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Academy PBY-5A Black Cat 1/72


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My first build post here - coming over from LSP.  Trying to make an 'In Flight' PBY but having a few issues with the instructions which don't exactly say how to build the wheels up.  Still working on that.

K4mMhH.jpg

 

I have the KitsWorld Black Cat decals as well so am doing #30, one of the few birds with nose art.

wVPgHO.jpg

One thing about the Cats is that with all of that glass, there is a LOT of masking.  I'm not a fabulous masker so I am a big fan of Eduards's masks:  I didn't exactly count, but yes, it is close to 70 masks for the set. Don't forget the 6 on the fuselage too!

WKrSte.jpg

 

Eduard's instructions:

8Wj2bR.jpg

 

There is not much to the interior in this scale, and even the instrument panel decal was cut off in the printing process - but you can't really see it.  I painted on seat belts as well more for effect than anything else.

jh7EhN.jpg

 

You can see the extensive rivet detail which is shown to good effect with the light spray of the white Vallejo primer.  It should be much less visible with the overcoat of black paint.

 

The interior was sprayed with the Vallejo Green Zinc Chromate, which I think looks much more like interior green than the Vallejo Interior Green which looks like Olive Drab to me.  The '37' and '36' in sharpie are so I had the proper part numbers after I removed them from the sprue.  The white around the windows in each fuselage is actually white glue.  I don't usually glue in windows like this but knew I would be applying and removing masks so wanted to make sure they were well glued in.

daJPXj.jpg

 

Here are the wing sections:

jol0Ow.jpg

Since the plane is in flight, the wing floats are up and on the wing tips.

and the bottoms:

VXI5ea.jpg

 

More to come!


Chris

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Chris

Drawn like a magnet to the Big Black Cat build thread as I knew it was coming.!

Holy Cow, what a ton of masking right out of the gate - looks real good and spot on. Of course, a confession on my part - I'm not great at masking glass myself and always look for pre-cut masks to not only make life easier but to have a fighting change of getting the framing right. Nice work on the interior and agree about the interior color but what's new - as every paint company has their own take. Nice call on the fuselage glass so blending them in from the outside will be a lot easier.

Looking forward to following your build unti the Cat is across the line..

Keep 'em comin

:popcorn::popcorn:

Peter

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Chris,

  1st off Welcome to ARC. So glad that you decided to make the move from LSP to join us here. 

 

  I've also got the Academy PBY-5A as a planned build for later this year, but I'll be doing Strawberry 5 if I can find the appropriate letter/Number decal sheet, as well as wheels and floats down.  So I'll be following your build quite closely. like  you, the 1st thing AM purchase was Eduard's masking set. No way would I attempt the PBY without it. 

 

Joel

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Peter, Joel and Rocat:  Howdy!

 

Definitely I see myself buying more and more Eduard Masks and if I can't get them then I may not do the model.  I hate Ill painted ball turrets and canopies and such. 

I used a bit of 

I JUST noticed that I Forgot to put the armor shields on the blister machine guns.  Blast.  Contemplating what to do about it at this point.  Its always something! 🙂

I put a ring of Formula 560 around the opening for the blisters and the canopy.

 

7dZimq.jpg

 

6qi3Q1.jpg

 

Here are some pics with the glass in place and I finally got the wheel is a stowed position. 

SA2Iym.jpg

 

I also came up with a solution for the wheels-up version:  I did attach parts A27 and A30 respectively to the wheels because you can JUST make out the landing gear at the top of the wheel. 

2zyX1p.jpg

 

Then I cut some of the sprue and glued that into the wheel wells, and simply glued the wheels to the sprue.    I attached the landing gear to the wheel to give me some depth (these wheel wells are DEEP!).  I just could not figure out how to cut the kit landing gear to show the wheels in a stowed position.  This seemed to be the easiest direction.  The landing gear is actually glued to the top piece of sprue - the bottom one is a bit too far back actually.

 

I did get a coat of black on the Cat, but am letting that dry, then will see about assembling the wings and then seeing how the glass looks.

 

That's it for now!

Chris

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Chris,

  Excellent job on all those masks. The glass does look like it fits pretty good. Since I've also got a Academy kit ready to go, that's a major plus in my book.  As for the engineering to get the wheels in the up position and correctly orientated, you nailed buddy. Great job.

Joel

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Thanks Joel, they really are the only way to go in this scale.  I know someone who uses BMF and I just can't get the hang of that.  I seem to have a decent system with the Eduard masks, although the yellow tape doesn't show the cuts very well.  I use a mag light and a very small Xacto blade to gently lift and remove the mask, and then to help me position it on the model.  Takes patience, but then again, what doesn't?  The glass fits pretty well, but the forward fuselage windows are VERY easy to get crooked (ask me how I know...).  The smaller rectangle windows aft and the circular ones seem to fit just fine.

