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

[Vic Balshaw]

Damn well hope not, I'd miss you lot in the forum

 

[Switcha]

HI Vic, I just stumbles across your thread and had to add my 2 cents worth.
I built the monogram boxed version of the same model 3 or so years ago and I had no troubles with any of the model fit wise so that is one less thing to worry about.
Instad of attaching the beaching gear, which I thought looked ugly and spoilt the plane, I made a base for mine out of plaster of paris. I found an oval dish from the 'George foreman' grill that almost had been custom made for the hull and I filled it with the plaster mixed with food colouring as a base colour. I then spread plastic sandwich wrap over the plaster and pushed the hull in until it looked right, chocked it in place and then waited 45 min. I popped the plaster out of the mould, took the plastic wrap off and it holds the model perfectly level and makes a very heavy/stable base without the beaching gear.

Look forward to the build, especially with all the extra goodies you have for it.

Cheers Switch

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Thanks for that Switch, I've contemplated a diorama but was still thinking of it being beached, my main problem is finding some real Aussie looking blokes for a beach party....................

 

[Lucky13]

Some more Catalina stuff....

 

[Switcha]

Thanks for that Switch, I've contemplated a diorama but was still thinking of it being beached, my main problem is finding some real Aussie looking blokes for a beach party....................

I hear you Vic. Mine didn't end up being a diorama just a puddle of 'ocean' for it to sit in. It now lives on the top of a book case that belongs to a local parmedic. As for the real Aussie blokes for the beach party just put a sign out the front of your house saying FREE GROG and i'm sure a lot of fine specimen of Aussie blokes will arrive for you to study.
In seriousness find some figures with out shirts or sand the shirts of off them and paint them a dark tanned brown colour and you should be right. Looking at most photo's of the era diggers hardly wore shirts if they didn't have to.

Any pictures on the build as yet?
Cheers

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Hey thanks Jan, got me a ton of reference material now.

Good idea about the figures Switch, if I can find any beach bums or surfers, a sharp knife and some ingenuity, maybe from a XXXX or two. As for the build, only opened the box at this point. Though I'd better get a couple of other non related GB builds out of the way first.

 

[Wayne Little]

Snap to it Vic!

 

[Wildcat]

Vic, during the war the RAAF actually converted some of its PBY-5A's back to dedicated flying boats, ie removed their landing gear. All up some 29 PBY-5A's were converted being designated PBY-5A(M). I don't have full details of the modifications, but I thought it would be convenient for this build if you do infact want to back date your model to a PBY-5.

 

[Lucky13]

Chop-chop old chap!

 

[Violator]

Hi Vic — I live about 10 minutes from a PBY-6. There are certainly some differences from your -5, but I'm sure some of the details must be the same. If you need any close-up pics, just let me know (I can walk right up to the plane) and I'll do my best.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Vic, during the war the RAAF actually converted some of its PBY-5A's back to dedicated flying boats, ie removed their landing gear. All up some 29 PBY-5A's were converted being designated PBY-5A(M). I don't have full details of the modifications, but I thought it would be convenient for this build if you do infact want to back date your model to a PBY-5.

I read that somewhere Andy and to be sure I was somewhat tempted to do the reverse build. As it is I'm looking at this one as though it was formally a PBY-3 upgraded in Aus to a PBY-5 which from what I can gather were armed with a double .303 machine gun in the nose turret which was the newer bubble variety. My information also tells me that there was also a single .303 gun in central position after the step which could be unique to the Aussie modifications. I can't for the life of me work out where this is . Have you any idea?

Hi Vic — I live about 10 minutes from a PBY-6. There are certainly some differences from your -5, but I'm sure some of the details must be the same. If you need any close-up pics, just let me know (I can walk right up to the plane) and I'll do my best.

That's a very kind offer my friend my thanks to you. For the moment though I think I've got everything I need but rest assured, if I get stuck, I'll be back. Thank you again.

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

Ok, time to start.... so where are some pictures?

 

[Airframes]

Louvre, Tait Modern, National Gallery, Fredericksborg Castle ........ OK, I'm going!

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

Saw a few in St. Petersburg Russia

 

[Vic Balshaw]

What................pictures!

I'd better go start on the Cat............

 

[vikingBerserker]

 

[Lucky13]

Miiieeeeooowwwww!

 

[Airframes]

Start on the cat? You could get arrested for that ......

 

[Jayl]

Great choice Vic. Now get to building.

 

[J-Christophe]

Should this help you Vic?