Naval Air Campaign

Well, today’s the 80th anniversary of the first day of the Battle of Midway. Guess I’d better get to work on that SBD!

Michael :stuck_out_tongue:

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I’m also leaning towards the bunker hill one, due to the more interesting color scheme

Posting my start pic not because I’m about to start, but I want to open the box to store my new decals for the build. I will probably start soon even though I have stuff that’s more urgent because I think there may be a lot of time spent on putting stencil decals on when I get to that stage…

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I think Arma Hobby’s 1:72 FM-2s should fit in :slight_smile:

So I will try to get at least one built (box contains part for 2 kits) before it reaches “Hangar Queens” stage :sweat_smile:

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This and the P-51, eh? Good luck, I’m looking forward to seeing both at the finish line!

Michael :stuck_out_tongue:

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And… Ki-84 for Land of the rising sun campaign :wink: … and finished PZL P.11c for Hangar Queen XII… does it mean I’m kinda Arma fanboy?? :sweat_smile:

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May your tribe increase :-).

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Well, as I said, this weekend of all weekends I needed to make some progress on the big SBD-3. Here it is:

Instrument panel and rear bulkhead just sitting in place.

Michael :stuck_out_tongue:

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Nice. Looks like the pilot is in there pretty snugly.

Gotta be able to reach everything, I suppose.

Michael :stuck_out_tongue:

I’m going to need a bigger workspace…

About those engines. The Tamiya instructions call for making a mix of red (1 part) and dark metallic gray (5 parts) for the cones inside the engines. Are they really red or is that trying to depict an engine that is running or has recently been running?

Some SBD progress. The Trumpeter instructions jump around a bit, from the stand-alone cockpit assembly, then to the engine and it’s components, then the flexible guns, then back to the cockpit sidewalls. Anyway, here are the first three of the above.

I have to work myself up to wiring radials, but feel like I have to do it on 1/32 kits anyway. At least this one is a single row. Twin row engines are a real drag. The guns were rather fiddly but they elevate freely now.

On to the rest of the cockpit area!

Michael :stuck_out_tongue:

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More progress on the Trumpy SBD here on Independence Day. Ready to close up the fuselage:

Lots of parts added to the interiors of the fuselage halves. Gonna be a tight fit.

I was right, it IS a tight fit! I would advise anyone making this model to insert the cockpit floor into the left fuselage half before gluing the halves together due to the number of obsructions that need to be gotten around. Also, the rear pilot’s cockpit bulkhead, to which the seat is attached, needs to angle backwards to clear some of the side consoles. Not clear from the instructions but clear once you try to put it all together.

Michael :stuck_out_tongue:

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And there we go!

Engine just press fit on for looks.

Michael :stuck_out_tongue:

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Looking great so far! Love the SBD!

I’ve settled on an AM avenger i Hope to crack open next weekend wheb I get my four AFV to the weathering stage

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I put my phantom on hold, but only briefly I hope. I was working on using the cockpit out of the box. It does look nice and is coming along fine, but then I accidentally got a glimpse of the Quinta set for the kit. I moved on quickly from that glimpse. But it seems to have caught me in its tractor beam. I’ll restart soon…

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Michael, looking good so far!

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That does look like dangerous stuff. I’ve tried to stay away, but I’m concerned that one of these days I’ll get sucked in too.

Michael :stuck_out_tongue:

The set does looks very nice.