 

The Canopy glass is maybe a hair too narrow but that is an easy fix.  The nose gun just sits into some grooves so it can turn - I had to remember to turn it to get the back side painted.  I guess you could paint it before you install it.  If you use the Later model nose gun, BE CAREFUL!  When I was masking the inside the front corner broke.  NOT a lot of material there.  That was a pain to fix and I'll have to wait until I get the masks off to see if I fixed it properly.  Oh well.

 

Finished up with the Vallejo black a bit ago, and hit the nose and a couple of fuselage locations (and the tail) with gloss to get ready for the few decals.  


Not sure if this applies to anyone or not:  I was coming to the end of the Vallejo bottle and it seems like threads of paint made its way out of the bottle and into my spray cup (Yes, I mix in the spray cup 😇 and that clogged up my spray nozzle.  Did it twice before I figured out what the cause was (yesterday and today).  There was maybe 5-7 drops left in the bottle.  Won't do that again or I'll use my strainer.

 

Pictures later when I get the decals on.  I also decided that I need to pull the masks off the front of the blisters before I get the top wing on.  So have to figure out what I need to do to get all that ready (like the gloss coat over the decals, then a flat).  Once I get the fuselage and wing decals on, then I'll probably pull the blister masks and install the wing.  The test fit of the wing has me scared - it fit perfectly. Hmmm.. I must be doing SOMETHING wrong then!  😉

 

Chris

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Chris,

   I've never tried the Formula 560, but it sounds like a version of Micro Krystal Kleer. My very old bottle is starting to dry out, so I just might go with Formula 560 assuming that Sprue Brothers or Scale Hobbyists. com carries it. 

 

  Thanks for the tip on the nose gun.  It's almost a 100% certainly I'd end up breaking it. Just ask Pete how many times I break or damages parts. 

 

 Glad to hear that the main wing fits perfectly. BTW, I also have the Revell of Germany 1/48 scale PBY-5A, but do to the fact that I have absolutely no place to display it, it's been in the stash for years. One day I'll build it as a framed wall  display.

 

Joel

  

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So I'm working on three different planes at once:  The 1/72 Black Cat Catalina, a 1/32 Roden Pfaltz III and for a friend I'm doing the rigging on a DH 9a so a bit of multi-tasking as you can imagine.  Works well as I wait for decals and paint to dry, etc.

 

Here is latest work on the Cat. there are not many decals to be applied, but they are good ones!  The KitsWorld decals do not show size application, but its not hard to figure out.  I've already noted some differences between the different decal vendors on placement of the decals.  All of them actually including saying the wing insignia are all on the same side (which they are not, as shown in period Black Cat photos: Top left wing, bottom of the right wing.

Not a great photo, but the insignia is gray, not white and is missing most of the stat surround.  The gloss clear part of the decal is apparent here, but not so much to the naked eye.  The decals are over a coat of clear.  When they are completely dry they will get an other gloss coat, then a flat coat.

5taudY.jpg

 

The fuselage decals for Black Cat #30 are much more interesting and one of apparently only two cats with known nose art.

lp3baE.jpg

2IXVtH.jpg

ULxFPq.jpg

 

The decals, from KitsWorld, went down pretty nicely.  Using MicroSet and some gentle pressure to get the decals down into the recessed details.  Does make me wonder about why I didn't use masks instead.  The red corner decals are actually 1 piece with a thin clear decal joining the red corners.  While they went on fine, would have been a bit easier to just have cut out each of the four corners and apply them individually but they worked out ok I think.  I will keep an eye on the potential slivering, however.

 

So making headway!

 

Thanks for looking.

Chris

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Chris

Nice going  - I could never work on three kits at once! Glad to see the wing fit is going to be really good and the Big Cat is turning into a nice R&R project from your awesome Mustang build.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

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17 minutes ago, Peterpools said:

Chris

Nice going  - I could never work on three kits at once! Glad to see the wing fit is going to be really good and the Big Cat is turning into a nice R&R project from your awesome Mustang build.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

 

Thanks Peter!  I'm still getting used to the new site so posted the original message without any pictures, added now....

Did not intend on working 3 at the same time, but I was asked to rig that DH 9a so that was the added project.  NOT a fan of all that rigging, then I still have to do my Pfaltz too.  UGH.  But WNW does say to use EZ Line so I guess I am getting a LOT of practice.

