GB-61 1/72 PB2B-1 Catalina - Carrier and Maritime Aircraft

[A4K]

User Name: A4K
Name: Evan
Category: 2- Intermediate
Scale: 1:72
Kit: Academy # 2132: Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina

Accesories:
Aeromaster Decals #SP72-10: The Royal New Zealand Air Force in WW.II
Eduard Big Ed # BIG72176: PBY-5A
Roodecal #5: RNZAF WW.II
Squadron Crystal Clear Canopies #9162: Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina
Ventura Decals #V7292: No.6 Sqn. RNZAF, Consolidated PBY-5 Catalinas Pacific Theatre 1943-1945.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Oh my Evan, you've got me hooked on this one.

 

[Wayne Little]

This should be real nice......

 

[A4K]

Cheers guys.

For this build, will be doing an RNZAF Boeing PB2B-1 Catalina, in the White/ Glossy Sea Blue scheme. Specifically, probably PA-E (NZ4033), of No.5 (FB) Sqn. RNZAF, the subject of the Aeromaster decals.

Source: catcol

Source: Catalina PBY - 5, and PB2B - 1, NZ 4001 to NZ 4056, 1944 to 1956 — Steemit
Other aircraft from same unit:

Source: RNZAF PB2B-1 Catalina PA-E - Google Search

Source: https://airpages.ru/ot/rnzaf_29.jpg

 

[Wurger]

A couple of Catalinas of No. 5 Squadron RNZAF more ...

the source: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48609702703_6aa828cc76_k.jpg

the source: History 1 | ajsnzcatalina

 

[A4K]

Dzieki my friend!

There are better shots -somewhere- on the net of PA-E, but buggered if I can find them now.

 

[Wurger]

the source: No. 5 Squadron RNZAF - Wikipedia

the source: https://scontent.fpoz4-1.fna.fbcdn....4qr_tCxvrn6rmZ-tyLVjKBIBupp2rQPRw&oe=65C502C4

the source: No 5 Squadron RNZAF — Steemit

 

[A4K]

Those are them - thankyou my friend!
(I spent hours looking for those this morning!)

 

[Wurger]

You're welcome.

 

[A4K]

Thanks again my friend.

Almost better now, so checking out sprues.

 

[Wurger]

Looking good. A quite standard for the Academy kits.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

You've gota love a Catalina.

 

[A4K]

With both of yas

 

[SaparotRob]

Looking good. A quite standard for the Academy kits.

I thought Academy was like the gold standard. I didn't build many models. Friends said very good things about Tamiya and Hasegawa. When I built the B-17 C/D I was impressed with the quality. Nicer than Revell or Monogram. Perhaps my standards were too low.

 

[Wurger]

I thought Academy was like the gold standard. I didn't build many models. Friends said very good things about Tamiya and Hasegawa. When I built the B-17 C/D I was impressed with the quality. Nicer than Revell or Monogram. Perhaps my standards were too low.

All that glitters is not gold. The Academy kits are moulded very clean, that's true. The panel lines are recessed and very fine, also true. The same with the rivet lines. The fitting is good usually. But ... there mistakes happen both in the part appearance and location. For instance the exhaust pipes of the 1/72 Bf 109E are moulded conversely , the fuseage is of the incorrect shape in its cross-section behind the cockpit. Also the Fw 190A of the same scale has the prop with blades moulded reversedly. So it is not the air screw but a fan. Etc ... etc... etc...
Generally the Academy kits are fine and not too expensive. And it is possible to make a good model using their kits. For these who assemble models for themself as the OOB, it is a good and cheap alternative.

 

[A4K]

Agree with Wojtek.
Though very clean and finely detailed panel lines and rivets (as Wojtek said), they sometimes suffer from general shape inaccuracy (Bf 109E, Fw 190A-6, TBF-1 Avenger, etc) which often require major surgery. Very disheartening.
With this kit I am not even going to put it near a plan, just in case. It 'looks right' to me, and is certainly better than Revell's original offering aswell as Airfix's PBY-5A. Academy's PBY-5A has also been reboxed by Revell and Hobby 2000, so it must be fairly correct - Hobby 2000 only rebox the best available kit of a given subject.

 

[Wayne Little]

This should be a good one for you Evan, looking forward to it.

 

[A4K]

Hoping so Wayne! Cheers mate.

 

[A4K]

First parts off last night, and difference in detail of the kit and PE parts.