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Italerei (ex-AMT) Douglas A-20B Havoc

Started by Tom Cleaver · 55 ≡ · ↻ 3 years ago

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Stephen W Towle said 3 years, 2 months ago:

TC, what about the placement of the main landing gear? I believe that the gear is placed too far back and needs to be moved forward having read some modelers opinions. What about weights so the kit doesn't become, a tail sitter or does the resin offer enough weight to cancel out the need for lead weights?
Pedro L. Rocha said 3 years, 2 months ago:

@tcinla
Reading your description regarding the glass nose A-20 really helps understanding what are the good and not so good parts of this kit. It’s looking quite good so far Tom.

Now I have AMT original Havoc box that I wish to build sometime in the near future. Does that version also use fabric covered control surfaces? Thanks for input
Tom Cleaver said 3 years, 2 months ago:

From photos, @holzhamer, all A-20 Havoc/Boston aircraft had the resin control surfaces.
Pedro L. Rocha said 3 years, 2 months ago:

Thanks Tom, guess I need to think about getting a set in the future
Gary Brantley said 3 years, 2 months ago:

I have the AMT boxing of the A-20 and in my most ambitious fantasies, I think I could build it along with my Monogram B-25J and B-26 kits in an assembly line-type approach. Hey, cockpits, LG, tires, all could be done like that. But then, the cobwebs clear and I realize just what a challenge that would be. 😉

Man, you are quick Tom. And I've noted all your mods and suggestions for the future! Looking good too. Keep 'em comin'! 🙂
Eric Berg said 3 years, 2 months ago:

@tcinla- Good tips. Guess I’ll have to track down a set of those control surfaces as I have an extra AMT kit down In the dungeon. I built one of these about 20 yrs ago. I used the True Details resin set with the life raft plus their famous overly bulged “flat” tire wheels.
Tom Cleaver said 3 years, 2 months ago:

@garybrantley - It's always good to look over the edge of the cliff to check things out before talking that final step. 🙂
Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 2 months ago:

That's really great progress, my friend @tcinla!
Nice job on those engine exhausts!
Gary Brantley said 3 years, 2 months ago:

@tcinla Words of wisdom there, and appreciated too. 🙂 Hard earned? 😉
Tom Cleaver said 3 years, 2 months ago:

@stephen-w-towle - if the gear is too far back, it's going to stay there, since the model just nose sits as it is. I also positioned the nose gear higher in the well, since it's too short, but that gives it the slight nose-high position it should be in. There was a definite need for weight, since it can't be put further forward of the gear than behind the cockpit and nose gear well.
Tom Cleaver said 3 years, 2 months ago:

@eb801 - the best place to get Vector Resins stuff if Linden Hill Imports. Ask Google for the URL.
Eric Berg said 3 years, 2 months ago:

@tcinla - I looked at the A-20G that I built way back when and it came with 9 exhaust fairings to be mounted on both sides of each cowling. The AMT/ERTL A-20B/C I have in my stash has those rear cowling exhausts already molded in place. Did your Italeri kit not feature those or did you cut them off to install your own as you described earlier?
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Tom Cleaver said 3 years, 2 months ago:

@eb801 - I cut them off at first going on the information here about the single exhaust on the A=20B, then did more research and realized I had made a mistake. Making new ones was the result - I tell myself they're superior to make the effort seem worthwhile, but I would just stick to what the kit provides if I hadn't made that mistake.
Colin Gomez said 3 years, 2 months ago:

This is a great build, Tom - very informative for potential builders of the kit and coming together really quickly and efficiently. Nice save on the exhausts - they look good. I have had to do some mods on my own DAW builds, owing to misjudgments and, in my case, a certain clumsiness. Good to have the momentum and and composure to get on with things and fix everything up.
Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 2 months ago:

Hi my friends @eb801, @tcinla and @coling!

You are not alone, Tom: I was misled by the wrong artist's impression and wrong instructions on the AMT P-70 and cut-off the fairings, despite the fact that the correct cowlings were provided (AMT offered two cowlings options with their A-20/P-70 versions).

Here is the pic evolution of "my" exhaust fairings cutoff and rebuild...
The cutoff day of infamy

Italeri provided another boxart with the correct cowlings and corrected the instructions on their newer reboxing of the P-70. I keep on telling my self that I improved my scratchbuild skills after this cutoff and rebuild loop 🙂

Viewing 16 - 30 of 55 posts

Desert Air War

Italerei (ex-AMT) Douglas A-20B Havoc

The cutoff day of infamy