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

[easixpedro]

11 hours ago, John1 said:

What an awesome picture of Dogpatch Express.  Almost looks surreal.  

Agreed! I was going to make a snarky comment about the photo along the lines that it's the Bomber Mafia's dream: CAVU skies and no defenses. Was doing some research at work and was thoroughly depressed while reading about the performance of the precision bombing during the oil campaign.  Post war analysis showed that only 12.9% of the bombs dropped fell within the fences of the oil refineries. Only 3% of the total dropped hit any structures or equipment. That's a whole lot of effort for not good results... 

 

4 hours ago, MikeC said:

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). 

Those planes are amazing!  Of course everyone loves "The Dragon and His Tail," but there are so many to choose from.  Me, I'm partial to the Zodiacs.  They had some great artwork too.  I've never understood it (honestly haven't dug too deeply), but the Zodiac B-24s were transferred from the 8th AF to the 15th. At least 2 ended up in this BG, but they were scattered about.  You could really blow peoples mind and have 8th AF markings on 1 side and 15th AF markings on the other!

[brahman104]

Loving your work Peter! Whatever scheme you choose to do I'm sure it'll be a winner..... I'm definitely taking notes along the way for one day when I do my own  

 

Craig

[easixpedro]

Sigh... How many times can I say that B-24s are confusing?

 

Realized last night that because I'm building a B-24L built at Willow Run, this plane likely had the M-6A stinger guns in the rear, vice the standard Consolidated turret.  Need to do some more research to confirm, but from what I've read, that's what Ford was putting in their bombers.  As I was reading about Willow Run though...by 1944, Ford was pumping out a B-24 every HOUR. They were producing so many, that the Air Force had to cancel contracts with Douglas, North American and the Consolidated plant in Fort Worth!  That's crazy - I can't even process that. The AF literally cancelled a contract with the company that had originally designed and built the plane because Ford could do it faster and better...

 

Anyway, here's a picture of the turret in question. Found it on this site: Aircraft Gunnery_Tail Turret (liberatorcrew.com)

 

At least the same site has a really good schematic too!

 

If there's a bright side (there always is), it's that at least I don't have to deal with the crappy seam in the middle of kit turret...  

More soon.

-Peter

 

[Dennis7423]

12 hours ago, easixpedro said:

 

If there's a bright side (there always is), it's that at least I don't have to deal with the crappy seam in the middle of kit turret...  

 

 

Ah, but you do for the nose turret ;-) Just want to temper expectations.

 

In all due seriousness, the Cold War Studios turrets are a must. Definitely pick one up for your nose turret, if you haven't already.

 

Looking great so far! Keep it up!

 

- Dennis S.

   Mount Juliet, TN

[brahman104]

Good work Peter! I'm looking forward to seeing how you make that  

 

Craig

[easixpedro]

11 hours ago, brahman104 said:

Good work Peter! I'm looking forward to seeing how you make that  

 

Craig

You and me both!

Here's the plan in my mind (for both the top turret and the tail turret):  My son's off at college, but he left his lathe sitting in the garage. Will turn a master out of wood to check basic shapes and refine them. Then cast in resin and vacuform. That's the plan anyway. We'll see--lot's of ground to cover before I get there.  Also need to find better pics of the tail turret--I saw one that had windows on the top as well as the sides--looks like major mods to the tail feathers.

[brahman104]

Sounds like a solid plan Peter. Good luck with it and I'll be keenly watching!

 

 

[easixpedro]

Found it! Check out this pic. Nav laying across his table, chart in hand. Look at his eyes...thats some stress. As in "I'm not sure where we're at, but the Initial Point is coming up, and they're shooting at us" stress.

 

Found it in this book, which is a gem. (And posted under fair use)

 

To keep things moving on, I've been adding the kit basics. Am attempting to add enough details  to spruce things up without going completely overboard. 

 

You can see where I opened up rhe radio room over the bomb bay.  

 

Trying to be reasonable in my approach.  That section won't be visible,  so no point going overboard. 

 

And from the other side without the glass. Would be blocked by the waist gunners. 

 

I guess that's the fine line we all try to balance on. How much is enough?  Could I add all those lines you see by rhe Navigator? Sure. But they won't be visible.  But he'll look cool peering out the window!

YMMV, but that's my approach for this build.

-Peter

[easixpedro]

Alrighty Amigos.

Proof of life. Still here, just haven't had a chance to touch a model since late August. Busier than a 1-armed paper hanger... between life as a band parent, home remodeling etc, life's gotten ahead of me.

Added to it is our 4-yr old Shepherd just had the 1st of 2 knee surgeries. Have to sit with her pretty much non-stop. Its like bringing an infant home from the hospital. 

We had to put our other down this summer (he was 14, unheard of for a GSD), so lots of emotions in the household thus far.

