LB's FlightLine B-25J to B-25C "Desert Warrior" Build

[Elbee]

Mitchell Mates,

I am converting the beautiful Motion RC FlightLine B-25J to the "Desert Warrior" "C" variant and livery.

I will add pictures and descriptions here rather than the "Official" thread just keep things simple.

My interest in the Desert Warrior started with a picture of a B-24 Liberator crew that had been sent home after fulfilling the mission quotas.

That airframe was cleaned up and a misson map and record painted on her.

Researching that plane, I found the Desert Warrior B-25C and about 7 months later, Motion introduced their B-25J.

It was just too good to be true, so I pre-ordered one, as I recall there was a pre-order, you'll correct me if I am mistaken,

I found the markings in a Academy 1/72 scale model of the very B-25C, started working with Callie Graphics and here we are.

Hope you like what I post, criticism is more than acceptable and advice is welcomed.

Best, Steve

[Elbee]

Hey all.

Spent a couple hours today, doing some disassembly. The journey has begun.

Best, LB

[davegee]

Hey all.

Spent a couple hours today, doing some disassembly. The journey has begun.

Best, LB

An auspicious start! Did you cut off the side blister guns with a razor saw or something? At first, I was thinking of doing one of the Doolittle Raiders, but then converting it to a C model just was more work than I wanted to do right now. I looked into flying it as a Mediterranean Theatre bird, but I'd still have to cut off the side guns since they were removed from those airplanes and were used as more high altitude bombers.

Then I looked into the Pacific Theatre, and I found my mark. The 5th Air Force under General Kenney converted their planes to low altitude strafer/bombers, and packed a ton of firepower in the nose with .50 cal guns, and sometimes a 75mm tank gun! I chose Cactus Kitty for mine because I was moved by the tragic end for the crew on a bombing mission over Indo China. All five crew were killed The crew chief, who was from Wyoming had the right side of the fuse painted up with a buxom Wyoming cowgirl, or how they thought one should look like!

Great airplane, the B-25. You'll like flying it eventually when you get it done. I'm enjoying experimenting dropping bombs and the parachute "para frag" bombs that they dropped out at extremely low altitudes. The parachutes delayed the impact with the ground just long enough so the planes wouldn't get their tails shot off in the process!

Cheers

davegee

[Elbee]

Yes Dave, I used fine tooth Zona razor saws taken out of the blade holders.
Used these for years on all types of projects.
They are still available.
Best, Steve

[jetfool]

Elbee
Looking forward to your modifications going into cold weather. Will be like watching a streaming movie every day to see the next episode.

Best Regards, Rex

[Elbee]

Hey All,

Nothing major just a pic showing my use of 'pink' insulation foam to fill the "J" model turret hole.

I like this as a basic fill material and have used it on almost every foamie I've built.

It is easy to shape, sands similarly to balsa, and is structurally sound.

One caveat, it does not like solvents or standard CA glues, but is unaffected by IPA and urethane glues.

I will use it to block out the window openings as well.

More when there is more.

Best, Steve

[davegee]

Hey All,

Nothing major just a pic showing my use of 'pink' insulation foam to fill the "J" model turret hole.

I like this as a basic fill material and have used it on almost every foamie I've built.

It is easy to shape, sands similarly to balsa, and is structurally sound.

One caveat, it does not like solvents or standard CA glues, but is unaffected by IPA and urethane glues.

I will use it to block out the window openings as well.

More when thee is more.

Best, Steve

I like the pink foam, too. Good choice to fill those holes from the turret and windows.

Cheers

davegee

[Elbee]

Round 2 of filler. Best, LB

[RRHandy]

Coming along LB.

[Elbee]

I thank you,Sir. This will NOT take as long as the Corsair, but I really like the 'subject' and I am enjoying the work.

[Elbee]

Hey all,

I am going to add some detail to the bombardier station just because it is so visible.

The area is not structural, though I will beef up the nose gear retract mount to make up for removing foam structure to be safe.

No cockpit makeover, though I thought to add some details.

The cockpit is also part of the battery compartment, so can't go too crazy.

More when there is more...

Best, Steve

[Elbee]

Y'all.

Version 1 of the sidewalls and floor.

Next is cut back into the aft structure as far as the nose gear plastic mount.

Then some fun detail stuff: design reinforcement and detail the structural former.

Sidewall detail after that, gun placements, ammo boxes, radios, seats, and the like.

More when there is more.

