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1/48 Academy B25 Doolittle Raider - Complete - RFI


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I love the 2019 film Midway . I've watched it a few times and confess I don't know the battle well enough to see any historical faults ( & I don't want to know)  , so for me it's real quality entertainment plus I like Woody Harrelson as Nimitz.  

The sheer brass b@lls of Jimmy Doolittle to launch a bunch of medium bombers from the Hornet as a response to Pearl Harbour in the film is truly emotional , especially as it was a one way trip . Doolittle was 46 years old  ....... Tough hombres and a real FU to a hated enemy . Cracking stuff . 

I'm also partial to a B25 , built a few as a kid , saw a bunch of them sat at Malaga Airport in 1981, was perplexed by this . Suspect they were there for some war film as Spain never used them . Thought it was Catch 22 .....but that was filmed in Mexico ...answers on a postcard to the usual address if you know . 

So it's a little tongue in cheek I enter this as a "carrier aircraft" for this GB , but I just fancied building one - too many tanks recently . Move it out if you feel fit , I'm not precious . 🤣

Academy B25 .....Scalemates reckons this is an Accurate Miniatures tool from 1999 , looks that "era" to me . 

Nice big kit. Typical Academy offering ....details a bit heavy , lowish parts count , no extras , PE etc ...though has canopy masks. Clear parts are thickkk , but no flash ...we will see about fit later . Probs going to be OOB, not over weathered ....roll on . 

 

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Actually, if anyone ever entertained the feeling of « let’s get wet », it must be the crews of this raid taking off from the Hornet ;) … Appropriate for the GB, I’d say …

:popcorn:
Hubert

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Making a start .....

Fit is generally ok . Detail is a lil heavy . I remembered I made the Revell Monogram B25 in 1/48 about 15 years ago ....very rivetty was my only recollection . This is subtler than than on the surface. A fair few ejection pin marks although most will never be seen again .

Interior banged together , need to finish the cockpit & zip it up . Don't forget the 30 grammes in the nose. ....

 

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Theres a lot of detail , none to be seen later ....but you feel obliged to put in ...I mean they went to all that bother .

 

Probs a bit over weathered for a Doolitle raider, but want to try out oil washes using this as a medium . ChuckW recommend it on TOS. Smooths the oils out and makes it all less grainy. I concur , though it also sets quicker . 

 

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Black brown .....a softer brown would have worked better in this one . 

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Toned down using a light grey acryllic wash and so here we are after a Saturday . 

 

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Would be interested to hear your thoughts on that thinner for the oil washes. I've generally used the Ammo Odourless up to now but it's a bit of a pain to get hold off. W&N I could pick up at Hobbycraft.

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4 minutes ago, GusMac said:

Would be interested to hear your thoughts on that thinner for the oil washes. I've generally used the Ammo Odourless up to now but it's a bit of a pain to get hold off. W&N I could pick up at Hobbycraft.

FYI I don't buy bought in washes -  always use oils just the way I was raised I guess.😁 I can make just what I want in small amounts . Most washes are burnt umber and or black . Pin washes I make up a variety of colours out of a small Daley and Rowney oil paint set I bought a while ago . If that peaks interest I can 100% recommend watching Evan Panzermeister36 , young but talented

I use general purpose turps / white spirit , I'm not bothered by the smell  . This liquin is thick -  it's a medium , just using it for it's properties to make a better wash . I was thinned down with turpz . I tried 'wet on wet' with a prewash of turps but it was drying too quick , hence the wash is a bit heavy. First time out using it . 

 

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Less done that I had hoped for . DIY seatbelts , filling wing seams , loading nose weight . Need to finish turret and then the fuse will close up . #gettingthere . Decal for IP did not match the IP so left it out. Hate seats....one of the few things I often splash put on resin for . Most ofthis won't be seen so not loosing sleep 

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Your seats and belts look great.   I'm all for artistic creation.  I give away far Too much money for AM as it is.   My weakness is metal barrels.

Sometimes I miss the days when I could slap together a 1/48 scale kit in a day and feel good about how it turned out.

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Wing work ....primer .....Tamiya AS12 which sets like concrete ...then Olive drab ......then rubbed back using micro mesh , polished with. cloth . Maybe a little overdone for the raiders , see whatcha think .

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Check out all the maintenance guys scratches 

 

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Worn paint is good.  I like the little dark/repainted area in front of the turret on the foremost machine.  This would have been a great subject for some of those Time Magazine color shots.

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  • 5 months later...

Bit more movement , complete the fuse mostly. Academy give you a bunch of masks and numerous canopies, which would be handy if you mess one up and could live with the slight difference. AM seemed so close to making a J model looking at the sprues , just need a modded fuselage from what I can see .  

 

So black for the frames ...then aluminium all over ..then olive .....

Wing fit is good so reckon complete most of this and join them towards the end . 

 

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I like owning a Silhouette cutter, Max ( Mozart) suggested I get one a few years back and though I don't use it a huge amount it is satisfying not to be dependant on large decals at time .

 

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Used Araldite two part epoxy adhesive to fix on the tailplane and the wings as it's a lot stronger and robust than CA or Styrene glue , and this things heavy . Rock hard in 5 mins too . 

 

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Thats all for now . Weathering so far has all been mechanical , scrubbing with 3000 pads, using X-20A and micro fibre cloths. It's a bit of an experiment for me , as the plain olive drab for me is really boring to look at. Probably a bit OTT for a Doolittle raider but we will see where this goes .  

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Disaster .....clearing off the tape I noticed that silver spray had got in under the glass... & thinking well.... it's only held on with Kristel Klear....I tried gently pulling it away ...till it broke ....

Glad the model came with three canopies - albeit this will be incorrect, it's better than having none . 

 

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All done and dusted ....months late ..more armour next I'm over aircraft for a while ...

95% of the weathering was mechanical - olive paint over silver, gentle rub back using 3000 pads , microfibre clothes and thinners etc. 

 

 

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  • PanzerWomble changed the title to 1/48 Academy B25 Doolittle Raider - Complete - RFI
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