Jump to content
The Great LSM Twins Group Build ends July 3, 2024 ×

I must be crazy, B-24J on the bench.


Recommended Posts

So, through fate, luck, or what have you...I got a free B-24! Well, not technically free, I had one-way traded a Tamiya F-4J to someone, but I told them when they have something to trade, let me know. Through talking to them, they also wanted a F-4C/D also, well I had two. He ordered 4 B-24’s, so he offered to trade me! So this is how I ended up with a B-24 yesterday. 

Funny enough, when I got home, and after dinner, I was checking emails, Hannants let me know the received my B-24 I ordered and it’s ready to ship. So now I have 2! Although I will probably have to wait for a month to get the second.

Expect a build thread very soon! Of course, I am going to need more paint...lots of paint!

 

 

399DCF1F-4F04-4E50-BE21-331CD47870B1.jpeg

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

First order of business, I'm assembling the front turret, to see just how bad it is. And what needs to be fixed.

The clear parts are pure junk. They have seams in all the wrong spots, and are super thick. the Inside framework does not fit and will need sanding. I am holding off, there might be solutions in the near future. On to the cockpit....

 

465D3BBB-ACEA-44A9-98D8-5F90CB6B58A2.jpeg

E8FFFCBF-D871-4884-A614-9A3E53151D2D.jpeg

38128935-2828-4665-B4DA-AD5055AC78D0.jpeg

12B53726-DE37-4835-92BC-69C363AD935B.jpeg

31855BB9-943D-46FF-A890-3995E90549E0.jpeg

A7C25FD9-E8AA-4986-AB2E-DB5B2B6AF4B7.jpeg

60206032-6EBA-43F1-8F48-EEFDF0B2EADC.jpeg

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

Ooh, that ain’t good. I’m still going to give mine a go, though, as soon as it gets here. I just love the old bird too much.

I expect some vac or resin options will be available soon enough.

And I expect that much like the P-61, you’lll be able to throw 500 bucks of AM at it and not blink an eye.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

Big Ed set, brass gear, probably vac turrets, wheels, new Browning M2 guns all around, engines, and.....

oh boy did they blow it huge on that Davis wing.  It isn’t even close to correct. That wing foot is the only glaring fubar I see. And it’s pretty much unfixable.  Oh well, build on.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators
1 minute ago, Martinnfb said:

I would say, wait for AM cowlings, props and glass for now. There is a bunch of super cool P-40s waiting in the background :)

Cheers

M.

No clue what to do with the Davis wing issue. The distinctive “pinch” at the 2/3 spot back from the leading edge is completely missing.  Maybe some plastic down the length at that spot and glue/clamp the skins in to mimic the look?  

Dang they really missed the mark there.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There WILL be a replacement turret available soon. As in, I’m going to build it. I am looking for an old working vac machine, and I already have a food saver vacuum pump, the rest I will combine kit parts and scratch build the rest. I plan to assemble the turret like the real one, with individual glazings. More details to follow.

  • Like 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

..I for one are grateful Hobbyboss has taken the financial risk and commitment to bring this product to the market place, and I will be buying mine in January. Twenty years ago the issues raised above were looked upon by us as modelers under the collective term 'modelling', and we would have just got on with the job of doing what we had to do to either rectify anything we weren't happy with or simply choose to purchase something else.

As an ex professional pilot and Aeronautical Engineer I am very cognizant of aeronautical palliatives through design functionality necessary for the performance envelope of full size aircraft. I come to this site to relax and enjoy the company of modelers around the world just making stuff, and having fun doing it.

All I have seen as of late are Manufacturers trying to give us what we have been asking for for years, then read as modelers kick the stuffing out of the products they give us as we now live in a modeling epoch where aftermarket proliferation is the norm. I for one still view sandpaper as one of the best tools we have. I still use paint brushes, and I do use some aftermarket when I want to ( and can afford to). I am no longer involved in the aviation Industry so money is an issue - I do not live on credit, and if I cannot stump up the cash, I don't have it.

HK's Lancaster is over twice the price of the Liberator kit - and I am sure it is a very good kit (I have not actually seen the kit except on the you tube videos so I cannot comment on it further), but we all...read that as WE ALL as modelers need to be getting in behind these Manufacturers and providing them the revenue they require to keep us in kits we can enjoy moving forward. 