 

But really missing our flying sessions. To wear Luna out, I'd take her outback and let her try and herd RC planes. Good for about 10 minutes and then one worn out doggo!  Her Guns Defense wasn't so good, so perhaps the reason for new knees.

 

Here I'm teaching her about Chosin Reservoir. 

 

And reenacting the BoB with a Spitfire. (Dont think she realized she's playing the Luftwaffe) 

 

And me demonstrating some nice deflection shooting. Again, her Guns-D needs work.

 

And now...hopefully get her back up and around soon

 

But back to this build...!

 

Been slowly buying parts in the hope of getting back after it. Bought a handful of Reskits new 1/32 pilots. I like these as they have the electrically heated suits that were prevalent later in the war. Just knew i had to start working the crew if I was ever going to button up the fuselage. 

 

And here's some pics of the top turret I'd started way back before the unplanned hiatus.  You can see the wooden master, the mold and resin plug, as well as a test.

 

And the test turret...of course this is all spit-balled, so needs some refinement, but a good proof of concept.

 

And here's apparently my effort to start turning a replacement for the non-turret on this version of B-24s. Dont remember doing it, but it was in the same parts bin as my other, so obviously had a master plan. 

 

Hopefully more after the holidays! Really want to get working on her again. Until then...

Peter

Edited December 14, 2022 by easixpedro

[Out2gtcha]

Nice work man!   Good looking doggo.......where was that btw?

[Panzerwomble]

Nice to see you back Pete . Your modelling is always inspirational . I love the "what the heck lets just do this "............. where "this" is some technique most people would avoid like the plague. Hopefully you can find time for the Tomcat too next year.

[easixpedro]

2 hours ago, Out2gtcha said:

Nice work man!   Good looking doggo.......where was that btw?

Our backyard backs up to power lines, so we just walk out the back and have plenty of space. They’re small enough to be below the FAA’s new restrictions.

2 hours ago, Panzerwomble said:

Nice to see you back Pete . Your modelling is always inspirational . I love the "what the heck lets just do this "............. where "this" is some technique most people would avoid like the plague. Hopefully you can find time for the Tomcat too next year.

Thanks! To be honest there was a bit of “What am I doing?” sense of doom that accompanied my setting everything aside as life took over. But anxious get back to it all for certain. And we’ll get it all done!

[JayW]

Very good to hear from you Peter.  Looking forward to continued work on the Lib.  And, I am sorry you had to go through putting down a dog.  Few things are more sad.  Pure innocence those creatures - they are just being dogs 100% of the time.  And they all go to heaven.

[easixpedro]

On 12/13/2022 at 6:25 PM, JayW said:

Very good to hear from you Peter.  Looking forward to continued work on the Lib.  And, I am sorry you had to go through putting down a dog.  Few things are more sad.  Pure innocence those creatures - they are just being dogs 100% of the time.  And they all go to heaven.

Thanks Jay. Agree wholeheartedly!

[easixpedro]

Morning Muchachos!

 

Post Christmas/Boxing Day update…got a full day of building in! Had a blast once I figured out where I was at and what I had planned.

 

Here’s some pics to update.  Have decided that on the interior, I’m not going hog-wild as almost nothing is visible. For the most part, the kit is ‘good enough.’ Will probably leave the nose gear out, as with it retracted and figures in the nose,you can’t see anything. As for the Oxygen tanks, Hobby Boss gives you a ton, but the instructions only call for approximately 6 of them to be installed. A quick internet search showed where the rest went. They’re painted yellow and that’s about it. Gives a representation once the fuselage is closed, and that’s what’s needed.

 

 

Here’s nose and flight deck. Again, not a lot visible, especially with the dark green colors. Have also seen several different iterations of the navigator’s seat. Some swing out from the fuselage, so that’s what I went with.

 

 

Here’s the basics of the cockpit…just used the kit IP and decals, cause again not a lot visible and the pilots really cover up everything…

 

And a quick note about the walk-around O2 bottles. The kits are abhorrent. That’s being nice… They’re literally the size of a 1/32 figure’s chest. In real life, they’re a bit bigger than your fist. I cobbled together some with beads from my wife’s supplies and used the kit gauges. Still oversized, but look better than the kit offering. You can see ‘em in place in the pictures above.

 

Now I’m working on figures. Need to make the 2 pilots, the waist gunners, bombardier and Navigagator before I can button things up. Here’s the 2 pilots from Reskit. Just started painting them here…. Have also made molds of these guys so I can make more and hack them up. Cheaper than buying 10 resin figures…

 

will update as I work through the figures. Also been working on converting an old Monogram Sabre to an F-86A (Jabarra’s bird to be exact…been on a Korea kick). 
 

As always, thanks for following along,a new appreciate everyone’s comments!

-Peter

Edited December 28, 2022 by easixpedro