Clunkmeister

Due to the website being down and all the National Holidays at this time, we will push the end date back to Sunday July 10.

you know what we say around here… better to ask forgiveness than ask permission. We accept 1/48 as an LSM as well, but I go one step further as in seeing it as “LARGE scale models” instead of “LARGE SCALE models”, if that makes sense. About the only thing I’m careful about is how I display the crooked cross. Obviously, on a model, it’s historical and accurate, but on, say, a plaque for a display base, I tend to be a bit more careful. But there’s a whole lot of adulting going on on LSM, which really makes moderating this site 99.99% boredom, and .01% pissed off beyond belief. 😂

Should look like theirs.

There is an unfortunate short shot on a lower wing tip, that I’ll whine about for a few seconds. OK done. now I’ll fix it, and any person who can’t fix this in an hour or two shouldn’t refer to himself as a modeler.

We have a bit of an update. A bit more fitting and jiggling has been done. I don’t think excessive weathering on the interior is called for on these. They were fairly new when the IJN shot them all down, so I’ll keep it fairly clean. The bombardier’s windscreen and bomb aimer‘s doors seem decent.

As y’all know, there were problems with the update that kinda crashed the website for a couple days. ButIT guys fixed it and now they’re working on the header and Gallery. Check your threads and verify all is well, y’all. It’s all perfectly useable but just missing the pretty stuff.

Otto von Bismarck looks on with approval.

The Big Kahuna and a few of us overworked staff members have been working behind the scenes to bring a few extra features and upgrades to the forum. One of the things we’re doing is adding the moving Gallery section which will feature your completed builds. This should work much like our regular forum features and should be updatable by all y’all. In other words, no third party hosting, just upload directly to the forum. I dunno about y’all, but I love that feature all by itself. Nothing needed but just to upload to the forum. If only all forums could be that easy. Pay attention in the next bit as it becomes active, and post away! Also, software updates are being incorporated on a regular basis as they become available. Thanks! Ernie

It’s easier to swipe the rivets a couple times with a fine board than to add 27,000 rivets

Hubert, nope, they’re divots as regularly done by Trumpeter. Personally, I’m one of those people who believes that external detail on aircraft is grossly overdone by many companies, with some Trumpeter models being the star studded showcases in that realm. Rivets are absolutely invisible from 20 ft away, as are a lot of panel lines, however things like skin ripples and oil canning are visible from much farther away and should be represented where indicated.

Depending on the amount of angry pushback and offers of graft and gratuity, I may extend it a week or so to allow you rabble rousers to complete your builds.

Trumpeter rivets abound, although they will tone down quite a lot with the application of primer and paint. This kit just cries out to be carefully built with a silver cockpit and as a pre war yellow wings aircraft.

Yes it is a model that seems like it’ll really benefit from at least some interior upgrades. I’ve never been a fan of PE seatbelts, and Airscale decals have spoiled me rotten as well. 3D instrument panel decals will really made the interior pop here as well. The consoles are ripe for upgrades. I’d so love to see the R2D Helldiver treatment done to this one as well. And of course, those rubber tires need to GO!

Let’s look at the canopy. You get a 1 piece canopy for the closed look, and a multiple piece canopy for an open canopy. This canopy is an absolute work of art. It is absolutely crystal clear with NO blemishes at all.

Well, so far, it appears that the throttle quadrant may be missing, although I’m not that far ahead yet. The cockpit is missing quite a lot of pipes, tubing, wires, etc, and a few levers, etc. that is simple dimple for someone with a few hours of time on their hands. This kit will massively benefit from a Quinta set or similar. The cockpit itself is tailor made for a Company like Resin2Detail to 3D print one like they did the Helldiver. The interior is definitely simplified to some extent.