The HobbyBoss 1/32 B24D Liberator.
- Thread starter BarryW
- Start date
It must be just me or the camera angle, but there seems to be something wrong with the alignment of that bulkhead just in front of the waist gunner's window? I can't imagine you getting that wrong ....
It is only dropped loosely into place. There is still a lot of work to do on the internal detail
The bomb bay will be open. For one thing this will be sat on my top shelf, nose in, with the rear of the aircraft hanging over space. Having a tricycle u/c it is a lot easier to display on shelves than a tail dragger with a longer gap between tail and front wheels. I will need to build my Lanc with removable outer wings but not this.
Incidentally, I often have open cockpits to show off the detail and bomb bays likewise. I don’t have open gun bays though, or engine or other maintenance panels. It depends on my mood!
The first 50 cal brass gun barrel glued in place with ca.
I have some tricky painting to do inside the transparency. This is also the rear turret so it has that horrible join. This is the worse thing about this kit and I will just have to make the most of it. At least with the D it’s only the one turret, the J has this issue on both. I am not sure how I will glue this yet, probably not plastic cement, Gator Grip is an option but the non-fogging ca might be better. I also have a clear two part epoxy to consider.
I have some tricky painting to do inside the transparency. This is also the rear turret so it has that horrible join. This is the worse thing about this kit and I will just have to make the most of it. At least with the D it’s only the one turret, the J has this issue on both. I am not sure how I will glue this yet, probably not plastic cement, Gator Grip is an option but the non-fogging ca might be better. I also have a clear two part epoxy to consider.
To add to the above. It is well worth getting the brass gun barrels not only because they look better but also they are less prone to break off. I have not worked out yet whether this turret can be retrofitted as part of final fittings.
Jim R
SMF Supporter
You most definitely do. Interesting to see how you go about it.
Neil Merryweather
SMF Supporter
have you thought about UV glue for the transparency, Barry?
I posted earlier about the Uschi Metal Powders. Looking at Scale Model Shop they are about £10 per jar and that seems expensive.
But…
I most commonly use the Chrome effect type and if you buy just one of them that is the one I would recommend.
I have used this on every single build except for the first half dozen, which were before I found out about it. I use it a lot too, internally and externally. So that must be around 70/80 builds, mostly large 1/32 scale too.
Look at this.
This is the ONLY pot of chrome I have bought and it’s still nearly two thirds full! Basically it’s a lifetime supply (25ml jar). You just use really small amounts to get the effects you want. My other two pots are, of course, even fuller, as I use them less.
I just hope that I live long enough to need to buy another pot, that means twenty plus years!!!!
I call that £10 well spent.
But…
I most commonly use the Chrome effect type and if you buy just one of them that is the one I would recommend.
I have used this on every single build except for the first half dozen, which were before I found out about it. I use it a lot too, internally and externally. So that must be around 70/80 builds, mostly large 1/32 scale too.
Look at this.
This is the ONLY pot of chrome I have bought and it’s still nearly two thirds full! Basically it’s a lifetime supply (25ml jar). You just use really small amounts to get the effects you want. My other two pots are, of course, even fuller, as I use them less.
I just hope that I live long enough to need to buy another pot, that means twenty plus years!!!!
I call that £10 well spent.
Working on the rear turret.
After painting I removed the internal masking (fortunately the Montex set had internal masks which made things easier). A wash and a bit of dry brushing and I am able to fit the guns in behind panels. This needs to dry before I move to the next part of this assembly.
Some of that external masking will need to be carefully pulled back when I glue the two halves together.
After painting I removed the internal masking (fortunately the Montex set had internal masks which made things easier). A wash and a bit of dry brushing and I am able to fit the guns in behind panels. This needs to dry before I move to the next part of this assembly.
Some of that external masking will need to be carefully pulled back when I glue the two halves together.
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Got my first ones recently. Not had a chance to use them yet.
Jim R
SMF Supporter
Definitely.
Now it’s time to see if I can fit the rear turret to the aircraft as part of final fittings instead of before cementing the fuselage halves together.
It is obvious that the turret ring needs to be glued to the turret base plate to give me any chance of that. As I am not at all interested in having moving parts on the model it is a no brainer
Here is the turret itself, after experimentation I decided to use the non-fogging ca, here it is all glued together and clamped up to dry. I used plastic cement on the lower half of the turret where it’s painted. There is simply nothing that can be done about that awful seam though I will do a little polishing.
As you can see I peeled back the masking and held it out of the way with some other tape. I will remask before painting the exterior.
