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1/48 Academy B-25B Mitchell


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After the Revell PV-1 Ventura build, I really need to work on basically an OOB with just some enhancements, so when the opportunity came to build the Academy B-25B I decided that it was the perfect choice. The kit is another of the endless re-issues of the Accurate Miniature's original molding dating back to 1999. That said, the kit is still a highly detailed replica that is the equal to, or even more detailed them many of todays releases.

The kit represents all the aircraft used in the famous April 18,1942 Doolittle raid on Tokyo, that was made even more famous with the release of the movie "30 seconds over Tokyo".

Work started with the construction of the cockpit. Since one has to look through the cockpit glass to view the interior, I'm not that concerned with adding extra detail to it, but rather trying to fool the viewers eye with detail painting and just adding home made seatbelts and harnesses.

The cockpit was painted a base color of Life Color Interior Green thinned 1:4 with their proprietary thinner. The Instrument panel is a molded in clear plastic, which you're instructed to use a masking medium of your own choosing to cover all the gauges, then paint it, and finally add a instrument decal to the back of the IP. The odds of me actually getting a liquid medium to cover all the gauges correctly is slim to none. So I drilled out all he gauges.

B-25B%20002_.jpg

I then painted the IP with Tamiya Nato Black thinned 2:3 with Tamiya X20-A When dry I lightly dry brushed the IP, and then glued the cut out instrument decal to the back of the IP. Normally, I would have thinned out the panel as it's really quite thick, but test fitting showed that it is so far under the anti glare panel, that it won't be very visible.

B-25B%20014_DSC_2458.jpg

B-25B%20017_DSC_2461.jpg

I decided to make the seatbelts and harness assemblies out of layered masking tape, including the pull straps. I still haven't gotten to the point of adding buckles as I'm still trying to come up with a acceptable looking ones. I positioned the belts and harnesses as though they were just kind of tossed when the pilot and co-pilot removed them to exit the aircraft.

B-25B%20016_DSC_2460.jpg

B-25B%20012_DSC_2456.jpg

Well, that's as far as I've gotten into the build.

Joel

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Great choice! Are you going to do Ruptured Duck? If so, which nose artwork?

Also, I know you said you'd do this OOB, but DMold has some replacement cowls; they're nicely done.

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Great start Joel. I've always thought it would be nice to have a B-25 in the display case but just never get around to getting and building one. I'll live vicariously through your awesome build.

F20D,

Why thank you sir. I know you're a true Jet Jockey, while I much prefer props and 1st generation jets.

Joel

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Watching with interest. I have the Accurate Miniatures 1/48 B25-B with a few aftermarket options so will be watching your build :)/>

ciloguy,

Welcome to the party. Sure hope you enjoy my journey.

Academy 1:48 B-25B is the Accurate Miniatures 1:48 B-25B.

Jester292,

It sure is. But this time around the decals are in house not Cartograf, and there are no weights.

Joel

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Great choice! Are you going to do Ruptured Duck? If so, which nose artwork?

Also, I know you said you'd do this OOB, but DMold has some replacement cowls; they're nicely done.

dnl42,

I've looked at the DMold cowls, and the only real difference is the diameter of the engine opening. I'm planning on trying to enlarge the kit ones and see how that looks.

As for which aircraft I'm going to model, I'm really leaning towards the No. 7 aircraft, the Ruptured Duck, 02261

Nice Start, Joel! I think, drilling out the gauges was the right thing to do - they look much better now!

Sebastijan,

Glad that you agreed with my decision to drill out the gauges.

Joel

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Joel - thanks for another one to follow. I have my mother-in-law visiting so my modeling space is occupied. I'm left to working at my desk on smaller projects for the time being. Ugh.

John

John,

Glad you're coming along for the ride.

Joel

Edited by Joel_W
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Being a plastic modeler and not a true aircraft enthusiast, I tent to miss some things do to the limited research time I spend on each build, and such is the case with the B-25B. I had taken it for granted that the Accurate Miniature offering of the B version was mostly correct, especially since none of the reviews mentioned any issues other then following the instructions for the B version. Well, the Academy kit and their instructions don't have any such references, so I thought that there weren't any. Seems that I was wrong.

