1/48 Accurate Miniatures SBD-3 Dauntless (FINISHED)...

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
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Thanks guys for the condolences (LOL). So far nothing from MRC. Bvallot is going to bail me out and mold me a new one when his Dash 2 arrives. It looks like I wont have to shelve this one afterall, just temporarily postpone it for a bit. Perhaps I’ll start work on the engine, flaps, landing gears and such in the meantime.

Brandon, thanks for taking the time to investigate further. From everything I read, Its this kit boxing (below), which is a special edition SBD-3 VB-3, version that has the issues. Their SBD2 Midway offering should be fine. Unfortunately the Dash 3 happens to be the one I’m building. Apparently not all of them had issues either, so I guess I’m one of the lucky ones (sarcasm). Somehow a gun deck for the Dash 5, which as you showed was longer, had ended up in the kit.

Chris, I agree, there is just too much nice detail on the deck to start chopping it up. I’d rather replace it.

Joe

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Joe-this may shed some light on your issue

www.internetmodeler.com/…/am_sbd3dauntless.php

I purchased my -3 Midway before AM went out of business and they sent me the correct parts-hopefully Academy will do the same.

I will be following your build-excellent build in progress

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Thanks Bob…yep, thats one of the articles I read about it…and thank you for following…

Joe

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Geez, and I was as excited watching this build as you were building it, Joe.

Hope it gets sorted out. And you’re still the king of the cockpit IMO.

BTW, your step by step on using ‘The Detailer’ washes showed me a step I was missing, thanks Joe!!!

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Uh-oh, sorry to hear your problems Joe but I have the AM SBD-3. I’d better check the sprue and see if it has the problem.

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Beautiful work on the cockpit; the next time I build a plane, I’ll have to try the flat black pre-shading technique. Too bad the goof-up put the kibosh on the whole project![:(] We do have the Fourth of July coming; perhaps you could blow it up–or would that be a waste of a perfectly good firecracker?[:)]

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Your very welcome and thanks for the kind words all. I decided not to give up on this one and I shall forge ahead. I suppose I should call this one the “Tutorial Dauntless”, because here I go again with a bright idea. Today I’m going to take you step-by step through improving the Accurate Miniatures example of the Wright Cyclone powerplant. The other night I sat there staring at the Cyclone dryfitted together and it just looked funny to me. Then I realized the piece that represents the pushrod and ignition harness was the problem. Although it was a valiant effort by AM to recreate this area, it’s was just way over scale and the wires looked like snakes on the engine. Unfortunately the wires are molded on top of the rods which complicated things. I decided I just had to hack the “wires and rods” off and replace them with styrene rod and fine wire. Here we go…

There was a little “nub” and I hacked them just above it (See photo)…

Here we are with them all hacked.

I then added the “ring” to the cylinder piece. The rods I hacked off made this piece sit properly on the cylinder heads, so now we had to build the new push rods. I used .10 styrene rod and sliced it to the proper lengths. Tweezers and Tenax took care of the rest. This takes no tme at all because Tenax is like super glue when attaching bare styrene to bare styrene and it grabs immediately. (Note: To avoid confusion, I keep my Tenax in the Tamiya bottle because I love their applicator).

Here’s how it turned out. Much better than the kit version yeah? (I did leave the bottom wire detail because I liked how it looked).

Its now time to start painting, so I primed that turkey with Alclad Grey.

I then sprayed everything Alclad Duraluminum. For some reason thats my initial go-to shade for everything. No particular reason really. As you can see, I left the reduction box housing in grey primer. It will stay that color since these were gray. I’m all about efficiency.

It was time to start the brush painting. I broke out the XF-1 Flat Black and 91% Isoprophyl then painted the push rods black.

Then it was time for the fun part…adding the ignition wires. All you need is fine wire, superglue and tweezers. I use copper wire ripped from an old stereo cord so I dont have to paint it. Most pictures I’ve seen show these as being a copper colored…short cut?..laziness?..you decide. Its then a matter of cutting them the right length and manipulating it with your fingers and the tweezers. I keep super glue on a jar lid and dip the wire into it (both ends). Its then attached by one end to the ignition point and the other to the cylinder. It then stars to go pretty quick as you work your way around.

