Messages

4951

Warplane Art / Re: OS2U Kingfisher

« on: August 09, 2010, 12:43:32 AM »

It's fun to watch you build these!

Perhaps it's just me, but the Kingfisher has always appeared awkward to me when it is equipped for shore operation. I suppose it is because I'm so accustomed to the seagoing version.

Scott

4952

Aircraft Modeling / Re: Hellcat overview

« on: August 08, 2010, 04:26:51 AM »

Here is one of the old Otaki Hellcats that I built in the 1980s. I dug it out of the storage area and cleaned it up a little, but it's been hidden away for many years.

As I recall, the fit was good on all the parts but the cockpit was pretty basic. I seem to remember replacing the engine with one from a Monogram P-61 but I could be incorrect there. I built a number of Otaki Corsairs and substituted the Monogram engine with modifications in those models--I may be confusing the two.

Thanks for mentioning that kit, Nico. It gave me a chance to dig mine out of the shed and clean it up a bit!

Scott

4953

Aircraft Modeling / Re: North American F-51K Mustang

« on: August 05, 2010, 06:24:29 PM »

Beautiful! And, I must say, I really enjoy this site and the models you folks build because I get to see the diverse markings. Being here in the U.S.A. it is always "stars and bars" over and over again. Not a bad thing, but it is more fun to see a variety of markings in my opinion.

Those photos bring back fond memories for me as I built a couple of the original Hawk kits when they were current production. I still have some parts of those models in my spares boxes.......

Scott

4954

Aircraft Modeling / Tidal Wave Anniversary

« on: August 01, 2010, 06:58:20 PM »

Someone just mentioned on another forum that it was 67 years ago today (1 August) that the AAF low-level mission to Ploesti occurred. A number of years ago I helped do a group-build of Medal Of Honor recipients' airplanes for the Dallas IPMS Nationals. Two of the B-24s I did flew the Tidal Wave operation.

First is Colonel John Kane's Hail Columbia:

Hells Wench, flown by Lt. Colonel Addison Baker and Major John Jerstad:

The other two recipients of the MOH that day were 2nd Lieutenant Lloyd Hughes and Colonel Leon Johnson.
Hughes, Baker, and Jerstad were awarded the medal posthumously.

Scott

4955

Warplane Art / Re: Consolidated B-24 Liberator

« on: July 23, 2010, 05:08:10 PM »

Yes, excellent work, and fun to watch the "build-up" from conception to completion!

Scott

4956

Warplane Art / Re: Consolidated B-24 Liberator

« on: July 19, 2010, 07:28:49 PM »

Yes, and the Liberator served in the antisubmarine role for the entire time the RAF and Coastal Command had them, not to mention the USAAF and Navy ASW units.

Scott

4957

Warplane Art / Re: Consolidated B-24 Liberator

« on: July 19, 2010, 07:04:11 PM »

Yep, that GR VI is a neat paint scheme. The Collings Foundation Liberator started life as GR VI KH188 and later served the Indian Air Force for many years as T-18. The RAF Liberators haven't ever gotten sufficient press as far as I'm concerned. They served in various roles for almost the entire war.

Scott

4958

Warplane Art / Re: Consolidated B-24 Liberator

« on: July 17, 2010, 05:55:35 PM »

I'm lovng these profiles of the ugly old pig! I say "ugly" and "pig" in an affectionate way as I've grown to like the Liberator over the years. It does look like the discarded packing crate a B-17 would be shipped in, though!

PM sent, No.1
Scott

4959

Warplane Art / Re: Consolidated B-24 Liberator

« on: July 10, 2010, 04:37:28 AM »

I am afraid that in this turn I could not be able to make Privateer, no matter that I really love this plane. But in some future I would like to make also this plane as well to get Matchbox kit and make conversions with guided bombs which US used on Pacific. You are right- this machine have very interesting schemes

I've got a Koster 1/48th PB4Y-2 conversion in storage if I can ever get that darned Y1B-17 done!


Scott

4960

Combat Warplanes / Re: Consolidate B-24 Liberator

« on: July 06, 2010, 04:33:34 AM »

I've got a funny (to me, anyway) story that goes along with the nose art. When Chad, his father, and two friends of Chads were painting the nose art I was in the fuselage installing the bomb racks we'd acquired. We had worked out a deal where I would be able to do structure work without moving around too much while they painted. If I had to move more than a little I was supposed to let the paint crew know about it, but I forgot a couple of times....... There are a few little flaws in the nose art that were caused by my clumsiness! Chad and his crew said it added character to the artwork as they were doing it just like the painters would have back in WWII at a combat station. Incidentally, the nose art is all hand-painted with brushes exactly like it was done back in the day. No airbrushes for those guys!

Scott

4961

Combat Warplanes / Re: Consolidate B-24 Liberator

« on: July 04, 2010, 02:08:01 AM »

The story of that old Liberator could fill a book, No.1. She started off life on a USAAC contract as a B-24A. The RAF purchased her before completion in one of their early Liberator acquisitions and she became AM927. After being damaged in a landing accident in the U.S. the British released the airplane to Consolidated and it became the first "prototype" of the C-87 aircraft, as well as a test-bed and company transport. After the war she ended up with Consolidated Can, and you've included a photo of her during that time:

Later she was flown by the Mexican company Pemex and then sold to the Confederate Air Force. She became the desert sand colored Diamond Lil for many years until the late Gary Austin did a reconversion project in 2007 that brought her partway back to the bomber configuration. The Ol'927 nose art was designed and executed by a great artist named Chad Hill. The art doesn't try to replicate an original scheme, rather it is something that is friendly to all ages and done in a style similar to WWII era artwork. The airplane became known as Ol'927 during the war hopscotching around the United States on Consolidated company business.

Sorry I don't have a better photo of the artwork.
Scott

4962

Combat Warplanes / Re: Consolidate B-24 Liberator

« on: July 03, 2010, 10:48:16 PM »

Ellen and I spent a LOT of hours working on the CAF B-24A/LB-30. We affectionately called her "The Pig" during the reconfiguration project that changed her from Diamond Lil to Ol' 927. Here are a couple of photos we shot during her first hop in July of 2007.

Scott

4963

Warplane Art / Re: Shooting Star

« on: June 12, 2010, 06:50:30 PM »

I also did not find info, not even register letters or serials of his final plane.

Major Bong was killed on a factory/USAAF acceptance flight. The airplane was P-80A 44-85048, and I would suppose it was in the light grey paint scheme common to the very early P-80s.

Scott

4964

Warplane Art / Re: Boeing B-29

« on: June 04, 2010, 04:44:05 PM »

I'll have to get my B-29 material dug out of storage. When I do I'll put up a few photos of some trainers.

One observation on your side view--notice that a good number of Superfort ground crew removed the louvered panels over the turbochargers, both in the U.S. and the combat zone. It isn't consistent, but something that is quite noticeable.

Great stuff!
Scott

4965

Warplane Art / Re: Boeing B-29

« on: June 04, 2010, 07:40:16 AM »

Yes, it was his uncle, not grandfather. I'd forgotten--it seems the memory is one of the first things to go!

I've got enough B-29 subjects to keep you going for a long time on this thread! One of my research projects over the years has been the B-29 training program in Nebraska and Kansas. Trainers aren't as "sexy" as combat airplanes to most folks, but I've always found them very interesting. I'll have to get you a few images to study when I find the time.

Scott