1st issue was one that I knew about, but had long forgotten until it was pointed out to me by my friend karl, who has a expertise in B-17s and more then an interest in B-25s. That issue is that all USAAF bombers didn't have shoulder harnesses just lap belts till late in the war. For the B-25 Mitchell, that didn't happen until the J version. So all the time I spent making those harnesses was for nothing, and I just removed them. I also couldn't fabricate decent looking latches for the seatbelts from wire, so I decided to use a pair of oversize ones. Once the fuselage is closed up and the cockpit greenhouse installed, the viewer won't notice the slight oversize, but surely would have noticed their omission. Also keep in mind that you're looking at a picture 2 or 3 times life size, so the oversizing is that much more glaring then in real life.

B-25B%20021_DSC_2465_1.jpg

Brian, another long time Model builder and Friend pointed out that the early B version, which was the correct version for the raid on Tokyo, had the early fuselage with a difference window layout on both sides then what the kit fuselage has. So I'm assuming that the original molds were modified for the C/D version. Once I do the work, I'll post pictures so you can see the difference before and after.

Joel

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I'm curious to see how this goes. I know someone building this kit at the moment who is having all kinds of fit issues, so I'm curious to see how you fare. Great start too. The IP looks great.

jinmmydel,

Welcome to the party.

All I can do is give it my best. Hopefully there will be a successful completion to the build.

Joel

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...

Brian, another long time Model builder and Friend pointed out that the early B version, which was the correct version for the raid on Tokyo, had the early fuselage with a difference window layout on both sides then what the kit fuselage has. So I'm assuming that the original molds were modified for the C/D version. Once I do the work, I'll post pictures so you can see the difference before and after.

Hey Joel,

I just compared the B and C/D fuselages from the original AM boxings. The C/D starboard side has an oval window just above the trailing edge of the wing not present on the B. There's no difference between the port sides.

HTH

--

dnl

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Hey Joel,

I just compared the B and C/D fuselages from the original AM boxings. The C/D starboard side has an oval window just above the trailing edge of the wing not present on the B. There's no difference between the port sides.

HTH

--

dnl

dnl42,

The right side of an early B had the access hatch behind the oval window aft of the wing with the lower portion being Plexiglas. The kit I have has the hatch as solid.

The left side right behind the wing has a round window that shouldn't be there. Below there is one oval window, and the early B's had two oval windows.

doolittle_windows%201.jpg

I've done all the conversions except for figuring out just how I'm going to do the clear Plexiglas. I'm more inclined to use regular sheet, paint it black, then at the very end of the build level them off with Krystal Kleer. that way I don't have to mask them like the rest of the windows.

Joel

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Ok, time for a real update. I've finished the window back dating as pointed out by Brian, using the references he supplied, which was more then enough to get the job done.

This is the right side of the fuselage.

B-25B%20024_DSC_2468.jpg

The access hatch has for the earlier B ver has a split window with the window on the bottom portion of the hatch rather then the oval window on the top of the hatch. So I cut open the entire hatch.

B-25B%20027_DSC_2471.jpg

I made a slightly larger top portion plug to represent the door and rounded the edges just so that a wash would settle in nicely. Once dry I sanded it smooth to the surface.

B-25B%20028_DSC_2472.jpg

The left side of the fuselage is a little more complex to correct.

B-25B%20024_DSC_2468.jpg

The round oval needs to be plugged. So I made a two part plug to give the plug a great deal of gluing area for the modification to follow. The small plug fits the opening while the larger one fits the recessed area behind the window.

B-25B%20026_DSC_2470.jpg

When the plug dried, I used bondo to blend it in, followed by a coat of Thin CCA glue to seal any air bubble holes.

B-25B%20030_DSC_2474.jpg

Then I used the existing oval window to trace the opening on a piece of sheet plastic to cut out and use as a template. Then drilled some starter holes, and slowly worked the window till I got the basic shape.

B-25B%20031_DSC_2475.jpg

Still need to do a little more shaping, but it's about as good as I can get.

Now I need to decide how I'm going to deal with the new clear window issue.

Joel

Edited by Joel_W
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Nice work matey,

Also tagged as a reference for my build. I have used Micro Crystal Clear to form small windows, the trick being to not let a large glob build up as that gives that fish eye look. I am sure you will figure it out and get further advice along the way.

Regards,

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Nice work matey,

Also tagged as a reference for my build. I have used Micro Crystal Clear to form small windows, the trick being to not let a large glob build up as that gives that fish eye look. I am sure you will figure it out and get further advice along the way.

Regards,

Kent,

Thanks so much for stopping by and having a look, it's much appreciated. I've been using Krystal Kleer since the 70s, and as you said not using large doses all at once is the answer. On the PV-1 there are several lenses that are made that way. I just use several layers letting each one dry overnight before adding the next layer. Eventually, it will level out with the skin of the fuselage.

Joel

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