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

[Elbee]

Bomber Brats,

Holes cut out and window frames in for the Navigator's Compartment.

Observation Bubble completed with box for the Celestial Sextant (found a drawing of the shelf in my book and a picture of the sextant and box on the web).

The book I have been referencing is "North American B-25 Mitchell-The Ultimate Look" by William Wolf published in 2008 by Schiffer Military History Books.

The book does a good job of covering the different variants, but lacks continuity.

The author bounces around from model to model in each chapter and is thorough, but it is hard to find the variant you want to study without looking at everything else.

Many factory drawings and pictures. Is it worth it? Yeah, considering I've seen things in this book I've not seen anywhere else.

You just have to go through every page over and over.

More when there is more....

Best, LB

[RRHandy]

By the time you're done, that will be a work of art and I would not be happy if I lost it in a mishap.

[Elbee]

By the time you're done, that will be a work of art and I would not be happy if I lost it in a mishap.

As my Grand-pappy Thomas used to say, "Son, we pays our money and we takes our chances."

Glad you like it thus far.

Best to you and yours,

Steve

[Elbee]

Hey Y'all,

Quick update.

Windows, windoes, windoze...

First design round hot off the printer.

Like the matte black frames which will cover myriad sin...

I am using Plexi-glass for the Plexi-glass and it looks quite good, very clear and rigid, but occasionally tough to cut accurately w/o breakage.

I am also using Clear UV cured resin as the adhesive which seems to be holding up well.

I experimented using that same resin to actually be the glass, though it 'gasses-off' a bit during curing which leaves flaws.

I'll not give up on that idea, however, as it has merit and could be used to print compound curved clear parts, as well.

More soon...

Best, LB

[Elbee]

Hey Y'all,

Baby steps.

Port Bubble Window and Starboard Bubble WIndow/Escape Hatch glass cut and complete.

Next is locating each window on the fuselage in "X" & "Y".

Scaled up the plastic model plans for the "C" variant to see if that could be used as reference.
Per usual, lines on the drawings almost never correspond exactly to any panel line on an scale R/C plane.

So, we play the cards we are dealt and do a little math and get as close as is possible.

More when there is more.

Best, LB

[Elbee]

So goofy,

She whose authority exceeds my rank got a new AI/CG graphics program.

It is one powerful mama.

I am always the guinea pig.

She asked what she could do, I said you can do what's on my bucket list stuff.

Hilarious.

Best, LB

[jetfool]

Didn't realize you were quite the adventurous type. LOL

[f4u ausie]

Bucking bronco steve..Funny as hell .. Is that body on your bucket list..
Or U still pumping. Iron!!!?

[Elbee]

I have not seen that body since I was 19.
I asked Tamms, "Who is that guy? Should I be worried?"

[Elbee]

f4u ausie

Craig,

This is what I was writing about about using a 3-view or 5-view drawing and cropping it, increasing the dimensions to actual size needed and going to work from there.

This is a cropped canopy from an Airfix 1/72 scale plastic model color and decal placement sheet.

I scanned it, opened it in Adobe Photoshop, cropped the portion I wanted, resized the image and 2D printed it.

These never match the OEM R/C model exactly, but it gives me the correct layout and I can go from there.

Hope this make sense.

I can mask the canopy closely enough and use narrower (wider) cut strips to mask the out the panels and 'compromise' from there.

It has been my experience the molded lines are too wide mostly, so I do cheat or narrow those where possible.

Hope this explains my method better than I did in an earlier post.

Best, Steve

[jetfool]

Elbee,
Ain't technology great

Everything coming along nicely.

Best Regards, Rex

[Grossman56]

Hilarious Steve, now get her to take a pic of the Corsair or the B 25 and put you in the cockpit!
Heck, I'd love to have a pic of me sitting in one of my airplanes, isn't that what we all dream about?!?

Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)

[f4u ausie]

Ye ide luv one of me on a carrier,,fully loaded,flaps down canopy back..in a Corsair... Just about to launch... thanx Steve,,helps a lot(I'm getting with the program)... Still alota work..for U,, but oh U love it so.... Clearly your imagination still,runs very well .. coming along nicely... Bsafe

[Elbee]

B-25 Inner Bay LH Skin v2.zip

Hey All,

Quick update.

As per both davegee and Charlee, I am adding inner bomb bay door skins.

It is a fairly easy mod and adds much in my thinking.

I've included the STL file for the LH skin, call it an Easter gift.

Duplicate in your slicer program and 'mirror' that duplication to get both the LH & RH skins.

I printed these at 0.15 layer height using Hatchbox PLA on a satin build plate.

The picture is a dry fit and I will use slow set CA to attach these.

NOTE: When gluing these, glue these 'flush' to the door's center line edge and NOT flush to the hinge line side.

Best and Happy Easter,
Steve

[RRHandy]

You're the best LB, Happy Early Easter.

[Elbee]

You're the best LB, Happy Early Easter.

RR,

Pitch the V1 and download the v2.

I narrowed the profile as not to interfere with the fuselage side.

Ask me how I know....

Glue flush to the door's center edge NOT flush at the hinge line.

Best, LB

[jetfool]

Outstanding work!

After much thinking and pre-fitting of parts it still takes about 3 or 4 times before I get it right

[Elbee]

Hey all,

Posted this in the "Official" thread as well.

Good stuff.

Best, Steve

[Elbee]

Hey Y'all,

This is what I've gotten done since my last update.

Best, LB

[f4u ausie]

Slacker,,,,.. get on with it.. na Lifes busy. Lb

[Elbee]

Slacker,,,,.. get on with it.. na Lifes busy. Lb

Thanks for the Pep-Talk.

I needed that.

Best, LB