**** DONE: GB-59 1/48 CAC Boomerang – WW2 PTO V

[T Bolt]

User Name: T Bolt
Name: Glenn
Category: Advanced
Kit: LTD Commonwealth Boomerang
Scale: 1/48th
Accessories: Kiwi Wings Decals and harness from wine bottle foil


I will be building the CAC Boomerang "Hep Cat" of No. 4 and later No. 5 Squadrons RAAF

The boomerang was Australia's first home grown fighter, based on the CAC Wirraway trainer, which was in turn a license-built version of the North American NA-16.
The Boomerang was somewhat underpowered compared to other contemporary front-line fighters so was mainly dispatched to equip home-based squadrons, freeing up other fighters for use overseas.

Picture source: The internet

 

[T Bolt]

The LTD kit is a typical early limited run kit with nice surface details but very rough around the edges with a unbelievable amount of flash. The cockpit od rather basic but will be sufficient for a closed canopy when a seat harness is added.

 

[fubar57]

Excellent. I bought this kit when it first came out; land fill before it got finished. Looks rougher than when I bought mine. I can't remember the exact reason I trashed it but I think it was the fit around the front end and the vac-form clear parts, my first attempt at theses

 

[fubar57]

PM sent

 

[rochie]

nice choice

i did a P-40 with Hep cat nose art !

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Have fun with that Glenn....

 

[T Bolt]

I started building yesterday and actually got quite a bit done.

I started out by bringing out the BIG file to flatten out the gluing surfaces on all the major parts. I left the edges rough to be filed down after things are glued up

The two part engine painted and assembled, and the cockpit parts painted.

Engine and cockpit installed and given a wash and a harness made from wine bottle foil. I will have to repaint the shoulder straps as some info sent to me by George (Fubar57) shows that they should be the same color as the lap belts. The canopy will be closed so that's about all the detailing I will be doing there

The fuselage and wings glued up. The fit was much better than I expected although a trial fit of the wings to the fuselage showed a large gap at the wing roots and also some work to be done on the underside.

 

[Wurger]

 

[destrozas]

good luck

 

[Vic Balshaw]

As you say a bit rough around the edges but you sure have been swift in assembling the main part. Nice to se a bit of Aussie in this GB as well.

 

[T Bolt]

As you say a bit rough around the edges but you sure have been swift in assembling the main part. Nice to se a bit of Aussie in this GB as well.

The family took over the TV Sunday to watch football so I got in 5 or 6 hours in at the work bench which does not happen often.

 

[Crimea_River]

Doing great Glenn. Six hours at the bench is hard for me to imagine!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

That's a lot of model time. For me it's usually between 1 to 3 hrs a day if lucky and I'm retired and supposed to have time on my hands.

 

[T Bolt]

Its usually a half hour or less for me, but Sunday nobody bothered me so I just kept on going

 

[Crimea_River]

As long as you have a comfortable chair.

 

[Gnomey]

Looks good so far Glenn!

 

[T Bolt]

Finished cleaning up the fuselage joints. Also cut out the vacu-form canopy & quarter windows and installed them.

I decided not to use the vacu-form landing lights, so substituted pieces of clear sprue sanded flush and polished.
Before and after pics. Still needs the final polish

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Great work Glenn.

 

[T Bolt]

Looking at the fuselage picture, it kind of reminds me of a mini Hellcat