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1/6 Scale B-26 Marauder 'Flak Bait' - NOW FLOWN


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Here's the current project we've got on at work at present, due to be completed at the end of August and shipped out to the USA for the 'Warbirds over the Rockies' show.

The wing has just been glued on today with only the fin and outer wing panels removing for shipping and transport. The whole model has surface detail applied ( panels & rivets ) and is in its silver base coat, except the area over the wing which still needs sheeting.

Power is from two Zenoah 80cc flat twins. Cockpit and turret detailing will be one of the last jobs, the level of detail being dictated by time left before shipping.

b26a.jpg

b26b.jpg

b26c.jpg

Edited by Army_Air_Force
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No radials! For this aircraft we need power. The new owner flies from a site that is 6,000 feet above sea level. Originally the model was being built for two 45cc engines. Later this was changed for 60cc as they were little different in size and weight compared to the 45cc's. But the owner said that engines loose about 20% of their power flying from his site due to the altitude.

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Stephen,

What a wonderful project that you have taken on....It is looking very nice and I wish I could see it for real...!

Your builds are always impressive to see and following your techniques always a pleasure to see and read about....

Can't wait to see more....

Good workmasnhip...

...HOLMES :rolleyes:

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The wing loading of the model will be considerably less than the fullsize. The model spans about 12 feet, and other than the engines and radio, everything will have been scratch built.

One of the engines

b26c.jpg

Glazing vac-form plugs

b26d.jpg

Bi-fold bomb door video

Edited by Army_Air_Force
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i understand the need for power at altitude.

Bomb bay doors look great! Excellent kinematics on the mechanism.

Gorgeous build!

Edited by Shawn M
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If that twin is anything like the G-23 I have, it will be perfect. Those Zenoah's run nice and sweet once broken in. Need to find a new home for mine as well as the rest of my R/C stash...

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Here's a few more pics. In the picture below is Phil. The B-26 was his own personal project started 10 years ago, but now he's running his own business, he doesn't get much time to build for himself. A guy in the USA saw the part built airframe on a forum, made Phil and offer and the deal was done. We are now finishing it as one of our commercial projects.

This picture gives some scale to the project.

b26b.jpg

Cowling detail. Flush rivets are melted into the primer with a small brass tube in a soldering iron. The fuselage has around 20,000 rivets, mostly mushroom head, but some flush around the nose.

b26f.jpg

Vac-formed gun packs with resin cast barrels.

b26g.jpg

Edited by Army_Air_Force
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  • 4 weeks later...

Started painting the B-26 this week. Here's the outer wing panels severly weathered, based on photos of the real aircraft. After the silver base coat, larger areas were masked off and the edges stippled with Vaseline using a stiff brush. After the olive drab was sprayed and dried, the paint was wiped away with a flatting pad, and some hot soapy water.

B26wings.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

She's a beauty!!!!

I wish my Dad could have seen this model. He was a member of the 322BG, 449thBS and flew a mission on "FLAK BAIT"

Feb-1944

5th Ruisseauville bombed Enoq 41-31756 PN-T Gayle 449th

8th Bois de Crequy noball 41-31757 PN-G We Dood It 449th

8th Bois D'Enfer noball 41-31773 PN-O Flak Bait 449th

9th Tergnier marshalling yards 41-31757 PN-G We Dood It 449th

13th Les Petits Moraux 41-31757 PN-G We Dood It 449th

15th La Glacerie B noball 41-31757 PN-G We Dood It 449th

16th 41-31757 PN-G We Dood It 449th

21st Gilze Rijen airfield 41-31757 PN-G We Dood It 449th

22nd Gilze Rijen airfield 41-31757 PN-G We Dood It 449th

23rd Gilze Rijen airfield 41-31757 PN-G We Dood It 449th

25th Bois D'Enfer noball 41-31919 DR-N Peasapis 452nd borrowed

dON923(FLYLO)

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AAF

I've never been good at posting photos on this site even now since I have a flicker site I've been unable to figure out how to post photos.

Most of what I have of "Flak Bait" have been seen in publications but I'll check through my 322ndBG file see what else I might have.

then figure outhow to get the file to you.

Jim Ferrill was the original pilot.

I just read a short story last night of "Flak Bait's" 175th mission(Butzbach marshalling yard) which after bombs were released at 8,000ft. the aircraft were order to drop down low level and straf their target a marshalling yard. This was Feb 22, 1945 and the first time the 322nd was asked to go low level since their two infamous Ijmuiden missions where all planes were lost.

Anyway "Flak Bait " had to make an emergency landing at a P-47 fighter base near the front lines. Low fuel and no hydrolics.There they had to make a low pass after they pumped their gear down, second time around the tower told them the gear appeared down.

"Flak Bait" landed without brakes and ran off the end of the runway. One airman injured by flak, and the aircraft had 75 holes when Ed Pakish (pilot)stopped counting. Ed learned later that an engine, a landing gear, and the hydraulics system had to be replaced before "Flak Bait" was able to return to it's home base.

So" Flak Bait" almost got scrapped, after that mision.

Don923(flylo)

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