Rod Bettencourt

Nice build of a great plane, nicely done John. Rod

Thank you John for your comment! Rod

Thanks Rob, you made laugh. Rod

The answer is no, with that said I had them loose at that point of the build. Thanks for your kind words. Rod

Spitfire Mk.I 234 squadron August 1940. Quinta cockpit and HGW seatbelts were used. Paints were model master. I ended up using the kits decals which were just fantastic. I was waiting for an overcast day to get that England airfield look. Pics were taken with my Iphone in California Central valley. I Tried some studio type pics but I am terrible at doing that. I am not a photographer in any since. Outside photos are far easier for me. In the end it will look scale, or it will not. I sure look forward to more kits from Kotare. Thanks Rod Bettencourt

Not sure how I missed this one. Great looking build and very scale looking to me. Rod

I really like that paint scheme!! Thanks for sharing. Rod

Thank you Carl and my pleasure. Rod

Hope you get back to this one John, it a pretty good build. I look forward to seeing it. Best wishes. Rod

Thank you Rob for taking the time to comment. Rod

Hi Kevin, It is the HK kit. Thank you for the comment. Rod

Thank you for the comment, glad you caught the pin up. Rod

486 Bomb Group 384 Squadron out of Sudbury. This aircraft survived the war to be broken up in Kingman AZ. After waiting a few months finally got some green grass and an overcast day. Hope you like. Products used Paint: Ak Real color, Model master and Alclad Aftermarket: Eduard wooden floors and ammo boxes set Eduard Zoom cockpit Eduard engine set Eduard Radio Compartment Eduard masks Master gun Barrels Thanks for looking. Rod

What he said! Rod

Good looking build of a cool looking jet. Rod

Thank you for comment, yes the HK kit. Rod

486 Bomb Group 384 Squadron out of Sudbury. This aircraft survived the war to be broken up in Kingman AZ. I am waiting for the California countryside to turn green which should be in March. At that point I will post many more pictures. But here are a couple that I have taken so far. Products used Paint: Ak Real color, Model master and Alclad Aftermarket: Eduard wooden floors and ammo boxes set Eduard Zoom cockpit Eduard engine set Eduard Radio Compartment Eduard masks Master gun Barrells

Thank you very much! It is appreciated. Rod

Yes it is. Rod

Wow.... That came out fantastic, great looking weathering. Thanks for sharing. Rod

John, How was that kit? I flirt with getting one from time to time. Rod

The Douglas TBD-1 Devastator was the US Navy’s premier torpedo bomber when hostilities broke out on December 7th 1941. Six months later it was completely obsolete and removed from combat operations. The subject of my build is from the USS Yorktown VT-3 aircraft (0303) crewed by Harry Corl and ARM3 Lloyd Childers. One the morning of the 4th at approximately 1200hrs Petty Officer Childers spotted smoke 25 miles away to the starboard. Machinist/pilot Harry Corl was able to get the squadron skipper Lt Cdr Massey attention. The skipper made a course correction to head for the nearest carrier (Hiryu). It was reported that at this time the squadron was jumped by approximately 30 Zeros. VT-3 was lucky enough to have 4 F4F Wildcats with them to help fend off the attackers. After what I could only imagine as an agonizing 20-minute slow approach, they were able to release 5 torpedoes. Corl and Childers 0303 had been badly shot up on the approach and the only way to keep airborne was to jettison their torpedo. The following is from Machinist WO/Pilot Harry Corl Mission report date 6-15-42: The free gun had jammed during the fight. Childers, Arm3, my gunner used .45 automatic during the 10 minutes of the attack. Childers was hit in the right ankle causing a compound fracture of the same. He received two hits in his left leg above the knee no broken bones in that leg. I arrived at the Yorktown at 1425 circled it twice and saw that there was no chance of getting aboard. (Yorktown was bombed by Hiryu Vals) So I proceeded over the Enterprise. I attempted to land aboard, but discovered I did not have enough tab control on the elevator to keep the nose up. I landed in the water head and to the starboard of the carrier alongside the destroyer USS Monaghan. The time of the landing was 1510. Ensign Harry Corl was KIA(VT-3 TBF-1) 25 August 1942. Lloyd Childers survived the war and became a Marine Aviator and retired as a Lt Col. This is the Trumpeter 1/32 TBD-1 Devastator from VT-3 USS Yorktown on June 4th 1942 Midway. I added Air Scale products such as the Photo Etch, propeller set, wheels and the single .30cal machine gun. I highly recommend their products. I did bits of scratch building such as adding cockpit wiring, relief tube, two internal windscreen braces (removed the molded on external windscreen braces), wingfold braces and leather pad for the bombardier under the pilots area. I used AK real color for the light grey bottom Model master Blue/grey for the top and AK for the interior green for the crew areas. I have seen some debate on-line about this, what color? But for me seeing the pics of sunken TBD’s aircraft from the discovery of the USS Lexington at the battle of Coral Sea. Interior green is also stated in TBD’s Devastators in action book(The Old One). Another debate is whether what squadrons carried the twin .30’s. It is very obvious that VT-8 for sure had them and I have seen some documentation that VT-6 (USS Enterprise) may have also had them. After many hours of research, I came to the conclusion that VT-3 only had the single.30. I came to this by listening to several recorded interviews With Mr. Lloyd Childers. And in the end, there is just no conclusive proof they carried the twins. I also used Hawaiian Air Depot masks for the A/C numbers and the insignias. I had previously bought the Gold Medal decal but figured painting over the corrugation would be far easier then decals. But I am glad I purchased it because they come with aircraft data. If anyone has seen what Trumpeter did with their data decals….well. Rod

That looks great John! Thanks for sharing. Rod

WOW! I really like this. Thanks for sharing. Rod

I like that!! Thanks for sharing. Rod