OK, here's what happened at the "Iron Werks" today.

The clear parts were masked using Tamiya tape.

Then I sprayed on some interior green.

It looks more yellow than it actually is due to the lighting.

Then I changed colors, and sprayed on the "Dark Sea Blue", using Model Master FS 35042 enamel.



Once that dried, I removed the masking...



Then I built the turret... and installed it.

Stay tuned for the next installment. I'm writing as quick as I can in case we lose electricity because of the storm.

My first step to install the turret easily was to remove the main canopy... So I carefully cut along the edge and it came off without incident.

This next information was originally posted by AM. I took my own pictures showing how it's done.

Grab the turret and position it at an angle of approximately 45 degrees.

Insert it into the opening. It will fit.


Rock it downward so that it fits flat against the turret mounting ring.

This is part #58 and it's called the turret base in the kit instructions. It has two tab opening slots in it. Once it is sitting flat against the ring, rotate it so that the two tabs on the turret will drop into the slots. The MG will be positioned off to the side at a right angle to the fuselage.

At this time press the turret down the rest of the way. It will drop down all the way now.

Then rotate the turret with the MG facing rearward. This will ensure the tabs are lined up. Don't force it. Things should happen easily. If it doesn't then something is out of alignment.

Remember the blanking plate / turret shelf ?

Now is when you need to install it. I simply placed mine in position. It is held in place by friction alone, and is not glued.

This is how it should look when installed properly.

Now you can install the main canopy...

Easy peasy... pumpkin pie.

good luck with the storm, Louis.

Today I spent some more quality bench time. This one is now ready for some decals...

I installed the front sliding sections of the pilots canopy. The one without center frames goes on the Starboard side.

These could be slid back and left at various spots along the side rail. I chose to pose both of these fully open.

I installed the exhaust.

Ultra Bright BMF was applied to the landing gear oleo struts.

The flexible rubber brake lines were also painted using Flat Black. I had to go back and do a little touch up painting. Now the parts look like they should with no mistakes in the paint work.

The wingtip navigation lights were painted. Then the clear outer covers were installed and painted.
In hindsight, I should have done this before the wings were painted...and masked the clear lens before spraying the wing.

Oh well, on the next one it will happen.

Ultra Bright BMF was also applied to the landing light. I used a black marker to pick out the center of the bulb.

Then the clear cover was installed. I really like how it turned out.

Here you can see the underwing zero length rocket launchers. This plane had 4 sets on each wing. Luckily I had some parts left over from a 1/48 Hasegawa F6F-5 Hellcat. They fit nicely and look the part. The clear cover was installed on the leading edge of the Port wing at this time. You can see it in this picture.


I fixed the broken tail mounted mast for the antennae cable. The rear lights were also painted using Gloss White.

Since I was painting white lights, the one that's mounted above and slightly behind the pilot was painted too. So was the one on the rear fuselage spine.

I also painted the small navigation lights that are positioned on top of each wing.

This is how the plane that was flown by Robert Cosgrove looks at the moment... ready for the stickers !




Tomorrow I might get the decals on. Once the decals are done, and have dried sufficiently, I'll add some exhaust stains and the antennae leads. This Avenger will also get a Yagi antennae mounted under each wing. This is best applied after the "Stars and Bars" are on the wings.

There will be a small radio altimeter under each of the wings too. Luckily Tamiya provides a few of these in their F4U-1 "Birdcage" Corsair... which I happen to also have a few of them on the work bench at the moment. I'll "borrow" the radio altimeter masts for this build. No harm, no foul.

As always,
Comments are encouraged.

Thanks for stopping by...

1 additional image. Click to enlarge.

Thanks so much Louis for illustrating how simple it really is to install the turret. I think honestly it's harder to mask all the glass and paint it than to install the darn thing. I am in the middle of building the Hobby Boss TBM-3 and their approach is much different in how they get their turret installed into their model. And again it is quite an easy task in what they came up with. They also make it quite more complicated in the number of parts to build the whole thing. It is like a mini kit with in the kit.

You basically build the turret, mask it off, (the Eduards mask set is a God send for all the glass to mask).

Next Vallejo Interior Green is airbrushed over the framework of the turret.

Once set Mission Models Glossy Sea Blue is then airbrushed. Now this color has a faded look more akin to late war WWII Aircraft after being out at sea for awhile. Comparing it to MM Glossy Sea Blue which is a bit darker, Which I will overspray the model with when it comes time for that process.

Once dry I test fit the turret assy in it's place on the RH fuselage half. And notice that some of the masking will need to come off, otherwise once the halves are mated it would be quite difficult to remove them.

Time to mate the fuselage halves. Again I have to say to Hobby Boss, with all that hardware inside that fuselage, flight deck, weapons bay and various bulkheads. Everything aligned just right that I didn't run into any issues in mating the halves, just had to trim the wingspars thru the slots which are very tight. Otherwise. its all good.

And thats how you install the turret on a Hobby Boss Avenger. A very different approach to the AM Avenger. Does it make it better, nah, both are excellent kits. And if Tamiya did one, I'm sure they would do it a different way as well.

Chuck @uscusn

That has to be the best "How to" I've ever seen on the HB Avenger turret ! I'm liking what I'm seeing there ... I have one of these HB TBF Avenger kits in the stash. The nice thing is that they come with the option of folding the wings right out of the box.

Plus I like how their turret has a large single clear part... with no assembly seam to worry about.

Yours looks to be very detailed as well. I also like how the Mission Models paint looks. Sometimes I think the Model Master is a little too dark. Especially if the plane has spent any time at sea, then it's definitely too dark. I will add some white to the next one I spray to see if that helps some.

I used Tamiya tape to mask off my clear parts, and it took some time with a new Exacto blade... but those Eduard masks look very nice too.

Thank you very much for taking the time to post this information here on how the HB turret is different from the AM version. I sincerely appreciate that, and will use this as a reference when I get around to building up my HB Avenger.

Thanks again my friend and I hope to see more of your Avenger some time in the future. From what I see in the photos you provided, it's going to look sharp !

Take care gents...

As others have noted, there is some very well documented information here. Louis, your build is coming along beautifully. Thank you for going to such lengths to share these pictures.

I have the academy boxing of the Avenger, and have all but thrown away the instructions in favor of the original AM sheets. This will be book marked for my build.

Many thanks to all.

Hello Paul ! @yellow10
I'm happy to hear that these build journal pages will be of use someday ... I say do it ! Stop resisting the temptation and just roll with it. LOL