Jump to content

Building Tips for The 48th Scale P-61 Black Widow


Recommended Posts

Snagged a 1/48 Monogram P-61 at a show today for $3. I was really looking for a Dragon 1/72 kit, but $3 as too great of a deal to pass on. (Never did spot a 1/72 kit)

I remember a long while back, some guys in Florida used the cowls from either a Corsair or Bearcat. Any further info on this? Is this even correct?

Thanks!

Jeff

No, neither one would be correct on a P-61. BTW, great snag!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Terry, is there a way we can check out your builds? Any pics to share or a site up that we can check out? I'm curious how you handled the canopy parts (fit wise).

Aaron

Hi Aaron,

Not right at the moment but, I plan to update my article in the near future and will try to include some photos.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 months later...

Would there be any plan/interest in collecting the major points of building/correcting the Great Wall Widow here? After all the discussion about the nose, the thing that stands out to me is that small rear lower canopy frame. I don't know what to do about it, but sanding and rescribing isn't a choice to me unless someone comes out with a corrected canopy paintng mask or such.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Can anyone here afford the GWH kit? I am too scared to spend that kind of money for it just to find out they make the same kind of mistakes as Trumpeter would make. $77 shelf price is not cheep. I want to build a F2T-1 aircraft as used by the Marines. Supposedly there were some used as ground support aircraft in Korea, but that is unconfirmed. The only thing that I know of is that they were used In Miramar in 1946. But also Miramar had only 5 of the 12 procured by the Marines. So what happened to the other 7 that were received. The Marines were slated to get 75 F2T-1s but only took delivery of 12 in favor of the F7F. Everything I could find in the archives was that the last two were taken out of service in mid 1947. I don't think that these aircraft would be used in Korea if they were not in theater at the time. There were so many new aircraft being built at that time that it would not made sense.

Edited by Otto
Link to post
Share on other sites

The GWH kit has it's share of problems.The RM kit is still a viable kit and less than half the price of the GWH kit. To my knowledge, no P-61/F2Ts were in Korea. I think most of the F2Ts stayed in either Florida or North Carolina, not sure which. The F2T1s were P-61As while the F2T2s were P-61Bs. I'd have to check to be sure but, I don't think any of the F2Ts had turrets. The only visual difference between the P-61 and F2T was the markings.

Cheers, Terry

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

Just started a Revell P-61 my brother-in-law gave me for Christmas, first one I've built in a long time. I went ahead and grabbed the interior and exterior PE from fellow ARC'ers but other than that it will be out of the box, including the smooth tires. My brother won't know the difference. I may score then with the razor saw to give some texture. Since I don't have display space for it I'll take it back to him when done for his study. I'm going to build it with a donated engine and cowl from another kit, all doors and windows open and in a diorama under maintenance. The PE vents for the wings challenged me but I got them together. They sure look better than the flat front in the vent. Back to work...

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

I couldn't find any info on the Quickboost P-61 cowls so, I can't say it they will or not. Got me curious about that now.

Cheers, Terry

I meant to say True Details, sorry about that.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 months later...

Anyone get the new Quickboost cowlings for the P-61 yet? I did not hear good things on the True detail ones but thought the quick boost might be different.

48431.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have a pair of the True Details cowls. The only real problem with them is that they are a royal PITA to remove from the mold block with out doing damage to the cowl lip.(ask me how I found that out :bandhead2: The Quickboost cowls(judging just from the photos) look to be easier to remove from the mold block but it looks like there would be more clean-up work to do inside the cowl. Both sets appear to have the correct shape so, IMHO, 6 of one, hafl-dozen of another.

Cheers, Terry

Link to post
Share on other sites

I just can't see spending another $40 for the Vector cowlings and props when you can spend half that on the Quick Boost and True detail stuff. The vector stuff is truly beautiful but sometimes overkill and just too rich for my blood. The kit sells for $14 and I'm supposed to spend $40 for extra parts just to make it look right? I would love to have throw away money but I would rather send it on other stuff than to send it to the Soviet Union.

Link to post
Share on other sites

... I would love to have throw away money but I would rather send it on other stuff than to send it to the Soviet Union.

:deadhorse1:

Hmmm, the last time you could possibly have done that was about 21 years ago.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I just can't see spending another $40 for the Vector cowlings and props when you can spend half that on the Quick Boost and True detail stuff. The vector stuff is truly beautiful but sometimes overkill and just too rich for my blood. The kit sells for $14 and I'm supposed to spend $40 for extra parts just to make it look right? I would love to have throw away money but I would rather send it on other stuff than to send it to the Soviet Union.

if price is really the only factor, nothing can beat 10 minutes of sanding. Whatever A/M cowling you choose, I don't think they molded it thinking on the Mon kit. And I think the statement about Soviet Union is outright xenophobic. The price of outdated Mon kits may be competitive in US, outside that part of the world they are just outdated kits...

Link to post
Share on other sites

:deadhorse1:

Hmmm, the last time you could possibly have done that was about 21 years ago.

Things have not changed since the so called fall. A spade by any other name is still a spade. my origins are Czech and I was there when the Commies brought in tanks in 68. That was one reason I joined the Marines in 77. I wanted to get some payback. I did get a little but not enough to satisfy me. When you see a fellow countrymen stumbling down the main square burning, it has a tendency to leave a fowl taste in your mouth against the perpetrators. Now I can just do it financially. :monkeydance:

Link to post
Share on other sites

I would love to have throw away money but I would rather send it on other stuff than to send it to the Soviet Union.

WOW, what a passage... Well at least now I see an origin of your "love" to my products... And I guessed, why the word "Vector" reacts on you as a red rag on a bull, and the answer is so simple, I just was born in the wrong country. FYI from every $ only about 40-45c will go to the "Soviet Union", the rest will stay in the US.

Sergey.

Link to post
Share on other sites

WOW, what a passage... Well at least now I see an origin of your "love" to my products... And I guessed, why the word "Vector" reacts on you as a red rag on a bull, and the answer is so simple, I just was born in the wrong country. FYI from every $ only about 40-45c will go to the "Soviet Union", the rest will stay in the US.

Sergey.

Sergey, when the dog barks at the moon, the moon doesn't care....

Kindest Regards

Tom (who loves your products and was born in a "wrong" country too...)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sergey, when the dog barks at the moon, the moon doesn't care....

Kindest Regards

Tom (who loves your products and was born in a "wrong" country too...)

You'r not allone Sergey, me being Czech I don't buy German eather. I drive a Jeep and a Jaguar. I wouldn't even look at a BMW or a Mercedes. Those are just something I would run over with my Jeep. :woot.gif:

Edited by Otto
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 months later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...