**** DONE: 1/48 RAF B-25J Mitchell - Aircraft in Foreign Service GB

[Vic Balshaw]

Some nice and swift work here.

 

[Airframes]

Here's the pics as promised. The colour shot shows Mitchell IIs (B-25C) of 180 Squadron at Foulsham, UK, in 1943, and is intended to show the colours. The B&W pic in the PDF is from 'B25 Mitchel', by Jerry Scutts. Note that the caption is incorrect - it is in fact a Mitchell III (B-25J), not a Mitchell II as stated.
BTW, it looks like you may have the bomb doors back to front - the 'notch' in the bottom of each door should be to the rear.

 

[deckape]

Ahoy Fellas
Thanks very much for your replies this will be the last update for the day i.ll save more work tomoorow, dont want rush the kit being retired from the navy of 30 years i have nothing to do but build models. This explaines the swiftness of the build. As for the update is the bombadiers compartment, First I sprayed on a coat of flat black let dry then tone the black down with dark interier green dry brushed a touch of aluminum for the highlights. The kit didn,t mold in the quilted paneling as the //real mitchells and other aircraft had. So I made my own Scince the nose glazeing is the first thing you will see it will allow you to see the detail more then that then the intire model, I used toilet tissue sprayed on Dark green to the tissue. When dry useing aleens tacky glue or you can use elmers wayer based glue I glued the material to the sides of the bombadiers compaertment to simulate the quilted look effected but not acurate. Gave the use lage a coat of filler puttly just now letting this dry over night. Before I proced any further i will let this dry and wet sand shoot on a coupole coats of gray primer to check for any imperfections that might arise. when the fuselage sub assembly is finally done and prepared for the final painting I will turn next to the wings Here are the updates for now much more as the RAF B-25 takes to the skies.

Boats

 

[Airframes]

Oops! Crossing posts. Sorry, I had problems uploading the pics, but they are there now!
Note that the RAF did not use the Norden bomb sight in their Mitchells - it would be either the Coarse setting sight or the MkIX sight.

 

[Wurger]

All looks good though.

 

[deckape]

Here's the pics as promised. The colour shot shows Mitchell IIs (B-25C) of 180 Squadron at Foulsham, UK, in 1943, and is intended to show the colours. The B&W pic in the PDF is from 'B25 Mitchel', by Jerry Scutts. Note that the caption is incorrect - it is in fact a Mitchell III (B-25J), not a Mitchell II as stated.
BTW, it looks like you may have the bomb doors back to front - the 'notch' in the bottom of each door should be to the rear.

Ahoy Terry
Thanks very much your a great help I corrected the Bomb Doors they are in the right position i must have over looked the drawing on the instructions. The color of these Mitchells appaer to be all olive drab and Nuetra;l gray. got lots of time for the research deppartment on this one. thanks Terry I appreciate this.

Boats

 

[Airframes]

Hmm. Seems to be a problem with the first pic - I'll try again. Note, I gave the wrong book title for the B&W pic, it's from 2nd TAF, Volume 2, by Christopher Shores and Chris Thomas.

 

[Wurger]

What is going on with the B&W pic Terry?

 

[deckape]

Oops! Crossing posts. Sorry, I had problems uploading the pics, but they are there now!
Note that the RAF did not use the Norden bomb sight in their Mitchells - it would be either the Coarse setting sight or the MkIX sight.

Ahoy Terry
Okay I will remove the bomb sight anything else let me knoe before i get to far I like to make this acurate as possible. Thanks for the Pix Terry your a life saver.
Boats

 

[Airframes]

Yep, one more thing. The .30 cal gun on the starboard side of the nose compartment was not carried by RAF Mitchells - only the .50 cal in the centre of the nose glazing was fitted. The ammo boxes for this were bare plywood, with metal retaining brackets, either bare metal or painted Interior Green.
Wojtek, I can open the PDF for the B&W pic in the original post, but the colour pic is not appearing. I uploaded the latter again, in a following post, and it's showing fine.

