**** DONE: 1/48 TBM-1C Grumman Avenger VC-13 - Carrier Aircraft GB

[rochie]

great start Andy

 

[Airframes]

Good stuff Andy. got to admit, I wasn't keen on that transparent instrument panel - not in this scale anyway. I'll check my model re the bulkhead colours, as I can't remember where the delineation was, even though I made notes on interior colours from the different factories (posted in Kojo's thread).

 

[Wayne Little]

That's looking a bit of alright Andy. good stuff!

 

[woody]

Looking good Andy.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Looks great Andy and I think your approach to the instrument panel is similar to Terry's, but what intricate work.

 

[destrozas]

looking very nice.
I mix the referenc I aim to have more color ias this very accomplished

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks everyone. Some advances this week, starting with the instrument panel. Difficult to see but the dials and numbers were scratched into the white, a Future coat applied to the IP to give it a semi-gloss appearance, and the dial faces dabbed in Future to simulate the glass.

The engine, as supplied with the kit, completed with perhaps the odd detail paint yet to be added:

The interior green colour was mixed with 3 shades of Tamiya paints. The bases coat was applied, then darkened slightly with black to go over shaded areas. Then some lighter green was dry brushed over the high points before applying a coat of Future to provide a semi-gloss finish:

Assembly was then started to get the cockpit assembly onto the port fuselage half. This will be sequentially glued and clamped to ensure that everything lines up properly as there's a lot to fit here. I finally decided to make the delineating bulkhead bronze green on one side and interior green on the other.

The bomb bay doors and actuators were a bit of a pain with the instructions not being very clear. The doors came as one piece on each side and it looked initially like they would only need to be bent. However, further fiddling and checking of references confirmed that they needed to be completely separated and re-attached to the actuators:

A lot more highlights and details have yet to be painted to complete the above areas and I hope to get at these activities throughout the week. Thanks for checking in.

 

[KoJo]

Great work on the interior, it is by far the most time consuming part of any Avenger kit. After you complete that the rest goes by really quick. Are you still doing it as a ASW North Atlantic scheme? It is in my opinion the best American paint scheme the Avenger had followed by its first which was the light blue over grey.

Anyway, great use of dry brushing, it really bring out those details!!

 

[rochie]

very nice Andy

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks guys. Yes, Kojo, I still plan to do the ASW scheme but have not settled on an actual aircraft as I have limited pics (just what's on the net) and decals.

 

[ccheese]

Looking real good, Andy...

Charles

 

[meatloaf109]

Yep, great office!

 

[Airframes]

Great stuff Andy, it's looking the biz!
I remember the hassle with the bomb bay doors, and seem to recall fitting the assembly onto the fuselage was a bit of a pain too.

 

[KoJo]

There are many routes to go down.. I take it this one is a TBF? The scheme was used on all Avengers though I have only one picture of a TBM-3 is those colors. Also the ASW Avengers were the cleaner of the bunch being very well maintained so paint really shouldnt have chipping to it. Most I have seen is scuffing and minor chipping in service areas. These birds didnt see dirt runways so rock and sand chipping is non existant. But they did get their fair share of grime build up over use. Also the demarcation of the ASW camo lines differed from plane to plane, there was a squadron that had a black cat with its tail circling itself and giving the double middle finger, I will have to dig up that picture for you..

 

[KoJo]

Here is that pic, according to documentation this is a Grumman built TBF-1C

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Very nice detailing Andy.

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks guys.

Kojo, that's a great pic and an attractive scheme. Now, one thing I noticed is that this appears to be a 3 colour scheme. I've read that some aircraft had a mid-tone colour on the sides separating the dark gull gray from the white and it looks to me like this one could be sporting that scheme. Do you have a detail of the cat emblem?

 

[KoJo]

VC-13 Squadron serving in the Atlantic. The aircraft is in the three tone scheme, I do not know too much about how that particular scheme came about but as far as I know it was limited.

Here is the patch:

Cut out from a original B&W picture:

A color version of the logo:

And one from a restored TBM-3 ?S? Avenger:

 

[Wayne Little]

Very nicely done Andy!

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks Wayne.