Hasegawa 1/72 B-24J Liberator

Started by Yann Bertholet · 99 · 2 years ago · 1/72, B-24, Hasegawa
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    Yann Bertholet said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    Good Day All. It's my first post in this group 'Work in Progress' and I decided to show the progress of the building of my B-24J from Hasegawa. I just bought this model few days ago, so let's try. This Hasegawa model is not easy to find in Europe so I was so happy to see it on a second hand website and for a good price. Cherry on the cake, the person who sold me the kit is an helicopter pilot in the army.

    2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    Yann Bertholet said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    Alright, that's not an easy kit! As usual I started by reading the manual and I found out that we need 90g of ballast to keep the nose down... Well I tried my best bu this kit will never see this amount of lead. No extra on this kit. cockpit dash board and seat belts 'home made'.

    6 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    This is a wonderful entry, my friend @yann!
    I've heard the Hasegawa Liberators are superb models. Looking forward to see this beauty built!

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    Cockpit looks superb, @yann!
    If you need to add more weight, you might stuff it into the engine nacelles.

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    George R Blair Jr said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    This is a great kit, Yann (@yann), and should built into a great model. Getting enough weight into the nose is a problem. I have approached it two different ways. First, as Spiros (@fiveten) suggested, I stuffed the nacelles, cockpit, and the area in back of the cockpit full of lead and eventually got it to sit correctly. The second way was to build a diorama base and glue the wheels to the base. I discovered that you also need to drill holes in the wheels, add some piano wire, drill corresponding holes in the diorama base, and then glue everything down. If you don't use wire, the wheels will eventually separate from the base. Guess how I know. :o)

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    John vd Biggelaar said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    What a great start on that cockpit, Yann @yann.
    Even in 1/72 this build will require some large space on the shelf, but it will definitely be worth it.

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    Yann Bertholet said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    Thanks a lot Spiros. I just hope that for this building review I won’t have any surprise and that I can show something acceptable… Regarding the ballast in the engine nacelle, great idea! Otherwise I was thinking to add more weight on the top turret? By the way if somebody could tell me where is the center of gravity of this lady it will help a lot...

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    Yann Bertholet said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    Thanks a lot George , I will try your tips from you and Spiros, but unfortunately I will not be able to make a diorama for it, I don(t have room enough.

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    Yann Bertholet said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    Many thanks @johnb. Oh yes this will take some space on the shelf. What I'm worried about is that I still to build a B-17 and a Lancaster, no idea where I'm gonna put them...

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    Yann Bertholet said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    This morning I assembled the fuselage and the front landing gear. I glued the machine gun support as well (no picture sorry). I will try to keep them visible and not to install the porthole (I will try to save some weight on the aft, this lady is on diet from now on). Regarding the inner fuselage I was a but disappointed from the lack of details but for sur we won't see them. Next step nose assembly.

    4 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    Looking great, my friend @yann!

    In order to find the correct ballast, an approach would be to assemble and attach the basic components (wings, tail etc), in order to have the basic model assembled. Then, let the model balance on your pointer finger: you will more or less see where the center of gravity lies. Then, add ballast to the points youn plan to attach (securing it with modeling clay or suitable means). Add as much ballast required, as for the center of gravity to be positively in front of the main wheels touching axis.

    Please take into account that at some planes. like the Liberator, the main landing gear legs are inclined to the front, so the main wheels touch the ground further front than the point where the main legs attach to the fuselage.

    Also, you must take into account the weight of some components that will be attached at later stages, (like props, seats, guns, clear parts, whatever...) and vary the ballast accordingly as you install it at these early stages.

    Finally, of course, better be safe than sorry, meaning adding a bit more weight than required, BUT please note that puting TOO MUCH weight will probably stress that scale looking nose gear leg...

    Looking forward to your progress!

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    John vd Biggelaar said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    Rapid progress, Yann.
    Fitting seems very nice.
    Advice from Spiros (@fiveten) should definitely work, but you indeed have to take care of the total weight. Don't ask me how I know, just call it experience from the past.

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    George R Blair Jr said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    Making great progress, Yann (@yann). Great tips from Spiros (@fiveten). I sort of use the "caveman" method: cram as much weight as I can in the nose and hope for the best. Spiros is much more scientific and yields better results.

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    Yann Bertholet said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    Waw that's a lot of information Spiros @fiveten. Very accurate information! I will follow your advices for sure and indeed I am a bit worried of adding to much stress on the kit, I will go easy on that ballasting operation.

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    Yann Bertholet said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    Hello John @johnb. Thanks for the comment but as you said the fitting 'seems' nice from far but when you look closer it will require some 'putty' operation.