1:48 ICM "Flak Bait" B-26

[Fran]

1:48

“Flak-Bait”

B-26B

 

 

ICM

Catalogue number 48321

Price: around 72€

 

This version is a new box and new decals from the fantastic ICM B-26.

(nice QR codes to the ICM youtube channel)

And the special box is to honor a special aircraft – the famous Flak Bait.

“Project engineer Peyton M. Magruder designed the Glenn L. Martin Company's B-26 Marauder in response to an Army Air Corps specification issued in January 1939. This specification also caught the attention of North American Aviation, Inc., and that firm responded with the B-25. War fever caused the Air Corps to forego a prototype test stage and both bombers went from the drawing board straight into production. The consequences were deadly for men flying the Martin bomber. The Army threatened to withdraw the aircraft from combat, but Marauder crews stuck with their airplane. By war's end, they had lost fewer airplanes than almost any other combat unit and compiled a notable war record.

 

As those problems were being resolved, Marauders immediately went into combat after American entry into World War II. On June 4, 1942, Army Air Forces (AAF) Marauders defending Midway Island attacked Japanese aircraft carriers with torpedoes, but failed to score hits. The AAF sent Marauders to North Africa after the Allied invasion in November 1942 for service with the Twelfth Air Force. Eighth Air Force B-26s flew the first bombing mission against German forces in Europe on May 14, 1943. In preparation for the invasion of France, the Eighth's Marauders were transferred to the Ninth Air Force, the primary American tactical air force in Europe, in October 1943.

 

Like the M1 Garand combat rifle, the Sherman tank, and the LST, the Marauder was an important weapon in the war against the Axis powers. B-26 crews flew over 100,000 sorties and dropped approximately 150,000 tons of bombs, primarily against Nazi Germany. The AAF lost fewer Marauders than any Allied bomber it flew—less than one-half of one percent. Besides the United States, the air forces of Great Britain and France operated Marauders in combat. Few Marauders survive today out of the 5,266 produced by Martin.

The NASM B-26B-25-MA named "Flak-Bait" (AAF serial number 41-31773) survived 202 combat missions over Europe, more than any other American aircraft during World War II. Workers at the Baltimore factory completed "Flak-Bait" in April 1943, and a crew flew it to England. The AAF assigned it to the 449th Bombardment Squadron, 322nd Bombardment Group (nicknamed the 'Annihilators'), and gave the bomber the fuselage identification codes "PN-O." Lt. James J. Farrell of Greenwich, Connecticut, flew more missions in "Flak-Bait" than any other pilot. He named the bomber after "Flea Bait," his brother's nickname for the family dog.”

https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/martin-b-26b-25-ma-marauder-flak-bait/nasm_A19600297000

If you want a full inside study of the fantastic historic, just go and buy this fabulous book.

https://www.bookdelivery.com/pt-en/book-b-26-flak-bait-the-only-american-aircraft-to-survive-200-bombing-missions-during-the-second-world-war/9780764363436/p/54275816?bmkt_source=google&bmkt_campaign=21516763169&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA5eC9BhAuEiwA3CKwQpaLqfC3T9cvvbJ8iHpkpcSuQh4JJv7iQqzdYVCVjXP0f7IYTy6d7hoCysUQAvD_BwE

 

         Let`s crack the box.

         The parts of the B-26 Flack Bait are exactly the same of the original box B-26B.

 

         So the sprues are the same as the original b-26B release that we already reviewed here.

 

         So, ICM, cleverly, already made the initial release ready for the Flack Bait one… not hard to do, yes, but still.

         So check all the instructions, is possible to see the, for make the Flack Bait, you need to use differences parts (canopy and front glass nose) and one piece more – the G83.

         And, the instructions tell you to use a different canopy, the H-21 part.

 Also the front glass nose, you can use version A or B, depending the time war that you are thinking of making.

However, ICM don’t gie the modeller which front glass nose you should use in any of the four schemes.

So check carefully your references of the on you want to make.

I think that would be a nice touch from ICM to indicate which glass nose version that the modeller should in any of the four version.

As far of the construction process, is very very similar to the B-26B original box, but in this version, you will have to do a very little surgery in both fuselage halves, by cutting one small windows the the fuselage bottom. (step 1 and 39)

 Another difference is to cut the pitot on step 126, while in the original boxing, this step does not exist.

At the end, the masking templates, ICM gives two more for the new window.

Anyway, the instruction manual is detailed and easy to follow. It includes step-by-step assembly diagrams, color callouts, and decal placement guides.

 

Passing on, a fist general view, is a typical ICM quality plastic, with no distortion, no flash, with very good surface detail. In the external view, the surface detail is there but you don’t see most of the rivets made. An intermediate modeler will do that with no problem.

The fuselage has a fantastic fit as usual in the ICM models in a few years now.

As for more inside detail of the kit, as I said just check our review of the B-26B original box HERE.

 

The decal sheet has a good color registration and supply 4 Flak-Bait options:

 

Ø    B-26B “Flak-bait”, 332^nd Bombardment Group, England, Mid- 1943.

Ø    B-26B “Flak-bait”, 332^nd Bombardment Group, England, Summer 1944

Ø    B-26B “Flak-bait”, 332^nd Bombardment Group, combat mission in Europe, Spring 1945;

 

Ø    B-26B “Flak-bait”, 332^nd Bombardment Group, Bavaria, Summer 1945;

 

 

The decals are design by ICM and made for the third party but I have no idea who.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Well, A fantastic release from ICM and without the pitot (the only thing I didn’t like with the first release) this one is even better.

The detail out of the box is very good and it will make a very good replica. You just need some references of the Flak bait you want to make, to chose the right nose glass cone.

The construction is not totally straightforward as there are several sub-assembly that you need to take care and time (as undercarriage is a complex sub-assembly steps) to get it right on spot., so the novice could have some trouble in build this one. But all other modelers can make from this a truly fantastic model of the B-26 Marauder.

VERY Highly recommend this to intermediate/expert modeler

 

My thanks to ICM for making this fantastic model.

Just get yours on