the last four production aircraft from the original order and all fifteen aircraft on the second order left the factory with aluminized zinc chromate (no black pigment) - a bright pastel green. The canopy frames on those aircraft were Bronze Green inside and out, Cheers, Dana

Brandon at Squadron was able to fix the problems on Amazon - the TBD book is now available there at this link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQZ1L72C?ref=myi_title_dp Cheers, Dana

I had problems with the eBay listing - I've revised it here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/386484925594 Still not able to post the book on Amazon - we'll try to fix that next week. (Guess we missed the Christmas rush!) Cheers, Dana

Hi John, Glad you took the time to ask - this is an entirely new book, based on three of us spending three weeks researching at the National Archives on Pennsylvania Avenue. We found revisions to every previous book, particularly regarding: - Development - Engine installation - Fixed armament - That "kidney-shaped" lump on the right side of the forward fuselage - Canopy design - Hydraulics - Armor - Formation lights - Assistant pilot's flexible machine gun - Norden bomb sight installation - Gunner's installation - Radio revisions - Both approach light configurations - Mark XLII bomb racks - Wing folds - Floatation gear - Main gear strut revisions - Production deliveries - Paint schemes - Squadron histories - Wartime record Additionally, the photos have been copied at very high resolution, and they're printed large, generally one to a page - you can see all the details. My rule is that I won't waste my time writing a book that copies what is already written, so that you won't waste your money buying a book that offers nothing new. My hope is that purchasers will find each book interesting to read and helpful for any modeling projects. (However, I can't promise that anyone's wife will like it...) Cheers, Dana

Before going too far on the Trumpeter TBD, everyone might benefit from some of the things we discovered while writing Squadron's TBD Devastator In Action. The large book (176 pages) hit the shelves on Monday and is now also available on eBay at https://www.ebay.com/itm/386475906223 - I hope you all enjoy! Cheers, Dana

Hi Chuck, I'm glad the books arrived safely - they were a bunch off fun to write. I'll see what I can dig up on those wheel wells for you. 'Till then... Cheers, Dana

Hi Chuck, The aircraft is definitely wearing the 3- (or 4-) toned camouflage. If you've seen my Birdcage Corsair book, the pattern is the scheme at the top of page 37. Beautiful job on the model! Cheers, Dana

Hi George, Found my source - the first photo in Ray Wagner's 1966 Aircraft in Profile explains that the aircraft in the film was a "...late C or D model as indicated by the exhaust stacks" painted in Doolittle's markings for display at the USAF Museum. While the E&M appears to be correct, it was designed for field use and often not applicable for factory production (which was covered by specifications rather than technical manuals). Both documents changed with time, and both were often ignored (with or without Wright Field approval) at the factories. North American's California facility was specifically excused from most interior priming/painting orders. I mispoke earlier when noting the use of Bronze Green in the bombardier's compartment - as you noted, it was originally Yellow Green, later replaced by an unidentified green zinc chromate formula, then by Interior Green in 1943. Here's my older explanation of Yellow Green and its evolution: http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/showandtell1yellowgreendb_1.htm Cheers, Dana

Hi George, I'm afraid I don't recall the source of my information - this is something I read back in the 1960s. The main visible difference between Doolittle's aircraft and the immitation is the exhaust type. I'll check my shelves to see if I can find the old refs. Cheers, Dana

Hi George, Great find - not one I'd seen before. However, despite the many similarities, that's not Doolittle's aircraft - it's a later plane repainted in his markings. That doesn't invalidate any of your observations, but it does leave a door open... Cheers, Dana

Hi George, Sorry I've needed so long to get back to you - it's been a very busy time of life! First, here are some notes on Yellow Green from a few years ago. From what I can tell, they're still accurate. http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/showandtell1yellowgreendb_1.htm But more importantly, this isn't something you run into on Doolittle's B-25s. All the B-25Bs were built in California, and because the Douglas plant there had paint shop problems they were built without paint or primer inside the after fuselage or bomb bay. (There's a small possibility that the bomb bay was Neutral Gray, but I don't have access to photos that would indicate that either way.) The cockpit and bombardier's compartment were Bronze Green inside. The Kansas City facility had a better paint shop, and photos from there show extensive use of primers. I know this goes against the tech orders, but tech orders are little more than an indication of the service's desires. Specifications are slightly better, but the contract and correspondence files are what really guided (without controlling) the manufacturing process. There are plenty of notes from air force factory reps wondering if anyone gave "company A" permission to use an odd color combination, with Wright Field a "whatever, it's OK) response. Good luck with the model - I look forward to seeing your progress! Dana (BTW - the aircraft exempted from from using visible interior primers were the California-built AT-6, P-51, and B-25 and the Seattle-built B-17.)

The AAF had many open-air bomb dumps. The bombs were painted with IR sensitive Dark Olive Drab paint to help hide the dumps from enemy reconnaissance cameras. (Somewhere around here I've got a document discussing the problem...) Cheers, Dana

What appears to be a gear housing in the nose makes me suspect that this is a turboprop; that the housing is centered in the intake makes me suspect a British turboprop. Other than that, I've no idea what cool engine you found. Cheers, Dana

Hi Woody, It was non-skid material. Concerned about drag as much as crews sliding off the wings, Vought kept changing the walkway until the step was added to the right inboard flap. Soon after, the anti-skid surface was eliminated altogether. Cheers, Dana

No problem, Iain. Hope the notes help! Cheers, Dana

Looks like this is going to be useful! A couple of notes on the ribs: On the fixed center section (the "stub wing") the lightening holes were backed by waterproofed fabric; the fabric was painted the same as the adjacent metal structure. The moving section of the wing was also sealed by waterproofed fabric, but the fabric was on the outside. It could be detatched on one side and rolled up for access to the wing, but if it was, the lightening holes should be drilled out. I know the photo shows only a test fitting, so make sure the folded wing lie flatter on your completed model. I'm already interested in this and the cockpit set, and I haven't even purchased the model yet! Cheers, Dana

One note on the wing fabric, usually overlooked on models: the fabric end at the outboard edge of the wing. Originally, there wasn't a solid piece at the wingtip, and when one was added late in the war, it was still covered by the wing fabric. Otherwise, nice effect! Cheers, Dana

I haven't had time to build in decades, but I'm gonna need to buy one of these! How glorious! Cheers, Dana

Hi Jari, Pre-war Navy camoouflage tests suggested that even the sailors' white caps were too visible from a distance - I'm pretty sure the tarps were meant to maintain the carrier's camouflage integrity. Cheers, Dana

I didn't know this before yesterday's trip to the Archives, but that removeable odd bulge collected links from the belted .30. There was a discussion about deleting the bulge with a switch to lighter links, but I didn't get far enough to find further details. More coming next month... Cheers, Dana