Hobby Boss 1/32 B-24J - Initial Observations

[LSP_Ray]

7 hours ago, John1 said:

Wonder why Collings has gone through so many schemes?  It's gotta be pretty darned expensive to keep repainting it.   On a related note - I did a walk-through of their Lib (in it's Dragon's tail days) when they flew into the Plymouth, MA airport and can't highly enough recommend it if you ever get a chance.  It's one thing to look at period pics or videos of these aircraft in action.  Being able to walk through it gives you a much better idea of what those kids went through.  To me at least, it was actually pretty sobering. 

Was also pretty cool to stand 50' away and hear / smell those 4 engines being started up.  

It's even better to be inside it when the engines fire up! I didn't fly in the 24, had to choose one and went for the B-17 when the two came to Salem, OR. Was a great flight; they went directly over my house, took a pic from waist gunner position. Stuck my head out the navigator's roof window into the slipstream. Went down to the bombardier's position - what a view! Definitely an experience I would recommend if you can fork over the cost of a B-24 kit - it was worth it.

[CATCplSlade]

The Collings plane was still All American when I saw her.

[Fred Jack]

On 12/6/2018 at 8:45 PM, Rowen said:

 

Fred - Are you referring the Collings Foundation B-24 that is currently painted in the Witchcraft markings? If so, no, it's not the original Witchcraft. The original - I believe - was destroyed very shortly after the end of WWII. This one was built in Ft. Worth.

 

-Ro

 

Then why did I see Built at Willow Run Detroit Michigan before it was painted out after I mentioned it.

[Rowen]

6 hours ago, Fred Jack said:

Then why did I see Built at Willow Run Detroit Michigan before it was painted out after I mentioned it.

 

I'm not sure as I am no B-24 expert - but the Collings Foundation B-24J has been painted in two other schemes (All American and Dragon and it's tail) before they repainted it as Witchcraft a number of years ago. It might have been an effort to make sure the plane was as close to the original as possible (whatever one it was representing at the time).

 

-Ro

 

[ssculptor]

As we discussed before, "...different strokes for different folks".

Personally, I like the model to be pretty close to the overall shape and I let it go at that.

I finally learned to relax and enjoy readIng all the conclusions that the detail guys come up with.

Just as long as I do not  have to do any of them myself.

I am interested mainly in the overall shapes of the aircraft. But I apprciate all the work the detailers do.

In terms of my current transforative stage I prefer readybuilt models which I can convert into my sculpture.

Then I can paint them any way I lilke. After all, I am the grand Field Marshal of the Vulgarian Armed Forces.

In terms of detailing I am happy with vacuform models and the wood models made in the Philippines both of which are open to detailing as much as I want.

Note the carved wood models from the philippines, A number of the early products of the artisans from that country, every now and then one may find a model so out of proportion and so wrong that all I can do is repaint them in VAF colors and declare them to be original designs . 

I'm in this game for the pure fun of it. 

We are given only one life, make what you want and enjoy it.

 

 

 

[acresearcher]

I'm about to give specific historically-accurate information again, so if this disturbs you stop reading - or tell the person reading it to you to stop.

 

The original "Witchcraft" was a B-24H-15-FO (Ford), 8AF 467BG 790BS Q2-M 42-52534. She flew 130 missions without an abort or combat casualties. She did return to the U.S. but was subsequently scrapped.

 

The Collings Foundation aircraft is a  B-24J-85-CF (Consolidated/Fort Worth) 44-44052. It was accepted by the USAAF in August, 1944, then transferred to the RAF in October, 1944 as Liberator GR.VI KH191. It was abandoned by the British in late 1945 in Khanpur, India.

 

There are about a zillion ways to tell a Ford "H" from a Consolidated "J" (and a Fort Worth "J" from a San Diego "J", as well.) However, to avoid anyone getting TMI Rash I'll end here.

 

EXCEPT!  Fred Jack, Ford built the B-24E (basically a D), the F, H, L, M and eventually a few N's at Willow Run. Of course, as with all things B-24 the complete story is a bit more complicated than that, but the above should do for now.

 

I hope this will inform some, concern others, and generally muck up the ethers.  

 

AlanG

Edited December 11, 2018 by acresearcher

[Out2gtcha]

10 hours ago, acresearcher said:

I'm about to give specific historically-accurate information again, so if this disturbs you stop reading - or tell the person reading it to you to stop.

 

The original "Witchcraft" was a B-24H-15-FO (Ford), 8AF 467BG 790BS Q2-M 42-52534. She flew 130 missions without an abort or combat casualties. She did return to the U.S. but was subsequently scrapped.