It is obvious that the turret ring needs to be glued to the turret base plate to give me any chance of that. As I am not at all interested in having moving parts on the model it is a no brainer
Here is the turret itself, after experimentation I decided to use the non-fogging ca, here it is all glued together and clamped up to dry. I used plastic cement on the lower half of the turret where it’s painted. There is simply nothing that can be done about that awful seam though I will do a little polishing.
As you can see I peeled back the masking and held it out of the way with some other tape. I will remask before painting the exterior.
Andy the Sheep
SMF Supporter
Great job, Barry and I'm following your progress with interest. 
It's a pity HobbyBoss didn't find a better engineering solution for those transparencies.
It's a pity HobbyBoss didn't find a better engineering solution for those transparencies.
Probably a daft idea, but couldn't you paint that seam as part of the turret framing? Not accurate I know, but maybe better looking?
Time to work on that awful turret seam and to see how I can get the best out of it.
I have to say that though many B24 ‘experts’ slam these kits most for the wing profile, which really is impossible to correct, it’s the turret engineering that I consider to be the worse error. At least, when built, the wing profile is not noticeable to all except real B24 but these turrets, well they will look bad whatever you do. This is why I bought the D version, apart from loving the desert camo, there is only the rear turret to marr the look.
Here is a progression of the work. First I had to sand the seam with a 600 grit sanding sponge to get a smooth level surface, some ca had squeezed out providing a small ridge in places.
Next I worked down through the grades
Below is how it looked when I got down to 2500 grade
After the 4000 polishing sponge.
Next up some Tamiya polishing compound
Then we have this, pretty good clear appearance except for what remains of the seam
As you can see, there is a problem on the inside, to the front, that I cannot access to deal with. I will see if some ‘artistic’ painting can improve it later.
All remasked ready to paint the camo
While waiting for some detail painting on the ball turret (more later) I have started to add smaller parts to the inside of the port fuselage. This cover several stages, as does the starboard side there is such a lot to do here.
Because of back problems I am only spending half hour at the bench at a time currently and this is slowing down progress. I need to get a new chair about which I will be speaking to my osteopathic in a couple of weeks when I see him next.
I have to say that though many B24 ‘experts’ slam these kits most for the wing profile, which really is impossible to correct, it’s the turret engineering that I consider to be the worse error. At least, when built, the wing profile is not noticeable to all except real B24 but these turrets, well they will look bad whatever you do. This is why I bought the D version, apart from loving the desert camo, there is only the rear turret to marr the look.
Here is a progression of the work. First I had to sand the seam with a 600 grit sanding sponge to get a smooth level surface, some ca had squeezed out providing a small ridge in places.
Next I worked down through the grades
Below is how it looked when I got down to 2500 grade
After the 4000 polishing sponge.
Next up some Tamiya polishing compound
Then we have this, pretty good clear appearance except for what remains of the seam
As you can see, there is a problem on the inside, to the front, that I cannot access to deal with. I will see if some ‘artistic’ painting can improve it later.
All remasked ready to paint the camo
While waiting for some detail painting on the ball turret (more later) I have started to add smaller parts to the inside of the port fuselage. This cover several stages, as does the starboard side there is such a lot to do here.
Because of back problems I am only spending half hour at the bench at a time currently and this is slowing down progress. I need to get a new chair about which I will be speaking to my osteopathic in a couple of weeks when I see him next.
Looks OK Barry, stupid place for a seam line though, especially at this scale. If you still find it difficult to live with, you can up the shine a little more by using an Albion Alloys 12000 grit pad then finishing with the Tamiya compound. Comes out like glass……but it will still have the seam line 
Jim R
SMF Supporter
You've done the best that could be done with the canopy, Barry. When it is part of the finished build it will be far less noticeable. OK 'your eye' will unfortunately be drawn to it but others will see the model as a whole.
Tim's right though, that seam has not thought out.
Tim's right though, that seam has not thought out.
Scratchbuilder
SMF Supporter
Barry an excellent build let down by a company that should know better, they could have moulded that part of the gun turret as a seperate part with the join being along the frames either side. If you build another try to make your own balsa mould as we used to back in the day when Alan Hall et at were around, you have the start there with the turret in half to give you the radius.
Overall an impressive work of art. Just told SWMBO I am getting one, and her bed is now in the shed, unfortunately there is not enough room to lay the bed flat so it will have to sit at the angle.....
Overall an impressive work of art. Just told SWMBO I am getting one, and her bed is now in the shed, unfortunately there is not enough room to lay the bed flat so it will have to sit at the angle.....