This took about an hour or so. The Cyclone is easy because there is only one row of cylinders to wire up. Here you can see where I painted the bottom wires (that I decided not to hack off) Copper. I then sealed everything with with Testor’s gloss to prepare for the wash.

My old standard. The Detailer wash (Black/Brown mix)…wonderful stuff. I just let it work its magic…

Once I remove the excess and I’m happy with the appearance, I gets a Testor’s Dull Coat which I cut with Lacquer thinner.

I could stop here, but I don’t. I hit the face of the engine with a blast of Tamiya Smoke X-19 to give it that used dirty look. Done…

Next I’ll build the landing gears an such. The Eduard canopy masks came the other day so perhaps I’ll knock those out as well.

…and still nothing from MRC. I’m not impressed…

Joe

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[:|][snWow]

That is some great scratching! I can’t wait for the next update.

Keep it coming LD!

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This is funny. =] I had planned on doing the same thing here. When I looked ahead to the parts review I peaked specifically at the engine and dive flaps. I thought about replacing both, but when looking at that engine a little longer I figured I could just tweak it and cut off the rods and wiring setup. Your’s are looking great!! I have to admit…I never really question myself about what I can and can’t do as it applies to scratching and whatnot, but recently I’ve found my patience tested as I’ve upscaled the level of detailing for the P-40 I’ve got working. I’m at the point where I’m sticking so much sh!t on this engine block that some parts are breaking off as they are precariously “in the way.” It was actually only now as I’m typing this that it occurred to me to make some kind of jig to prop it up so that I’ll have two hands to maneuver around the build. I guess I’m just a hard-headed man and slow to change. =]

Would you have any other suggestions when it comes scratchbuilding paraphernalia? If you’ve ever noticed in my photos, I’m pretty unrefined in terms of a “setup” or lazy susan, etc. I’ve settled for simple and what works, but I recognize that I could improve my work-area.

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An engine even a mechanic could love.

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Fantastic engine! I’m definitely going to try to replicate your techniques on whatever my WWII build ends up being.

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Joe is it possible that the -5 sprue accidentally got switched with the -3 sprue. Basically someone not paying attention in the packaging line.

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Wow, I’m loving this…

Great work. You always make it look so easy, Joe.

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As a matter of fact I do! lol

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dog

Looks much better than the molded details, just a superb surgery job on the engine. I also use Tenax but in a Touch n Flow applicator that gives me superior accuracy with the gluing. Plast I Weld works the same too.

I also save parts and wiring from discarded electronic components for detail work. You never know when that stuff will come in handy.

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Thank you all for the kind comments.

I originally thought the same, but the lower part of the fuselage that this deck piece sits on is the correct length (see 1/8th inch gap earlier in the thread). These all came on the same sprue (see Brandon’s pic’s) so its throws out that theory. It’s sort of a head scratcher. From what I read, it was quality a control screw up. Who knows…

I did finally hear back from MRC via email. Their Customer Service wants the Bar code number. To me this is pointless, since I’ll likely receive the same wrong piece. I was also told it would take 2-3 months before I receive the part from Accurate Miniatures. What? I thought they closed up? Did they just join forces with Academy or suddenly go back in business? I’m confused. Any thoughts? How about they just give me the part from their reboxed Dash-2 so I could get on with this build. Too easy I guess…[bnghead].

I decided I’m going shelve this guy and switch to my Stuka B-2 for Bish’s Stuka Group build.

Joe

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I believe it is possible that Accurate miniatures is supplying Academy with the kits to rebox under their label like what Italeri is doing with the TBM Avenger kits. Remember the molds were not sold so Accurate Miniatures is still in control of them. In fact all of Academy’s 1/48 B-25’s are accurate miniatures kits.

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Thanks Mike. That would certainly explain alot. Perhaps Accurate Miniatures will come back on their own someday…sounds like there is hope.

Joe

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Hang in there Joe! =]

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Hey Joe, did your kit have anything like this in it? image