 

[deckape]

Yep, one more thing. The .30 cal gun on the starboard side of the nose compartment was not carried by RAF Mitchells - only the .50 cal in the centre of the nose glazing was fitted. The ammo boxes for this were bare plywood, with metal retaining brackets, either bare metal or painted Interior Green.
Wojtek, I can open the PDF for the B&W pic in the original post, but the colour pic is not appearing. I uploaded the latter again, in a following post, and it's showing fine.

Ahoy Terry
Thanks so far I corected the bomb door and I removed the bomb sight and I removed the side 50.cal gun I am painting the amo box wood color I like the quilted finish it looks better then what the kit is. One more question on the J model the being the last production run were they left olive drab or were they painted dark RAF Green with Nuetral gray and NO ivasion stripes, It will be next week some time when i get to the painting session. your my eyes and research Terry. I appreciate this i like to do this kit justice for the RAF.
Many thanks Boats

 

[Airframes]

They were in Olive Drab/Neutral Grey, as delivered, and no invasion stripes on the 'J' model normally.
It is possible that those delivered to squadrons in September 1944 might have had Invasion stripes on the underside of the rear fuselage only, but doubtful. So far, I haven't seen any photos or film footage showing the stripes on the 'J', even when earlier B-25C/D models, with the same squadron at the same period, have displayed very worn stripes.
I agree, the quilt padding looks good, although it should be a much lighter green, rather like 'sage' green. It is just visible through the nose in the colour pic I posted, and here's a clearer shot I took at Duxford in the late 1980s, showing the padding in the cockpit.
Hope this helps.

 

[Wurger]

Wojtek, I can open the PDF for the B&W pic in the original post, but the colour pic is not appearing. I uploaded the latter again, in a following post, and it's showing fine.

I see. I didn't have any trouble with displaying of the image earlier and I could seen that in both of posts.

 

[deckape]

Ahoy Terry
Thanks so far I corected the bomb door and I removed the bomb sight and I removed the side 50.cal gun I am painting the amo box wood color I like the quilted finish it looks better then what the kit is. One more question on the J model the being the last production run were they left olive drab or were they painted dark RAF Green with Nuetral gray and NO ivasion stripes, It will be next week some time when i get to the painting session. your my eyes and research Terry. I appreciate this i like to do this kit justice for the RAF.
Many thanks Boats

Ahoy Terry
Here are changes I made 1. bomb bay door corection 2. I removed the Bomb sight. 3. the 50.cal nose gune was removed the central 50.cal will be installed later the amo box was repainted to wood with darg green metal straps. all i need now is confirmation on the exterier color of the J model and i am pretty well set. I thank you very much for your help I want to do this right, Thanks Terry

Boats

 

[Airframes]

Looking good Boats. See post #32, where I confirm the exterior colours, and include a pic showing the quilted padding colour.

 

[deckape]

They were in Olive Drab/Neutral Grey, as delivered, and no invasion stripes on the 'J' model normally.
It is possible that those delivered to squadrons in September 1944 might have had Invasion stripes on the underside of the rear fuselage only, but doubtful. So far, I haven't seen any photos or film footage showing the stripes on the 'J', even when earlier B-25C/D models, with the same squadron at the same period, have displayed very worn stripes.
I agree, the quilt padding looks good, although it should be a much lighter green, rather like 'sage' green. It is just visible through the nose in the colour pic I posted, and here's a clearer shot I took at Duxford in the late 1980s, showing the padding in the cockpit.
Hope this helps.

Ahoy Terry
Thanks loads Great help I am pretty well stuck with the interier green color inside the fuselage But I corected the color on the nose section, Its a lot lighter green then before. Looks better Igot pretty well kosher now, Tomorrow i,l start on the wings been at this pretty much all day long I,ll save some more work tomoorow. thanks loads terry it helps a lot.

Boats

 

[Airframes]

You're welcome mate. I'm itching to start on mine now, but want to get some more work done on the 1/32nd scale Mosquito sometime soon.

 

[Nxthanos]

Good start boats, glad to see you got things squared away.

I'm still working on that other thing you asked mwe to take care of.

 

[Crimea_River]

Coming along nicely!

 

[DBII]

Love the quilting.

DBII