*** DONE Italeri 1/48th scale Boston IIIA Group Build.

[Airframes]

I've now got the first stage of some subtle weathering and exhaust staining done, the former mainly in the form of light paint chipping and some dirt, and the first clear matt coat applied. Once this has had at least twelve hours drying time, a little more work will be done on some very light weathering, and some panel lines will be slightly high-lighted, along with the control surfaces. I might have to do a bit of re-touching around two of the decals, as a small amount of silvering appeared, after I had applied the matt coat! It just had to be in the loop of the 'R' in the port side code letters didn't it?! There's a tiny amount around the forward letter 'F' on the starboard side also, and why this didn't show up before spraying the matt coat, I don't know. I'll wait until the clear coat settles first, as it might just be light reflecting, and could disappear.
When all this is done, a second matt coat will be applied, and then it's time to get on with the fiddly bits, and scratch-building the forward hatch door, and the step etc. I'll post some more pics tomorrow.

 

[Airframes]

Well, the silvering in and around the code letter decals didn't go, so that's been touched in with the appropriate colours. The control surfaces have been highlighted, and a few panel lines and the cowling joints also lightly lined in pencil. Some restrained paint chipping and scuffing has been applied, based on photographs of the actual aircraft, and this has been kept to a minimum. This aircraft, BZ399, was the last Boston IIIA delivered to the RAF, and the last to enter service before the MkIV, and was relatively new to the Squadron, therefore, it was still fairly clean.
A second coat of clear matt has been sprayed, mixed from Johnson's 'Klear' (Future) with Tamiya Flat Base added, and the masking tape, kitchen foil and liquid mask has now been removed. There's a little retouching needed here and there on very small areas, mainly around where the canopies fit, and the front glazing has yet to have the frames painted. Some of the internal colour on the frames came away with the masking tape, and there were some adhesive marks from the tape also, not uncommon on curved transparencies, so this will be cleaned and polished with 'T Cut', and then the frames repainted.
PIC 1 Shows the entrance hatch to the Bomb Aimer/Navigator's compartment. The bare strip at the rear of the hatch is deliberate, as the hatch door will be fitted here when it's been made, and I didn't want to risk crazing of the paint from the cement. This area, and the framework to the bomb sight clear panel will be painted after the door is fitted.
PIC 2 Shows the paint chipping aound the wing leading edge and the cowling joints, based on photographs of the actual aircraft.
PIC 3. General view of the undersides. The control surfaces have been highlighted, and a few light panel lines and exhaust stains added.
PICS 4 and 5. General views of the model. The light 'spots' along the wing walkways are light paint scuffing, and chipping around the fuel filler caps.
So, now it's time to move on to the bits and pieces, including the nose wheel gear legs, the wheels, wheel bay doors, canopies etc, before starting on some figure conversions and the diorama base.
Thanks again for your interest, and I'll get some more pics posted soon.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Amazing! Terry, yuo are truely an artist.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks very much VB! It's getting a bit more difficult these days due to the arthritis, but I try!

 

[Heinz]

Well Terry it looks fantastic to me

 

[109ROAMING]

Blimey its looks great with the matt finish mate 8) well done

 

[lesofprimus]

Yea that matt coat really brings her to life.... Bummer bout the silvering T, glad u were able to fix it...

 

[ozhawk40]

Seriously good Terry!

 

[B-17engineer]

Arthritis or not its still a beauty

 

[Crimea_River]

Looks impressive Terry!

 

[Airframes]

Thanks awfully chaps, it's very much appreciated!

 

[imalko]

Looks great as always Terry. And progressing rather quickly I would say.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Igor. It's a fairly straightforward, simple kit, but there's a lot to do yet, including the base and figures etc, but, I reckon another week, or two at the most, and it should be done. Then on to the Mitchell, or the Lanc or Ventura - if the latter turns up!

 

[B-17engineer]

Ventura 8)

Awesome

 

[rochie]

very nice Terry

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Karl. I just hope the Ventura arrives Harrison. It was despatched over two weeks ago, and might have fallen victim to the Postal strike! I really want to do the Ventura, as it did a lot in a short time, under trying conditions, and was not at all suited for the European air war. A lot of courageous crews were lost on Ventura ops, and a VC won on one raid. There is also an amazing survival story concerning the type, which I'll relate when the build starts.

