Monagram 1/48 P-61A

[Donivanp]

I've been working on this during my breaks at home (Monday and Tuesdays). Monogram/Revell P-61A one of first 37 with .50 cal turret.

 

[Donivanp]

Now I have been looking at ways to distribute the nose weight. I am trying to pour lead weight to moulds from the parts. starting with the nose gear wheel well upper surface. Not doing to well or toobad so fare

 

[Donivanp]

Using Plaster of Paris to make the molds and pouring lead fishing weights in melting them down and pouring. Trying is half the fun right. Also working on the clear nose for the RADAR. Most of the early P-61's had a clear nose that was frosted over. Not a white nose. I picked up a Mattel Vac-U-Form and have been trying to vac the nose.

 

[Donivanp]

It is taking time becauseI don't have the time to commit to full time. but I am just trying a few things.

 

[fubar57]

Well......look what the semi dragged in. Welcome back Don. Somewhere on that bench I think I see a P-61 which is looking pretty darn good.

 

[F-104nut]

Looking really great Don. Sweet job on the nose weight . Looking forward to seeing this done as i am a big P-61 fan

Brian

 

[Donivanp]

Thanks guys. I'm trying several things. takes a LOT of nose weight.

 

[Robert Porter]

Looks like you are coming right along! I have one in my stash so paying attention!

 

[Airframes]

Good stuff Don - and some of those pics would not be out of place in the Tate Modern gallery !

 

[mikewint]

Impressive, don't think I've ever seen anyone actually melt and cast lead into a nose weight. As a much simpler alternative: Tungsten Putty. It is easily hand formed into any shape, is somewhat sticky so it stays in place, is non-toxic, and does not dry out. As a bonus tungsten is 1.7 times the density of lead. You can buy soild tungsten fishing weights but tungsten is not easily malleable so you're stuck with their shape. My Lady in the Dark

 

[Donivanp]

Impressive, don't think I've ever seen anyone actually melt and cast lead into a nose weight. As a much simpler alternative: Tungsten Putty. It is easily hand formed into any shape, is somewhat sticky so it stays in place, is non-toxic, and does not dry out. As a bonus tungsten is 1.7 times the density of lead.

Sound nice Mike but I am looking for a place and way to hide the weight in large Monogram type kits. I could put the weight in the nose but I'm doing a clear nose for the radar And by doing it this way I'm learning how to do a cockpit/bombardier's station for a B-29 or B-26. May not work but what the hell. Not to mention a quick look on the tungsten putty was 12.95 for an oz plush shipping.

 

[fubar57]

Here's a photo of a P-61A-1NO, only 45 were built. The nose is quite opaque...

 

[mikewint]

George, the kit comes with two noses, a short and long depending on whether you want to do the radar dish in the nose. My first P-61 was painted OD green and I used the short nose packed with putty. When I did the Lady I was more ambitious and did the radar dish. I was going to glue it open, as if hinged, but decided not to do so in the end as the real nose was not hinged. In the case of the Lady the putty was packed into the engine cowls so the nose could be removed. From Donivanp's post he has a clear nose.
IMHO the convenience of the putty and its density more than make up for it's cost and I pay about half that. In extreme cases, like the B-29 I used putty and solid tungsten fishing weights in all four engine cowls

 

[Gnomey]

Nicely done so far!

 

[Airframes]

I haven't seen any pics of a P-61 with a clear nose. I have seen one pic where the nose appears to be slightly clear, but this is due to the bright, low sun back-light, shining through the opaque Plexiglass, vaguely outlining the radar dish inside. The clear Plexiglass was painted, or tinted, a light grey colour.

 

[mikewint]

P-61 noses were made of fiberglass. I have pictures in my P-61 books which, while under factory flight testing, had a bright light behind them such as the sun or a factory light. In each case, the bright lighting in the background revealed the translucent nature of the fiberglass. It was not clear like Perspex by any means but you could still see the definite silhouette of the radar in the nose filtered through the fiberglass. The early O.D. birds would sometimes come with a greyish overcoating and the bottoms were often painted with a form of lead paint. I believe that was to reduce ground clutter but I could be wrong about that. I thought I read that in one of my Widow references. I'll have to double check on that.
From a pic on line. Apparently clear nose cones are available in the Great Wall kits

 

[Airframes]

I'd actually thought that the nose cone would be fibreglass, although at least one description mentions Plexiglass. This is entirely possible, as the Mosquito and Beaufighter radar nose cone was made from clear Perspex, again mainly painted in a light grey colour, although post WW2, these were often left un-painted.
I think you're probably right regarding the lower section.
I'm guessing that the clear nose cone in the kit is to allow the radar dish to be displayed.

 

[Robert Porter]

I wonder if the clear nose cones are provided like the "visible B17 half" just to show the pieces of the radar as opposed to representing anything in reality?

Oops, my post crossed with yours, I see you suggested the same possibility.

 

[mikewint]

That would be my thought. Like the B-29 kit, always thought 1/2 of the fuselage should have been clear

 

[Robert Porter]

There was a post I read, I think on Flory Models, where a guy made a mold from the port side of the fuselage of the B-29 kit and poured it in clear resin of some kind. Said he actually had to make the mold "looser" I assume meaning bigger in order to allow for sanding and polishing. But the result was just like the visible B-17 except it was the B-29.