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Playing in the Sandbox Group Build Sept 1, 2024 - Jn 1, 2025

HK Models B-25J Mitchell


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Hi all,

Been awhile since the Beaufighter was finished. I have started a new project though. This will be a Dutch Mitchell as used postwar in Indonesia. Will provide more details later, here are some pics to show the current state of play. Although I wanted to build it out of the box I could not help myself to spruce up the barren side gunners positions with some generic structural details. Not strictly accurate mind you. The tunnel towards the nose is not provided, but some Evergreen sorted that out. I got me the Profimodeller noseweight which is intended for this kit. No tailsitter to be sure. A must if you build this kit.

Cheers

Cees

 

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Cool, another Mitchell. I too want to build a post-war bird in near future. I have a book on civilian Mitchells and it's got couple of civil schemes/markings that are very nice. Hopefully looking at yours will give me courage to get mine out and start it. So, keep up the good work ;)

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Jimbo,

I have fitted the SAC white metal legs today, but I cannot recommended them. First they are rip-offs from the kitparts and second the metal is quite soft and third they do not fit into the wingsockets without some major work. I sawed some of the top off in order to fit them, bending the metal in the process. The nosewheelfork is very weak and I think the kitpart is better suited.

Cees

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Metal gear legs are the biggest con in modelling. Unless they address detail issues, there's no need for them.

 

SAC are shit, plain and simple, and G-Factor, who used to be good, are now turning out total dogs (rough castings etc)

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Fully agree,

But the legs are fitted and the nacelles too. Will take some effort to clean up the seams, but nothing major.

The bombbay was sprayed aluminium and given a Flory wash. Probably need another try as it is a bit too light.

Will probably fit one or two bombs.

Cees

 

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Interior and bits sprayed green. This decalsheet will be used for the Dutch livery. Haven't exactly made up my mind yet which one. The Dutch used D and J model B-25's with the most obvious difference being the location of the dorsal turret. The J- model had it fitted just aft of the cockpit.

Cees

 

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Hey Cees! Great to see another B-25 built! Although, see..... Photobucket doesn't show the photos here at work, I could only glance at the thumbnails.

 

In any case, the dorsal turret was removed from the aircraft fairly quickly after the end of hostilities with the Japanese so if you want to build a B-25 with the turret, you are probably stuck with an overall OD over NG airframe with the Dutch flags only under the wings and on the fuselage.

 

You have the Dutch Profiles published by Luuk Boerman?

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This one is nice, with some nose-"art" in the form of some names, the 18 Sqn emblem and bare aluminium propellers. Don't know if it still sported the Dutch flags or the Dutch rosettes already:

 

18squadron.jpg

 

 

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These were the only B-25J "turreted" images I could find on short notice on the 'net.

 

 

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Thanks chaps,

Well I do have Luuk's book as well as Gerben Tornij's book on the Dutch Mitchells.

I have seen a pic of a half nmf and half olive drab aircraft with large Dutch flags.

Must look great with a very faded olive drab weathered finish.

Cees

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Thanks mate,

Still doing some more research while the interior is progressing, I usually concentrate on getting the airframe together first.

The rear fuselage was indeed a bit bare, and you know I always want to change something.

I hope to keep the turret anyway, must be my innerchild hehe.

Cees

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Did some painting of the ammunitionbelts, straight from the kit they are quite nice. I like the basic but general good level of detail. It is up to the Modeller how time and aftermarket you wish to spend here.

Cees

 

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Thanks mate,

Still doing some more research while the interior is progressing, I usually concentrate on getting the airframe together first.

The rear fuselage was indeed a bit bare, and you know I always want to change something.

I hope to keep the turret anyway, must be my innerchild hehe.

Cees

 

Yeah, that's the difference between us as we talked about in the LHS. You can plod along, deciding along the way what scheme it's going to be while I need to have decided how it's going to be and have all the necesarry materials already at hand....

 

Something about compulsive behaviour, I'm afraid! ;)

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Plodding along today,

 

The tailgunassembly has been dryfitted between the fuselage halves, fit is OK.

 

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Also here are the waistguns with ammunitionbelts straight from the box, impressive. The barrels are seperate making them easier to install or replace with aftermarket.

Cees

 

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The SAC maingear legs would not fit into the wing sockets without a large amount of work, bending the legs in the process.

The noseleg fits very loose in the socket, but that has the advantage that it can be fitted later in the build. But the attachment to the wheel looks to be very weak.

Cees

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