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SB2C-4 Helldiver

Started by Ralph Clements · 12 ≡ · ↻ 9 years ago · Helldiver 1/48 Pro-Modeler

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Ralph Clements said 9 years, 2 months ago:

Well I finally got up the gumption to get started on the Pro-Modeller Helldiver I got back last summer. When I got it I was intimidated by the PE dive flaps and all, never having dealt with that stuff before. so I got a few smaller ones under my belt and now find the PE dive flaps on the Dauntless I built later last summer are actually more complex and tedious than this...matter of fact, apparently this Helldiver's flaps are not even designed to be opened. I am sure they can be and will study up on that possibility. Meanwhile there is a lot to do first. The PE seatbelt parts only included the buckles and the instructions say the make the belts themselves out of 'strips of paper'. Well I doubted I would be able to do that very well, so I made them out of left over PE sprue from the Dauntless, which is thin enough to to thread through the buckles.
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Bernard E. Hackett, Jr. said 9 years, 2 months ago:

Hey, Ralph!
You cut the leftover PE to get the belts? Good stuff.
Whats that on the new avatar? Some kind of diesel GP something? Nice shot, your photo? Clinchfield? Bunch of my relatives worked on the B&O, off and on.
That is a nice kit you're working on, miles better than the "original" Monogram Helldiver.
Though you could divebomb the cat with it...
Bernard E. Hackett, Jr. said 9 years, 2 months ago:

Boy, was I off on that one! Ain't no diesel, it's STEAM. Miseracordia!
Hey, they always thought I was pretty slow, for a city boy...
Ralph Clements said 9 years, 2 months ago:

Thanks Bernard - that avatar is a lip from a photo I got last spring of a steam excursion crossing the New River coming into Radford. I love those things and am excited that the Class J #611 is being restored to running order. That things is a real piece of work and I look forward to going out to catch it passing by soon. Knid of like the P-51 of locomotives
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Bernard E. Hackett, Jr. said 9 years, 2 months ago:

If you ever get here to Baltimore, be sure to see the B&O museum. Lots of rolling stock.
One of the inside exhibits is a HUGE streamlined locomotive that you can get into the cab of.
All the "taps" are still there. Standing next to it makes you feel like a dwarf.
I always wanted to be the engineer on a Big Boy, and just open her up, all the way! Yeeha!
Pity.
New C&W song would result, the "Wreck of Bernie Hackett".
Ralph Clements said 9 years, 2 months ago:

Instrument Panel - not perfect but one of my better results in this department. Thought I'd take a picture of it and post before it gets tucked away inside, never to be seen this well again.
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Rob Pollock said 9 years, 2 months ago:

Coming on nicely, Ralph. Any problem with belts in future another easy (and good looking) solution is to use foil, as found on wine bottles. It actually is more pliable than expensive PE, and can be fashioned to settle more like canvas belts on and across the seats.
Ralph Clements said 9 years, 2 months ago:

Coming along...
that PE wiring harness is a first for me...maybe a last too! I am not too upset most of it will be covered up...
5 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Ralph Clements said 9 years, 2 months ago:

coming along...
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Bernard E. Hackett, Jr. said 9 years, 2 months ago:

Ralph, good work on them cockpits, front and rear. Also, the wiring harness! Egad!

This is one of them really good ol' Monogram/Promodeler/Revell kits.

Compared to the really old earlier Monogram Helldiver, it is a quantum leap forward. Unless you like folding wings, bridge/shipbuilder rivets overall, and retractable landing gear, and a bomb that DROPS! Take that, Fluffy! Meow!

The rear armament on that one looks like 20 MM cannon.

Three tone, or overall GSB? There was also an overall yellow one at NAS Johnsville, Pa. used for weapons development.
Ralph Clements said 9 years, 2 months ago:

Overall GSB Bernard, a first for me. I'm going to use the kit decal, USS Bunker Hill 1945. I like the arrows.
The rear armament is 2 50's but they do not show uo well in this photo.
I'm waiting for someone to ask what the yellow square on the tail is...
Ralph Clements said 9 years, 2 months ago:

OK, getting my gumption up here and making me some HVAR's for this kit. It comes with racks for them, and bombs too. I tried and tried and looked and looked to find pictures of SB2C's with these attached but couldn't find any, but figure
a) why would they have racks if the didn't use them?
b) it's my model and I want them...

So I am making them out of some that came with my Mosquito model, if I recall...I knew I had some in my spares box. I had to cut them off the rails, and trim the fins down because they are too long to fit beside each other on the racks. I think they are a bit long for scale too, but I am not going to fret about that.

Here's a couple of pics of them in production. The two I assembled first to test fit are at top right in photo with knife; at top left is the cut off rails. None have been smoothed down yet in these photos.
2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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SB2C-4 Helldiver