B-25

[Rockin' Rob]

Hey all. I had to stop building that Sherman tank with interior. I think it's enough said if I just say I was starting to get cranky. I need to build an airplane so.. here you go

 

[Rockin' Rob]

The detail is incredible and the fit is excellent. Overall? I'm having an excellent time. I got my smile back.

 

[BOATMAN]

HEY Rob you are doin a really great job of this B25 as ive always liked this plane with the glazed front an even the gun planes splendid job Rob i'll be followin along on this splendid build an what will happen to that cranky tank build eh ?
chrisb

 

[Edbert]

I hope your Mitchell has better gaps than the one from "Accurate Miniatures" that I recently completed. HKM used a much better nose weight arrangement, so it is hopefully not an issue.

I think it's enough said if I just say I was starting to get cranky. I need to build an airplane so.. here you go

I do this almost every day, definitely a few times a week. Working while frustrated results in mistakes, for me at least.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

HEY Rob you are doin a really great job of this B25 as ive always liked this plane with the glazed front an even the gun planes splendid job Rob i'll be followin along on this splendid build an what will happen to that cranky tank build eh ?
chrisb

Boatman? Let me tell you something. I spent more time on my hands and knees searching for a tiny part that flew off God knows where. But I knew I was getting into some tiny stuff and that's okay. I'm just going to set it up on the shelf for a rainy day because you know yourself trying new stuff is great and going back to what you're used to building is even better. For me? It's airplanes.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

I hope your Mitchell has better gaps than the one from "Accurate Miniatures" that I recently completed. HKM used a much better nose weight arrangement, so it is hopefully not an issue.

I do this almost every day, definitely a few times a week. Working while frustrated results in mistakes, for me at least.

By gaps do you mean putting the two halves of the body together? Because last night I test fitted the two halves and it was perfect. No exaggeration. When I stick it together a little later I'll take some pictures and show you but the fit is just awesome. No complaints yet. And you're right on the nose gear weight. I glued it in with a little CA after test fitting the two body halves together. Mildly surprised they included a nose weight.

 

[Edbert]

By gaps do you mean putting the two halves of the body together?

My worst issues were around the engine nacelles. The interior all fit really well, fuselage was average, and the wing-roots too. But those engines, yikes!

I did a poor job on them, notice the upper intakes and the trailing edge of the starboard engine.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

I glued the fuselage together and put together the tail feathers. Right now working on the upper seam line and the bottom one has me puzzled as to why it happened. I glued the two halves together and taped it up nice and tight and I also double and triple checked it before I set it down overnight. I don't know what the heck happened but that bottom just separated a little bit. Maybe? And this is only scientific FBI forensics involved here. I put the tape on and it looks like extra thin got underneath it in a pool. Because thin set does not stick to tape but it does get underneath it and it'll spread out and ruin the detail on the rivets. Live and learn. Make sure the extra thin is dry on the outside not puddled up before you apply the tape and you should be all right.

 

[BarleyBop]

puzzled

I can't decide if watching these plane builds (having not built any since I was a kid) is motivating or putting the Fear of Gremlins into me!
Interesting and fun all the same... this B-25 gonna be awesome!

 

[Littlemarten]

I put the tape on and it looks like extra thin got underneath it in a pool. Because thin set does not stick to tape but it does get underneath it and it'll spread out and ruin the detail on the rivets. Live and learn.

I never use tape of any kind when gluing parts together. I use clamps instead, well away from any seam I'm working on. When the clamps can't work, I've been known to sit there and hold the parts together until the plastic rehardens. (One of the reasons my builds are glacially slow.)

 

[Rockin' Rob]

Got a bit more done. I couldn't find Mr surfacer Black primer anywhere so I had to order some. Arrived the other day and I tried it out. No problem so far.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

Working on One Wing. The fit is just superb. And that's with no glue, just test fit. Here's an observance of mine. These new kits are great they go together almost perfectly but there's something about the old Revell and monogram kits and all the other early manufacturers out there. Hey man, I know it's not a very good kit, but half the fun back then was making them look good and figuring out how to fix it. Mind you, I'm not complaining it's just that some of these models you shake the box and it almost builds itself

 

[Edbert]

One thing that I learned and was surprised about the Mitchell...

How small the landing gear doors were. The main gear opening is shown well by the last picture, quite small, but the nose gear was so small I had to go look it up because I thought my kitmaker had it wrong.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

One thing that I learned and was surprised about the Mitchell...