 

[B-17engineer]

Dam, that sucks. I hope its nothing like Ian's Lanc! I hope for the best!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Don't the PO sh** you off, I'm waiting on magazines and Ac part from UK and with Christmas coming, who knows when they will arrive. Hope you have luck Terry and Mr Post is knocking on your door with a nice package.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Harrison and Vic. I hope it does arrive, and in one piece - some of the accounts I've heard from Ian and others are a bit disconcerting!
Anyway, the Boston is proceeding well, with most of the time consuming tedious bits out of the way, although it looks a bit tatty at the moment. As soon as it's touched-up it'll be time to move on to the fiddly bits and additions.
PIC 1. The nose canopy framework has been repainted and the edging sealed, and this is where it looks a bit untidy at the moment, as the fresh paint has yet to be retouched here and there, and have a coat of clear matt, in order to smooth-out and even-up the appearance. Some spotting has appeared inside, which I can only think is very fine misting from the clear- coat spraying, which perhaps found it's way through a tiny gap in the masking around the belly hatch. I managed to remove most of it by carefully inserting a cotton bud (Q-Tip) into the compartment, through the hatch, and gently polishing. Fortunately, the remainder is hardly noticeable to the naked eye, and couild pass for moisture - or dead flies!
The cockpit canopy has been fitted, and the edges sealed with PVA, which is awaiting painting and clear matt. The canopy wasn't faired completely into the fuselage sides on the real aircraft, so once painted, a very fine line will need to be scored, to represent the lower edge of the frame. The nose wheel leg has also been fitted, and has yet to be painted and the detail picked out. The wheel will be painted and fitted later.
PIC 2. The rear canopy has been fitted, and again is awaiting a bit of a tidy up and re-touching of the framework. This fixed section actually hinged to starboard, providing an emergency exit for ground use, so the edges, although partly sealed with PVA, should be visible. The aft section slid forward on the real aircraft, and was stored under the fuselage 'tunnel' above the radios. The kit parts don't allow this, with the options being either closed, or the aft section omitted to show the open gun position; not a fault, just the thickness of the parts, on the fuselage and the canopy, which would be extremely difficult to mould in true scale, if not impossible. The simple thing to do was saw off the forward section of the small canopy, where it would meet the main, 'fixed' canopy, and push it under the tunnel, where the tension keeps it in place. This was done by trial and error, sawing small slivers at a time, until the correct appearance was achieved.
PIC 3. The main radio antenna mast has been fitted, and requires some more sanding to remove the remains of the sprue attachment point and, of course, has yet to be painted and clear coated. The DF loop, a recognition feature of the MkIIIA, has also been fitted, after first cutting off the loop from the mount, and repositioning it fore and aft for a more authentic look. The mount has yet to be sealed around the base, using PVA, and then it too will be painted and clear coated. The antenna wire from the mast to the fin, and the secondary wire from the port tailplane to the fuselage, behind the gun position, will be made and fitted last. The RAF Bostons had a single wire, unlike some aircraft, where a complex double wire arrangement was used.
PIC 4. Finally, the kit wheels assembled as provided. These have come in for some criticism in some reviews, where they are described as having a diamond tread pattern which is too heavy. Personally, I think they'd be fine after painting. However, RAF Bostons normally used smooth-treaded tyres, and although there is an aftermarket resin set available, the wheel rims have the perforated hub on one side, and a spoked hub on the other. These weren't fitted to RAF Bostons until the MkIV, with the smooth, 'capped' hub being used on the MkIII and MkIIIA. So, some careful sanding will hopefully reduce the tread, which is actually raised, rather like fish scales. If they don't turn out completely smooth, then at least they should look more acceptable after painting and the addition of 'dust' and so on.
The next stages should see the model itself finished, although there is still quite a lot to be done, mainly scratch-building a few small items and fitting the delicate antenna wires and so on. Then it's the figure conversions and scratch-building a starter trolley to go on the diorama base.
Thanks again for your interest and kind comments, and I'll post another up-date soon.

 

[Heinz]

Great stuff Terry!
The tread looks weird as being raised. :s