I built this close to 20 years ago. As a form of self torture I decided to try to make a Hasegawa 1/48 scale SBD as detailed as the then newly released Accurate Miniatures kit.

I think I used a heavily modified KMC interior, an Eduard foto-etch set, spares and scratch built parts over the course of the better part of a year to finish it up. I think the reason I went this route was that I needed an SBD-3 and the only AM kit available at that time was their SBD-5.

When I had the kit painted and decaled, I contacted Tom Cleaver and asked if he could get it signed. Tom graciously agreed and a couple of months later I got the model back with LCDR Best's autograph. I finished putting the last bits on and put the model on my shelf. I've never taken it to a show as I'm afraid it would disappear.

I was never able to meet Dick Best in person but I'm proud to have a model of his aircraft in my collection.

8 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Thanks for the kind words Louis, and I will post it on the main board in June.

Very nice build, and cool story.

Great story and fantastic looking Dauntless !

Hi Bernard, the dive flaps are photo etch steel that Hasegawa included in a special Midway issue. While I have in the past drilled out many sets of Monogram Dauntless dive flaps, tedious but doable, when I tried it on the Hasegawa kit the plastic would tear when drilling the holes along the trailing edge. I had planned to have the lower flaps down, but I didn't like the look so l left them closed. That's the normal "parked" position too.

1 attached image. Click to enlarge.