Joel_W Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Well, with the Scooter now in the books, it's time to start another build. This time, I'm finally going to attempt my long planned for build of the Revell 1/48 scale PV-1 Ventura. I've always had for some strange reason a interest in this aircraft. Maybe the looks of it, or the fact that it was never in the limelight, but got the job done where ever it served, as well in numerous Allied air forces. I've had the kit for some time, and have slowly, ok very slowly been collecting various AM bits and pieces that I wanted to incorporate into the build: Eduard: Basic Interior set with IP Mask for all the glass Ultracast: Diamond tread wheels and tires Quickboost: Cowlings Engines exhausts gun barrels Aviaeology Canadian decals I'm planning to detail and correct major kit errors as I go through the build. My detailing efforts will be more to enhance to add interest, then to add as much as possible. I started my PV-1 build with the interior of the fuselage. From what research information I've been able to gather the cockpit bulkhead opening into the radio/navigator compartment is too narrow. So I enlarged the opening. Once I made that modification, it became apparent that the one could see into the radio/navigation compartment. The kit has zero detail for it. So I decided to add some. Out of .020 sheet I made the bulkhead that led to the area over the Bomb bay. I then added stiffening beams with scale 1x3s, and a floor from .010 sheet Once I test fitted it in a closed fuselage, I realized that I needed to deal with the fuselage side walls as the wing indentations were visible on both sides. I also need to add two selves for some radio equipment, and the folding table. I'm not planning on doing anything with the compartment behind that bulkhead as I don't think that you will be able to see any of it. I'll be working on the cockpit at the same time as the radio/navigator compartment. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caudleryan Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Awesome! Another well put together work in progress! I have been on the fence about buying this kit, so I'll be watching your build closely. RYAN. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted August 31, 2015 Author Share Posted August 31, 2015 Awesome! Another well put together work in progress! I have been on the fence about buying this kit, so I'll be watching your build closely. RYAN. Ryan, Looking forward to having you join the journey. One thing you'll notice is that I didn't list a set of replacement props. I did buy the Quickboost set but I have no idea of where I put them. Since then I've seen only one reference that the Canadian PV-1s had the skinny props that are in the kit. Those should be the same as the British export versions. But the Canadian PV-1 that I'm modeling is an ex-USN aircraft, so I'm thinking that the props are the wider blades ones. Then again, I haven't been able to confirm that prop explanation from any other source. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 (edited) Nice choice Joel. I've always liked the PV-1 as well, pretty much for the same reasons you listed. It didn't have the glamour factor that other aircraft had but it always was able to git her done. Nice choice on those Aviology decals. They are second to none in quality and attention to detail. Looking forward to your build! John Edited August 31, 2015 by 11bee Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted August 31, 2015 Author Share Posted August 31, 2015 Nice choice Joel. I've always liked the PV-1 as well, pretty much for the same reasons you listed. It didn't have the glamour factor that other aircraft had but it always was able to git her done. Nice choice on those Aviology decals. They are second to none in quality and attention to detail. Looking forward to your build! John John, Thanks so much for stopping by. It's nice to know that I'm no alone in my aircraft preferences. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Hey Joel, Off to a great start! Always nice to following along in your builds to see the things I can aspire to :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 Hey Joel, Off to a great start! Always nice to following along in your builds to see the things I can aspire to :)/> dnl42, Thanks for stopping by, and welcome to the party. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 Spent the last few work sessions trying to come up with a decent fix to the inside of the fuselage halves for the Radio/Nav compartment. I just decided to cut and shape .020 sheet with added stringers. Nothing to fancy as I have to keep on reminding myself that most of this won't bee seen, or seen very clearly, as you'll be looking through the cockpit glass and then through the bulkhead opening. That's the only source of light besides the two small windows on either side of the compartment. So I came up with this fix: The joint seam between the sheet and the wing insert is just about flush. My thinking is that with primer and paint, it will be good enough to fool ones eye. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Banana11000 Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 Looking good Joel! I've always wanted to build one of these. Love the work you're doing with the radio/navigator's compartment! You've got me along for the ride! Cheers, Colin :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skystreak80 Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 Joel i predict another masterpiece in the making first class work with the scratch building mate I'm looking forward to your updates Cheers Lee. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 Looking good Joel! I've always wanted to build one of these. Love the work you're doing with the radio/navigator's compartment! You've got me along for the ride! Cheers, Colin :)/> Colin, Thanks for stopping by, and joining the journey. Where it goes is anyone's guess at this point. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 Joel i predict another masterpiece in the making first class work with the scratch building mate I'm looking forward to your updates Cheers Lee. Lee, Thanks for those most kind words. Still making progress on the Nav/Radio compartment, and A should have a nice update by weeks end. