1/32 Hobby Boss B-24J Liberator Assembly Ship Tubarao

[monthebiff]

On 10/3/2019 at 7:13 AM, nmayhew said:

I must say those landing gear inserts look the business

I do hope he produces more of those asap!

 

this bird is on my list because as you say it's one of the few liberty ships where the pics clearly show guns (some at least) - I really like that look

Those landing gear legs are excellent and and a must for this model. 

 

Thinking I will add guns to the nose and tail turrets with the waist and dorsal turret without.

 

Regards.Andy 

[monthebiff]

Recieved the new B-24 stencil set from Profi Modeller this morning and very nice too 

 

 

Includes stencil data for both inside and out, particularly like the attention payed to the oxygen cylinders. Used several sets by Profi modeller and they always perform beautifully.

 

Regards. Andy 

[monthebiff]

So one part of the HB kit that has been seriously overlooked and I guess due to cost or can we be bothered is the lower fuselage below the cockpit which is also the wheel bay. HB have got this quite badly wrong as there should be a walkthrough on the starboard side past the nose gear through to the nose turret and bombardier station. Also there are loads of other interesting stuff going on in there such as auxiliary generators etc. 

 

I would like to add a few bits and pieces but not sure if the effort is worth it. Here is a view from the nose looking through to the wheel bay.

 

 

And from below 

 

 

So do I leave it and paint a very dark shade of Dark Dull Green in there or try and add some of that missing stuff or is life to short? 

 

Regards.Andy 

[Uncarina]

Andy,

 

The choice is yours! Perhaps a compromise is in order? Either way, your build will be one to watch.

 

Cheers,  Tom

[monthebiff]

Had a really productive day at the bench adding all of the basic internal details. 

 

 

 

A couple of areas worth noting are the rear bulkhead parts, I would suggest anyone building this fits one at a time, let it dry and test fit the fuselage halves as they are well oversize and need some trimming down ad the fuselage halves just will not meet.

 

 

 

 

This is the worst offender of them all due to the way HB have engineered the fit of this sub assembly and leaves a huge gap in the top of the fuselage joint. 

 

 

Some very careful trimming is needed and plenty of dry fits but eventually I got a good fuselage fit.

 

 

So with the basic internals fitted I need to decide which areas I will add further detail to bearing in mind the interior will be painted dark dull green. 

 

Regards. Andy 

[Youngtiger1]

Andy, you are doing great. Also, thanks for taking nice clean photography of your work. I don’t have this kit and I was not thinking about purchasing it as it’s just way to big for my glass cabinet. However,  after looking at the amount of interior detail this kit has and how nice it is i’m seriously thinking about getting it.

 

Beside, you can never go wrong with any assembly ships colors. ;)  So, keep up the good work.

 

Mike

 

 

[Uncarina]

Andy, thanks also for the build tips!

 

Cheers,  Tom

[nmayhew]

[monthebiff]

So a little more work done over the last few days, first up I built up the bomb bay assembly, not to many parts really but some care is needed in getting everything square but the close fit of parts does help.

 

 

In general I think the interior is pretty good on this kit, however I do think the bomb racks are very very clunky and poorly done but not a lot will be seen when complete.

 

 

I believe Eduard make a couple of sets to replace a lot of this but its an expensive upgrade to be honest, I do think when its all painted up and closed up nobody will really notice to much as its hardly like a B-17, Lancaster or even a Mosquito for that matter with big wide open bomb bays showing everything off.

 

I've also test fitted the whole interior in to the fuselage before moving on to adding any further detail and the fit is very good, here are a couple of shots.

 

 

 

and a quick shot of the cockpit opening.

 

 

I've got a good picture on which direction I'm going on this now and which area's to add further detail to. The nose and waist areas will get the main attention from here now.

 

Regards. Andy

[Kagemusha]

Fantastic, really enjoying the journey. 

[Gazzas]

 

I'm really digging this build, Andy.    I'm not a big interior detail guy, so I always try to limit myself to what can be seen by others, or what is structurally necessary to hold everything together.   But sometimes is it satisfying to do a  little more.  

[monthebiff]

On 10/11/2019 at 10:14 PM, Gazzas said:

 

I'm really digging this build, Andy.    I'm not a big interior detail guy, so I always try to limit myself to what can be seen by others, or what is structurally necessary to hold everything together.   But sometimes is it satisfying to do a  little more.  

Thank  you Gaz, I'm trying to be restrained on adding to much extra internal stuff on this one and have to keep pulling myself back. Some areas I will add detail to but have to say HB have done an ok job considering what will be seen.

 

Regards. Andy 

[monthebiff]

Some work on the B-24 again this weekend and made a start on adding the internal ribbing in the nose section but before that I realized that Tubereo had the round rather than oblong windows in the nose section sonInglued in the kit clear parts and the drilled out a 10mm hole.

 

 

 

 

Should be interesting as I've never tried making my own clear parts!!

 

Regards. Andy 

[Anthony in NZ]

Nice work Andy!

 

Just a thought, I would probably put an oversize square piece of clear in the fuselage and polish it up.  Then spray the window with a circular mask....?

 

Keep up the great work

[monthebiff]

41 minutes ago, Anthony in NZ said:

Nice work Andy!

 

Just a thought, I would probably put an oversize square piece of clear in the fuselage and polish it up.  Then spray the window with a circular mask....?

 

Keep up the great work

 

Nice idea Anthony and wish it was that easy as it needs to be a bulged window so should be interesting!!

 

Regards.Andy