RAAF Boston III, 1/48 HK Models

Started by Michael Turner · 16 · 1 day ago · RAAF Boston
  • Profile Photo
    Michael Turner said 1 month, 2 weeks ago:

    This is my club “gunna build” entry.

    It will be a RAAF 22 Sqn aircraft.

    First step is to open the cooling cooling slots. These are marked on the kit cowlings as they were present, but usually plated over on all early A-20/Bostons.

    6 on the outer side of the cowling have been drilled out.

    The kit has 4 on the inner sides of the cowlings, but there were actually only two. This photo shows them to be on the lower part of the inner cowl while the kit has 4 higher up.

    I used the tape to guide the drilling of the 2 inner slots.

  • Profile Photo
    John vd Biggelaar said 1 month, 2 weeks ago:

    That's a wonderful entry, Michael @michaelt
    Excellent start on those cowlings.

  • Profile Photo
    Vic Balshaw said 1 month, 2 weeks ago:

    Looks like a nice kit Michael, with it being a new kit issue it will be good to see how it comes together.
    Good start with the engine Cowl.

  • Profile Photo
    George R Blair Jr said 1 month, 2 weeks ago:

    This will be a great model, Michael (@michaelt), and I will be following along for sure. Nice work on the cowlings.

  • Profile Photo
    Tom Cleaver said 1 month, 2 weeks ago:

    Looking forward to your take on this @michaelt - I have one that's top of the to-do pile.

  • Profile Photo
    David Odenwald said 1 month, 2 weeks ago:

    Looking forward to seeing your build. I have one in the stash also. Those open cooling holes in the cowlings is one of those things to trip a model builder up, check photos of subject aircraft if possible.

  • Profile Photo
    Michael Turner said 1 month, 2 weeks ago:

    I’m on a club build weekend, so I’m racing ahead with this one.

    The fuselage has fantastic detail. There are quite a few ejection pin marks, but the obvious ones on the flat bulkheads can be cleaned up ok.

    Note the two weights each side of the nose. These will be hidden by the nosgear side walls.

    It also comes with white metal nose and main gear which have injection marks that are not on the plastic. Plus a fair bit of flash. I’ve used the metal nose gear here but may use the plastic main gears.

    The bomb bay is increadibly detailed, but much is hidden when assembled.

  • Profile Photo
    Michael Turner said 1 month, 2 weeks ago:

    The photo doesn’t do it justice, but the IP is made up of 6 thin and fragile decals. They are diffucult to manoeuvre and are ever so slightly off alignment with the plastic detail, but look great.

  • Profile Photo
    Vic Balshaw said 1 month, 2 weeks ago:

    What you have done this morning Michael looks great.
    I hope the nose weights are sufficient, sometimes you need that little extra.

  • Profile Photo
    John vd Biggelaar said 1 month, 2 weeks ago:

    Must be a wonderful weekend, meeting fellow modellers and achieving this great progress on your Boston, Michael @michaelt
    Beautiful details indeed.

  • Profile Photo
    Michael Turner said 1 month, 2 weeks ago:

    Internals nearly completed.


    Seatbelts were painted and added to the pilot seat and rear gunner seat.

    Before I close the fuselage up I need to decide if I will use the kit 0.5 cal lower tunel gun or repurpose one of the nose 0.303s that probably won’t be seen in the nose.

  • Profile Photo
    Vic Balshaw said 1 month, 2 weeks ago:

    Very nice innards Michael and so quick.

  • Profile Photo
    John vd Biggelaar said 1 month, 2 weeks ago:

    That weekend clearly boosts the modelling speed, Michael @michaelt
    Very nice progress on the internal parts.

  • Profile Photo
    George R Blair Jr said 1 month, 2 weeks ago:

    Interior is looking really good, Michael (@michaelt). These HK kits look like they are engineered very well.

  • Profile Photo
    Spiros Pendedekas said 1 month, 1 week ago:

    Excellent entry and excellent progress, my friend @michaelt!