B-26 B/G Marauder
Revell
1:48
kit no: 04525
build time: June 23 2014 - November 5 2014


This will be my next build.



As you may notice, I've already started: I cut up the box to make it one that opens from the top so you can actually store your stuff in it. It's always the first build step with Revell for me.

Anyways, obligatory sprue shots [smile]





Clear plastic parts:



The kit comes with a few nice details, like a few pilot figures that don't look all that bad:



But also the dreaded and hated raised panellines





The props look pretty decent, although I'm by no means an expert



But I do know this probably isn't how the gear looks in real life:



I think I can handle a bit of flash though [smile] Although on second thought I'm not so sure it is flash - it is far too even. Also, there's almost nop flash whatsoever anywhere else on the sprues.

Inside of the cockpit firewall. Something tells me those two big protrusions shouldn't be there. Although looking at another build, that builder just left them there.



And an instrument panel



Now when I opened the box to see what I had, I found some goodies inside. I must have bought those a kazillion years ago, no recollection at all.... First off, some vacform bits



Not sure yet if I want to be using these. The clear parts that came with the kit look pretty fine to me. Also, the cone in the top left is dented, so pretty much unusable I think. I have no experience with vacform stuff, so I might just play with this canopy and see what happens. If I screw up, I have the kit part to fall back on. Which I might even do if I don't screw up.

Also in the box:



No weighted versions, but even still an improvement over the kit parts (at least for the main wheels). The kit has two halves and little tire tread. But that will probably be lost trying to smooth out the seam, so these one-piece resin replacements are welcome. I'm just wondering with the nosewheel if the resin between the spokes is supposed to be there or not. And if not, if I dare remove it.

I pondered also wherther or not to buy the BigEd set for this kit, but decided against. For one, I already had a die cut mask set in the box (bought that too somewhere), and I didn't want to open the bomb bay, so that would mean it would be cheaper to go with some individual Eduard sets. Contrary to popular mythology about the Dutch, I didn't bother checking if my assumption was right and just went out and bought the three separate sets (Interior, Exterior and Seatbelts). Then again - I might just leave the bomb bay open after all if the doors don't fit too well. In which I might even have to go for the bomb bay PE set as well...



Now this is going to be a test: I've done a wee bit of PE from time to time, especially on my latest build (A T-28/T-95 US Super Heavy Tank), but never before in this volume. Then again, everything I do is a testcase for my dream model, which has been sitting in my modeling room for 2 years now. (That woukld be the Trumpy 1/32 A-10 with every AM set available to fix up the mess Trumpy made).

Speaking of - the last two bits I already had but didn't know: the die-cut masks and some Cutting Edge decals



On the left, the Cutting Edge set, on the right, the kit decals:



And now I'm left to make a decision: am I going to build the Idiot's Delight which came in the box, or one of the Cutting Edge offerings: the Valkyrie or the Jezebelle.... I'm tempted towards Valkyrie because of the nose art and because it has the big white triangle on the tail. In either case, some of the kit decals will be going on as well as the Cutting Edge set doesn't offer everything. Also, I'm wondering about the US stars - the Cutting Edge blue is a lot darker than the kit blue.

I'll also be attempting to replicate some of the wear and tear shown on the box art (probably gonna try my hand at using the salt method thingie), and I'll be adding the invasion stripes.

Now the first thing on the to-do list is to recribe this whole sucker. The kit's pretty old, as evidenced by the raised panel lining. As far as I can tell, it's a 2003 reboxing of the old Monogram kit from 1978. And even after 36 years, it's still the only 1/48 offering of this aircraft that I'm aware of. After reading some build reviews online, I have my work cut out for me. If I ever get past the rescribing that is. That's the biggest hurdle, and last time I tried the kit ended up back in the box. Although that was a B-29 in this same scale, so a tad bit bigger....

As for paints: I'm still wondering why the Cutting Edge decal set recommends using Gunze Sangyo H304 for the Olive Drab. H304 is Khaki Drab which in my opinion is way too brown, and Gunze has an Olive Drab ion their range (H52). We'll also be using Gunze for the grey color (H053, Neutral Grey), and I'm still looking for the best color for all the interior bits. I hate Revell color suggestions....

Well, onto one last week of hard work at the office, and then I can slowly begin work on this baby. Cya then!


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