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Hobby Boss B-24L (26 Feb 2023: tail turret)


easixpedro

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1 hour ago, John1 said:

Dayum, that’s some big league work you’ve done. Very impressive.    What do you use to polish clear resin?

Actually clear plastic that I pulled over the resin buck. I realized my post actually didn’t say that, so went back and edited for clarification. As of now, it’s been sanded up to 10k grit. Polish will come as I get ready to install it.

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10 hours ago, Jboldt007 said:

great story and thread! I have a hobby boss B-24D build (stalled) where i felt compelled to add the stringers too- which was nearly as bad as wanting to add rivets. Pulled back from the brink. The kit is a mixed blessing. But what else is there?

Your comment got me thinking last night.  Some might call it AMS, but I think it's the age old story.  I want some something accurate that depicts a particular plane in a snapshot of time. I'm making a B-24L.  The kit is a J, so that requires some changes at a minimum. While I want to go hog wild and add things in the radio compartment, I won't as it wont be visible.  In the waist section, I'll likely open up the area above the wing, but that's about it - not much else will be visible.  Always a fine line...

 

Hopefully more soon. Busy week though, so likely nothing until the weekend.

-Peter

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17 hours ago, JayW said:

Oh nice Peter!  I tell ya - you are fearless.  You really have me wondering if I should do a scratch build canopy for the F4U...

Heh...I had my doubts as I started hacking up a $200+ kit!  But I'm having fun and learning some new tricks as I bumble along. I'm beginning to understand why you and Peter make such use of tech drawings to get things right. Problem with the B-24 is with 18K of them built, there's SO many variations. I was reading a book a few weeks ago that talked about Consolidated changing the fuel pumps mid-block and then changing them again. It got to the point that in theater Flight Engineers didn't know what was in their airplane till the manned up for a mission and learned on the go.  BTW, those are those little blobs Monogram included on their iconic 1/48th B-24 that go on the upper wings.  The radios are another example--depends on each aircraft. They could be on the flight deck behind the pilots or in the area above the bomb bay/behind the wing. 

 

As for your canopy--I say try it!  I managed to score a small box of resin and another of molding putty at Hobby Lobby during one of their 40% off sales.  Brand is alumilite.  I think you could mess around with the kit canopy and make a silicon mold pretty easily, w/o damaging the kit part.  Also easy enough of a shape to do a smash pull, w/o using a vacuum former.

 

break break

 

For everyone following along, I was scrolling through the interwebs for reference pics and found this pic in the Ann Arbor Public Library. (posted under fair use as an example). A B-24L from the same build block as the B-24 I'm building, taken at Willow Run after a test flight--she's super shiny!  It's a great shot as it shows the bombardier's aiming windows I'm building, plus the enclosed waist guns. Check out the enlarged Nav window, which supports the bulged field mods done by the 15th AF theory. You can barely make out the A-3 "High Hat" turret up top. I have my thoughts for how to make that when the time comes.  

N052_1046_005.jpg

 

Moving my son back to the dorms tomorrow, so hopefully will be back at the bench later in the week!

-Peter

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Peter, that's a fantastic looking bomb aimer's window. I'll have you remember that approach if I ever need to do something similar.

 

My B-24 is almost done. Maybe this week. Thankfully no NMF for me. 

 

PXL_20220818_163616108-600x450.jpg

 

 

Carl

 

 

Edited by BloorwestSiR
Fix pic.
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2 hours ago, BloorwestSiR said:

Peter, that's a fantastic looking bomb aimer's window. I'll have you remember that approach if I ever need to do something similar.

 

My B-24 is almost done. Maybe this week. Thankfully no NMF for me. 

 

PXL_20220818_163616108-600x450.jpg

 

 

Carl

 

 

I was shocked at how easy the process actually was--wish I would have taken more photos to help explain the process, but I was dealing with resin spillage :lol:

 

Your Lib is looking fantastic--I look forward to the RFI.  Fun bit, looks like a B-24 despite the wings.  I'm still debating whether or not to tackle those...  

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Morning folks.

 

Unexpectedly found myself alone in the house last night, so spent some quality time at the work bench.  Managed to get the left waist window done. Had previously opened it up, so last night I was able to cut a piece of clear sheet and glue it it.  After a quick polish, I used some foil tape to replicate the panel that was used to attach the window to the fuselage.  You can see the hole I cut for the .50 cal.  will sort that when I start working on the waist section.

