GB-55 1/48 B-25D-1 Mitchell - MTO III

[Crimea_River]

Username: Crimea River
First name: Andy
Category: Judge – Non competing
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Accurate Miniatures
Model Type: B-25B "Doolittle Raider"
Aftermarket addons: Planning for scratch-built mods only

I bought my Accurate Miniatures B-25B "Doolittle Raider" kit many years ago for a song at a model swap and it's been languishing on my shelf this whole time. I considered entering the model as is for GB-24 but I never warmed to the idea of building a very basic, clean, stripped down B-25 as there are so many more interesting schemes out there. GB-55 now gives me the opportunity to have a go at replicating B-25D-1 s/n 41-29896 "Dirty Gerty from Bizerte" captured in this great picture posted by Yves in this other thread here.

The worn, weathered paint and grime featured on this aircraft have always attracted me for model subjects. The minimal markings and simple nose art also mean that I should be able to make some paint masks for this model rather than hunt for decals. Here's an artist interpretation of the subject:

Image from MilitaryImages.Net

This plane is a bit of a mystery to me as I can't connect it to a particular unit. In fact, one source for this picture on Flickr says it's from the 3rd Attack Group based in Australia which would be odd since Bizerte is in Tunisia. My Squadron Signal B-25 book has the above photo with the caption "....somewhere over North Africa..." with no unit identified.

I would love it if someone ( Micdrow , D Dana Bell , CATCH 22 ???) could verify where this plane served and with whom as I've come up dry. Obviously, more pics would be the Holy Grail! I will have more to say on the kit in the next post.

 

[Crimea_River]

Looking into the box contents, the AM kit appears to be nicely detailed with a large parts count and a few extras bits for other versions. I'll need to convert this B model to a D-1 and some of the mods will be easy and some not so much. There might be others that I don't know about yet but I'll summarize what I know about at the bottom of this post. First, the box contents:

The wings are moulded with fixed flaps and control surfaces and appear to have the unique "crank" in the dihedral. Some fine riveting has been replicated though a more modern high quality kit would probably have more of the structural rivets featured on the wing uppers.

The engine cowl openings have a reported issue of being too small. Aftermarket cowls that fix this are available but others have successfully enlarged the openings using sand paper on a dowel and I'll probably do the same. Note the auxiliary fuel tank which I may or may not need.

One issue Yves pointed out is that the carb intakes on my bird are filtered and wider. The kit provides only the narrow intakes as seen on the upper part of the cowls.

I'm blessed with having a subject that saw modified engine exhaust stubs to reduce the flame signature of the single pipe on the side of the cowls that the kit depicts. There are, as far as I know, no after-market parts for these and so I'll need to make something (see the thread linked in post 1 for details if interested). The nacelle slots below will need to be filled and the areas where the flame dampers protrude will need to be hollowed out.

Tires are flattened but not bulged and have nice "Good Year" raised lettering.

I'll need to verify if the rear fuselage openings are correct.

Here are a few other detail sprue shots:

The clear sprue has options for 3 canopies, 3 noses, two tails, and one bomb aimer's compartment, which was loose in the bag. The late model tail gunner's housing is also provided, though I won't need it. It looks like I'll need to use the astrodome over the navigator table though which I'm glad is included.

Nose weights and masks are provided - nice.

The decals are the basic style used on the Doolittle birds and all the serial numbers for aircraft used on the raid are there. It seems I can cobble together the 129896 that I need but I have a feeling the numbers are too big.

So, that said, here are the mods I think I need to do to convert this bird to a D-1:

1. Use the lower turret (deleted on the Doolittle birds but provided in kit)
2. Replace Navigator's flat panel window on upper fuselage with clear dome (seems to be included in kit).
3. Mount 50 cal swiveled nose gun and add a fixed 50 on the starboard side firing through nose glass
4. Exhaust to be modified from single pipe to multiple grouped tubes
5. Modify carb intakes to wider style.
6. Confirm if there are wing mounts for 250lb bombs.
7. Enlarge cowl openings (kit issue)
8. Create masks or find decals for serials and nose art
9. Other......?

