B-24 Liberator Diorama - 1/48th Scale.
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Vic Balshaw
Major General
Terry, that's a lot of detail in such a small space, very nicely done. 
fubar57
General
Agreed
A4K
Brigadier General
Bloody awesome Terry.
Lovely work so far Terry!
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- #627
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks very much chaps.
It's a bit basic, and a little rough in parts, but as most of it will be hidden in the shadows and hard to see, it should suffice.
I should have more to show sometime tomorrow.
It's a bit basic, and a little rough in parts, but as most of it will be hidden in the shadows and hard to see, it should suffice.
I should have more to show sometime tomorrow.
A4K
Brigadier General
Looking forward Terry.
Lucky13
Forum Mascot
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- #630
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
I'm a bit behind schedule at the moment, not having got any work done over the weekend due to domestic stuff etc.
But I'm hoping to get more done this evening, starting with the flexible ammo feeds for the waist guns.
Back soon(ish) ......................
But I'm hoping to get more done this evening, starting with the flexible ammo feeds for the waist guns.
Back soon(ish) ......................
A4K
Brigadier General
Same boat Terry, not able to get much modelmaking done recently.
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- #632
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
The rear section of the starboard fuselage is now complete, although the guns will not be installed until the very end of the build.
Two more oxygen tanks have been installed, and the flexible ammo feed chute for the starboard gun, and the bulkhead is painted and fitted.
The blanked-off ball turret housing insert has also been painted, and will be fitted once the fuselage halves have been joined.
The flexible ammo feeds are vinyl items, from MDC (Model Design Construction), and conformed much better than I at first anticipated. These were cut to the required length, and then painted with Revell No. 90 Silver, to represent the bright metal finish of the real flexi-feeds.
I debated for some time whether or not to depict the feeds loaded with .50 cal rounds, but in the end, they were painted to represent empty chutes, for the reasons described below.
The B-24 (and B-17), when parked, did not have "live" guns left on board. What is seen in most WW2 photos are the gun bodies, as the barrel and working parts assemblies were withdrawn from the receivers after each mission, inspected, cleaned and oiled by the gunners, and then handed in to the armoury.
(Look closely at period photos / film footage, and you'll see that the barrel jackets are empty, with no barrel visible through the cooling holes, and no muzzle showing at the end of the barrel. Other photos / footage often show the gunners carrying the internal parts to the aircraft).
When preparing for a mission, the armourers would normally install the turret guns, and load the ammo tanks / chutes for the turret guns, with the guns themselves being charged by the respective gunner.
However, it was normally the waist gunners who would re-fit the waist guns with the barrel/working parts assemblies, often at the time of boarding the aircraft for the mission and, in many cases, they would also load the ammo tanks and feed chutes themselves, although different Bomb Groups may have had slightly different operating procedures.
The flexible feed chutes were only attached to the guns when ready to depart, or when safely over the North Sea assembly point, depending on the SOP of a particular unit.
The diorama will show a ground crew member preparing boxes of .50 call ammo, ready to load on board the aircraft, and therefore, allowing for the above description, the vinyl feed chutes have been painted to look empty.
The chutes are not yet fixed at the gun end of each chute, and the final position will be decided upon once the model is completed, depending on whether or not the guns can be fitted easily from outside, and the feed chutes arranged appropriately.
If this proves too difficult, then the waist guns will be depicted on top of a crate on the hardstand, ready for final inspection and installation.
I hope to complete the port side rear section within the next couple of days, and then move forward to the radio room, cockpit and navigator/bombardier compartment.
Pics below show the latest progress, and thanks once again for following this project.
Two more oxygen tanks have been installed, and the flexible ammo feed chute for the starboard gun, and the bulkhead is painted and fitted.
The blanked-off ball turret housing insert has also been painted, and will be fitted once the fuselage halves have been joined.
The flexible ammo feeds are vinyl items, from MDC (Model Design Construction), and conformed much better than I at first anticipated. These were cut to the required length, and then painted with Revell No. 90 Silver, to represent the bright metal finish of the real flexi-feeds.
I debated for some time whether or not to depict the feeds loaded with .50 cal rounds, but in the end, they were painted to represent empty chutes, for the reasons described below.
The B-24 (and B-17), when parked, did not have "live" guns left on board. What is seen in most WW2 photos are the gun bodies, as the barrel and working parts assemblies were withdrawn from the receivers after each mission, inspected, cleaned and oiled by the gunners, and then handed in to the armoury.
(Look closely at period photos / film footage, and you'll see that the barrel jackets are empty, with no barrel visible through the cooling holes, and no muzzle showing at the end of the barrel. Other photos / footage often show the gunners carrying the internal parts to the aircraft).
When preparing for a mission, the armourers would normally install the turret guns, and load the ammo tanks / chutes for the turret guns, with the guns themselves being charged by the respective gunner.
However, it was normally the waist gunners who would re-fit the waist guns with the barrel/working parts assemblies, often at the time of boarding the aircraft for the mission and, in many cases, they would also load the ammo tanks and feed chutes themselves, although different Bomb Groups may have had slightly different operating procedures.
The flexible feed chutes were only attached to the guns when ready to depart, or when safely over the North Sea assembly point, depending on the SOP of a particular unit.
The diorama will show a ground crew member preparing boxes of .50 call ammo, ready to load on board the aircraft, and therefore, allowing for the above description, the vinyl feed chutes have been painted to look empty.
The chutes are not yet fixed at the gun end of each chute, and the final position will be decided upon once the model is completed, depending on whether or not the guns can be fitted easily from outside, and the feed chutes arranged appropriately.
If this proves too difficult, then the waist guns will be depicted on top of a crate on the hardstand, ready for final inspection and installation.
I hope to complete the port side rear section within the next couple of days, and then move forward to the radio room, cockpit and navigator/bombardier compartment.
Pics below show the latest progress, and thanks once again for following this project.
Vic Balshaw
Major General
Beautifully done Terry.
fubar57
General
Indeed
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
Great work. I'm learning as well and I'm not even annoyed about that.
- Thread starter
- #637
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks chaps.
More when there's something to show.
More when there's something to show.
Crimea_River
Marshal
Great stuff Terry and good info on the SOPs.
A4K
Brigadier General
Awesome Terry! Interesting info too re the MG barrels.
- Thread starter
- #640
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks Andy and Evan.
I should have another up-date probably tomorrow.
I should have another up-date probably tomorrow.