20220818_184141

 

Am debating on the right side window.  My uncle said his was blown out.  I might make the opening and then leave the clear bits out. That would be a cool conversation piece! 

 

Also managed to get one side of the cockpit painted up, but no pics of that yet.  Hopefully this weekend.

Thanks for following along, appreciate the comments!

-Peter

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Alrighty amigos.

 

Wanted to see what my handiwork looked like under a coat of paint. Only did one side as I’m still in the middle of stringer hell on the other one. Also wanted to see just HOW much was going to be visible. I think I’m on the right track - there’s a hint of what’s there, but not much more. And with pilots sitting there, the eye will be drawn to them anyway. So I’ll keep the detailing to a minimum, as well as the paint.

20220821_184433

 

20220821_184456


and here’s the bombardiers station. I lopped off a good 15 mm of the flooring as it’s quite different with this nose glazing. As I look at how tight of a fit it is, I’m realizing why I saw a picture of the navigator laying on his table.

20220821_184540


Also, stumbled across this excellent shot in ye’ old personal archive. From the same BG, but am unsure what squadron. The white cowls would be the 767th, but the lower numbers were reserved for the 764th. But I like it for the excellent detail on all the nose modifications!

B-24_44-49647_FLYING_ASS


In the same folder, I found this gem. Another 15th AF B-24L. Look under the nose, and you can see the self protect jammer antennas. There’s 1 forward of the nose gear, and another 3 between the nose gear and bomb bay. I’m still trying to find out exactly how many/where they were installed. If anyone knows, or has better pictures, I’ll take ‘em. Honestly, I can’t believe I’d never seen ‘em before, but once you know what to look for, they pop up in a lot of pictures.

44-49750_Dogpatch_Express_B-24L_459th_BG_756th_BS_Bombs_On_A_Railroad_Bridge_At_Padua_Italy

 

so that’s it for now. Plugging away on stringers and adding bits from the kit as I can. Don’t know if I’ll work my way aft, or start thinking about crew members for the nose. 
 

Thanks for following along, and appreciate the comments.

-Peter

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Oh man - that is just effin' cool.  Liberators - a whole story unto themselves.  Beasts.  I read somewhere years ago that the nose turret significantly reduced the cruise speed of the B-24.  Or, the range.  E.g. alot more drag.  But man - that aircraft, the later ones anyway, were just full of pimples and protuberances.  Same with B-17 - it also got a nose turret which probably had a similar effect.  

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Just catching up with this thread, I've missed so much.

 

Regarding "prop blur" effects, I wouldn't bother: imo they never look realistic, and when you look at a prop turning in real life (as opposed to photos or film) it's hard to see anything.  I just cut the blades off, fill in any holes etc, and let the viewer's imagination do the rest.

 

On 12/15/2021 at 2:32 PM, easixpedro said:

 

I guess that's what really intrigues me. World War 2 was such a cataclysmic event, and here we are 80 years later with relics still out there and I bet folks don't even realize what these things are or what the purpose was.  I've been to almost all the major Pacific battlefields. Iwo spooked the hell out of me. There's still bunkers and gun emplacements with cannons in 'em. When you realize how many humans lost their life on what was a really small island, it starts to sink in. I vividly recall standing on the beach and finding a gigantic chunk of shrapnel that was exposed by the waves--as big as my foot, and all mangled.  Sobering really, and a grim reminder of what 'humanity' is capable of.  

 

But enough of that--have the next few days off and really looking forward to getting after this build and the Prowler!

-Peter

 

Very true about old relics: I grew up in Mighty Eighth country and after moving around the country a bit during my working life, now live in the west of the area.  You can hardly go anywhere without seeing the remains of airfield buildings and so on.  

 

On 7/21/2022 at 2:16 PM, easixpedro said:

...

B-24s are confusing though...

 

 

Ain't that the truth!!

 

This is looking very good so far - perhaps I'll just have to buy one of these after all, although if I do it will probably end up as a Mighty Eighth bird (unless I'm tempted by one of those epic 43rd BG nose art jobs).  Think I'll just head to the top of the page and hit "follow".

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