**** DONE: 1/48 Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina Commonwealth GB.

[Night Fighter Nut]

I heard a rumor that he's looking for pixies to fly it...

 

[vikingBerserker]

DAM!!!!!!!!!

 

[Starkiller]

Here are a pair of interior shots I got while looking for refs on the net.
It has a good look at interior colors. We're building in different mediums,
but as the Catalina is my favourite plane, it'll be as fun for me as it is for
you. I do miss an actual physical model to play with sometimes.

Eric

 

[Airframes]

Great first post, very helpful for Vic! Welcome to the mad house.
The first pic looks like an authentic restoration, with the colour being close to (British) Cockpit Grey/Green, whilst the second, with the flash highlighting the shade, looks like Interior Green, on a current, in use aircraft (note the Dave Clark headphones!), with the more 'modern' grey internal finish in the compartments beyond.
So, bearing in mind my earlier comments, I'd guess at Interior Green for a U.S.-built aircraft, and Cockpit Green (Humbrol 78 + white) for a Commonwealth-built ship.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Thank you very much gentlemen for your comments and the help. I think I've now worked out the internal colour and will play with shades before committing to the spray. This may be a while away yet as next up I have to work on the armament and that includes a 'step gun' so more modifications are required on the fuselage.

I've heard a rumour that Vic is going to have the engines working, and the nav lights flashing .......

You may well have hit the nail on the head Terry, I've been toying with the idea of putting lighting into the body so as it can be seen better, but I'm no expert when it come to micro electrics and will have to consult one of our outlets for possible materials and method first. But for the moment, it's just a thought.

I heard a rumor that he's looking for pixies to fly it...

I have contacted Santa to see if he has a few elves at a loose end this month................

 

[Airframes]

If they're anything like the elves posted in those pics in that other thread, I wouldn't be wanting them for flying, but for ...er, well .... er, other things!

 

[Switcha]

WOW Vic that is an amazing amount of work in a very short space of time.
being copied is the best for of flattery and your work is going to be copied for a long time.

Cheers on the excellent work.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

If they're anything like the elves posted in those pics in that other thread, I wouldn't be wanting them for flying, but for ...er, well .... er, other things!

Why do you think I went for the elves and not the pixies.............................

Thanks Switcha

 

[Wayne Little]

So you're not going to be away with the Pixies then Vic.....

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

Vic, I would suggest using fiber optics for lighting. That way you could light the entire craft in multiple places with only one light source.

 

[Airframes]

Yep, or model railway 'grain of rice' bulbs, placed where bulkhead lamps would be. The wiring could be concealed, and run out as maybe a ground power line, or disguised as a mooring or anchor cable, running to a battery hidden in a suitable structure, or even under a tarpaulin or in a GPU. Should work quite well.

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

Considering the amount of wires shown running through those pictures I would think hiding those wires would be easy.

 

[Airframes]

I agree! Would look great with some coloured lamps inside - certainly would make it come alive!

 

[N4521U]

Geez Vic, I just noticed an oversight. Perhaps you made the crew position seat before you saw the interior pictures. You missed the curve in the seat backs...........LOL

But you gotta do the lights thing!!!!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Geez Vic, I just noticed an oversight. Perhaps you made the crew position seat before you saw the interior pictures. You missed the curve in the seat backs...........LOL

Believe me Bill, I tried and gave it up as a bad job and somewhat frustrated................


But you gotta do the lights thing!!!!

Thanks guys for the encouragement and ideas, lighting, cable, switches and the like are now on order from the States. The we will really start cooking..........................

For the moment though, guns are giving me...........

 

[Crimea_River]

After achieving what you've done so far, Vic, I'm sure you'll get easily past the guns. Great idea with the lights. It got me thinking that if you built a diorama of the thing floating in water, you could run the wires from under the water and never see them.

 

[Airframes]

Darned good idea Andy! And a fairly 'smooth surface' water, as found in the average mooring, can easily be done with a thin layer of casting resin, suitably 'rippled', over, say, a sheet of perspex or even glass, set in a 'box' frame. This would also allow plenty of room below the 'water' for running-in cables etc., and also provide a very stable display base.
BTW, I reckon the only reason that seat has a curved back is because the navigator was a fat, big Rs guy !

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Don't want to disappoint you guys, but I was thinking of beaching it on the dollies but have a novel idea for the tail prop which I have a pic of but will keep to myself for the moment. As for hiding cables, I've something up my sleeve...............................

 

[Airframes]

That's your arm!

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

I'm just waiting for him to say "Presto!"