MTO Medium bombers.448th Mitchell Ave Maria. 444th Miss Arkansas.
Researching my Dad's service in Corsica during 1944 I'm pretty certain he escorted both these aircraft. I have built the Revell versions of both over the years and never been particularly happy. I made the mistake of going the full enchilada on Eduard PE on the Revell Marauder none of which could be seen! I have gradually become disillusioned with PE except for instrument panels maybe.
It took me a while to decide to scrap both these old kits and splash out on the HK Models Mitchell and ICM Marauder. This is the result. I was reluctant at first with the Mitchell as the cost seemed very high. I eventually found one for under £100. The ICM Marauder wasn't a problem price wise. I have to say the ICM kit beats the HK Models one in terms of value for money hands down. Both are excellent kits, indistinguishable in terms of quality, ease of construction and detail.
I can only think that HK Models have higher costs of production than ICM.The engines on ICM's Marauder are exquisite to the point that I decided to add a bit more detail and leave one of them exposed. The old resin engines from the previous build were lying around but the injection ICM versions were at least as detailed and much easier to work with.
A reviewer of the ICM kit said there was no way to pose the Marauder waist gunner doors open. This is wrong! The door slides are there and it's easy to stick the door in the up position and stick a gun out. Ok the interior lacks detail but you can hardly see it. I posed one side open and one closed.
The Mitchell had a weight supplied to stop it tail sitting. The Marauder didn't but it was easy to find some lead lying round the farm to do the job. ICM rightly didn't detail the radio compartment so the weight could go in there.
The metal finish is always a challenge. I bought a Tamiya rattlecan and touched up with Valejo Metal Color. Metal/Silver/Aluminium paints are always a nightmare in an airbrush I find. I seem to be forever getting black with a fetching "glitter effect" after using them no matter how well I clean them, Tamiys'a Flat Aluminium being the worst. +
Decals were ok although the Microscale Marauder ones did give me some grief, especially the yellow band and the Miss Arkansas umbrella! Also the Microscale reference pictures were at odds with the Osprey Combat Aircraft 73 references. Radomes, no red cowl highlights, and the large yellow tail numbers seemed subtly different.I think the rear gun position shown by Microscale is wrong too.
I appreciate there's not enough weathering on either of these kits, especially Ave Maria!
Such a long time passed without a really nice modern kit of these bombers being available in 1/48, I've no regrets about taking the plunge.
Fantastic!
Very nice work, Ross!
H-K Models made some unforunate business deals with Rip-Off importers - Stevens International here, which doubled their price (as with all their other kits). I don't know the guilty party in the UK. You should have check BNA in Australia, where the kit is much more rationally priced.
All that past, both of these models are really superb.
I remember a guy who flew both saying that the B-26 was "like a Packard limousine" and the B-25 "like a Model T."
Herewith a shameless personal pitch: you can find out a lot more about operations out of Corsica in my newest book, "Mediterranean Sweep."
I'll check that out. Dad said the Americans claimed the Marauder "took off at 150, cruised at 150 and landed at 150".
A couple of nice looking Marauders Ross. I particularly like the engine detail on Miss Arkansas.
Both are wonderful, Ross!
Congratulations!
Really nice results! 👌
Super nice
Nice job on both, Ross
Both of them look great ! Nice work.
Lovely builds! I'm waiting for the 1/72 version of ICM's Marauder...
Thanks for all the comments folks!
Very nice work on both. Got the Marauder in my stash to do someday.
Both kits look really good. Got my ICM B-26 Marauder started, note get back to it. Not started the HKM B-25J yet.
This B25 and B26 are a beautiful duo, Ross @ross4
Would love to build both in 1/72.
Two beautiful builds Ross (@ross4). Appreciate the insights on the kits as well... Just building a 1/48th AM Mitchell but my Monogram Marauder could use an upgrade build so that ICM kit is looking very nice to me. - Cheers