1to1scale Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 Picture update, some details of what I have changed. First order of business, I did not like that the Kits wing spar was visible from the bomb bay, as well as from the rear hatches if you open up the bulkhead. I built up a new one from Evergreen, I started with the front and rear wing sections, the bottom is tapered with the dihedral, but the top is flat, as I was able to observe in pictures. I then added various strip stocks reproduce the pattern, riveting comes later, I still have to fine tune the fit. As you can see, also visible from the front of the bomb bay. I also plan to open the front bukhead from the navigator's room, as well as the top life raft hatches. New detail visible below The spars will go all the way forward, thet may not be 100% accurate, but they are spaced to match the Hobby Boss detail. This platform behind the spar will have all the Radios mounted on a shelf, another small radio operator's table, and a chair. On the left side will be an oval tank, (i believe this was installed in Pacific Liberators for extra range). A corrugated floor was glued in after the pics were taken. Since I am adding all these details, I decided to add a few micro smd LED's to illuminate the insides. The back bulkhead was opened up using a circle cutting tool. I revisited the cockpit and took apart the pilot's bulkhead, I cut out the solid panels as most later bombers were open. I will be adding a plywood square behind the pilot to mount oxygen bottles on, and the co-pilot's side will just have some bracing. A very empty navigator's room, the tables will go back in, but new bracing will be scratched. Also the channels on each side of the floor will be built, a set of radios were ordered, and a mount for the liaison radio will go under the table. A new door was built for the floor, as the HB one is no where near accurate. Although if anyone has pictures of this door, I would like to see it. I have a few blurry or partial pictures, but they don't give me enough detail. This was the door I built, but I have since questioned whether this is accurate, the back kick-up seems wrong, I need to know if it opens to one side, or folds back upon the door itself. The rear nav bulkhead appears to have removable snap in canvas cover on some, open on others, and a door on some. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grunhertz Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Great work on the spar. Is it me or does the pilot need to have long legs? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrankyCrafstman Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 10 minutes ago, Grunhertz said: Great work on the spar. Is it me or does the pilot need to have long legs? No, the seats are shown in there rear most position so the pilot and co pilot can exit or enter there sets with all there gear on. B-17 and B-25 had this set up also. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grunhertz Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Ahh right cheers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 fabulous job - really interesting to follow and I love the corrections / additions being so gracefully made Peter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScaleRC Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 For cockpit details this 360 degree virtual tour might be of some assistance: http://www.nmusafvirtualtour.com/cockpits/WWII_tour/WWII-1.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zavod44 Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 How close to the wartime look? Is this pretty well restored? Can I use this as reference to build my model? Whats missing and what shouldn't be there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 As close as you can get. Exterior was naturally restored. 42-72843 was built at Consolidated San Diego as B-24D. Assigned to 512th Bomb Squadron. Flew 56 missions between 20 September 1943 and 10 June 1944. Named as "Strawberry Bitch" at Herington Air Force Base by Flight Engineer Sergeant Haberman. Nose art painted at San Pancrazio, Italy. Stored at Freeman Field, Illinois after WW2. Purchased by National Museum of the USAF in May 1959. more here before restoration 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zavod44 Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 I've seen the outside at the museum, but that reference is pretty good. I noticed a piece of plywood behind the pilot seat but it doesn't seem to be on the other side behind the co-pilot. You think that's original? Just curious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 good point, I don't know. here is a war-time picture showing plating behind the pilot sear, rather metal, then wood. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zavod44 Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 Lots of things can change between now and then...... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1to1scale Posted January 9, 2019 Author Share Posted January 9, 2019 48 minutes ago, zavod44 said: I've seen the outside at the museum, but that reference is pretty good. I noticed a piece of plywood behind the pilot seat but it doesn't seem to be on the other side behind the co-pilot. You think that's original? Just curious i beleive the D's came with a full wall, but, later planes were open on one side, plywood square on the other. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1to1scale Posted January 9, 2019 Author Share Posted January 9, 2019 32 minutes ago, Martinnfb said: good point, I don't know. here is a war-time picture showing plating behind the pilot sear, rather metal, then wood. that photo is of a very early D, it was from a Life magazine article of the 8th AF. But keep in mind, these bombers were built in 5 different places, with parts from other plants, there was reason they called them a consolidated mess. They would have been a lot of variation between planes, but I have really only seen photos of early D's with the full bulkhead. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 Great update, love your improvements! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Clunkmeister Posted January 9, 2019 Administrators Share Posted January 9, 2019 23 minutes ago, 1to1scale said: that photo is of a very early D, it was from a Life magazine article of the 8th AF. But keep in mind, these bombers were built in 5 different places, with parts from other plants, there was reason they called them a consolidated mess. They would have been a lot of variation between planes, but I have really only seen photos of early D's with the full bulkhead. But didn’t Ford pretty much manufacture all in house except engines? I’ve read somewhere that of all the plants, the Ford Willow Run plant was by far the most standardized. No surprise really, if you expected Ford to do it as Ford has done successfully for decades previous. I’m getting an ongoing education on these planes. With all the plants churning out Liberators, 24/7/365, logistics and standardization must have been a living nightmare. Even with Lancs, just trying to keep North American production somewhat standardized with British production turned into a logistical nightmare. And there was only one single overseas plant to deal with... