1/72 Privateer – enhanced Matchbox build

Started by Greg Kittinger · 44 · 6 years ago · 1/72, PB4Y-2, privateer
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    Greg Kittinger said 6 years, 10 months ago:

    Here is a look at the almost finished blister turrets. I've now got the fuselage together, and am prepping for the white lower paint. I won't add the protective glass to the turrets or the guns until one of the very last steps when I add the canopy glass and close it all up.

    I decided not to attempt to reconfigure the gunners into sitting positions and build the gun seats behind/under them, as you can hardly see back that far once the fuselage is closed up unless you are peering in with a flashlight!

    5 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    Robert Royes said 6 years, 10 months ago:

    Looking great, Greg.

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    Ray Seppala said 6 years, 10 months ago:

    Impressive scratch building Greg. I have one of these on the bench but have decided just to replace the kit guns with aeroclub replacements.

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    Lee Fogel said 6 years, 10 months ago:

    This has been a joy to follow along with, Greg. Keep up the superb work!

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    David Mills said 6 years, 10 months ago:

    Nice work Greg, Great to see the privateer taking shape, love the scratchbuilt upgrades - excellent!

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    Marc Barris said 6 years, 10 months ago:

    Hey Greg, well what do you know...you are a scratch builder after all, great work my friend, I love it.

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    Greg Kittinger said 6 years, 9 months ago:

    Ok - finally got to the point in my G.91 build where I could spend some more time on the Privateer. Since I finished the blister turrets, I closed up the fuselage, cut down the nose section to accept the vac form canopy, added all the bumps and bits underneath and faired them in, added the vac form nose glazing (masked) and faired it in a bit. My plan is to spray the white with rattle can before I attach the wings, to make the masking job more simple. I'll spray the wings separately, then once attached and faired in, I'll touch up the joints. Tail stabs are already attached and will be sprayed with fuselage.


    Here are a couple of closeups of the cockpit section - before I mated the nose area with the main fuselage, I did some detailing behind the seat as the space was pretty blank. Not sure how much of it will be seen once closed up, but you never know...


    Here is some detail work I needed to do on the wheel well area, with retracted wheels. I kinda made up that I thought the attachment points for the wheel legs would look like, as they'll barely be seen once closed up, but since the doors don't completely cover that area, you will see something. I also wanted to blank off the section of the well that is in the nacelle area as that will be visible - again since there are no doors to completely close it off. I'm not finished with it: once painted, I'll add some hydraulic lines for additional detail, then attach the nacelle. By the way - those big white strips are to lift the half of the tire/wheel I'll be inserting to what seems like what is appropriate when the wheel is retracted.


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    Greg Kittinger said 6 years, 9 months ago:

    As I was prepping the nacelles to receive the resin cowlings and engines, I realized looking at reference photos that there were some exhaust vents underneath the nacelles that weren't molded in. I couldn't find any tubing the right size so I took a sidewinder from the spares box, drilled it out hollow with a micro bit and cut into segments with 45 degree cut, then drilled into the nacelles at 45 degree angle using a larger bit in a pin vise, and using a toothpick, inserted the segments into the holes. Couple of examples here, along with bits used. I'll use a little mister surfacer to clean up around the hole, but looking at references it wasn't necessarily a tight fit!

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    david leigh-smith said 6 years, 9 months ago:

    I think this is outstanding work in 72nd scale.

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    Robert Royes said 6 years, 9 months ago:

    A lot of great detail work! Looks great.

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    Louis Gardner said 6 years, 9 months ago:

    I don't know how you do this Greg... It's amazing. The details you have added are really starting to make this one pop...

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    Greg Kittinger said 6 years, 8 months ago:

    Got all the major subassemblies glued together, and had to repair a few divots in the wings. Paint is going on now...

    2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    Marc Barris said 6 years, 8 months ago:

    Wow Greg, this is really looking good, great scratch building. Keep up the good work.

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    Robert Royes said 6 years, 8 months ago:

    One unique and awesome build!

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    david leigh-smith said 6 years, 8 months ago:

    Robert, I'm with you, this is terrific. I love the whole project; lots to learn, great detail, and gives a real insight to your building 'mind'. Really enjoying this.