 

[fubar57]

Flickr also gives the wrong serial number. I'll hit the books but I'm sure Yves or Dana will make a hit first

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Interesting build and subject.

 

[N4521U]

You've picked a good subject............
You just need this book!

Just sayin!

 

[CATCH 22]

So, that said, here are the mods I think I need to do to convert this bird to a D-1:

1. Use the lower turret (deleted on the Doolittle birds but provided in kit)
2. Replace Navigator's flat panel window on upper fuselage with clear dome (seems to be included in kit).
3. Mount 50 cal swiveled nose gun and add a fixed 50 on the starboard side firing through nose glass
4. Exhaust to be modified from single pipe to multiple grouped tubes
5. Modify carb intakes to wider style.
6. Confirm if there are wing mounts for 250lb bombs.
7. Enlarge cowl openings (kit issue)
8. Create masks or find decals for serials and nose art
9. Other......?

I'll give you a couple of short answers and prepare more descriptions and photos later.
1. As per my notes/archive etc. this a/c belonged to the 340-th BG.
2. The information about it being part of the 3-rd AG. in Australia comes from the National Museum of the US Air Force (virtual), where the original photo is shown. They have the serial number wrong and the time frame (1942) does not match the national insignia which is already with the blue border - after August 1943.
3. I always had some questions and couldn't answer them: why does the a/c have no tail number? I've seen several from the 12-th AAF. but either in an earlier phase of the war (1942) or from other groups. Why does this a/c, obviously after many missions, has no RAF-type fin flash or an overpainted one, which will match the time frame around the end of 1943 or the first months of 1944. I'll write about this later.
4. Yes this a/c will have external bomb racks - effective after s/n 41-29848.
5. I already mentioned the carburetor intakes earlier - should be wide and flat for Holley carburetors.
6. The fuselage of the model or at least the windows on both sides are wrong for a B-model, but thankfully correct for a D-1 - I'll show pictures later. No changes here.
7. Check which top turret and cockpit glazing are for B and which for C/D models, resp. for the glazed nose - AM have included both IMHO. I'll check my model and instructions as well.
8. The nose armament of this a/c is NOT STANDARD. It will have one fixed and one flexible 0.50 gun, but not as per factory standard (see below) - the latter came with the D-5 block.

I'll elaborate on this, but here is a nice photo showing that both guns were (probably) field-installed. The steel plate for the flexible gun could be painted in OD (nice detail for modelists - haven't seen a model built like this):

Note the position of the fixed gun - it's going through a metal ring in the lowest perspex window - in the standard version the gun goes through canvas in the middle window.
More later.
Cheers!

 

[Crimea_River]

Great stuff Yves, thanks! Baugher's site does not have the individual s/n spelled out either. These are the hits around 4129896:

29893/29897 modified as F-10.
29898 (12th BG, 83rd BS) lost on night bombing mission to Trapani, Sicily, Italy Jul 10, 1943. 6 KIA. MACR 55.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Jock Tamson]

Like it Puts me in mind of Catch 22.

 

[CATCH 22]

Great stuff Yves, thanks! Baugher's site does not have the individual s/n spelled out either. These are the hits around 4129896:

29893/29897 modified as F-10.
29898 (12th BG, 83rd BS) lost on night bombing mission to Trapani, Sicily, Italy Jul 10, 1943. 6 KIA. MACR 55.

Hi Andy!
I've been trying for some time (15+ years) to find a true identity for Dirty Gerty but to no avail. Even if the next (or near) serial number was used in the same theater/group/squadron is unfortunately not a proof for anything. I've seen often the case when 2 a/c with serials within 5-6 numbers go together to the MTO e.g. but another one, with a serial between them goes to the CBI or elsewhere.
It is also quite possible that an a/c in the MTO was with the 12-th BG (the first one to come to North Africa) and later was given to another group. The 12-th BG left the MTO in Febr.-March 1944 and all older planes were distributed among the remaining groups. This could be the case here as well.
I was trying to compare not only serials but general appearance, how the name is written (this wavy style), the lettering, the mods (if any) etc.
My only suspicion is that this particular a/c could be from the 321st BG. - I'll wrire about this later.