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis7423 Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 I noticed too when fondling the kit the other day that the Navigator's upper hatch needs a little TLC on the exterior, and even more if you choose to open it (which I hope to do). It's shown as a metal rectangular panel that spans symmetrically across the top of the fuselage behind the cockpit windows. Shouldn't be too hard to correct. Excellent work so far, it's really coming along nicely. I am going to use your build to help correct mine, too, when its time. - Dennis S. Thornton, CO USA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1to1scale Posted January 9, 2019 Author Share Posted January 9, 2019 9 hours ago, Clunkmeister said: But didn’t Ford pretty much manufacture all in house except engines? I’ve read somewhere that of all the plants, the Ford Willow Run plant was by far the most standardized. No surprise really, if you expected Ford to do it as Ford has done successfully for decades previous. I’m getting an ongoing education on these planes. With all the plants churning out Liberators, 24/7/365, logistics and standardization must have been a living nightmare. Even with Lancs, just trying to keep North American production somewhat standardized with British production turned into a logistical nightmare. And there was only one single overseas plant to deal with... They were a nightmare, they actually published a book because of all the different "plants". My research nearly drove me crazy. Right now, I believe that the Hobby Boss B-24J was a Consolidated/Fort Worth (CF) built airplane with a Ford knock-down forward fuselage, as this plane represented in the kit does not match a pure bred from any of the factories. Although, its also possible that it was built by one of the other factories using knock down parts from other factories. Each Liberator practically needs a detective to decode. This info I got from the web of the most produced variants: Consolidated/San Diego, CO; Consolidated/Fort Worth, CF; Ford/Willow Run, FO; North American, NT; and Douglas/Tulsa, DT B-24D......Total: 2,696: 2,381 Consolidated, San Diego; 305 Consolidated, Fort Worth; 10 Douglas, Tulsa, Oklahoma B-24H......Most H model aircraft were built by Ford at the Willow Run factory with an Emerson A-15 nose turret. Total: 3,100 B-24H......The J model was the only version to be built by all five factories involved in B-24 production. Most were made by Ford, Ford used the Emerson turret mostly, Consolidated used the A6B. (Total: 6,678) B-24L......The L was a J but lightened, and with various turret configurations B-24M......B-24M became the last production model of the B-24, a lightened version of the L; At this point there were more planes than pilots, and many sat on airfields waiting assignment, a number of the B-24s built flew only the course between the factory and the scrapheap. (Total: 2,593) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrankyCrafstman Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 Yeah it's a real shame they couldn't save at least 1 of those last few built. Have you found any information on whether the turrets that come in the kit are correct (disregarding that they are done wrong). I purchased the Master brass barrels for the HK B-17 to use on the B-24J. My question is did they ever use flash hiders on the B-24's? Thanks Ron 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1to1scale Posted January 10, 2019 Author Share Posted January 10, 2019 Ron, the front turret is all wrong. completely, the outside shape, barring the seam line and alignment pins, is almost accurate, although the gun spacing is too close and it looks a little short. the insides leave you head scratching, because it only resembles an Emerson A-15 turret in that it has two guns. However, if someone makes a replacement outer shell, they could be used. The rear turret is actually much more accurate. it could be used as is if it wasnt for the seam line. This only really needs a new top. In theory, if you could get another turret and clear sprue, you could build a plane that had 2 A6 turrets. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 WOW ... beautiful detail work on the interior. Keep ‘em comin Peter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrankyCrafstman Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 On 1/9/2019 at 10:47 PM, 1to1scale said: Ron, the front turret is all wrong. completely, the outside shape, barring the seam line and alignment pins, is almost accurate, although the gun spacing is too close and it looks a little short. the insides leave you head scratching, because it only resembles an Emerson A-15 turret in that it has two guns. However, if someone makes a replacement outer shell, they could be used. The rear turret is actually much more accurate. it could be used as is if it wasnt for the seam line. This only really needs a new top. In theory, if you could get another turret and clear sprue, you could build a plane that had 2 A6 turrets. Hey 1to1 Just saw on LSP that DNModels has canopy inside and out and wheel masks for this big bird. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigelR32 Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 WOW is all I can say!! I've been away from the site for a couple of days, I come back and the whole fuselage has been chopped around!! I LOVE IT!! I would love to build along with you but I just know I shouldn't start ANOTHER kit. I'm just gonna keep watching and saving all your pics. Keep it up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1to1scale Posted January 11, 2019 Author Share Posted January 11, 2019 I have much more planned for this kit, it has evolved from an out of box build to a Nationals contest entry. Right now I am waiting for some resin Radios and oxygen bottles, looking for lead foil to do the canvas curtains inside. I will be lighting the inside (no spinning props or sound. I also hope the Airscale IP will be available soon! I got to see the Lanc IP in person, and it wonderful! Airscale has Yahu and Eduard beat for detailed realistic IP's. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 Are you going to hire a flatbed trailer to get it to the Nats, or leave the wings off? Gaz 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 set of masks can be helpful https://dnmodels.com/product/b24j-canopy-windows-wheels-liberator/?fbclid=IwAR1Y28xEvZixgyUh5v1NKj43L3mk4Abz9xxY9rI8UcA5DQwRnu8PlDeFHMA 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now