Airfix 1/72nd B-26B Marauder, USAAC, WWII ETO

Started by Chuck A. Villanueva · 39 · 5 years ago
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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 7 years, 9 months ago:

    Next was to add the gun packs on both sides of the fuselage. Lead sinkers super glued in and time to cement both halves together. Which fortunately everything lined up and got that done. Still managed to get a little step on the upper seam which won't be difficult to clean up. But the halves are plagued with mold dimples which will need to be filled. Will get those filled in with putty and will have more to follow.

    7 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    Louis Gardner said 7 years, 9 months ago:

    Looks great Chuck. You're making some great progress.

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 6 years, 4 months ago:

    Well it has been over a year since the last posting of this WIP of the Marauder. This is the Airfix kit, and to this point we have working the main fuselage and cleaning up some major seams and sink marks.

    An original Airfix kit in 72nd scale with fine raised panel lines with a mix of some engraved panels on the wings.

    At this point, I will attach the separate horizontal tail on the fuselage.

    Next up the tail rudder assy is attached into the slot and over the horizontal tail.

    The fun with this is that the fit is not great. So some challenges to go along being a smaller scale as the few previous builds were in 48th scale.

    Next up is to build the wings. Again taking time to assemble them first, the engine nacelles are separate. This is one of Airfix's earlier efforts to have a kit with a few more details compared to there other releases during this time frame. Bigger box, quite ambitious for the day. The number of parts, even the details in the wheel wells are decent.

    As you notice the locating slots on the fuselage are ok, but the attachment part on the wings are not very big, so being careful here to attach them on the fuselage and eyeball for correct dihedral. Attaching these one at a time and let them set. First applying Tamiya slow setting cement on the attachment point on the wing and into the slot. And quick drying cement like Tenax 7 around the seam/joint to the fuselage.

    Next up assembling the engines and nacelles.

    more to follow.

    1 additional image. Click to enlarge.

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 5 years, 10 months ago:

    Before hitting it hard on the upcoming and current GB's going to try to get this B-26 done first. This time up is to assemble the engines and install them into the cowlings. Already painted.

    Assemble the nacelles. Then attach the engine cowl assemblies to each wing.

    Next is the intake scoops, two on top of the cowlings.

    Then attach each scoop on the cowlings on both sides.

    .

    Next up is to go over the airframe for any imperfections and start attaching the canopy and the bombardiers nose glazing. More to follow.

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    neil foster said 5 years, 10 months ago:

    I am really looking forward to seeing this done, I don't think I've ever seen this particular kit finished ,are the original decals still o.k.? Do you understand the Mild and Bitter nose art ,I only ask as it's a very British thing as far as I know ...
    Cheers for building this ,it will probably now go on my kits to build list.

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    neil foster said 5 years, 10 months ago:

    Hey Chuck ,I have just found an 11min short on youtube about this actual aircraft completing it's 100th mission, very interesting to note the weathering to the paint especially on those gun packs, if I get round to this kit I will be revisiting that footage.
    N.

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    David Mills said 5 years, 10 months ago:

    Nice job Chuck, great work with all that etch!

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 5 years, 10 months ago:

    Thanks Neil, this kit I picked up while living in New England back in the early 90's. So no Hasegawa B-26's yet. At the time I haven't really seen one built before or since really. But was pleasantly surprised in the number of parts that were in the kit. Like a downsized Monogram B-26 but in the Airfix way. Though 1/72nd has it's limitations in this scale, the seats were just that nothing in how they should look. So I found a pretty nice PE set from Eduards and tossed in the box and in the stash it went. I didnt have many Airfix kits on the stash, just a few 72nd scale kits that were really basic. So the details offered on the B-26 was really good to see. Made me wonder if the other Airfix kits in this series were just as similar. Like the Lancaster, B-17, etc. The decals looked ok, but will be using a Super scale set. I will check out the video. Thanks for the lead.

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 5 years, 10 months ago:

    Thanks David, it does take some work to get this together. I lost a lot of details with all the seam clean up and filling the sink holes on the fuselage.

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 5 years, 10 months ago:

    With the engines installed. Now to go over the airframe before I start to install the clear bits.

    Starting with the nose.

    Next the canopy which is not the greatest fit. And will need to polish so it doesn't appear so thick, which they are.

    Next the tail gunners rear glass is installed. Will leave the lower section off after the painting work is completed.

    Masking time. First the rear glass using Tamiya tape. No masking set for this one.

    Then the nose is masked off.

    Then the canopy which took the longest but not so tedious. Just That being in 72nd scale, just a bit careful trimming the framing.

    Then Polly S Interior Green is airbrushed over the framing.

    Finally before pre shading, I install the tail stabs. Moveable, I will posed these slightly deflected in the down position.

    Thats it for now, time start the paint process next. More to follow.

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    Louis Gardner said 5 years, 10 months ago:

    It looks like you're getting ready to spray on some colors here really soon... Please post up some more pictures when you can.

    Thanks

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 5 years, 10 months ago:

    Thanks Louis. next is to pre shade the airframe was doing a once over to check the "bodywork" required on this puppy.

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 5 years, 9 months ago:

    Time to paint, once going over the model with a tack cloth to remove any dust and plastic residue. I pour some Tamiya Flat Black into the bottle and preshade the panel lines working from the bottom to top.

    Next using Aeromaster Warbird Acrylic, Neutral Grey to airbrush the lower sections of the air frame and rudder.

    1st to mask off the tail. Then Lifecolor Olive Drab is next to airbrush the upper surfaces.

    Then I use Lifecolor faded Olive Drab to lighten dusted over the top to show wear in the paint on an aircraft used on quite a few missions over Europe.

    Next up gloss coat and decal time.

    More to follow.

    1 additional image. Click to enlarge.

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 5 years, 9 months ago:

    With the gloss coat of Future set over the week. Time to apply the decals.


    Starting with the stars and bars on the wings and fuselage

    Using an old Super Scale decal set for a B-26B of the 533rd BS, 386th BG, AN S, a black and white photo seems to show that the codes AN S should be grey not white as provided in the decals. Notice the difference on the star and bar marking blue/white, the codes appear darker like in Grey, definitely not white.

    Next the mission markings and the nickname.

    The yellow tail stripe and serial number. Not much to apply decal wise. The process took an hour.

    Next a quick weather wash under the airframe and then apply the Flat coat. More to follow.

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    Tom Bebout said 5 years, 9 months ago:

    Looking good Chuck