mlicari Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 Well, since both my A-4M and Me-262 were finished a few weeks ago, I've since started Special Hobby's SB2A-3 Buccaneer. This is a rather obscure plane, and was never used in combat. Instead, it served in a training role so that pilots could get accustomed to the performance of a front-line aircraft. As you can see, it's a mixed-media short-run kit, with photo etched parts (yuck), resin interior parts and engine (sigh), soft plastic and seems to be standard for Special Hobby: ambivalent and unclear instructions. Should be fun! Initial progress on the cockpit and rear crew position... Adding some of the interior to the fuselage sides. The mix of resin and plastic and totally unclear instructions makes it challenging to ensure everything is lined up. Not including photo-etched pieces, there are 55 plastic and resin parts that need to go in the fuselage before closing it up!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted October 9, 2016 Author Share Posted October 9, 2016 Wings! The wheel wells are boxed in with inserts. Painting the interior... Instrument panel turns out nicely with some dry brushing and clear gloss on the dials. This part is no bigger than my thumbnail. With care, patience, and dryfitting, the fuselage actually closes up nicely. That's it so far! Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Grandboof Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 Nice work Martin H Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted October 9, 2016 Author Share Posted October 9, 2016 Thanks! Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 Finally circling back to this one. Assembling the engine, and the final product. Attaching the starboard wing. There are no tabs or slots...it's a butt joint so I'll leave it to dry over night. You can see there's a PE detail part in the wheel well. Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 Ok, so I couldn't resist, and attached the port wing. I actually attached the horizontal stabilizers as well. Pic later. Here is one of the PE bomb racks. The main part has to be bent into a "V" and then the four feet bent out; after that, another part is inserted that has the bomb attachment points. Very difficult to line everything up to be hit with a bit of CA. Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RKic Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 All those tiny bits are really adding up to a great whole! That cockpit looks amazing. Are those sparrows and sidewinders going to be internally mounted in the weapons bay? ;-) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 Thanks! It's a slow build. I have a whole bunch of Special Hobby kits in the stash staring at me, so GBs like this really help give me motivation to build them. Quote Are those sparrows and sidewinders going to be internally mounted in the weapons bay? ;-) LOL! They go with the Academy F/A-18F I'm doing for this GB! Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted October 22, 2016 Author Share Posted October 22, 2016 Here's the engine. I didn't do too much with it, since it'll be fairly well buried in a tight cowling. Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted October 28, 2016 Author Share Posted October 28, 2016 Engine installed, cowling face fitted, and some small seams dealt with along the wing roots. The fit of all of this isn't perfect but far from terrible. I've had "mainstream" kits with wing root and cowling issues far greater than this it. Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RKic Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 I just love how this one is turning out. It looks like a really involved project, as it comes together piece by little piece. Those butt joint wings though...yikes. no fun! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted October 28, 2016 Author Share Posted October 28, 2016 Thanks! This is indeed an involved project...one that is really enjoyable though since it ends up coming together well. Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted November 27, 2016 Author Share Posted November 27, 2016 Still plugging away at this. The cowling face really needed a lot of work to remove the seam and step...it just didn't fit well. I also built the rear flexible twin .30cal machinegun mount and got to work on the landing gear. Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Grandboof Posted November 27, 2016 Share Posted November 27, 2016 Great progress Martin H Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted November 29, 2016 Author Share Posted November 29, 2016 On 11/27/2016 at 6:02 AM, Grandboof said: Great progress Martin H Thanks Martin! A bit more progress. I got the machineguns mounted, and assembled the gear doors and wheels. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted November 30, 2016 Author Share Posted November 30, 2016 Assembled the second bomb rack (finally) and got both attached. Delicate PE parts. Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted December 2, 2016 Author Share Posted December 2, 2016 Canopy masked and attached! Ready for paint! The rear clear part fit pretty well, but the forward part did not meet up with the rear part. I carefully filled the gap with white glue. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RKic Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 Holy cow! Too bad to see all that detail under glass, but I'm glad you got it to fit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted December 7, 2016 Author Share Posted December 7, 2016 On 12/4/2016 at 11:23 PM, RKic said: Holy cow! Too bad to see all that detail under glass, but I'm glad you got it to fit. Yeah, I know. I guess I'm glad I built this one for the Group Build, since it prompted me to take a lot of pictures of that interior! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RKic Posted December 7, 2016 Share Posted December 7, 2016 It really is an incredible job you did, on an incredible looking model. It is compelling me to have a go at a Special Hobby kit. The last one I tried (Vindicator) was a spectacular failure, but it was one of their earlier releases, and I was a less experienced modeler. I also tried to rush it. Anyway, I asked the wife to get me an SH Buffalo for Christmas :D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 LOL. I have a bunch of SH kits in the stash, but this is only the third one I've built from that company. I did the Barracuda Mk III ten years ago, and really had a hard time with it...mostly due to my inexperience at the time. I built their F2A-3 Buffalo four years ago; nice kit. I had some difficulty getting all the resin into the small cockpit, but I probably didn't spend enough time test fitting. Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kurnass77 Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Great progress,I like the WW2 torpedo bomber and honestly 'till your build,I haven't memory to have see this one... Keep up the good wotk my friend! Gianni Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted December 10, 2016 Author Share Posted December 10, 2016 Thanks! It's an obscure plane...one that never reached front-line service. Those that were built were relegated to training units. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted January 28, 2017 Author Share Posted January 28, 2017 Progress! Looks sharp in the tri-color scheme, I think. Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Grandboof Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Looking good keep it up Martin H Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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