TimW Posted May 3, 2013 Author Share Posted May 3, 2013 I just picked up the Osprey book on the P-61 as well. Scanning the book I noted where the ETO flew with a 2 man crew and the PTO squadrons flew 3 man crews. Even with the fixed "turret" [barbette?] they carried the "gunner". If this is a generally correct assumption , I wonder if the 3rd crewman was a second set of eyes on the flight deck? My guess,as well, is that The Vigin Widow carried the fixed upper guns. I would like to see a photograph verifying that though. I'm following the build,it looks great so far. RD After going back and forth, I'm going to put the fixed turret on, unless some sort of definitive evidence the contrary comes to light. I like the way it looks. Tim W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shepard Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 hi tim..... well done till now... as always! cheers shep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimW Posted May 5, 2013 Author Share Posted May 5, 2013 More in progress of work on the R/O's instrumentation. I have not yet added all the wires/cables to the radar & radio gear yet. One of the frames in the R/O position has to have a notch cut out of it so that the small black box will fit. The truly ambitious could probably do that whole assembly out of plasticard, I suppose. And of course my camera flash continues to function only when it wants to--but I'll take more shots when the whole thing is assembled. The above bit has just been positioned there to get an idea of how it fits. The framework I was talking about sticks out on the left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 Tim, love watching this beast come to life. Your doing it justice, my friend !. Hmmm, I just might have to get one, like I really need another twin engined black bird...LOL.....Harv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peterpools Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 Tim Wonderful progress on the Widow, as the interior office is looking real good. Keep 'em coming :popcorn: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimW Posted May 5, 2013 Author Share Posted May 5, 2013 Tim, love watching this beast come to life. Your doing it justice, my friend !. Hmmm, I just might have to get one, like I really need another twin engined black bird...LOL.....Harv It's a unique aircraft. I'm getting more into this than I thought I would. Tim W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vandy 1 VX 4 Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 Tim, love watching this beast come to life. Your doing it justice, my friend !. Hmmm, I just might have to get one, like I really need another twin engined black bird...LOL.....Harv Harvey Its BIGER and has Radials, Come on its justified!!! By the way it is a Night Fighter and did I mention its Black Derek B and TimW 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimW Posted May 6, 2013 Author Share Posted May 6, 2013 Excellent! My turret cover arrived today from Lone Star Models. Tim W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimW Posted May 7, 2013 Author Share Posted May 7, 2013 The next challenge: Doing enough scratch-building and stuff to make the R/O position look something like this: http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/4989/p61radiooperationsupper.gif I won't say that my wiring will be exact, but I'm going for "the look" that can be obtained via "creative gizmology" as Shep Paine talked about in his invaluable how-to book. Wow. That's alot of hyphens in one sentence. I need coffee. Mainly I'm using some rubber hose (very thin) that I can't recall where I got, but could sure use more of it. That, and maybe some bundled copper wire for the more fiddly stuff. More to come. Derek B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimW Posted May 9, 2013 Author Share Posted May 9, 2013 More progress. Pilot's seat installed, along with fiddly seat belt bits. And I'm starting to add the wiring & cet. to the R/O position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncarina Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 It's looking very good! Cheers, Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimW Posted May 10, 2013 Author Share Posted May 10, 2013 It occurs to me while working on the various seats & gunsights--how often did the radar operator actually bother having the gunsight in the aft position? With the .50s either removed or fixed forward, what was he going to do with them? Maybe removal of the sight is in order? Anybody have any thoughts on this? Tim W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimW Posted June 11, 2013 Author Share Posted June 11, 2013 Talk about sidetracked..... Got my instrument panel decals a few weeks ago, but have been sidetracked by a couple of side-projects. One, a diorama involving modern armor (yeah, I know, I know). The other, a rather large side project in the form of Trumpy's 1/200th Bismarck (what was I thinking)? But have no fear, the Widow shall return shortly! Tim W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Fighter Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 (edited) The radar set up you have is for a Version B. My eyes have been dilated so I can't see very clearly much less read what I'm typing. I will help where I can. You may want to compare between the other builds with the forum. A lot of information has been diseminated that would be helpful to you. A note, the A version had trim tabs on the alerons where as the B version did not. I believe I may also have a photo somewhere of the Virgin Widow. Based off of the RO station, you are using the 32nd scale kit. All but one of the smaller scale kits are configured for the A version of aircraft. Bill Edited June 12, 2013 by Night Fighter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Fighter Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Okay guys P-61 class time. Some of the units had their R/Os moved up to the gunners position. I have not seen how they rigged up the scopes but I know this to be true. Secondly, there are records that show the rear facing R/O has used those gun sights in an emergency. One account has a Zero approaching the tail of the Widow and the R/O took control of the guns and shot the Zero down. This happened when the widow was new and they believe the Japanese pilot thought the widow was a P-38. Ask any questions you have on the widow and I will try to fill you in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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