Official FlightLine RC 2000mm B-24D/J Liberator Thread

[fhhuber]

The way they left the factory was often not the way they looked 1 hr after the ground crew got at them with paint sprayers.

NONE of them left the factory with nose art.... so saying "It didn't leave the factory that way, so it can't be real" is not really applying any thought to it.

[dahawk]

Yes, the painting varied. Few looked like Witchcraft. My Dad was one of those ground crew guys. A Tech Sarge. Similar to what an A&P would be today. As part of his training, they sent him out to San Diego to get hands on before being deployed with his squadron over to Hardwick.

Amazing that with one million part numbers, they could pump them out, RTF at a rate of one every 55 minutes. Check out Willow Run:

https://youtu.be/p2zukteYbGQ

[crxmanpat]

I beg to differ about that there wasn't a wavy gray camo underside. See the attached photo of Witchcraft somewhere around 110 - 120 bombing missions.

Mark

Even though this is a BW picture, it also appears to support the fact that the outer port nacelle was painted silver at the front instead of red. I plan on changing mine to silver.

[TiredIronGRB]

Even though this is a BW picture, it also appears to support the fact that the outer port nacelle was painted silver at the front instead of red. I plan on changing mine to silver.

I think that's just glare, they look red to me.

[fhhuber]

Compare with the known colors on the vertical stabilizer...

The shiny part of engine nacelle could easily be red.

[crxmanpat]

I was comparing the two port nacelles. Since the sun would be at the same angle for both, and there is no shade on either, it sure looks like the outboard nacelle is much lighter in color than the inboard.

I'm still going to paint mine silver, just to be different. :)

[dahawk]

I’’ve looked at hundreds of photos in the archives and could not find another red cowl scheme. I could not even find a two tone scheme. I know that a lot of early D models were very non- descript. Many didn’t even have nose art. Several in the 93rd were plain Jane. Probably due to the production rush to get them over to England and into action.

[TiredIronGRB]

It's just hard to tell in the old photos but here's one that has red cowls and rudders, it also has the gray belly...more than likely had red wingtips as well.

[RCjetdude]

I think I have suddenly gone color blind.... :Dizzy:

[zorkahn]

In this documentation you will see that one nacelle is silver as the ground crews were constantly replacing parts. Witchcraft had 4 red nacelles to start with but over time parts were replaced either from inventory or a scavenged B-24. The ground crews didn't always have time to repaint a part, just slap it on the airframe and get it back in the air for another bombing mission.

The tail numbers on WWII Witchcraft (not the Collins Foundation Witchcraft) had different styles. You will notice the tops of the threes are different, square tops on one rudder and rounded on the other rudder. Callie Graphics got the numbers correct in her Witchcraft graphics.

Mark

[dahawk]

I think I have suddenly gone color blind.... :Dizzy:

Lol. Me too !

[MANFRED]

In the words of Joseph "Jesus Christ!" Me thinks you are all getting a little technical with the fidelity and accuracy of this foamy. Buy it (or not), fly it or change the scheme. I for one will be changing the name and perhaps numbers but will leave the colors alone, I like them and could care less about having an exact match of a bomber that replicates a known ship and the way it looked after ground crews replaced a cowl or two. 75% of the people at my field will not be able to identify it as a B-24 much less that my scheme is inaccurate!! Leave the technical accuracy to TOP GUN and Masters competitors. Just enjoy this new offering, I will.

[TiredIronGRB]

Updated "D" nose graphic...

[dkalwishky]

Nice work Tirediron.

[petefoss]

This is what mine will be repainted to look like with Callie graphics. I built the Jack Stafford kit 20+ years ago but never dared to fly it. It took me hours and hours to colorize the artwork with the tools available then (MS Paint, Paint Shop Pro, etc.)

[TiredIronGRB]

This is what mine will be repainted to look like with Callie graphics. I built the Jack Stafford kit 20+ years ago but never dared to fly it. It took me hours and hours to colorize the artwork with the tools available then (MS Paint, Paint Shop Pro, etc.)

Very nice Pete, do you still have it?

[ridgerunner]

As a long-time soaring pilot, I just love this shot! (swiped from the product's main page)


Try and tell me that these wings are not a thing of (efficient high-aspect ratio) beauty?

[petefoss]

Yes it's been in my airplane room forever! It was 90% complete so I could bring it to the Toledo show for the competition. But at over 13 pounds I just thought it would be too heavy. It turns out there is a guy I found on FB with one in that weight range and he says it flies fine. But now with 20+ year old fuel tanks and lines, and air lines I wouldn't trust it. My one and only hanger queen.

BTW the decals were printed on a ALPS inkjet printer that could print with white ink. Everything was printed twice. White on clear to make a mask and then color on top. Very cool technology that I wish was still available.

[quitcherbitchen]

In the words of Joseph "Jesus Christ!" Me thinks you are all getting a little technical with the fidelity and accuracy of this foamy. Buy it (or not), fly it or change the scheme. I for one will be changing the name and perhaps numbers but will leave the colors alone, I like them and could care less about having an exact match of a bomber that replicates a known ship and the way it looked after ground crews replaced a cowl or two. 75% of the people at my field will not be able to identify it as a B-24 much less that my scheme is inaccurate!! Leave the technical accuracy to TOP GUN and Masters competitors. Just enjoy this new offering, I will.

Of Course, you can always do what you want. Static model forums have hundreds of pages debating the accuracy of schemes. One guy even got a Doctorate Degree in it. The hobby is for everyone. I for one appreciate a good effort for authenticity. The research is often as enjoyable as the flying. I have had Veterans who know a thing or two compliment my schemes for accuracy. My B-17 for one was found by the son of the bombardier who gave me personal pictures of his dad's plane to make mine more scale. My Sonic Modell 390th BG 571 squadron "Kwitcherbitchen" B-17G was actually the plane his dad flew 30 missions in. How rewarding is that?

[Callie Graphics]

Another set just added... "Net Results"
Serial Number 44-41875, 5th AF, 380th BG, 528th BS

https://callie-graphics.com/products/b-24-net-results-graphics-set