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1/32 Trumpeter SBD-5 Dauntless in New Zealand markings w/ full Archer rivet replacement - DONE


Brett M

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Evening everyone! With the Corsair complete, it's time to start a new project and to get it rolling (and help keep the pressure on me) by posting a new build thread.

 

Tackling Trumpeter's SBD-5 Dauntless, which thanks to Bill (wmoran), I got a great deal on. I've been scrounging the internet to see what's available aftermarket wise, as well as bugging you folks in the aviation forum. Looks like there use to be quite a few items from Eduard, but all are discontinued. I did find a dive brake set on eBay, but I'm not sure I want to do that work! So far, I've come up with the MasterCasters replacement wheels/tires so I don't need to deal with vinyl from Trumpeter. I've also picked up Master .30 cal barrels for the rear machine gun. I've not looked yet to see if I should do the same for the front .50 cal guns yet, but...it's possible. I have Montex masks for the insignia and major artwork, though I've also ordered a decal sheet from Malcom at Ventura Publications with the same markings (and hopefully, less red Donald Duck!). Thanks again to Bill for suggesting the markings for this as well, I think it'll look sharp. 

 

The plan is to go with the tri color scheme and I'll be using AK Real Colors for the outside, MRP Interior Green for the inside and then Tamiya acrylics for all the other bits. Not much progress really, but this should help get me motivated to spend a bit of time during lockdown on building something! So far, just clean up and dry fitting of the cockpit. I've got leftover decals for placards and such from my Corsair/HGW sheet, so hopefully I can use some of those in good taste. 

 

Thanks again for reading, definitely feel free to point out suggestions, recommendations, more aftermarket items, etc. 

 

49799506868_031be9ed29_h.jpg

 

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Edited by Brett M
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Excellent kit and choice of scheme!!

 

Damian (DBAndreas on the forum) does a lovely set of legs for the kit as well, you will find a thread on the Vendors board.  Of course, Eduard does carious etch sets for the kit too, depending on how far you want to go.

 

Looking forward to this

 

Cheers Anthony

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Hi Brett,

Good to see you getting a start on this kit.  I always thought it looked like on of Trumpeter's better efforts, but I knew I would never get around to it.  I look forward to seeing your work.

Bill

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On 4/20/2020 at 9:07 PM, turbo said:

Love these Pacific theatre birds - looking forward to this one! :popcorn:

 

On 4/21/2020 at 5:38 AM, Scale32 said:

Brett, after following your Corsair build I have no doubt this will be a cracken build as well!

 

Cheers Bevan 

 

On 4/21/2020 at 5:42 AM, Lothar said:

 

Definitely, I have no doubts!!

Lothar

 

On 4/21/2020 at 6:51 AM, Dutch Man said:

As above. 

Enjoy! Eager to see the process rolling.

 

Robert Jan 

 

On 4/21/2020 at 1:20 PM, CZPetrP said:

Good choice. Dauntless is a very nice plane. I'll watch the buildig.

 

On 4/21/2020 at 3:03 PM, Anthony in NZ said:

Excellent kit and choice of scheme!!

 

Damian (DBAndreas on the forum) does a lovely set of legs for the kit as well, you will find a thread on the Vendors board.  Of course, Eduard does carious etch sets for the kit too, depending on how far you want to go.

 

Looking forward to this

 

Cheers Anthony

 

On 4/21/2020 at 6:39 PM, wmoran said:

Hi Brett,

Good to see you getting a start on this kit.  I always thought it looked like on of Trumpeter's better efforts, but I knew I would never get around to it.  I look forward to seeing your work.

Bill

 

16 hours ago, jep1210 said:

Oooh, I'm in. The Corsair was awesome, can't wait to see what you do with this.

 

Thanks everyone! Lot's of interest and all I posted were grey plastic shots! haha!

 

I've sprayed some of the cockpit in MRP interior green and am starting to pluck out details with paint. Looking for help, if anyone knows a good online reference source for interior shots, I'd really appreciate it. I've looked at some builds, but....I don't want to build a model of a model, so real life sources would great. Even better if the shots are color! 

 

Brett

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, I've been a lot slower to work on this Dauntless than I thought I would be! Covid is providing plenty of time around the house, but since it's spring......house and yard have taken front and center. 

 

So, to the Dauntless. Progress on the cockpit, with more to come today. I'm not very pleased with the instruments, as the dials are hard to make out with the way Trumpeter has done these. Clear plastic instrument panel, with a printed acetate sheet for the dials, which is just black with clear. I tried painting the back of the dials with white, but it didn't do too much. Oh well then. 

 

Working on the cockpit flooring, bulkheads and seat. I picked up some HGW seatbelts for the pilot and gunner, just need to put those together (shudder). Lot's more to do to get this together, but I wanted to share some progress with everyone. Please point out if I've made mistakes anywhere!

 

If anyone has interior photos they would like to share, please do! As always, comments, critiques, suggestions, questions about the weather.....all are welcome.

 

And, how the bench usually looks to start things off. 

 

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Clean up to come on the seams for the multipart instrument panel

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Seat just sat in place (I'm surprised it didn't fall off)

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And after the seat fell out, tossed the rear bulkhead in.

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Really looking forward to your build on this one. I lurked your Corsair build and that was an education.

 

Did you have any issues with the fuselage halves not touching at the top when you put the rearmost bulkhead in? My -3 had a gap and I had to take a fair amount of material off the rearmost bulkhead to get the fuse halves to touch.

 

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Edited by Archer Fine Transfers
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4 hours ago, Archer Fine Transfers said:

Really looking forward to your build on this one. I lurked your Corsair build and that was an education.

 

Did you have any issues with the fuselage halves not touching at the top when you put the rearmost bulkhead in? My -3 had a gap and I had to take a fair amount of material off the rearmost bulkhead to get the fuse halves to touch.

 

170676690.jpg

Thanks! This isn’t Tamiya but it’s not bad. Definitely could use some of your products!

 

So, I’m deviating from the instructions and not installing anything beyond that bulkhead (that tube to start)....which could be why I was just able to close the fuselage with no gap. It’s tight, but it won’t leave a seam. So far......

Edited by Brett M
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10 hours ago, Brett M said:

Thanks! This isn’t Tamiya but it’s not bad. Definitely could use some of your products!

 

If you need anything from Archer just hit me up via PM and I'll see to it that you get it. 

In case you don't have it, this is by far the best reference book I have on the SBD. It has CLEAR detailed photos plus loads of original Douglass archive pictures showing just about every conceivable angle of the cockpit.

41Jz9Z162nL._SX357_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

 

You can get it from Amazon. A bit pricey but worth every penny.

https://www.amazon.com/Douglas-Dauntless-Yellow-Robert-Pęczkowski/dp/8389450399

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