Revell B-24D (GR-V)
Here's a B-24D I converted to a GR-V sub hunter a few years ago. I used the Revell B-24D kit with the Belcher Bits conversion which consisted of a radome and 5-million candlepower Leigh Light. The winglets for the rocket launchers and the Yagi antenna were scratch built from drawings and photos. I modified some windows per Belcher Bits instructions. The rocket rails are from Aires, the 5-inch rockets from my junk pile. I used Quickboost engines, with pushrod tubes and ignition wiring added. Air scoops, vents, cowl flaps, and exhausts were opened up, and waste gates added to the turbochargers I used resin wheels and fabricated brake lines. I re-scribed most of the fuselage panel lines, but left alone some of the raised details. I built a new instrument panel and made a new engine control console. I opened up the cockpit side windows. Eduard pre-painted belts and harnesses were added, as well as seat cushions. I finished it with Model Master paints.
Aviaeology offered decals for 4 aircraft, and I chose BZ792 of 224 Squadron, Coastal Command because of a remarkable mission flown by this aircraft. On the evening of June 7/8 1944, F/L K.O. Moore (RCAF) and crew sank 2 U-boats (U-373 and U-441) on a single sortie. Although they had a full load of weapons including 12x 250lb bombs, 2x Mk.24 homing torpedoes, and 8x armor-piercing rockets, they sank both subs with one stick of 6 depth charges each, and returned to base at St. Eval with the rest of their weapons, and without using the 5-million candlepower search light.
Liberator IIIs and GR-Vs were delivered with U.S. armament, and most (but not all) had the Consolidated turret replaced with the Boulton-Paul 4-gun turret, I don't know which this aircraft had, and in any case I didn't have a spare BP turret. The winglets for the rocket launchers were detachable, and not all sub-hunting Liberators had them. This turned out to be one of my favorite projects.
Beauty
Well done, Chas.
Very cool. I love this! Great scheme on a classic model. Lots of excellent work to make this and lots of paint!
Awesome build of a unique version of the B-24. Nice little extra bits of work and detail really make the kit shine. The upper surface scheme really looks great too. That's a lot of model to paint and make it look good.
Outstanding work, Chas! That’s an impressive model.
Great conversion and colour scheme.
Outstanding work here and a great result.
@chasbunch, That is some mighty fine work! 😀
Outstanding work, Chas! A fantastic result of variant rarely seen built!
Wow ,amazing. I didn't know they fitted missiles to the Liberator.
A beautiful result, Chas @chasbunch
Never saw this variant of a Liberator before.
Well done.
Awesome paint scheme!
@chasbunch - Nice work, the scratch built parts look fantastic!
Wow! now that is some impressive work. Top notch in every category. For sure the coolest post this month- and there has been some fabulous work shown so far this snowy March (at least here in MN). Congratulations!
That is absolutely fantastic! Beautifully built and photographed.
That is the exact kit and accessories that is in my to-do pile for that particular aircraft, and I can only hope to come close to your excellent outcome!
Did you manage to find something definitive as to whether Moore's GRV had the 5" rockets or not, I never could.
Thanks Colin. I found a couple of references describing rockets on BZ792 but no photos, looked far and wide for photos of 792 showing the tail turret. No luck.
Outstanding work, Chas. This would be my new favorite build of this aircraft online. Great attention to detail and superb finish. Also a really important subject as a turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic. Long range B-24Ds were the nemesis of U-Boat wolfpacks when they finally closed the Atlantic gap.
Beautifully done. Top class.
What they said above, Great build. I never saw one loaded out with the rockets.
Thanks for the comments, Everyone!
Cracker.
Really exceptional work Chas. Really like that paint scheme, looks good on a Liberator.
Excellent work!
Very nice conversion of one of my favorite 1/48th scale kits. The engine wiring looks great and to do 4 engines is a lot of work. I assume that you used some weight to keep the nose down, the one I built took a lot. I always enjoy seeing your models.
Thanks, Wayne. Yeah, the nose is full of lead.
Love the Coastal Command scheme, and had never seen one with the chin-mounted rocket launchers - very cool! Looks great.
Outstanding job, Chas (@chasbunch). That kit is a beast to build, and you even added substantial conversion parts. It looks superb. And the weathering is perfect. Thank you for sharing it!