B-25 "Bottoms Up II" paint job

[Karl H]

As for the odd looking glass on the nose, that is because Hasegawa got it wrong. HK has it fairly close to correct.

 

The photo I posted is of the actual airplane, the ones you are referring to of the bare metal/chromate airplane are of the 1/72nd Hasegawa kit.

Edited April 1, 2017 by Karl H

[AdamR]

Where are these photos of 27900 with the four nose guns? That link shows photos of the model, not a real aircraft.

The photo I posted is of the actual airplane, the ones you are referring to of the bare metal/chromate airplane are of the 1/72nd Hasegawa kit.

Scroll down on the linked page, Karl. You will see several photos of the real NMF plane with four nose guns.

Edited April 1, 2017 by AdamR

[kkarlsen]

Maybe it's the other way around? I mean maybe it was delivered as part of the first B-25J's in green/grey camouflage and then later stripped from the camouflage, but some of the primer didn't come off? 

 

Kent

[AdamR]

Maybe it's the other way around? I mean maybe it was delivered as part of the first B-25J's in green/grey camouflage and then later stripped from the camouflage, but some of the primer didn't come off? 

 

Kent

And then they filled up the nose with .50s to make it a strafer? Possible, but seems unlikely. I don't see any reference in the book to the 340th taking on such missions.

 

Still, that's as good an explanation as mine, which is NO explanation.

[AdamR]

Scroll down on the linked page, Karl. You will see several photos of the real NMF plane with four nose guns.

...and the different glass.

[kkarlsen]

So this is what I got back from contacting my expert on B-25's in the MTO:

 

"This plane hits nerve with me...so here is my download of what I know. 6V Bottoms up II was a B-25J-1 43-4082 (came from factory with OD/gray paint scheme, which explains the bare metal when the side pack guns were removed). It was a replacement plane arriving on May 13, 1944 after the May 13th Air Raid. It was lost in a accident (crash landing) on 3/18/45 on Corsica. It was replaced with 6V 43-27900 3/31/45 which survived until the end of the war. This plane was a 319th BG plane (natural metal with dark blue tails) that was in storage when the 319th went back to the states and was pulled out along with other 319th planes (e.g. 8V 43-26230, 9Q, 43-27752, etc) and used as replacements. The yellow paint is zinc chromate used for corrosion protection, I would guess they found some corrosion on the nacelles, removed it and painted over those spots to prevent further corrosion...

This is my other pet peave, is that authors makes assumptions and post them as facts, Pace;s book has this photo, but as you will see in my discussion above this was Bottom's Up II's replacement. The author made the leap that this was the same plane based on the tail code"

 

Mystery seems solved. Happy modelling: Kent

Edited April 1, 2017 by kkarlsen

[Karl H]

If you are talking about this, it is the Hasegawa kit Photoshopped to appear in flight. That is why the bombardier's emergency exit looks weird. The fact that there is no one in the cockpit is another clue.

 

[AdamR]

If you are talking about this, it is the Hasegawa kit Photoshopped to appear in flight. That is why the bombardier's emergency exit looks weird. The fact that there is no one in the cockpit is another clue]

I was laughing, but now I don't know. That's some hella photoshopping though.

 

Edit: Yep. No doubt. 'Shopped.

 

Did they get the guns wrong too, I wonder?

 

Even if they did, I'm not doing that scheme. It's too ugly.

Edited April 1, 2017 by AdamR

[AdamR]

So this is what I got back from contacting my expert on B-25's in the MTO:

 

"This plane hits nerve with me...so here is my download of what I know. 6V Bottoms up II was a B-25J-1 43-4082 (came from factory with OD/gray paint scheme, which explains the bare metal when the side pack guns were removed). It was a replacement plane arriving on May 13, 1944 after the May 13th Air Raid. It was lost in a accident (crash landing) on 3/18/45 on Corsica. It was replaced with 6V 43-27900 3/31/45 which survived until the end of the war. This plane was a 319th BG plane (natural metal with dark blue tails) that was in storage when the 319th went back to the states and was pulled out along with other 319th planes (e.g. 8V 43-26230, 9Q, 43-27752, etc) and used as replacements. The yellow paint is zinc chromate used for corrosion protection, I would guess they found some corrosion on the nacelles, removed it and painted over those spots to prevent further corrosion...

 

Mystery seems solved. Happy modelling: Kent

Aha! Wonderful source work, Kent!

 

Looks like I am going to punt on doing "Botoms Up II." The HK kit has too many guns for one and not enough for the other.

 

Thanks so much for your excellent help on this.

[Karl H]

I am of the belief that yes, they got the guns wrong. I have not seen any Med birds with four fixed guns in the nose. There would be no point. I think you are safe to go with the OD bird with one fixed and one flexible gun in the nose. As was pointed out above, that airplane left the factory with the OD/NG paint job. That one with the NMF and chromate looks to have been well explained. It would not be a problem to delete the lower fixed nose gun. Just fill the hole with some Micro Clear or the like and go for it. And have FUN with it  !!!

[Karl H]

Here is the Hasegawa nose. Window frames look familiar? 

 

[AdamR]

Here is the Hasegawa nose. Window frames look familiar?

 

Yup.

 

Clearly, I was "had" by a clever photoshop. It did tip me off that there was an issue, though.

 

Bottom line, thanks to Kent we now know there was not a #43-27900 "Bottoms Up II" with the unpainted cheek gun areas as depicted in the Kitsworld KW132047 decal set.

Edited April 1, 2017 by AdamR

[AdamR]

I am of the belief that yes, they got the guns wrong. I have not seen any Med birds with four fixed guns in the nose. There would be no point. I think you are safe to go with the OD bird with one fixed and one flexible gun in the nose. As was pointed out above, that airplane left the factory with the OD/NG paint job. That one with the NMF and chromate looks to have been well explained. It would not be a problem to delete the lower fixed nose gun. Just fill the hole with some Micro Clear or the like and go for it. And have FUN with it  !!!

Too late: the nose is already installed. I'm gonna chicken out on this one and do a different subject. There are plenty of Bottoms Ups IIs done already, anyway.

 

Thanks for your help with this.

 

Adam