2 things for your changes at the model for now:
1. When enlarging the cowl openings (a mistake by AM) do not go too big, comparing with a Monogram B-25J. It is a common mistake to use B-25J cowlings for earlier models. The diameter of the opening for B/C/D models was 36". The diameter of the opening for H/J models was 39". So your opening in scale should be 3/4" (1:48=1/4 scale). I measured the original part - it's smaller by 1/16".
2. Attached is an interesting article from older times, how to change the top turret with a little patience and some additional plastic - see below.
Next I'll write about the correct glazing parts from the standard kit for this particular a/c.

Oh, BTW here's another very good proof for a factory and a field modified fixed nose gun - one can clearly see the differences I described in my previous post (no lower gun here though):

Cheers!

 

[CATCH 22]

Andy, I'm attaching the instructions for B-25B and B-25C from the corresponding AM-kits (you might have them already). I'll use them for part numbers that differ, depending on what model are you building. In your case several of the B-model parts could be used 'as is" or slightly modified.
Cheers!

 

[Crimea_River]

You're being a big help Yves thanks. Apart from the fixed 50 cal is there anything in the cockpit that needs fixing to your knowledge? I might get a jump on that tomorrow.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Lots of good stuff going on here.

 

[Wayne Little]

Great choice Andy.

 

[CATCH 22]

You're being a big help Yves thanks. Apart from the fixed 50 cal is there anything in the cockpit that needs fixing to your knowledge? I might get a jump on that tomorrow.

Andy, I'll answer your question as soon as I find some more time today. I'll try to put together other pieces of information, I have in the archive.
Cheers!

 

[Crimea_River]

Many thanks again Yves. Please don't go out of your way as I'm not likely to get much done before leaving for Ireland Saturday.

 

[CATCH 22]

Many thanks again Yves. Please don't go out of your way as I'm not likely to get much done before leaving for Ireland Saturday.

Andy, I'm sorry for not having the freedom I wanted (at the moment) to answer your questions in a timely manner. I'll try to do it now and see how far it will go.
1. For the bombardier's nose I think you can go with the model as-is.
This is the B-nose:

Use everything minus the 0.30 gun. Use nose glazing H100 (not G 110), make a plate and 2 holes for the nose guns.
The fixed gun is usually described as "bolted on the floor". There are no ammunition boxes visible through the window - check the photos I posted previously. And another one here:

Maybe there is one big box there for the flexible gun (see below):

The latter has an adapter and is hanging on cables, similar to later D and J model - see below (the standard ammo-box is shown here which differs):

This is the C-nose.

Below is the bombardier's compartment for an early C/D. If you delete all ammunition boxes for the 0.30 and add some for the 0.50 on the floor (it had a belt!) it will do the job.
The left side with the flight computer, bombardier's panel etc. is OOB.

There is no hole for the 0.30 side-nose gun in the glazing - I didn't see any, patched or not on the photo. We've discussed this matter in the "B-25 weapons thread" and there are several photos of patched openings in that thread, but it seems to me the photo we have of DGFB is from a later period (as already said around the end of 1943) and they probably changed some parts of the glazing:

I guess there is no patched gun opening in the small floor window too.
The above photo shows that the windshield glazing is similar to those of a newer D-model - see the 2 additional frames there. In the kit there are 3 cockpit glazings the one for C/D is part G109:

Do not use this part because the framing on the top is different. Use part H107 and add the additional frames as per the photo.
Cockpit will be OOB. Same for the navigator's compartment. I know there are some differences in the equipment, which nobody will see,but the model gives pretty good detail.
The astrodome of AM is too big. There might be some plastic part in your parts-bin more suitable. I suggested ones blisters from pills/medications, which I collect for years, but have no exact match at the moment - I'll look into this later.
And time for a little surprise: If you want to do this, it will be some rare addition to a perfect model (yours are always perfect!). A pilot's and co-pilot's armour "Made in the MTO". I just love those curved contours:

I believe it's pretty easy to build them out of plastic resp. attach them to the seats. C/D models had standard armour plates as well so you have a free choice here.

