Tom, @tcinla
On my home computer I have been able to enlarge this photo. You can see a mixture of planes on deck. Just as you mentioned most of the Avengers are the earlier dash 1 variant with the cowling mounted MG. There are three styles of paint on the Avengers as well. First off is the original Blue / Gray with the Grumman "wave". Then there's the "Norfolk" scheme, and lastly there's a few examples of a factory appearing paint. This picture caught my eye a while ago, and I wanted to share it.

I'm hoping that this build journal will help with anyone who wants to build up an accurate Avenger from this tragic event. Typically I post up details like this on all of my build journals if time permits. That's how we all get better... by working together as a team.

I sincerely thank you for the compliments... 🙂

I'm constantly learning something new each day. That's part of the fun.

Earlier today I masked off the underside of the cowling, so that I could repaint the lower demarcation lines between the Intermediate Blue and the White.

Here's how it looked after a light dusting of "White"

It looks more realistic once the masking was removed...

Next up I applied two new numbers to make a brand new #93 under the cowling. This looks more like it now.

You can see how the demarcation line more or less lines up with the opening between the bomb bay doors and the lower fuselage. This matches the original photos more closely now.

I had to do some more touch up work after spraying the White. I repainted the exhaust pipes, and pressed the propeller back in position. It fits nicely by friction alone, so there's really no need to glue it.

This next picture was taken from almost the same angle as the original plane as it was viewed from the front. The number 93 under the cowling and the paint demarcation lines now look more appropriate.

You can see that the line between the colors when viewed from the side, goes almost straight forward now as a result of the last change.

Next step was to touch up the interior green color on the edges of the bomb bay doors...

as well as some work inside the bay itself.

Here's how the Avenger looks at the moment.

Now I have to add the smaller stencil decals, and give it a clear sealer coating to protect the decals.

Then the smaller things like the Yagi and radio altimeter antennae's will be added. The final bit will be to stretch some clear plastic and make an antennae cable... You will also notice that I somehow broke off the antennae mount on top of the rudder... again.

As always, comments are encouraged.

Good night.

This is without a doubt one of the best and most informative threads we have at iModeler. Thanks fior starting this Louis - we have far more than we thought we would at the outset.

Thanks gentlemen for the kind words. I do sincerely appreciate this.

Tom,
I strongly believe there are other build journals here on Imodeler that are better than this one. There is lot of information here, but that's something I try to incorporate in all of my build journals in case someone wants to use them as a reference for a future build.

Thanks again fellows.

Rick,
To answer your question on the placement of the Insignia... Hmmm

I have seen several restored Avengers up close. I took these photos and they show the side windows very clearly. Granted these planes have been restored, and the markings are no longer original. But I think I know where this thought comes from.

The markings had to be applied in a manner that allowed uniformity. They also had to keep the markings from interfering with the view from these side windows.

So placement / location was probably done using a vertical seam line on one of the panel lines as a start point for the bar. Depending on how far back it was started, (and just how high it was placed on the fuselage to clear the windows), this could give the illusion the Insignia was placed at an angle. The fuselage is barrel shaped and tapers down to almost a point. When viewed from the side it could look as if it was placed at an angle, when it most likely started out straight farther up the fuselage.

It could also have something to do with who manufactured the plane or when it was built...

This is something I'll have to do some more digging into. I really don't know the correct answer. These are just my thoughts about it.

Those are some nice illustrations by the way.

Thanks for sharing them with us.

Thanks Greg ! It's good to hear from you ...

Here are a few photos that show the US National insignia as they were originally applied to the rear fuselage. Some appear to be straight inline with the vertical line from the fuselage formers as I mentioned in a previous post.

However, exactly as Rick Wilkes @fuzzmann

pointed out, some also look as if they are canted This is especially apparent in this last color photo. It shows the from leading edge of the "Bar" is angled slightly when compared to the seam line that is created by the fuselage former.

I think this canted application happens when the US insignia was applied using a fuselage longeron or "stringer" as a means to align the insignia and ensure uniformity during application. The stringers taper towards the rear of the fuselage on the Avenger. The fuselage goes down to almost a point, and this is how they achieved that was by reducing the diameter of the bulkheads, and positioning the stringers closer together. As they neared the end of the fuselage, some stringers were stopped short and ended at that point. This typically happened to every other stringer. Here's a decent drawing that shows how these stringers were placed. You will see that they are no longer horizontal as they get closer to the tail section.

If you have ever built any old school balsa wood and tissue paper models you know exactly what I'm trying to explain... a picture is worth a 1,000 words here.

This variation between markings could have differed between the factories, and even during the time frame these planes were being built.

I took these pictures using my phone. I then cropped them slightly and posted them here for you. The first 3 photos are part of the detail and scale series from a book on the Avenger. The last picture is form the book Carrier Air War in Color.

Both are excellent books...

The last color photo has inspired me to build up this Avenger with the yellow wing and fuselage markings... You will see it coming in a future build scheduled from the "Iron Werks"

I have been wanting to build up a US Navy plane with yellow markings for a while now. This one checks all the boxes too... So be on the look out for a Gray and White ASW Avenger with RAF style rocket rails, (and possibly a Radar cone) along with this one wearing the yellow markings on the fuselage and wing...

Both will be coming from the "Iron Werks" in the future...

As usual,
comments are encouraged.

“Your service to modeling is appreciated”. Well said, TC.

@lgardner

You. Have. NAILED. IT!

Glad to know my hypothesis about the airplanes in the photo was right. That confirms it for the Essex shakedown cruise with CVG-9.

As to the prop painting: Waste not, want not!

Louis @lgardner, You ability to switch between multiple builds is truly amazing and an inspiration. Even though I have pretty limited space in my room, I'm going to try an assembly line approach on my next build(s). Hope this will help speed my build time up. As Rick stated, Looking Good!

There's one more thing that needs to be taken care of before the decals were sealed. Most of these Avengers had a set of radio altimeter antennae's mounted under the wings. AM provided the location (as it's clearly marked), but they failed to include this little part in the plastic provided with the kit. It's a simple thing, so you could probably scratch build one.

But there's an easier way:

Tamiya provides a set of the small antennae's in their 1/48 scale Vought F4U-1 "Birdcage" kit. If you happen to have this kit lying around and are not planning on making the Night Fighter version of the Corsair you are good to go.

Here the parts are installed under the wings.


I painted mine black after the pictures were taken. This next photo shows them both as they look from under the wings.

Tomorrow I'll try to apply the small stencil decals, and hopefully get them sealed later that evening.

As always,
Comments are encouraged.

Thanks for stopping by...