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jgrease Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 Let me pull up a chair... Looking forward to this one! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 Let me pull up a chair... :popcorn:/> Looking forward to this one! John, And I'll supply the beer. :thumbsup:/> Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 My work week starts tonight, so no more work on the PV-1 till Sunday. Here's a follow up to the Radio/Nav. compartment to bring you up to date. The table and two bulkheads shelves are installed. I need to keep on reminding myself just how little of this compartment will be seen once the fuselage is glued up and the cockpit and glass is installed. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Banana11000 Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 Lookin' good Joel! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K5054NZ Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 Beautiful work Joel! I'm excited to see you working on this - I'm a Ventura fan too, as you may have guessed - and your work is always a joy to watch, and to learn from. I'd like to build this kit down the road so this will be a wonderful resource for ideas. A friend was able to take a ton of interior shots of the last intact RNZAF Ventura - an RB-34, which we apparently called Ventura rather than Lexington - and they may be of use to you. See here: http://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/20036/lockheed-rb-34-ventura-motat I hope the work week passes quickly for you - if you're anything like me, you'll be itching to keep working on it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
taggor Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I am really enjoying the scratch building Joel! Even if you wont see much of it as you say it's still great to look at. You could always do a "cut-away" if you are ambitious. Looking forward to more progress! -Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 Beautiful work Joel! I'm excited to see you working on this - I'm a Ventura fan too, as you may have guessed - and your work is always a joy to watch, and to learn from. I'd like to build this kit down the road so this will be a wonderful resource for ideas. A friend was able to take a ton of interior shots of the last intact RNZAF Ventura - an RB-34, which we apparently called Ventura rather than Lexington - and they may be of use to you. See here: http://rnzaf.proboar...4-ventura-motat I hope the work week passes quickly for you - if you're anything like me, you'll be itching to keep working on it. Zac, I'm amazed at the amount of interest in my build of a relatively obscure Marine patrol aircraft. I've checked out that link and there are plenty of very useful pictures. Thanks so much for taking the time to post it. My work week is rather unusual, being that I'm semi retired, and only work 4 days owe week, 3 of which I run the overnight crew at a large 24 hour drug store. So as my wife loves to point out, it's like having me home 6 days per week. On the overnight days, I average just 3 hrs of sleep each day, so by the end of the week, I'm kind of tired. A good night sleep gets me ready to do some modeling for the next 3 or 4 days. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 I am really enjoying the scratch building Joel! Even if you wont see much of it as you say it's still great to look at. You could always do a "cut-away" if you are ambitious. Looking forward to more progress! -Mark Mark, Glad you're along for the ride. You just can't have enough friends along for a journey like this into the unknown. Yeah, the scratch building to this level is new to me, and I'm enjoying it as I go through the build process. You'll see just enough to make it interesting. Besides, I'll know what's there. I've never been that found of cut-a-ways, as it takes a lot of skill to make it look professional and well planned, rather then just a series od misc. cut outs. I need to keep in mind that my goal is to build the best display model I can which will be displayed on a mirror. So it's more of the detailing of the exterior that interests me. How I got so wrapped up in the secondary compartment really has taken me by surprise. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 Lookin' good Joel! Glad you're liking what you're seeing. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tomcat Tweeker Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 Cool Joel! Was waiting for this tread to start! Looking real Nice... Scratch work is very clean as well! Awesome!! Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted September 5, 2015 Author Share Posted September 5, 2015 Cool Joel! Was waiting for this tread to start! Looking real Nice... Scratch work is very clean as well! Awesome!! Dave Dave, Thanks for your thumbs up on my scratch building. So far so good, but I have a long, long way to go. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted September 11, 2015 Author Share Posted September 11, 2015 Work has been continuing at my usual snail's pace. I've been working on the cockpit and navigator/radio compartment. Both areas were air brushed with Interior Green made with Tamiya acrylics: 2 parts XF-3 Flat Yellow to 1 part XF-8 Flat Blue I finished up the radio/Navigator compartment with a few scratch radios from made from sheet plastic painted flat black, and glued on some decals that looked like radio instrument faces. Then work started on the cockpit. the IP was Eduard's typical layered IP. After assembling it, I applied a matt coat to dull the IP, then each instrument received a drop of Pledge to simulate a lens. Then the cockpit was build up as per instructions. I did add a few black boxes to the rear bulk head for a busier look. Even in this picture without the green house glass, you can see just how little of the Radio/Navigator compartment will be seen. Still waiting for the DMold nose clip, so I'll be working on the basic Bombay and tail wheel assemblies next. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
falcon20driver Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 Thats a darn good looking front office Joel. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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