 

Chris

 

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Chris

Got ya. I learning my way around myself as things are a bit different here. Took me a while to get the text and photos posted for my Harrier build.

decals look really good and sat down very well

Keep 'em comin

Peter

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Chris,

  Just got caught up on your build as I spend a lot of time answering Pete's emails. 🙊🙉🙈

 

  Excellent job on those decals, as they really sucked right down into all the nooks & crannies. One would think that you used masks.  I've used KitsWorld decals a few times, and really like them. Not the thinnest but certainly easy to work with, and yield excellent results. 

 

  One question, since you've kept the outer wing sections separate from the main section, how is the fit when all 3 sections are joined?

 

Joel

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Joel:  I have not joined them up yet.  Two things: 1 - putting on the top wing makes it a bit harder to pull off the masks from the front of the rear blisters and I wanted to wait till I got the decals on and the gloss/matte coats on before putting the wings on. 2 - I want to be very careful to get everything lined up so the wing struts fit properly.  There are eight specific mounting points for these struts so want to make sure I don't have the wing a bit crooked before getting them on.  SHOULD get the wing on tomorrow evening if all goes to plan.  😉

 

When using masks I usually run a sharp blade around the edges of the mask just to make sure no paint gets pulled up when the mask does - especially for as long as these masks have been left on - close to a week now I think.  The top wing will make running the blade that much harder.  And I'm not bringing it to Nationals so no hurry.    And still am contemplating pulling the blisters off so I can attach the armor shields to the machine guns.  Ugh.  🙂

 

The fit does look really nice at this point;  will let you know!

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3 hours ago, CANicoll said:

Joel:  I have not joined them up yet.  Two things: 1 - putting on the top wing makes it a bit harder to pull off the masks from the front of the rear blisters and I wanted to wait till I got the decals on and the gloss/matte coats on before putting the wings on. 2 - I want to be very careful to get everything lined up so the wing struts fit properly.  There are eight specific mounting points for these struts so want to make sure I don't have the wing a bit crooked before getting them on.  SHOULD get the wing on tomorrow evening if all goes to plan.  😉

 

When using masks I usually run a sharp blade around the edges of the mask just to make sure no paint gets pulled up when the mask does - especially for as long as these masks have been left on - close to a week now I think.  The top wing will make running the blade that much harder.  And I'm not bringing it to Nationals so no hurry.    And still am contemplating pulling the blisters off so I can attach the armor shields to the machine guns.  Ugh.  🙂

 

The fit does look really nice at this point;  will let you know!

 Chris,

  Leaving the masks on for a week is nothing. Most of my builds have them on for months. Never had any issues with the Eduard masks as long as I cleaned the glass 1st. I must be lucky because I've never used a blade around the masks prior to removing them, as that would be a 100% certainty that I'd slip and scratch the glass. 

 

 So if I understand your procedure with the top wing, you're going to mount the main section 1st, then attach the struts, then glue up the outer sections. As long as they fit snug, you're home free. if it works for you, I'll most likely go that way myself. 

 

Joel

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Making a LITTLE bit of progress but getting the pieces together.  Have not put the full wing together yet.

Definitely the right decision not to put the top wing on before taking the masks off the blisters.  Once that top wing goes it, there is not a lot of room to pull the front masks off.

See:

cDVqhm.jpg

 

I usually use a toothpick or the edge of a blade to pull up a corner of the mask and then curved tweezers to finish pulling the mask up.  One thing I've noticed on the blisters in the Academy kit (and I've not yet checked the Mongram 1/48 kit I have) is that the bottoms of the blisters do not seem to conform with some of the photos I have:

 

t2Qx3u.jpg

The armor on the bottom blister  shown in this picture is very different than on the academy blisters.  Oh well.

Here is a picture of the blisters with the pile of Eduard masks just removed.

 

kzez4l.jpg

Even though I forgot to add the plate of armor in front of the machine gun and despite that the blisters are pretty easy to see through, I don't think I'm going to pull them off and put the shields on.  Lesson learned for the 1/48 scale kit!

 

And the nose and canopy after the mask removal:

TbP4Wl.jpg

 

Nose glass and a port side wing strut attached.

JdRtZp.jpg

 

The wing struts do not appear to be positonal, but they are tear-dropped shaped so definitely be careful how you mount them.  They also seem to BARELY fit.  In my test fitting I was able to get them into place with some gentle downward pressure on the top of the wing.  Making a strong and secure bond takes some time.  I used the usual Testors cement on one side and let it set.  After a good 30 minutes or so on the other side I used gap filling CA which was a lot faster.  I did scrape the paint off the fuselage mounting points to ensure a solid plastic-to-plastic bond.  So far so good but I only have the front two struts in place.

