A little more work done today. The wings and tails are glued on to each fuselage. I filled the joints with a lot of acrylic filler, which I smoothed after it was dry. I used two different brands, one from Deluxe Materials and one from Vallejo, to see if they both worked the same. I discovered that water on a cotton bud will smooth the Deluxe Materials filler quite easily, but alcohol was required to smooth the Vallejo. I have been using both fillers for a while, but in different applications. The Deluxe Materials filler is quite thick, so I use it where I need to reshape the joint. The Vallejo is much thinner, so I use it to fill places where there is a gap in the joint.

I ran into a problem with one set of cowlings today. Two of my planes are early versions of the Hudson, and their cowlings went together well. My third plane is a Mk. V which had different cowlings. When I test fit the cowlings, I discovered that they weren't round, but oval. You probably wouldn't be surprised to learn the the engines wouldn't fit in these cowlings either. When I checked online, I discovered that Quickboost makes are replacement set of Mk. V cowlings (maybe they were trying to tell me something. They will be here in a week or so. In the meantime, I pulled out Tinkercad and designed some new cowlings. They presented some problems for the really basic, simple design software, but I think I managed to create something that will work. I couldn't figure out a way to add the cowl flaps to the design, so I will have to add those later.

My three planes show different turret configurations. The British wanted to use their own turrets in the Hudson. Early in the war, these planes were delivered to England with a metal plate sealing the hole for the turret. The British would then install their own turret. Sometimes demand was so great for these planes that they would be pressed into service without a turret. The plane from the #2 Reconnaissance Sq. was one such plane. So my models depict three turret configurations: one with a British turret, one with the hole for the turret filled with a metal plate, and one that had a smooth upper deck without a turret. I added the plate to my model today.

My lead plane, from Revell, got a thin layer of primer to see how everything looks. I am pretty happy with where I am. I still need to add the pilot's canopy, but I am happy with the progress. More tomorrow. Cheers

6 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Hi Louis (@lgardner): I really like the both the Hudson and the Ventura. I have several of both the Academy and the Revell versions. I originally wanted to do this project with 1/48 versions, but I don't have the Hudson in 1/48. The 1/48 Hudsons on Ebay are priced somewhere north of $150, so I hope someone eventually will release a new mold Hudson. As with most things, my proficiency on the 3D printer is being driven by necessity. Some of the parts on these limited run kits need to be replaced, so I learn how to do it. I think I have hit the limit of what I can do with TinkerCad, my free design program. I am just starting to learn a new program that will allow more complex designs and prints, but I am still a long way off from being able to use it. I think the reason I like the Hudson/Ventura is that my Dad was stationed in the Aleutians at the start of the war, and they flew the Ventura from his base (Adak). I have some deals to do an Adak-based Ventura, but that is farther down the list.

Look at all of the rain you are getting as a way to get more modeling time. We really need the rain and aren't getting any, so send some our way. Cheers.

You have made some nice progress, George @gblair
The primered Revell kit looks pretty smooth already.
Those printed cowls look very cool, looking forward to the further improved ones.

Great progress George (@gblair). I had one of those 1/48 CA Hudson kits when they first came out, but it never got built. My stash disappeared when I dropped out of modeling to build my cabin cruiser. Wish I hadn't sold all those kits. But it is i what it is. Anyway, it looks like that MPM mold really needed some persuasion. I think the verdict might still be out which kit is easier to build, the MPM / Revell offering or the older Airfix kit. I'm looking forward to seeing how the Hudson and Ventura builds progress.

Good luck with your doctor visit. Take it one day at a time. I know you know the drill.

I returned to my lead plane to move it forward to painting. I sprayed some Tamiya Gray Primer from a can to check for needed repairs. I also continue working on the engines and cowlings. The cowlings on the Mk.1s fit together well, but the engines take a good deal of sanding to get them to fit inside the cowling. I am still working on the cowlings for the Mk.V. I wanted to design and print something that was scale thickness, but apparently .1mm is too thin. The side walls of the cowling were extremely thin and fragile. I redesigned the cowlings so they were a little more robust, and I also figured out how to add the small duct that is on the side of the cowling. I also did some work on the Ventura. With both sides of the fuselage, and the cockpit, done, I figured it was time to pull things together. Right after I had glued them together, I noticed that I had not added the bomb aiming window in the bottom of the forward fuselage. I pried the still-drying fuselage open and added the window. After I was done I checked the instructions to see where I had missed the step that adds the window. Well, apparently they missed it, too. There is no step in the instructions that adds the window. Oh, well. It got added.

9 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Excellent progress indeed, my friend @gblair! Love the new cowlings and overall job! That canopy does not fit too well at the front 🙁
Oh, yes, regarding the missing step in the manual, this is how quotes like "Instructions? Instructions? We don't need no stinkin' instructions" were born 🙂

Thanks, Spiros (@fiveten), John (@johnb), and Bernard (@lis). I printed 4 of the new cowlings just in case they prove fragile, especially since I need to add the cowl flaps somehow. Getting closer to paint time, which is the fun part anyway. I haven't see ejector marks this deep for a long time. Not horrible, just annoying.

Hi Carl (@clipper): 3D printing very thin parts is a balancing act with how long they are cured. Too much and they are brittle, too little and bend out of shape. The walls of the cowling are a good width (about .2mm), and they look good when mated to the model. The only thing I won't be able to do is scribe the cowl flaps into the rear of the cowling. I plan to simulate the cowl flaps with paint and see how it works. I have always struggled with creating a master for vac forming, which is why I almost never do it. The reason I like 3D printing is that there is no need to create a master to get the same results as vac forming, plus the part is more detailed than you can get from a vac part. You will like 3D printing when you get one. We'll see if I can pull everything together. Cheers.