- The Airfix Tribute Forum -

farmroad38

Progress of XN923's second build can be followed here.
_________________
Cheers,

Adrian

XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

Well, running into a few problems with subject matter! I wanted to build a RAAF 'Black Cat', but the aircraft I had identified decent pics of, where the serials are visible, are Boeing built P2B2-2s, which appear to have a taller tail and a different nose turret to the PBY-5A represented in the kit. This was a little more tinkering than I wanted to do.

Got a couple more leads, but it's a case of finding an aircraft with a) a useable image, b) identifiable serial c) identifiable code and d) does not require too much conversion. I'm going to have to fair the wheel wells as it is.

...Unless anyone has some great plans and conversion data on the PB2B-2??

XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

Minor breakthrough. The web revealed a site about 11 Squadron RAAF which had two photographs of a 'Black Cat' at Darwin in July 1945 which appeared to be coded 'FJ-K' - see http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/raaf/11sqn.htm

This looked ideal - it's the colour scheme I wanted, and looks to have loads of characterful wear.

I then stumbled across the extremely useful ADF serial numbers website, which has a short history of all RAAF Catalinas. This revealed that the aircraft was most likely A24-47. It's the short tail version without the 'eyeball' nose turret, meaning that the most conversion I'll have to do will be fairing the wheel wells over. This won't be too hard in itself, but as I won't be able to replicate the raised surface detail, I will probably have to sand all the rivets and raised lines smooth and rescribe the panel lines, which I am not looking forward to!

XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

Sprues here. Quite a bit of heavy flash in places, so a fair bit of cleanup will be needed.

XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

Quick and dirty start on the Catalina

No fancy detail work on this one - not 'til I get to the exterior anyway...

Ratch · Posted: Mon 23 Jun 2008 19:25 pm Post subject:

So you are human after all

_________________
and was Jerusalem, builded here
The new No. 2
Airfix Club 500287
IPMS 10983

XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

Actually, by the looks of that photo I must have a fair bit of two-toed sloth DNA

XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

About time I posted about the Catalina. Major assembly is now done - I'm going to paint the wings separately though, I think it will be easier that way. The main job with this model will be the weathering - I want it to have a really worn appearance like in the photos.

Fuselage with main wheel wells filled with milliput

Wings with a little filler at the dihedral breaks

Generally I've found the kit to be rough around the edges (literally in some cases) but not too bad. What surprises me is that the date on the mouldings shows this to be four years newer than the Sunderland, (1964 as opposed to 1960). While both have the moving parts gimmickery, the Catalina seems a shade cruder. The rivet 'detail' is a lot more pronounced and there's more flash. Fit is generally not so good.

As the photos of the real thing show the Catalina looks quite smooth, I've spent a lot of the day sanding!

TopGun · Posted: Tue 24 Jun 2008 22:04 pm Post subject:

Looking good
_________________
Airfix Club 500006

XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

Things have been a bit quiet from me lately, largely because of some aggravating problems with paint. Both the Sunderland and the Catalina were given coats of Tamiya fine grey primer with a rattle can, and this surface was then cleaned and left to dry. However, the Vallejo 'Model Air' paint that I use just refused to stick to the primer! I normally use this range, though I don't think I've ever used the black before (that said, it went onto the cowlings OK). I've never seen anything like it, it was like the model was covered in wax. The smallest amounts of paint, misted on, just formed streaks and runs and headed wherever gravity dictated. I tried everything I could think of to make the paint adhere, to no avail. It must either be a dodgy can of primer (don't think so...) or there's something in the black paint. I think this is more likely as it wouldn't stick to surfaces that had been treated in Klear either. Ever hear of a paint that wouldn't stick to Klear??

The Catalina isn't as badly off as the Sunderland - I sprayed a bit of it to see if the same thing was happening to both models (it was, if anything worse on the Cat so I stopped before I could create too many problems for myself)

So I will now find a different paint and hope that will stick. I used up my last can of propellant on this abysmal exercise, so it will be a while before I can try again. Grrr!

XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

Things have certainly turned a corner with the Catalina, and I am now (touch wood) on the home straight with it. Once I finally got an acceptable coat of paint, it was on with the transparencies. A bit (actually quite a big bit) of weathering - of which I have tried several techniques on this model - and decals were added last night. As it's nearly there now I won't take any more photos until it's complete.

XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

Into last bits and pieces now. Beaching gear was scratchbuilt and installed last night from spares, rod etc, and the remaining windows were glazed with Clearfix. Just a bit of weathering and dry-brushing and it should be done. Though I'm sure I must have forgotten something...

thomasweir · Posted: Tue 08 Jul 2008 12:32 pm Post subject:

Sounding good

XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

Hope so!

I think I may have overdone the weathering, but it makes a good contrast from the Sunderland which will be quite clean. The images I have been working to are on this web page (sorry cannot link directly to them for some reason) http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/raaf/11sqn.htm

You may notice that the panels seem to have worn at their edges, and that there is a lot of chipping and scratching of the black paint. I attempted to reproduce this in several ways: the major flaking along the wing leading edge was done by painting the L/E silver, then covering with Klear. Maskol was daubed irregularly along the L/E before the main paint went on. This could be peeled off when the paint was dry leading to very realistic paint peel - mainly as it's actually peeling off. It's this that is overdone because I overestimated the amount of Maskol that would be needed. Oh well.

Wear on the hull chines and tail was done by painting over silver and lightly scraping through the topcoat with sandpaper. Other wear was done by dry brushing silver to give the effect of the metal starting to show through from beneath. I'm quite happy with it, but I'll wait to see how cruel photography will show it!

XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

Just about done here I think. Here's a few shots to be going on with - I'll try to get some more in daylight to put in the gallery.

Catalina PBY-5 A24-47 of 11 Squadron RAAF, Doctor's Gully, Darwin, March 1945. The Squadron was used for laying mines in forward areas and reconnaissance for Japanese shipping at this stage in the war. The Catalinas were not amphibious versions so were worked on on the land with the aid of beaching gear.

Ratch · Posted: Wed 09 Jul 2008 21:24 pm Post subject:

That's a pretty battered bird

Good work

_________________
and was Jerusalem, builded here
The new No. 2
Airfix Club 500287
IPMS 10983

thomasweir · Posted: Thu 10 Jul 2008 12:45 pm Post subject:

Looks great

Digs · Posted: Thu 10 Jul 2008 19:52 pm Post subject:

XN923 · Bronze Star Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 1176

Thanks guys! More pics in the gallery now.