Speaking of armor plates: AM never did the bulkhead and door in the rear fuselage (pos. 4 above). No one sees it but if you want to add it, it's up to you.
Rear radio and gun compartment will be OOB.

I already wrote about the top turret. BTW there is only one top turret in the kit and it's wrong for a B-model but again, correct for a C or D model. Belly turret is OOB.
There are different schemes for radio-antennae used on different variants. When you come to this point it could be discussed in detail.
Early to mid production C/D had different recognition lights:

The 3 colored lights were not under the right wing but under the belly + white recognition light on top. AM has the lights under the wing. The formation lights and the running lights are correctly represented. I don't have an exact serial number of a C and D a/c for the start of the wing rec. lights. Maybe Paul has more information from his archive. I might have it as well, but don't know where. Just remembered I gave the same idea to other modellers many years ago.
That's for now. More questions will be discussed later I guess.
Cheers!

 

[Crimea_River]

This is stellar CATCH 22 Yves thanks. I've been researching as well and have come to a couple of your conclusions as well so far. I like the crew Armour observation - I would not have discovered that on my own so will try to replicate it. I'll also need to find a couple of 50 cal mgs in my spares box for the nose guns which I'm sure I have.

The cockpit floor, tunnel, and bulkhead have been glued together after filling a couple of pin marks. Throttle and prop levers are not great in the kit so I will make some better ones but all this will start when I get back.

Thanks again Yves. Great info.

PS. I'm not going to fret too much about unseen details in the aft crew compartments so don't spend a lot of time pointing out deficiencies there. I did notice that there's a window missing in the stbd radio operator position that is included as part F223 in the C/D kit. Also need to have a look/guess about what the tail gun area looks like.

 

[CATCH 22]

I did notice that there's a window missing in the stbd radio operator position that is included as part F223 in the C/D kit. Also need to have a look/guess about what the tail gun area looks like.

Oh, I missed this window in the instructions - the perspective view of each step covers some areas and in Step 9 for the B-model I see now there's no window. Is there any indentation or a sign that there could be a window. I can make a photo of my fuselage (C/D) to show where to cut exactly. Below another B-25 with a pretty similar appearance and not modified too, showing this window:

As for the tail gunner - you don't have any.

This is one of those rare cases when the a/c remained unmodified even in a later period of the war. You have an observation cone (the standard), with the plate with the 2 bomb release lights and a bit of inside with structure - AM gives you 4 ribs there. Oh, I see the kit does not have the plate with the lights. Here it is:

There is this famous photo with the worker attaching the cone too:

I didn't count the screws but they are at least 2 dozens!
P.S. Here is the fuselage part with the window opening:

P.P.S. And one more thing: if you need more 0.50 cal's with a relatively good quality the B-25J in 1:48 by Revell is a very good source (this is the Monogram model). There is a variant with a 5-gun glazed nose and one can use some of those guns. The model also offers 2 sets of transparenices (because of different mods), nice tires and other goodies which are interchangeable with older variants too. It still can be found in the local "Michael's"-store for CAD 37.00 and if you use a coupon (I always do) for 30% rebate, you'll get those spare parts even cheaper than from the aftermarket. If you still have a problem finding the guns, I can share some of mine with you for a matching amount of English or Kentish Ale. Think about!
Cheers!

 

[Crimea_River]

To answer your questions Yves, there is no indication of a future radio operator's window position on this B model moulding. I will scale the location and size form your photo. Strange that the window is not on my clear sprue but the astrodome is.

The photo of DGFB confused me with regard to the rear gunner clear part. That pic looks as though what should be the clear part looks solid but looking at it again, I suppose I could see that it's clear. I see no reason why there would be a solid fairing there.

Thanks for the offer on the 50s and the suggestion to look for the Revell J. I have a Michael's just down the road and will take a look but I'm pretty sure I have two 50's in the spare parts bin.