**** DONE: 1/72 B-24H “Booby Trap” - Heavy Hitters II GB

Gnomey · Jun 14, 2013

Nicely done so far Glenn!

T Bolt · Jun 15, 2013

Airframes said:
If you can't find any Glenn, try Hannant's or, if really stuck, let me know and I'll send you a couple of sheets. I have some in stock, and my LHS stocks it too, and it's only 1/4 mile away!
That covered turret might be a Consolidated type - look how the canvas cover appears to slightly bulge outwards, at the lower front, and the crease or fold on the lower side, which could be where the cover is stretched over the angled metal area, with the frozen snow following the lines of the frame.
Perhaps check some photos of other aircraft from the unit, if possible, and see what turrets are fitted?

Thanks Terry, I might take you up on it if I try to make one and can't find any of the sheets. Never tried it before so it will be a learning experience.
I can see what you're saying about the turret, but unfortunately I think it is an Emerson turret. I have pictures of other B-24H's from the same BG and production block with the Emerson turret. It sure would make things simpler with the Consolidated turret, and I think it looks better in the nose of a B-24 anyway. I'll mess around making a mold and see how it goes. Plenty of time as it will be one of the last things I add to the model.

plheure2 said:
Hi Glenn:
I read your story about your father being based at Eye, Suffolk England for a time before being moved to the 15th AF with great interest. It just might be possible that he knew one of the ground crew chiefs by the name of Tom Veale, who was my wife's uncle. He was a B-24 waist gunner before the 8th found out he had flat feet and grounded him. Tom Veale passed away in 2003, and he told me a couple of stories about being based at Eye.

My dad very well may have known him although I don't recognize the name. Dad had a lot of stories and mentioned a lot of people so I might have recognized a name, but most of the people he talked about were from his time before shipping overseas, or the crew he was with when he bailed out and became a P.O.W. so it doesn't surprise me that I don't know the name even if Dad knew him.

fubar57 · Jun 15, 2013

Not sure if it's an optical illusion or not, but the cover sleeves that fit over the guns on your aircraft seem to indicate that the guns sit a higher in the turret than those guns in the other photographs.

Geo

Airframes · Jun 15, 2013

I was thinking the same Geo, which is one of the reasons I thought it might be the Consolidated turret.
Glenn, if you have to mould one, then a piece of balsa dowel, or even pine or similar, with the top rounded will do the job. Sand smooth, then seal with a mix of clear gloss varnish and talc, to fill and seal the grain. This may take two or three applications. When hardened, sand smooth and polish, apply another coat of clear gloss, preferably PU, and again polish when hardened.
You need to get the male mould as smooth as glass. Cut a female mould from balsa or thin ply sheet, or even thick, stiff card, and tape the clear sheet over this. heat until 'floppy', then immediately plunge the male mould through. Let it cool for a few seconds, and then remove the male mould.
It might, and probably will, take two or three attempts, but it is possible to be lucky and get it right first time.

T Bolt · Jun 15, 2013

You guys might be right about the turret. I'll have another look at it.

Terry, thanks for the instructions, this is all new to me. If I follow you right you have to also make a female mold? Some how I had the impression that you just needed the male mold to plunge into the heated sheet.

Here's an update on last nights work. I made up some oxygen tanks from some thick sprue, painted them yellow and installed them after I did a dark wash on the fuselage interior. I lost one of them and also miss counted the amount I need so I'll have to make a few more.

Catch22 · Jun 15, 2013

Beauty Glenn.

N4521U · Jun 16, 2013

That's pretty nice Glenn.

rochie · Jun 16, 2013

i like the look of that Glenn, well done !

just my opinion but i think the covers on the war time pic are giving the impression of the guns being higher up in the turret, might just be because you cant see where the turret sits in the mount on the front of the fuselage.

looks to me like the tall cylindrical turret !

T Bolt · Jun 16, 2013

I'm leaning that way too Karl.

More detail work
Pictures 1-4 Masking for the many placards in the bomb bay, and the painted placards
Picture 5. The control panel had no detail, just a flat smooth plank, so I drilled on instrument faces
Picture 6 Added back cushions to the pilot and co-pilot seats
Picture 7 Work started on the center console. Throttle quadrants made from slivers of plastic

Catch22 · Jun 16, 2013

Placards add a lot.

fubar57 · Jun 16, 2013

Yup. Nice weathering as well.

Geo

Gnomey · Jun 16, 2013

Good work so far Glenn!

Airframes · Jun 16, 2013

Lots of good progress there Glenn - nice work.

T Bolt · Jun 17, 2013

A lot more work done this afternoon and evening.

Picture 1 Painted up the control panel, scratching in detail for the instruments with the point of a # 11 blade. The extra wheel is one I made out of stretched sprue when I lost one. Fortunately I found it and didn't have to use the homemade one.
Pictures 2 3 The flight deck put together.
Pictures 4-6 The only parts for the Martin upper turret that were included was a ring gun mount. The turret had a barrel shape inside the aircraft actually made partly of wood, with a seat and footrest for the gunner. I added the rest of this to the gun mount ring using sheet plastic. Not exact, but it gives the impression of the real thing.
Pictures 7-9 The completed flight deck with the painted upper turret installed. I also added the navigator/radio operators table using the kit's bombardiers seat as it can't really be seen in the nose.

I think the only things left now before I close it up is the bomb sight and the lead nose weight. I hope to get it done before nid week because I'm going away for a long weekend.