GB-69 1/48 PBJ Mitchell - Maritime Aircraft WWII

[talbot]

excellent paint work Brian

 

[fubar57]

Agreed

 

[F-104nut]

Got the control sticks painted the right colors. Bombadier ammo box , panel equipment , tail gunner and cushion painted. Next to start spraying clear gloss for wash .

IMG_9905 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9900 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9904 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9906 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9903 by b007scott, on Flickr


Brian

 

[Wurger]

 

[Gnomey]

Good work so far!

 

[CATCH 22]

Tonight on ther PBJ channel. More sub assembles glued , clened up and ready for paint. My only two complaints on the kit is the engines could have been better detailed and cockpit throttles. I looked at aftermarktet engines and they are wanting $50 just cant see spending that on something you wont see much through the cowling . Got the left wing assembled , wings test fitted and really great fit.
Brian

Looking at this photo:

IMHO one can not use the Norden and the nose-gun at the same time. That gun-support has been used when the nose gun was fixed and fired by the pilot. When the Norden is there only a bombardier will be using it. In such case the bombardier is the nose gunner but without that support. When using the Norden the gun, hanging on its adapters and cables has to be in the "high" position.
I believe the model-makers used this photo of a real PBJ-1J from VMB 443 when detailing the nose:

There is no Norden. What we see on the left side is the bombardier's panel.
And here's the bombardier's station with the Norden:

The 2 fixed guns are still there but no place for a fixed 3-rd one.
Here's a very good photo of a PBJ-1J from the above mentioned VMB 443. It is obviously a bombing run from a higher altitude. Check the position of the front, flexible gun. It's horizontal which means fixed with the support. With a very great probability the pilot is releasing the bombs and there is no bombardier.

For comparison below: the typical position of the flexible nose gun during a mission with a bombardier:

Cheers!

 

[Wurger]

 

[F-104nut]

Looking at this photo:
View attachment 873978
IMHO one can not use the Norden and the nose-gun at the same time. That gun-support has been used when the nose gun was fixed and fired by the pilot. When the Norden is there only a bombardier will be using it. In such case the bombardier is the nose gunner but without that support. When using the Norden the gun, hanging on its adapters and cables has to be in the "high" position.
I believe the model-makers used this photo of a real PBJ-1J from VMB 443 when detailing the nose:
View attachment 873960
There is no Norden. What we see on the left side is the bombardier's panel.
And here's the bombardier's station with the Norden:
View attachment 873961
The 2 fixed guns are still there but no place for a fixed 3-rd one.
Here's a very good photo of a PBJ-1J from the above mentioned VMB 443. It is obviously a bombing run from a higher altitude. Check the position of the front, flexible gun. It's horizontal which means fixed with the support. With a very great probability the pilot is releasing the bombs and there is no bombardier.
View attachment 873976
For comparison below: the typical position of the flexible nose gun during a mission with a bombardier:
View attachment 873975
Cheers!

Thanks for the info !! I'll leave the Bomb Sight out !

 

[F-104nut]

I had pics to update but my computer died last night I have a new one coming next week sometime . Hopefully hopefully I will be able to get it set up before my wife leaves town. If not, it will be the week after with an update so that will give me plenty of time for modeling and pics the following week.


Brian

 

[CATCH 22]

Thanks for the info !! I'll leave the Bomb Sight out !

Which unit will be your PBJ from? VMB 611 (as the boxart)?
MB9 was captured in a famous photograph:

I do suspect something I've seen on other PBJs in the Pacific: check the waist window, visible in the above photo. It's too dark and somehow bulbous on the front side. I guess this is a wind deflector (installed in field) and the plexiglas is not there.
Something like this sans the cameraman:

The wind deflector is probably from the standard type though:

This is one of the many reasons to like PBJs - they are not simply blue painted B-25s.
Cheers!

 

[F-104nut]

Which unit will be your PBJ from? VMB 611 (as the boxart)?
MB9 was captured in a famous photograph:
View attachment 874019
View attachment 874020
I do suspect something I've seen on other PBJs in the Pacific: check the waist window, visible in the above photo. It's too dark and somehow bulbous on the front side. I guess this is a wind deflector (installed in field) and the plexiglas is not there.
Something like this sans the cameraman:
View attachment 874021
The wind deflector is probably from the standard type though:
View attachment 874022
This is one of the many reasons to like PBJs - they are not simply blue painted B-25s.
Cheers!