 

The Collings Foundation aircraft is a  B-24J-85-CF (Consolidated/Fort Worth) 44-44052. It was accepted by the USAAF in August, 1944, then transferred to the RAF in October, 1944 as Liberator GR.VI KH191. It was abandoned by the British in late 1945 in Khanpur, India.

 

There are about a zillion ways to tell a Ford "H" from a Consolidated "J" (and a Fort Worth "J" from a San Diego "J", as well.) However, to avoid anyone getting TMI Rash I'll end here.

 

EXCEPT!  Fred Jack, Ford built the B-24E (basically a D), the F, H, L, M and eventually a few N's at Willow Run. Of course, as with all things B-24 the complete story is a bit more complicated than that, but the above should do for now.

 

I hope this will inform some, concern others, and generally muck up the ethers.  

 

AlanG

 

 

 

Expert/SME type info is always wanted IMHO!!!!    Once information like this is obtained, the modeler can do with it as he chooses, and either make use of it and change things or leave them as is, but to me having the info in the first place is really good. 

[1to1scale]

On 12/9/2018 at 4:04 PM, Fred Jack said:

Then why did I see Built at Willow Run Detroit Michigan before it was painted out after I mentioned it.

Ok, useless trivia post, but this just grinds my beans...I just wanted to clear something up, Willow Run is actually in Ypsilanti MI, not Detroit as a lot of books put it, it’s about 45 minutes away from Detroit in a whole different county. I used to live in Ypsilanti only a mile from the plant, and flew out of that airport. They have a great Yankee Air Force museum I used to visit. 

[Fred Jack]

6 hours ago, 1to1scale said:

Ok, useless trivia post, but this just grinds my beans...I just wanted to clear something up, Willow Run is actually in Ypsilanti MI, not Detroit as a lot of books put it, it’s about 45 minutes away from Detroit in a whole different county. I used to live in Ypsilanti only a mile from the plant, and flew out of that airport. They have a great Yankee Air Force museum I used to visit. 

You are right but it was still considered Detroit, like The main airport being called the Detroit Metropolitan Airport Near Willow Run.  My dad broadcast the Weather on the Marshall Well’s Morning Farm Report on WJR Detroit radio from there. I didn’t print what was on the plane.

[D.B. Andrus]

9 hours ago, Out2gtcha said:

 

 

 

Expert/SME type info is always wanted IMHO!!!!    Once information like this is obtained, the modeler can do with it as he chooses, and either make use of it and change things or leave them as is, but to me having the info in the first place is really good. 

 

+ 1000

[D.B. Andrus]

20 hours ago, acresearcher said:

I'm about to give specific historically-accurate information again, so if this disturbs you stop reading - or tell the person reading it to you to stop.

 

The original "Witchcraft" was a B-24H-15-FO (Ford), 8AF 467BG 790BS Q2-M 42-52534. She flew 130 missions without an abort or combat casualties. She did return to the U.S. but was subsequently scrapped.

 

The Collings Foundation aircraft is a  B-24J-85-CF (Consolidated/Fort Worth) 44-44052. It was accepted by the USAAF in August, 1944, then transferred to the RAF in October, 1944 as Liberator GR.VI KH191. It was abandoned by the British in late 1945 in Khanpur, India.

 

There are about a zillion ways to tell a Ford "H" from a Consolidated "J" (and a Fort Worth "J" from a San Diego "J", as well.) However, to avoid anyone getting TMI Rash I'll end here.

 

EXCEPT!  Fred Jack, Ford built the B-24E (basically a D), the F, H, L, M and eventually a few N's at Willow Run. Of course, as with all things B-24 the complete story is a bit more complicated than that, but the above should do for now.

 

I hope this will inform some, concern others, and generally muck up the ethers.  

 

AlanG

 

 Thank you, Mr Griffiths, for dropping in and clarifying some of the multitude complexities pertaining to the later (Post D model) B-24's. I look forward to any and all of your follow-on volumes. Many here feel the same, I'm quite sure.

 

Best Regards,

 

D.B. Andrus

[LSP_Mike]

I do. Let's start with the actual record, and go from thereif I do this model, it will be a Sandy Eggo bird, since I was born there.

[Out2gtcha]

Oh yeah, Im really looking forward to this release!  Im hoping against hope that if there are any flubs in it, they are fixable..............and if not fixable, I hope they do not change the outright look of the aircraft as to be noticeable right off the bat to anyone who knows the plane. 

[Iain]

Looks like I might have a couple of these before the end of the month - still planning on a B-24J and a Privateer.

 

Iain

[Out2gtcha]

14 minutes ago, LSP_Mike said:

if I do this model, it will be a Sandy Eggo bird, since I was born there.

 

 

OH yeah, Ive got my scheme for my J all planned out...................and will probably bring some raised eye brows with it!   It will be a "Tidal Wave" of Consolidated goodness!