How small the landing gear doors were. The main gear opening is shown well by the last picture, quite small, but the nose gear was so small I had to go look it up because I thought my kitmaker had it wrong.

I was looking for the front nose gear door and I passed over it a couple times not reading the numbers and just looking for it. That's it? That little thing?

 

[blakeh1]

Looking good!

 

[Rockin' Rob]

I wanted to try that black primer first and spray on the gray which is Sky Gray. I just wanted to see how it would work out with the panel lines. Pretty good so far, I think. Normally I would just primer it in Gray or white if I'm using olive drab. I don't think olive drab over black would work out, too dark.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

Little bit more done. It's mainly painting from now on. Waiting on the mask set. Basically taking my time. Another reason is it's been darn hot and I have to airbrush outside.

 

[Edbert]

Looks great Rob!

 

[blakeh1]

Pre-shading effect turned out great!

 

[Rockin' Rob]

Thank you everyone. Yes. Black then Gray then body color I think worked out pretty good. I was kind of worried about all the panel detail that they put on this plane sort of disappearing. That was the reason for the black being the first coat. Now I don't think I'll have so much panel Line work to do down the road

 

[Rockin' Rob]

By the way, that was painted about 2 minutes ago. I just love Tamia paints and Arizona weather.

 

[plastickjunkie]

That looks like an awesome paint job.
I paint in the garage and has to be done before 11 am otherwise the sun hits that area and the garage becomes an oven even with the big doors open and fans going, hate Summer!
I love Tamiya paints too. They spray out super smooth and cover really well.

 

[GCB]

Looking very nice Rob.. Was thinking to start one of those but was wondering about the quality of the kit

 

[Rockin' Rob]

That looks like an awesome paint job.
I paint in the garage and has to be done before 11 am otherwise the sun hits that area and the garage becomes an oven even with the big doors open and fans going, hate Summer!
I love Tamiya paints too. They spray out super smooth and cover really well.

Thanks PJ! Yes it gets hot here. I thought about getting a paint booth for the hobby room but my wife works in the very next room from home and on the phone a lot so I can't have a compressor going off and I don't know how loud the fans are but I just didn't want to chance it. Besides I'm an old carpenter and I got compressors all over the place. One in the garage for the cars and a big one out back along with a pancake compressor I use out back for airbrushing. It gets hot but I keep the paint and the airbrush right inside to keep them cool. I don't think putting paint into an airbrush that is sitting in 115° heat is going to work out very well so I keep it inside nice and cool and use Mr color 500 cuz it has stuff in it for tip dry and retarder. At least I think it does cuz it is just excellent stuff

 

[Rockin' Rob]

Looking very nice Rob.. Was thinking to start one of those but was wondering about the quality of the kit

 

[Rockin' Rob]

Thanks. I wouldn't hesitate. So far this kit is flawless. It goes together beautifully and any mistakes on putting it together are entirely mine

 

[Edbert]

Thanks. I wouldn't hesitate. So far this kit is flawless. It goes together beautifully and any mistakes on putting it together are entirely mine

Your pictures and write-up put HK Models on my list of brands I want to check out. They look like really nice parts. I know they are out of business but I'll never buy another from Accurate Miniatures.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

Your pictures and write-up put HK Models on my list of brands I want to check out. They look like really nice parts. I know they are out of business but I'll never buy another from Accurate Miniatures.

Hmm, I don't believe HK models is out of business unless my phone is lying to me

 

[Edbert]

Sorry, I meant Accurate Miniatures. I'd never heard of them (I was not building for 25+ years) and I bought two cheap kits at our local IPMS show. Now I know why they went out of business and why the kits were cheap

 

[Rockin' Rob]

Thanks PJ! Yes it gets hot here. I thought about getting a paint booth for the hobby room but my wife works in the very next room from home and on the phone a lot so I can't have a compressor going off and I don't know how loud the fans are but I just didn't want to chance it. Besides I'm an old carpenter and I got compressors all over the place. One in the garage for the cars and a big one out back along with a pancake compressor I use out back for airbrushing. It gets hot but I keep the paint and the airbrush right inside to keep them cool. I don't think putting paint into an airbrush that is sitting in 115° heat is going to work out very well so I keep it inside nice and cool and use Mr color 500 cuz it has stuff in it for tip dry and retarder. At least I think it does cuz it is just excellent stuff

400. Mr Color 400