I'm. Really thinking of the overall GSB stationed at Cherry Point 1945 . I love GSB and you don't see allot of them !

 

[CATCH 22]

I'm. Really thinking of the overall GSB stationed at Cherry Point 1945 . I love GSB and you don't see allot of them !

Oh, I see, no mods there.
It's interesting (and I couldn't find why), this is the single GSB (repainted) a/c in the squadron AFAIK.

 

[CATCH 22]

View attachment 874037

P.S. After a closer examination of the above photo, I can say, there is a second dark-painted a/c in the background. So #6 was not the single one!

 

[Gnomey]

Nice work so far!

 

[F-104nut]

Finally got my new computer so here is the PBJ Mitchell update finally . Spent the last week working on the various interior parts . The cockpit really looks great with the Quinta studio. The kit lacked throttle details so i scratch built throttles and they worked out great and add more life to the cockpit . Closing up the fuselage was pretty nice and seams cleaned up pretty nice . Now working on the wash on the landing gear and radial engine .

E67D7AFD-60C6-4A2C-8270-644BB3558BA8 by b007scott, on Flickr

03EB81F0-F2B5-49A0-9D89-922CDA85A704 by b007scott, on Flickr

A1893C7E-F840-42C6-82A8-411652ABC92E by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9961 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9953 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9952 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9954 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9951 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9977 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9979 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9978 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9980 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9993 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9994 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9995 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9996 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_9999 by b007scott, on Flickr

0994936C-CD52-4FAE-B633-EC5ECA788534 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_0001 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_0004 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_0003 by b007scott, on Flickr

IMG_0002 by b007scott, on Flickr


Brian

 

[Wurger]

 

[CATCH 22]

Finally got my new computer so here is the PBJ Mitchell update finally . Spent the last week working on the various interior parts . The cockpit really looks great with the Quinta studio. The kit lacked throttle details so i scratch built throttles and they worked out great and add more life to the cockpit . Closing up the fuselage was pretty nice and seams cleaned up pretty nice . Now working on the wash on the landing gear and radial engine .

Brian

Hi Brian!
Very nice progress! This might be the only B-25 model (see P.S.) one of the B-25-models showing the amo-boxes for the blister guns in their proper locations. BTW I haven't seen (so far) a wartime photo, showing this exact area from the inside. If somebody has one, please post it! There is only a photo from a manual with the top turret pedestal and the ammo-boxes on the left side (of the plane, right side on the photo):

Here is a diagram of the blister guns and amo-boxes with chutes:

The cartridge feed chutes are slightly different. The chute for the top gun comes from the second box (the higher one). The lower box is for the bottom gun and the chute goes down to it. You don't need to change or modify anything - no one will see it. One addition maybe: the chutes and cartridges are not green. I know how small those details are in 1:48 are. Maybe some "silver" will do it.

Cheers!
P.S. In fact the venerable Revell/Monogram B-25J/H model has these amo-boxes as well. They are called "ammunition packages" (#57) in the Monogram-boxing and are shown IMHO wrong in size and form. But what is interesting is the shelf (to be painted yellow-green) under the boxes, which was there in the real plane.

In the Revell-boxing this part # 57 is called "Storage Locker" :

 

[fubar57]

Really nice looking innards, Brian

 

[Gnomey]

Good work so far!

 

[F-104nut]

Hi Brian!
Very nice progress! This might be the only B-25 model showing the amo-boxes for the blister guns in their proper locations. BTW I haven't seen (so far) a wartime photo, showing this exact area from the inside. If somebody has one, please post it!
Here is a diagram of the blister guns and amo-boxes with chutes:
View attachment 874695
The cartridge feed chutes are slightly different. The chute for the top gun comes from the second box (the higher one). The lower box is for the bottom gun and the chute goes down to it. You don't need to change or modify anything - no one will see it. One addition maybe: the chutes and cartridges are not green. I know how small those details are in 1:48 are. Maybe some "silver" will do it.
View attachment 874699
Cheers!

Maybe on another build ill try it. But by the time you get the top turret installed you wont see it . I appreciate the ideas though