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1/18 SBD-5 Dauntless - update 18/11/16 - FINISHED!!


richdlc

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Rich

 

You never fail to impress with your research and execution. Lovely work and the pewter gives an impression of realism paint just cant reproduce. Beautiful stuff...

 

Best

 

Geoff

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  • 1 month later...

*update 24/5/15*

 

Hi again

 

it's been a long time since I updated my build, so here goes…

 

I've been really busy on the cockpit still - there is a lot of detail to add, even though some of it won't be seen. 

A major feature of the rear cockpit is, of course, the gunner's position.  The gunner sat in an open ‘turret' with a flex-mounted 0.30 (or twin 0.30s in later models).  Here's the parts from the kit - as you can see, not brilliant but a good basis for detailing:

 

IMG_3913_zps3qnvp9ga.jpg

 

The real thing is a lot more complex:

 

Screen%20Shot%202014-12-20%20at%2013.16.

 

SBD%20073_zpsr7udmjs3.jpg

 

The first thing I tackled was the guns themselves - the ones in the kit are quite accurate in shape, but low in detail.  I managed to find an example of the out of production Verlinden 0.30, which is actually in 1/16 (or 120mm) scale - placed next to the kit parts, the size difference was absolutely minimal.

I could have resin cast copies of this piece, but I decided it would be more fun to scratch them from plastic. So that's what I did:

 

IMG_3923_zpse0q7zpew.jpg

 

Unfortunately I copied the Verlinden item exactly (twice) - the guns mounted on the Dauntless were modified - certain parts were removed, and others modified (the right hand gun is different to the left), so no sooner had I scratched the two guns, I had to hack some of the parts off!  In the end I got two guns I was happy with.  I paired them up with brass barrels (which I think are made by Aber)

 

IMG_4146_zpscdkmuwlr.jpg

 

Next up was the gun cradle - here's the real thing:

 

Screen%20Shot%202015-04-27%20at%2009.24.

 

And this is a very similar one from a B-25 Mitchell:

 

twin%20gun%20mount%20-%20prob%20b-25%20m

 

Armed with a few more reference pics like these I was able to gradually modify the kit part until i ended up with this:

 

IMG_4150_zpsekv8wgr9.jpg

 

IMG_4151_zpsrdxhr4ku.jpg

 

IMG_4149_zpsfhtkzrqx.jpg

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IMG_4153_zpsyhwahmpk.jpg

 

IMG_4152_zps5sdvvmaf.jpg

 

…and that translates into this when painted up - the cocking pull handles / cords and the (thumb) triggers were added last:

 

IMG_4180_zpsmeidrz7e.jpg

 

IMG_4183_zpst378njbj.jpg

 

IMG_4184_zpspzdcsvik.jpg

IMG_4182_zpsy004jxv3.jpg

 

The ‘turret' was detailed according to my reference photos.  The kit parts are actually quite good, but there's a lot of stuff missing. For instance, the lightening holes in the gun mount ring are all solid - I drilled each one out.  I then added numerous nuts and bolts and other details from plastic sheet, strip and rod, as well as fuse wire.  I decided to offset the guns to one side, hence the mounting pin is on the extreme right.  The gunners often did this anyway to make it easier to climb aboard the aircraft. I've yet to paint this lot up:

 

IMG_4163_zps6bojpeo5.jpg

 

IMG_4160_zpsxwkofbbe.jpg

IMG_4161_zpstnpoepzo.jpg

 

IMG_4165_zpsxhvyjmay.jpg

 

So there you have it…the more I carry on, the more detail there is to add, but I'm enjoying it!
Bye for now

Edited by richdlc
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Jaw-dropping scratch work. Do you use a magnifier? And how do you manage to glue such tiny bits of styrene accurately consistently without making a mess? I find Tamiya extra thin is a bit much for this kind of application, but CA (even the thick stuff) doesn't leave enough time to position.

 

Cheers

Jim

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Hi - thanks a lot for looking in

 

no, I just use good lighting!  I do have a magnifier on my desk lamp but rarely use it.  To position parts I always move the parts to the glue, not the glue to the parts - i.e. I put a blob of it on my work mat, pick each piece up with fine tweezers or a knife point, dab into the glue then attach. I work with revell liquid cement or zap-a-gap medium CA .  I find a good way of checking accuracy is on macro images like the ones above. Even small errors show up in high quality digital photos. Not that I am any kind of photography genius!  Anyway I am glad the details pass muster.

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Guest Peterpools

Rich

You're a mad man! Absolutely brilliant detail work and as usual, your work is just amazing and a pleasure to follow.

Keep 'em coming

Peter

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