Best, LB

[davegee]

Looks great, Steve. Looking forward to seeing more when there is more!

I have put some pilots that I used in my B-24 years ago. They are excellent air crew, but a bit too small. I pulled the stock pilots out of the plane because they were too big, and they looked like something from Toy Story 3. I ordered three pilot busts in summer gear as would be worn in the Pacific Theater from Chris Wolfe. They are 1/13 scale so they should work well when I paint them.

Cheers

Davegee

[Elbee]

Hey Mitchell Maniacs,

Did some additional foam surgery.

I designed & printed a cutting tool to more cleanly cut the aft fuselage turret.

Worked great and more importantly the OEM turret fits quite nicely.

When I scaled OEM turret, I did notice it is slightly larger than the drawings I am using, but it looks just fine.

Onward, it is the only option....

Best, Steve

[davegee]

Hey Mitchell Maniacs,

Did some additional foam surgery.

I designed & printed a cutting tool to more cleanly cut the aft fuselage turret.

Worked great and more importantly the OEM turret fits quite nicely.

When I scaled OEM turret, I did notice it is slightly larger than the drawings I am using, but it looks just fine.

Onward, it is the only option....

Best, Steve

Nice work, Steve! Did you put some sort of cutting edge on the bottom edge of that ring, or did it just cut through the foam, like...Butt-uh??

[Elbee]

Nice work, Steve! Did you put some sort of cutting edge on the bottom edge of that ring, or did it just cut through the foam, like...Butt-uh??

DG, well, let's say towards the end, it was more like cutting through cardboard with a fast-food "butt-ah" knife.

I did design in a cutting edge with 8 tiny notches, which worked well.

It was great until I hit the cutting edge's bevel point and then things slowed a bit.

Logical error, so any further designs, I'll just lengthen the bevel to match the estimated depth of material.

Nice thing offering to assist "Danger" Gross. Let's put our heads together and see what can be done for him.

Best, LB

[jetfool]

Elbee,

Great start to making another real miniature masterpiece. Most people wouldn't take a 500+ RTF and start cutting into it but scale builders/modelers see in their minds eye the potential of making it better. I am looking forward to seeing how you modify this to an early model.

Best Regards, Rex

[Elbee]

jetfool

Thanks Rex, there are times when I "wonder why" myself. honestly, I just get a picture in my mind and can't let it go..

So, in for penny, in for a pound.

Best, Steve

[davegee]

DG, well, let's say towards the end, it was more like cutting through cardboard with a fast-food "butt-ah" knife.

I did design in a cutting edge with 8 tiny notches, which worked well.

It was great until I hit the cutting edge's bevel point and then things slowed a bit.

Logical error, so any further designs, I'll just lengthen the bevel to match the estimated depth of material.

Nice thing offering to assist "Danger" Gross. Let's put our heads together and see what can be done for him.

Best, LB

You bet, Steve. Dan is quite an accomplished builder and pilot, and I'm sure this upgraded plane from stock will become a detailed, beautiful work. The name, Dangerous Dan, was one I was not familiar with from history, being in VMF-213. I've spent my time studying other Marine fighter groups, but I missed this one somehow.

Cheers

Dave

[Elbee]

Bomber Brethren,

Not much new on the fuselage, as I have been sorting out the forward fuselage greenhouse detail.

Starting to look about right, though I am having some 'thin wall' issues in the prints which are mostly self-inflicted.

The 'scalies' with notice a door which does not exist in the Mitchell, but for reasons too silly to explain, I have a door.

This is the same door I stood behind when God was handing out the Business Calculus gene BTW.

Next is to add the bits and pieces of the greenhouse: bomb sight, seats, ammo boxes, .50 cals, map case, et cetera.

More when there is more.

Best, Steve

[davegee]

Bomber Brethren,

Not much new on the fuselage, as I have been sorting out the forward fuselage greenhouse detail.

Starting to look about right, though I am having some 'thin wall' issues in the prints which are mostly self-inflicted.

The 'scalies' with notice a door which does not exist in the Mitchell, but for reasons too silly to explain, I have a door.

This is the same door I stood behind when God was handing out the Business Calculus gene BTW.

Next is to add the bits and pieces of the greenhouse: bomb sight, seats, ammo boxes, .50 cals, map case, et cetera.

More when there is more.

Best, Steve

Looking nice, Elbee! That forward cabin is off to a great start!

Cheers

Davegee

[Elbee]

davegee Thanks. Really fun work, which I hope adds something in the end. Best, Steve