**** DONE: GB-48 1:48 TBM-3 Avenger - Carrier & Maritime Patrol A/C of WWII

[fubar57]

Thanks Grant

That looks like the camera in the AM F-6 and 6A. I hadn't thought they looked right but who am I.

I do have that kit Don. I'll check it out. This is from the instructions...

 

[Donivanp]

Thanks Grant


I do have that kit Don. I'll check it out. This is from the instructions...

View attachment 602480​

Yep that's it.

 

[Wurger]

 

[fubar57]

Finally got some glue on. Though the Academy instructions are supposed to be better than the original A.M. ones, they still need to be studied. 1) The bomb bay frame work has a bit of detail not shown in the instructions. I went back to Andy's build to make sure I was right. 2) The cockpit floor, when mounted to the fuselage side, is guided into place via a few lugs. Now 99% of the time these go under the floor. A bit of fiddling shows they go above the floor. 3) The reason for the tape. The bulkhead behind the pilot will slot into the fuselage this is so to make sure it lined up. Just trying to figure out a cockpit paint sequence at the moment.

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Last bit of camera drama...I hope. On the left is the spares foundling and on the right are the parts from the A.M. F-6B kit. Neither seems to be the right size

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Good start Geo. I don't think I can help much more with the camera other than to suggest scaling to known objects in the photos and scratch building as necessary.

 

[fubar57]

Right you are Andy. Looking at the enlarged photo a page back, I'm thinking the rockets stubs are roughly ⅔ the height of the camera so I'll go from there

 

[Crimea_River]

Yep, assuming that they moulded the stubs the right length. Another check would be against the Yagi antenna supports which are included in your kit. The first pic that Dana posted makes for a good comparison.

 

[Crimea_River]

A little more info from a k-20 manual I found on line here: K-20 Aircraft Camera instruction manual, user manual, PDF manual, free manuals

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Andy. Going by those measurements and scaling down, 5 x 3.7 x 5.8mm

 

[fubar57]

Right. I went down and measured the antenna post and it was just over 11mm. On a whim I measured the F-6 camera....5 x 3ish x 6. Good enough for me. I also noticed that my aircraft isn't carrying Yagi antenna. Censored or not installed?

 

[Crimea_River]

I would say not censored as there are plenty of pics with these antennae present and it wasn't an especially proprietary technology. Probably not installed on your bird.

 

[le_steph40]

Very nice project Geo

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Steph. Wow!!! 11 years now

 

[le_steph40]

Thanks Steph. Wow!!! 11 years now

Yes Happy Birthday Geo

 

[fubar57]

Still finding things I can attach before painting. Following the instructions for the turret innards was awkward to say the least so using Andy's build and the Wayback Machine, I think I have it. Going through other builds the tank shown below and marked with a "?". I've seen Yellow, Red, Blue and Silver. Any thoughts?

 

[Crimea_River]

Don't remember why I chose silver for that part. It's supposed to be an oxygen bottle and I know British ones were black but I don't know what American ones were.

 

[Wurger]

An oxygen bottle. According to the enlarged shot it looks like being of the interior psint with the metalic tone. However I have seen a pic showing the light green colour there but with silver top dome. So the silver is possible too. Here is enlarged image ...

The pic source: Grumman TBF Avenger (any variant will do) Radio Operator's Panel Photos?

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Andy and interesting Wojtek. From this site....

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.....and Google Images....

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Smaller bottles but I don't think that would change for a larger bottle

 

[Wurger]

Yes that's the green colour.