USAAF B-25D | Pacific Theatre | 1/48 | Academy | NOT A TANK

[Parker]

Assisting aur0ra145 with air support for all of your tanks… I’ll throw my hat in the ring with my entry in my first group build.

Welcome to the build thread of my USAAF B-25D.



More detailed pics to follow.

- P

[digger303]

so disappointing it's not a tank...

[Parker]

Hahaha!

I did consider doing a tank. But then I looked at all the tank build threads and - quite honestly – all that faffing around with treads just looks like a massive headache.

[digger303]

Hahaha!

I did consider doing a tank. But then I looked at all the tank build threads and - quite honestly – all that faffing around with treads just looks like a massive headache.

Shall I mention.....Seams, cockpits, rescribing, sanding detail off and masking/painting canopies...

[Parker]

touché!

[Parker]

So, I’ve opened the box...



The bits...



Page one...



Let’s do this!

[ElCapitan]

Looks pretty cool - good luck with it.

[digger303]

Looks good and going to be a decent size too.

[BigWall]

Thanks for the welcome to your build!

Sorry but my build does not welcome your air support!

It looks like it'll be a cool build.

[aur0ra145]

Good to see some more air support in this GB!

[Parker]

And so it begins. Step 1.

Slapping a bit of chrome on a few pieces and glued a couple together.
Some nice details on parts that wont ever be seen, again.





- P

[digger303]

Can't see any wings maybe this is a new slim line tank
Details do look good, but as you say close it up and they are gone.

[Parker]

work on the cockpit of the slim tank continues...

[Parker]

*double post* - deleted.

[Parker]

LOL...











- P

[BigWall]

LOL!

I was like hhhhhhmmmmm......

Nice work!

[Parker]

did a bit more last night.
more inner bits...

dirtied it up with a bit of a wash.

[digger303]

More we want more ....ha ha...all good coming along nicely

[Tomcat64]

Nice work so far on the innards of this new slimline tank

[Stokesy44]

Great to see a wingy thing in the SIG! Keep us tankers in line Sir.

[Parker]

B-25D - currently wingless slim line tank - update.

Previously I spent an inordinate amount of time faffing about with the internal fuselage thinking that perhaps if you looked through a window you might see something, anything. My short-lived experience now tells me that this simply isn’t the case. NOTHING IS VISIBE.

So, with that in mind I’m paying very little attention to the interior other than a very slap dash wash and not bothering with any detail. There’s details to do, if you were so inclined, but I’m not.

Updates below.





As it WILL be seen... the bomb bay will get a bit more love soon, but this is its current state..



as far as I'm concerned this will do for the cockpit...





What you'll probably notice in the above images is my absolute over doing of the glue to the windows. Having gone through the anguish of 'popped' windows in my previous build I've gone a bit OTT and liberally applied a lot of glue. This attempt may bite me later but for the moment they're pretty well secured.

Stay safe everyone.

- P

[Tomcat64]

That's coming along nicely mate

I know how paranoid I can get about about windows popping after they've been installed so completely understand the urge to smother them in glue.

One other thing I've tried previously is to use a couple of thin strips of scrap plastic (painted appropriately) top & bottom to effectively act as a frame to keep them trapped in place. It depends on the location of the windows but generally works ok for the ones down the fuselage sides. Might be worth a try?

[BigWall]

The slim line is coming along nicely. Bummer about all the interior detail that will never be seen.

[Parker]

That's coming along nicely mate

I know how paranoid I can get about about windows popping after they've been installed so completely understand the urge to smother them in glue.

One other thing I've tried previously is to use a couple of thin strips of scrap plastic (painted appropriately) top & bottom to effectively act as a frame to keep them trapped in place. It depends on the location of the windows but generally works ok for the ones down the fuselage sides. Might be worth a try?

Cheers Neil, I'll see if I can do that before i close it up.

- P

[Parker]

All closed up.

Bit of faffing about but got there in the end.

My main concern moving forward will be trying not to break off the mid mounted machine guns whilst assembling and attaching the wings and subsequent paining and weathering. Unfortunately, they had to be incorporated this early in the build. First casualty has been the lower part of the front landing gear, this snapped off at some point, a fix will come at a later date.

Windows have been cleaned up and most, if not all, visible glue has been removed.

Bomb bay looking good, still needs a bit more work but I’ll do that toward the end of the build.















Next up is masking and attaching the cockpit canopy then my attention will be focused on the tail wing assembly. Looking at the instructions there appears to be a bit going on there. Then it’ll be the WINGS and engine assembly.

Stay safe everyone.

-P

[digger303]

Not long to get to getting the wings on now

[Parker]

Not long to get to getting the wings on now

SOON

[Rugash]

Great to see another plane!

The detailing of the cockpit is spot on in my opinion, nicely done!

[Parker]

WINGS...

[Stokesy44]

There she is! Looking like a proper B25 now.

[digger303]

WINGS...

[Parker]

Painting & masking commenced.
Yellow bits.



-P

[digger303]

Enough done now to see it's going to be a goodie.

[Quax]

I agree with him above (and Digger...) its going to be great, looking forward to the paint job!

Paul

[Parker]

Quick update.

All the bits have been put together and I’ve started the masking.
No real dramas so far. Looking forward to getting to the painting.







Stay safe everyone.
Wear a mask.

- P

[BigWall]

I'm old so I don't know what - P means but right back at you.



The model is coming along nicely!

[Parker]

I'm old so I don't know what - P means but right back at you.

- P = Parker.

[Parker]

PAINT!

not a very exciting update.

Slapped some paint to the underside.




- P

[BigWall]

I'm old so I don't know what - P means but right back at you.

- P = Parker.

Lol, I know. The tank is lookin good!

[Parker]

goddammit.

ITS NOT A TANK.

Sheesh.

-P

[digger303]

goddammit.

ITS NOT A TANK.

Sheesh.

-P
yeah you got scammed big time

[BigWall]

goddammit.

ITS NOT A TANK.

Sheesh.

-P

Well, it should be!

[Parker]

Weekend update.

GREEN!

First couple of coats completed, I’ll probably give it a couple more before applying the matt clear coat.






Stay safe.
Wear a mask.

- P

[Parker]

Forgot I still need the paint the tail fins white, that’ll take a few coats. Then the clear coat.

[digger303]

Forgot I still need the paint the tail fins white, that’ll take a few coats. Then the clear coat.

It happens.

[BigWall]

Looking nice!

[Parker]

Update.

Painting completed, except for a couple of more coats of white on the tail fins.

I’ve started attaching the more detailed engine components that I’d previously painted. Unfortunately, another casualty, I’ve snapped off the rear guns, not sure when this happened, I only realised when I removed the masking. No way of fixing them now as its all glued up. In retrospect, I should’ve left that element off until the end in the same way I’ve yet to attach the front nose cone & guns.

Now looking forward to clear coating and the weathering (where I can disguise all manner of painting sins) . The brush stokes are somewhat evident, but based on my previous effort (Condor) I'm not concerned, the matt clear coat will flatten that out. *crosses fingers*








Attaching the nose will probably be next, then working out how to fix the front landing gear.

Stay safe everyone.
Wear a mask.

-P

[digger303]

I'm impressed with the underside of the wing panel detail with this kit.

[BigWall]

It's looking sweet Parker!

[Parker]

YELLOW NOSE





Next up, clear coat.

-P