I can go into the mathematical and physical (Engineering) issues surrounding airfoil sections and the design requirement for aerodynamic efficiency; that however is not a conversation for this page, and it upsets me to see this is what we are coming to here Gentlemen. 

Again, if you are not happy with a product, contact the Manufacturer and offer them constructive criticism, and do not buy the kit. I for one am simply looking forward to getting my Liberator, and doing the best I can to enjoy the product and by extension my hobby. 20 years ago we would not be having this conversation.

In closing, I wish you all  - my fellow modelers - a very merry Christmas and safe and happy new year.

  • Like 14
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with what you say, if you have enough love for a plane, then build it! I do, so I am overlooking the turret issue and building the plane anyway. So far, the rest of the plane is blowing me away! When they said full interior on the box, they meant it. 

There is enough detail in the kit to satisfy most people, but there is room for extra detailing. To be honest, none of the other faults bother me. The only fault that is a must fix issue is the front turret, after doing the research, it’s all wrong. But if there was just a replacement Vac turret, that would solve most of the issues. The shape is mostly correct, but unfortunately it’s the seam line that detracts. While I’m sure there will be replacement turret glazings coming from the aftermarket, I am going to take it upon myself to learn a new method of crafting, vac-u-form. 

So, as I go forward, this is a build thread, and I am asking everyone to refrain from bashing the kit in my thread, there are others out there to discuss and review. I will point out any issues I find as I build, and how I overcome those issues. I am building the plane that I have been dreaming of, and I am happy! 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well said. Let's make this one enjoyable WIP that everyone can learn from (including yourself:)). I noticed the bomb doors are a little plain while they actually are a shutter type similar to a roll up desk,. Some engraving of horizontal lines will sort that out I'm sure.

What I am curious about is will the frosted canopy benefit from a sanding sponge?

If not, you can market it als " Frosty the Turret"  paint some eyes on it and start a whole new comic universe.:rofl:

Cheers

Cees

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, Wingco57 said:

Well said. Let's make this one enjoyable WIP that everyone can learn from (including yourself:)). I noticed the bomb doors are a little plain while they actually are a shutter type similar to a roll up desk,. Some engraving of horizontal lines will sort that out I'm sure.

What I am curious about is will the frosted canopy benefit from a sanding sponge?

If not, you can market it als " Frosty the Turret"  paint some eyes on it and start a whole new comic universe.:rofl:

Cheers

Cees

Yes, I did notice the doors had rivet detail, but no scribed lines, but scribing some straight line is not hard. 

As a matter of fact, I took 4000, 6000, 8000, and 12000 grit pads to it, it does polish out nice. however, just not sure what to do about the seam line, and then there are alignment pins, and super thick plastic. 

Another alternative for the UK modelers is this...paint the turret black.

9_6.jpg

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or . . .  turret glazing does look kinda 'frosted' on a cold Autumn morning does it not ??  . . .

Therefore I suggest a touch of weathering to reflect a slight snow fall or a frost on the ground

Issue resolved. I thank you. Lol

David

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

Dennis.E’s comments were some of the most thoughtful and thought out comments I’ve seen on any forum in a long, long time. 

I suspect we all can take note in the fact we often come off as complainers, even if it’s not our intention. We all are guilty of that, I’m sure. 

He points out on fact: the HobbyBoss B-24 is a whole lot better than the one we had last year, and is miles ahead of Tamiya and Wingnut Wings offerings. 

Yeah there’s issues. All kits have issues. Glass will be available in the AM, and as for the distinctive Davis wing, it offers a scratch building, vac, or kitbashing opportunity.   

:)

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Back to modelling basics, which means going to research and data.

 The Davis wing in this scale should be 2.1 cms thick at the root, the max thickness being at roughly 30 % of the chord.

And the wing should be set at 3.26° incidence. The pics published of the kit wing show a symetrical profile, and possibly a too flat incidence, which compounds the perception of something wrong.

And, it would really be stretching to imagine another manufacturer release another 1/32 Lib (there was no other one than the Monogram kit in 1/48 after all, remember ?). So the options are three : don’t buy the kit, buy the kit and live with the problems, or buy the kit and correct the issues, yourself, or via an AM fix.

Hubert

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators
42 minutes ago, [CAT]CplSlade said:

I am suspecting the wing issue might be a CAD error in translating the shape. It happens quite a bit. Revell He 219 cowlings, for example.

Well, I’m going to play with it and see.  We may need to just live with it. I love the aircraft enough to live with it.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...