GB-47 1/48 P-61A Black Widow - WW2 D-Day and After - Western Front

Donivanp · Aug 1, 2020

Username : donivanp
First name : Don
Category : intermediate
Scale : 1/48
Manufacturer / Model : GWH/Lion Roar P-61A
Extras : Extra Kit World decals, Eduard seatbelts and decals.

Donivanp · Aug 1, 2020

The P-61A's first showed up in Europe around May 1944, about a month after first showing up in the Pacific theater. The first aircraft were painted in standard OD green over neutral grey. Early versions of the aircraft were fitted with a translucent radome.

I've built the Monogram kit several times over the years and though it is a good representation of the aircraft, it is at some 40 years old, a product of its time.

Great Wall a couple of years back produced a new kit of the P-61. While Monogram,s kit combines both the A and the B model into a single kit, and does it well, GWH produced three kits to depict the A with and without the dorsal turret and a third to do the B model. Kit L4802 is without the dorsal and comes with a non translucent radome. As you may already know, the first 37 P-61A's were fitted with a dorsal turret witted with 4 .50 caliber machine guns. When the turret was turned in flight it cased serious buffeting and there was a lot of issues trying to work the issue out. So Northrop deleted the turret from the remainder of the A model builds. The turret would come and go in various forms throughout the history of the aircraft. The first aircraft came with a translucent radome, how many were built as such I have never seen an information on, but they continued to be turned out this way even after the first 37.

Kits World "War Birds" series KW148169, has a turretless translucent radomed aircraft, 25534, Shoo Shoo Baby, based at Chateaudun, France late in 1944. Painted in the original OD green over neutral grey. I am taking the clear radome from kit L4806 for this build.

fubar57 · Aug 1, 2020

Looking forward to it Don

Snautzer01 · Aug 1, 2020

Nice, be looking out for this build. In the ebay p-61 thread of mine you can find a few examples how the glazed dome looked in combat after a few flights.

Good luck and have a nice build.

Donivanp · Aug 1, 2020

Snautzer01 said:
Nice, be looking out for this build. In the ebay p-61 thread of mine you can find a few examples how the glazed dome looked in combat after a few flights.

Good luck and have a nice build.

Thanks, I've been going over you thread on pre build. Looks pretty good. Though I'm still trying to find good photos of the bird. I was going to do Lady Gen as the kit calls for OD over NG but all photos I've see she is black.

Crimea_River · Aug 1, 2020

Good stuff Don. You've done your homework again.

Wurger · Aug 2, 2020

Wayne Little · Aug 2, 2020

Great Kit, mate..!

rochie · Aug 2, 2020

Nice subject

Donivanp · Aug 2, 2020

I know everyone probably knows this but check out the museums for reference material. National Museum of the United States Air Force has a P-61C, there are only two P-61's on display, I've heard there is one in restoration but I'm not 100% sure on that. There are two I know of one in China and one in Ohio both are C models.

fubar57 · Aug 2, 2020

A model innards Don

Donivanp · Aug 16, 2020

I think I'd like to pull this until GB 49, I have other things to concentrate on. Can we pull this thread and put it somewhere else and re insert it at GB 49?

Wurger · Aug 16, 2020

Please stop posting and I leave it here untill the #49 GB starts. Just please remind me to move it when the GB time comes.

Donivanp · Aug 22, 2020

I was going to move this but I just can't help myself. So I started my shooting Testors Model Masters Metalizer aluminum over the interior and will do for the gear gearwells and doors and leading edge of wings etc... I then did the wings, large fast build. Looking at the booms I found it necessary to build and install the main gear before the booms can be glued up. I would have preferred to install the at the end but it is what it is. The flaps just clip in, nice.

Wurger · Aug 22, 2020

rochie · Aug 23, 2020

A4K · Aug 23, 2020

Good choice Don!

Donivanp · Aug 23, 2020

The update set for the Do 335 is due in tomorrow, until then I'm working on the Black Widow. I have awarded myself the Silver Thumb. So I've been painting the aluminum on and now I'm going over it with Vallejo Interior green. I'm trying to do some weathering work and I guess I'm really using this forum as a catalyst to see how it goes. So pleas just bear with me.