Warbird Information Exchange

New one from the old man who is adding some aircraft to the Jolly Roger Diorama....

What should be a somewhat quick transformation of a CafeReo "BIG BIRD' B-24J (Cocktail Hour) into a 90th Bomb Group 400th Squadron aircraft known as "Ho Hum".




3D Image from unknown.



The very thick nose gear doors removed and the nose wheel taken off for re positioning for a more realistic look.



The fuselage windows painted in with fine point ink marker and to be touched up with Kyrstal Klear.
The anti glare panel repainted olive drab with a touch of white to a more original color and shape.



Nose art and tail images were designed and scaled to 1/144 by Chris. They were printed out (nose art on clear and tails on white decal paper) on a ink jet printer then a coat of decal preserver was applied.



The front part of the black anti glare panel painted aluminum.
The tails sprayed over with a gray primer and then gloss white.



Putting the cart before the horse.

Usually when building a model, I would build it, paint it, and add whatever else was needed. Then put on the markings last. I found myself excited to see what the markings would look like on this B-24 before I finished it.



I guess it being 65% done before I started helped, but I learned a few things. After using many of Chris's decal designs, and printing them on the home computer on the Testors decal paper, I have learned the following...

1) After the images are printed out on a ink jet printer, they have to be "misted" several times with decal bonder or the ink will bleed into each other when applied.
2) On clear decal paper, it is ok to put setting solution under and on top of the decal when applied.
3) On white decal paper, you should only put the decal setting solution UNDER the decal, or the ink will bleed into each other if you also put it on top.





You cannot wait long enough before you give the decals a wash of fresh water and then after thoroughly dry spray them with a clear satin coat. I will wait about 4 days before I do this. It might be just me, but with the passing of each day, it seems like the decals suck down more and more!



Next up is to add the weight to the nose to keep the aircraft upright. Fishing BB Shot or cutting up a lead sinker and supergluing pieces in every spot you can find in the nose area and behind the cockpit is what's needed.



Thanks for looking!"

_________________
Keep Em' Flying,
Christopher Soltis
Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

CASC Blog Page: http://ctair-space.blogspot.com/
Warbird Wear: https://www.redbubble.com/people/warbirdwear/shop

Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?

Nice work...

Phil

_________________
A man's got to know his limitations.

Neat.

The dembrudders.com modeling website did a similar transformation for the family of a Liberator pilot.
They started with a 1/72 Franklin Mint model...its RAF camouflage added some work.

It turned out well, especially considering they had to use custom decals.

https://www.dembrudders.com/yo-yo-148-b ... ecals.html

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.
Note political free signature.
I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

Glad you guys are enjoying the build
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The "cheek" air inlets for B-24 "Ho Hum' engines needed some depth. I used a method I had discovered years ago, I always keep a supply of streched sprue around. Its great to apply a dot of super glue when you only need a tiny amount or a very small amount of paints. I put a length of it in a pin vise and dipped it in a half stirred bottle of paint, this way it was a bit loose to flow. You end up with a small bubble of loose paint on the tip of the sprue - touch it to the spot and it flows into the crevice.



If you put too much just wipe away with a Q-tip. After I did the B-24's engines I realized I forgot the P-38's and went back and did them. When your done just throw away the sprue, you dont have to contend with a paint brush.



I used the same method for the head rests on the P-38's, just a dot on the end of sprue and done.



Weight is in and time for the guns and HO HUM is just about finished. I'm using these blunt needle tubes for the guns. They are .020 in dia. and are hollow.



To me they look pretty close to the size that .50 cal machine barrels would be.



I used the same ones on the P-38's for the .050's.



I used a .025 tube for the center 20mm on the 38's.



After I cut them to length I put them in a pin vise rough them up with sand paper and hold them over a flame. They get red hot quickly, then I brush on gun bluing. They don't look too bad after that.



Guns and turrets in. Ho Hum is done!

_________________
Keep Em' Flying,
Christopher Soltis
Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

CASC Blog Page: http://ctair-space.blogspot.com/
Warbird Wear: https://www.redbubble.com/people/warbirdwear/shop

Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?

Very nice Chris, Also, your warbird wear link doesn't work.

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Better is the enemy of Good.