Review oleh Les Venus
Bahan: Plastik Cetakan Injeksi dan beberapa kuningan tergores
Aksesoris:
- Zotz Decals B-25 J Mitchell’s at War
- SAC White metal Undercarriage replacement
- G-Force Brass Undercarriage Replacement
- Master Models 50cal Machine Gun Barrels
harga: £ (UK)
- Kit: £142.50
- Accessories: £107.40
- Total: £ 249.90
Alat:
- Iwata HC1 Airbrush
- Kompresor Jet Iwata Pro
- Pegang dan Lipat Etch Brass Folding Tool
- Alat Lipat Tamiya
lem:
- Tamiya Xtra Thin Cement
- Roket Medium Cyanoacrylate
Cat:
- Mr Color Metallic Paints (Steel, Aluminium, Dark Iron, Chrome)
- Alclad Metallics
- Tamiya Sesuai kebutuhan
Lain:
- Selotip Tamiya
- MDC Sponge Sanders / Tongkat Pengamplasan Tipis
- Catatan Tempel
Referensi/Inspirasi…
- Sinyal Skuadron B-25 Berjalan-jalan
- Warpaint Series No 23 B-25 Mitchell
- Video Youtube
Latar belakang…
Like with the recently completed F-100 Super Sabre you may have read in your SMN, I am not intending to write the normal potted history of the type. There is a good deal of information most especially on the net and for my part the you Tube clip of the mass take off of B-25s in the film Catch 22 is something that evoked a genuine passion in the type a long time ago.
ZOOM - Gerakkan mouse Anda ke atas gambar
I do though have to mention what must be one of the most famous combat missions of WW2, The Doolittle raid of 18 April 1942 when 16 B-25C Mitchells under the command of Lt Col James “Jimmy” Doolittle flew off the carrier USS Hornet and attacked targets in Japan in response to the Pearl Harbor Attack on 7 Dec 1941. I was always fascinated by the courage, ingenuity, determination and outstanding airmanship that were demonstrated on this raid. So much so, that I built the 1:350th scale Trumpeter USS Hornet and every one of the 16 B-25s arranged on the deck. So I have built Mitchell’s before and I was champing at the bit to do another.
There have been a number of B-25’s in all the smaller scales. I remember fondly building the old Airfix series 3 kit (I think) back in the 60’s and having great fun evading the same company’s Zero. Since then though, aside from the 16 x 1:350th scale models, I have never built another.
I guess that the definitive kit in any scale has got to be the magnificent Accurate Miniatures kit in 1:48th scale which I think was re-released by Italeri. I recall too that Monogram did a not half bad version also in 1:48th scale that for years was the benchmark. There has I believe been a 1:32nd scale Mitchell before; many years ago and beyond crude as I understand it, but as I have never seen it or even know the name of the manufacturer so no point in dwelling any further.
Whet piqued my interest though was about 4 or 5 years ago there were rumours of a company called Wingscale who were going to release a 1:32nd scale B-17G; no it’s not a typo this is right. Soon after the rumour, websites were showing some gorgeous mock-ups and also one in the background of a B-25J. It was this that I wanted to build as I had already envisaged what this would look like in its natural metal finish and I had to have one. The story that followed is well known and now we have the result of all that with a “state of the art” 1:32nd scale kit from HK Models.
I have already covered what’s in the kit and first impressions in my ‘Here Now’ review in your SMN but now it’s down to business and to see whether I can turn the £250 worth of kit and accessories into the ideal that I have in my head.
So let’s get on with it and first up what’s the plan?
Rencana…
I was determined to build my B-25J with a natural Metal finish as I just believe that done right it will look spectacular. As importantly I know that Dave C, Julian and Jamie will build OD versions all beautifully weathered and I had absolutely no hope of emulating their skills.
I had already practiced refining and indeed weathering a NMF with my F-100 build and it for me went ok. So the plan here is to use that methodology as a base model and enhance it further wherever possible. There was a slight snag with this in that the kit provides only one set of decals for an OD painted scheme. So a quick trawl on my favourite model shop website got me the Zotz decals to build my model. Most on the sheet are OD and I have given these schemes to Julian. I will be building the NMF finish version from the 428th Bomber Squadron of the 310th Bomber Group. The aircraft is called “Angel of Mercy” which is nicely documented and has a magnificent piece of female artwork that adorned so many USAAC aircraft at this time.