Dx5LEt.jpg


The mounting points on the underside of the top wing and the fuselage are substantial.  I've not added the wing light or other antenna yet:

l30gxX.jpg

 

Something else I found out almost the hard way:  The tail planes do fit Left or Right and are very tight either way, but actually really only fit properly one way so best to adhere to the instructions.  A tell-tale sign you have them mixed up is the fuselage join is misaligned: the front points down for some reason, even though the fit is very tight regardless of which way you install them.  

Au3OYX.jpg

 

I'm intending to use the PropBlur props to show a plane in flight (despite no crew) but the original set I ordered are too small for a Catalina.  The Cat has an 11' 6" prop span and the set is for a plane with a prop span that was closer to 8' so noticeably smaller.  Will try and find the right size to fit at Nats this coming week.


So that is it for now.  I doubt I will get much further before departing for Nationals on Tuesday, but will get the other two struts glued in tonight to give them time to really set up.  I MIGHT get the outer wing panels on as well this evening.

 

Have a good week everyone!


Chris

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Chris

Terrific progress on the Big Cat and I sure hope my brother is taking notes as you are covering all the bases. Masking looks spot on the money. Nice call about not removing the blisters for the MG shields as they look just finbe.

I would have guessed the wing/struct assembly would have been easier seeing how everything looked so beefy but somehow, that's what always seemsto happen

Keep 'em comin

Peter :thumbsup:

 

 

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Thanks Peter!  Joel,  I think it is easier to handle the plane with the wing tip sections off.  I noticed I needed to do some touch-up painting on the nose of the blisters as well as around the base of the nose (the spray paint just did not quite reach there I guess).  MUCH easier to see with the masks off as the light shines through.

 

I also had a bit of touch-up as the front windscreen mask actually took up some of the paint on the frame between the front windshields. No big deal. 


Ciao for now! 


Chris

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Chris 

   Your making excellent progress, and I'm certainly taking notes for my build, which is the next aircraft that will cross my bench.  the Blisters look fine to me for what they are. Since you pointed out the error in how Academy molded them , which is a copy of the top half transposed tot he bottom half, I'll most likely just try to redo the bottom masks, and hope for the best.  Still can't commit to  a 3 pc top wing after painting, as I've never had any luck doing it that way. 

 

  Have a great time at the Nationals. Cya when you get back.

 

Joel

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Joel,

 

SO! got the wing all put together and the struts on.  The wing actually went together flawlessly.  I can't see a seam on top or bottom and I didn't do any special prep.  The struts on the other hand are barely hanging on.  Might need some epoxy or something as there is a bit of a gap that needs to be filled (and strengthened!).  I have it set at the moment using gap-filling CA, but not sure of its strength.  I accidentally knocked off one strut when I turned the plane over to check the wing joins.  My fat fingers!  But it is a beautiful join.  Check out yours when you open your box.I figured even if there was a problem with the seam, I could clean it up and repaint it - the decals are few and far between, no stencils, and the insignia are far away from the join.  But it looks good for now.

 

It is sitting inverted right now letting the strut dry so I'll take some pics when I get back from Phoenix. It BETTER be strong by then! Otherwise likely looking at a pin and some putty. 😞

 

Have a good week!

Chris

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Joel:

 

Here are the wing join pics just for you.  Pre-painted and just glued together:

 

Amli75.jpg

1RwV3o.jpg

 

It is possible to see a bit of a seam in the pics but the fit is very tight and its very hard to see with my eyes (not that THAT is a big endorsement!).  If you are not heading to a major competition, you might not care.

 

3CXs3Y.jpg

3TtpDG.jpg

 

And the broken clear nose turret and guns:

VMVzYc.jpg

 

You can see the seam in the nose, which I didn't really clean up for this build.  I'm still looking for these 1/48 scale decals for the Monogram kit.  

 

The other thing is that the wing struts are a PITA.  Highly recommend using gap-filling CA for those joins for strength and to make the fit much more seamless than I have it.  Or plan to use a bit of filler since the Black Cats did have fairings around the base of the struts.  Worth it to smooth out the joints.

 

Also the bombs appear to be painted black, not the usual drab green in certain pictures.


Good luck!


Chris

 

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Hi Chris

Welcome back from the Nats .. i saw some of your photos and the models/work looked great. 

The Big Cat

The wings look just fine and agree the tight seam on the control surfaces is almost invisible -  if you didn’t point it out, I would never have known. Not sure about the small nose seam.

Keep ‘em comin

Peter

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