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Stalled models

Started by Jay Mitchell · 19 ≡ · ↻ 5 months ago · Collection, Matchbox, Models, PB4Y, privateer

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Jay Mitchell said 5 months, 3 weeks ago:

My entire collection of 30 kits could be classified as “ stalled”… some of them have been waiting to be built for years. There are some nice kits in my collection, but my modeling stamina isn’t what it once was.

Recently I started tinkering with a Matchbox 1/72 Privateer that has some problems . The right side fuselage part wasn’t fully formed. I’ve done some work to correct that defect , but am now tempted to put it back in its box and wait till I’m more enthusiastic about the project. At least something has been accomplished on it .
9 attached images. Click to enlarge.
John vd Biggelaar said 5 months, 3 weeks ago:

A nice stash you have there, Jay @ssgt
Working on a Matchbox kit brings back the old days.
Good work done on the deformed fuselage, would love to see you finish this Privateer.
Spiros Pendedekas said 5 months, 3 weeks ago:

I think that more or less all of us have similar stories to tell, my friend @ssgt. Most of us have stashes of kits "to be built sometime", in essence we have become, apart from modelers, kit collectors: nothing wrong with that, as some of these kits can be pulled out and built whenever we feel like.

Your Privateer is an awesome entry! I remember this kit built by a Greek modeler back in the early 80s (I was a high school boy back then) and published in the Greek equivalent of FLIGHT magazine (no dedicated Greek modeling magazines back then 🙂 ). I LOVED it (and the builder praised Matchbox back then - those were the days).

Really interesting that you have a short shot fuselage, I wonder how the guy who packed the kit passed this discrepancy. Nevertheless, I think you are doing a great job building up the missing area and I really look forward to see this beauty taking shape!
Jay Mitchell said 5 months, 3 weeks ago:

Thank you John @johnb and Spiros @fiveten !
I appreciate your kind words & encouragement.
I will leave this Matchbox kit on the workbench and keep trying to work towards completing it.
I’m trying not to add anymore kits to my stash, but I often come across one (or two) that I “need.”

That defect had left the area by the side panel cut out weak and caused the upper forward corner to crack . I had decided to install the waist gun panel to strengthen that area but the fuselage where the crack was broke completely in two while I tried to fit that piece in there. It’s a snug and well fitting piece.
I made a small doubler to install over the broken area to help hold it together. With the two repairs in place and the waist blister plug installed the fuselage part seems strong now .
2 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Spiros Pendedekas said 5 months, 3 weeks ago:

Awesome repair, my friend @ssgt! Will look perfect once filled and sanded smooth!
Carl Smoot said 5 months, 3 weeks ago:

This is the way modeling goes oftentimes. Find a kit you want to build, dealing with anything that might hinder its completion and keep moving forward. Awesome fix on the short shot. I had forgotten about this kit. I've always liked the Privateer more than the Liberator. Looking forward to seeing what you do with this.
John vd Biggelaar said 5 months, 3 weeks ago:

Great save on the fuselage, Jay @ssgt
I'm sure you will turn this kit into a beautiful Privateer.
John Healy said 5 months, 3 weeks ago:

Glad you can save it, Jay. Those are always interesting when built.
George R Blair Jr said 5 months, 3 weeks ago:

Ouch, Jay @ssgt, I don't think I have a model as malformed as your Privateer is. Resurrection should be fun.
Jay Mitchell said 5 months, 3 weeks ago:

I was disappointed when I found the defective part, George @gblair , but after some thought I decided it was repairable . 35 years experience as a military & airline aircraft mechanic will payoff on this model.
I’m hoping it’ll turn out nice, but looking at all the small parts it seems overwhelming.
Jay Mitchell said 5 months, 3 weeks ago:

I agree with you, Carl @clipper , the the PB4Y-2 is much nicer looking then the B-24.
Jay Mitchell said 5 months, 3 weeks ago:

Tonight I’ve gotten all the parts for the first 3 steps trimmed off the sprue and am going to get them painted.

I think the interior color is ANA-611 primer which is probably the same as the usually green zinc-chromate color. I’m not sure about the wheel wells though. I wonder if they were yellow or painted the same color as the lower surface of the aircraft. The book I’m using as a reference only mentions the ANA-611 primer but doesn’t specifically address the color of wheel wells. The different manufacturers sometimes varied from each other in things like that, I’ve read. Especially as the war dragged on. I’ll have to keep searching.

The kit has some pretty nicely detailed main landing gear wheel wells. Often older kits like this one left that area an empty void .
6 attached images. Click to enlarge.
George R Blair Jr said 5 months, 3 weeks ago:

I am looking forward to your work on this kit, Jay (@ssgt), and hopefully you won't need a wrench. I have always liked the Privateer, but I think it was because the Navy paint schemes made it look more elegant than the B-24. I thought I was the only one who had been dragging around a copy of Navy Air Colors for all of these years, but you have one, too. Yeah!
John vd Biggelaar said 5 months, 3 weeks ago:

Nice preperation work, Jay @ssgt
That seems like a very valuable book, does that contain only schemes or also interior color information.
Spiros Pendedekas said 5 months, 3 weeks ago:

Awesome progress and amazing looks so far, my friend @ssgt! If research does not reveal anything, I believe both "green" and "yellow" zincs will be acceptable.
Looking forward to your next steps!

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