1:48 B-26 "straight" Monogram conversion

[chris mcmillin]

Good luck, I think it is a great project. The angle of incidence of the long wing models compared to the straight B-26 is increased which might make the main gear different?
(My Marauder conversion is to swap on a bunch of DC-6 parts to make one of the 4 AiResearch executive transports. I'm just going 72nd.)
Chris...

 

[melk]

My uncle was a Tech Sargent/Flight Engineer with the "Silver Fleet". I have the squadron "yearbook" if any photos I might share to help. Let me kmow!
Mike

 

[Greg Boeser]

I believe the Monogram kit is a mid range B or C, roughly block -25 to -45. I checked the wing incidence and it appears right for the earlier models. Just eyeballing it.
The nose wheel strut was lengthened starting with the B-4 block, so I will have to see about cutting it down.

 

[Greg Boeser]

My uncle was a Tech Sargent/Flight Engineer with the "Silver Fleet". I have the squadron "yearbook" if any photos I might share to help. Let me kmow!
Mike

Any interior shots would be great. Anything that shows the mounting for the machine guns, especially the rear gun. I want to do a proper tail gun position with the canopy open. I need to see how that worked. I know they canopy slid down on either side, but I don't know how. Photos I've seen show a track along the rear bulkhead, but I don't know about the mechanism at the tail tip. I've got the Wolf book (Martin B-26 Marauder the Ultimate Look) and several other books Revenge of the Red Raiders; B-26 Goes to War; Bombs Away, the history of the 70th Bombardment Squadron (M) to give me some clues but more is better.
Thanks.

 

[Greg Boeser]

Damn! the Red Gekko decals are out of print.
But I found a suitable substitute on E-bay. I hope. And metal landing gear. This is a must I've realized, after watching my son break the landing gear off all his planes.

 

[chris mcmillin]

Any interior shots would be great. Anything that shows the mounting for the machine guns, especially the rear gun.

Greg,
Look for a Walkaround on Kermit Weeks' B-26 at Fantasy of Flight, it may help out because it is that early version and has a fairly complete interior.
Chris...

 

[Greg Boeser]

All the parts I've ordered so far have arrived.
Unfortunately I'm not happy with the vacuformed tail piece. It's just a featureless bubble.
The decal sheet is also less than helpful. It was advertised as containing markings for B-26 #40-1391 19th Bomb Squadron, 22nd BG, "Major Monsoon" but the markings are not correct. (The stenciling lists it as a B-26B, the serial number is the wrong size, even the national insignia are wrong. Nice nose art though.) I'm going to have to see what I can do about all this.

 

[T Bolt]

Looks like a whole lot of work ahead for you

 

[Donivanp]

Any updates Greg, I'm interested as I have the Lone Star Models conversion on the way.

 

[Greg Boeser]

I moved December 2019. It's been tucked in a closet since.
One big disappointment for me was the vacuform tail section which lacked any detail. If I ever get back to this, I will probably turn it into an early B. Maybe 41-17562, Miss Cookie Lee, 70th Bombardment Squadron, Guadalcanal, February 1943. Captain John Sharp engaged an H6K4 "Mavis" on 2 Feb, 1942, making two passes before suffering a hit from a 20mm round which damaged the wing spar. Sharp made it back to base. The Mavis did not.