I recently got a old Minicraft kit of theB-24J Liberator ‘The Dragon and His Tail’ at a flea market for $3.00. I have started working on my paint list and have worked out everything but the fusalage color. The instruction sheet just says ‘natural metal’. I was wondering if anybody had any color recommendations for me. I prefer to use Tamiya and Model Master Acrylics when possible. I did find a slide show of the plane. http://www.ww2-airshows.lone-wolfs-den.com/images/B-24/index.html
you can use foil for the surface. Are you brush painting or spraying?
Spraying, alot of people swear by aluclad(i think thats it) but brush painting, if your patient, X-11 is quite good. and humbrol 011 silver produces quite a good finish. Both these can also be sprayed for a good reslt too.
Aluminum is the color. Tamiya makes a superior shade over Model Master Acrylic. As you can see from this photo of the real original aircraft, it was fairly well maintained.
Cool slideshow. Wonder how old those pics are? I think the only airworthy B-24 these days is “Witchcraft”…a Collings foundation bird.
My understanding is that they were taken just after the war, just prior to being cut up for scrap.
I figured the 2 B&W pics were post war but I was talking about the link posted of some airshow. Some good shots of the nose art.
The slide show is definitely a modern restored warbird. Not the original Dragon.
Don’t know how old those pics are but judging by the hair, clothes, and the guy with the digital camera I’d say those shots came from the mid 90’s or later.
I think there are actually two, plus one PB4Y-2 Privateer…“Tanker 121”, which just returned to the sky last month.
The CAF’s B-24A, “Ole 927” is airworthy (I flew on her occasionally back when she was still C-84/LB-30 “Diamond Lil”) and has been almost completely restored to her original B-29A configuration…
I REALLY want the “Dragon’s” decals in 1/48th…
I guess it was about 2yrs ago when I had a nice conversation with the pilot of Witchcraft. At that time the big deal was that they had the only flying B-24…there was a 2nd plane…had America in its name...NMF...had an accident and was relegated to static display. If theres 2 more out there, awesome…didnt know. I think the NMF bird was the Great American...cant remember…someone will straighten me out…lol.
I see those decals on Ebay every now and then…give ya a shout next time I see `em.
Yeah, those Collings guys were rather uppity, since, according to them, theirs was a “real” B-24, & ours was just an LB-30 with a “D” nose… However, the CAF has had a Liberator in the air far longer than anyone else, since 1967.
“Diamond Lil” was originally the 18th of an order of 20 LB-30s for the RAF. It was damaged in an accident on it’s delivery flight to Canada from Willow Run in 1941, brought back to the States, and converted to a company transport… It flew a scheduled route from New York to Ft Worth to San Diego, and was serialed as AM-927, where it became known as “Old 927”. It was sold to PEMEX after the war, and the flew it as an exec transport until the CAF bought it in 1967. In 1971, she was put in the colors of the 9th AF 98th Bomb Group, and flew practically every year since…
!(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/HansvonHammer/Warbirds 3/DiamondLil.jpg?t=1299672717)
A few years back, after about 30 years of trying to get her restored to her original B-29A configuration, the proper rear turret (the same turret that went into RAF Lancasters) was finally located, and the waist gun-positions installed, along with rebuilt nav and bombardier positions. “Diamond Lil” was then repainted in her original RAF Export scheme and re-named “Old 927”…
!(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/HansvonHammer/Warbirds 3/B24AOl927.jpg?t=1299672828)
Although it can’t be rebuilt to include a bomb bay, it’s close enough… So while them clowns at Collings are bragging up their J, we got the oldest and, more importantly, continously-flying B-24… Plus, it’s one-of-a-kind as a B24A… She’s also a “Movie Star”, as Paul Newman’s ride in Fat Man and Little Boy…
Oh, yeah… Did I mention there’s been a little rivalry between Collings and the CAF B-29/B-24 Sqn? It’s all good-natured though… Lol…
Yeah, I’d dig that… But only if they’re 1/48th…
I think you may be referring to the 2nd half of Collings Witchcraft’s “split personality” … She was “All American” on the port side, “The Dragon and his Tail” on the starbord side…
The " All American" Im talking about wasnt in dual disguise. Ill have to look it up but Im pretty sure that pilot wasnt pulling my leg. Ill get to talk to him again in August , at NAS Wildwood`s Airfest. Sounds like you guys pulled out the rulers a couple of times…[:D]
That`s a really nice painting of old 927 on a bomb run…guess they threw the bombs out the windows…[proplr]
LOL… Yeah, it happens all the time… It’s even worse in the Fighter Community, round motors vs liquid-cooled, ya know…
We’ve (the “Gunfighter” Clan) been in practically a state of war with the Bearcat guys in the SoCal Wing…
That’s no painting… She’s coming off the “Ploesti” bomb-run at Midland…
Here’s the second pass… Not as spectacular though…
!(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/HansvonHammer/Warbirds 3/B24Ol927.jpg?t=1299676800)
Collings foundation first flew their B-24 as “All American” then changed scheme to “Dragon & Tail” then changed again to “Witchcraft”.
I use Tamiay Titanium Silver for NMF finishes …
Also, I’ve seen the Strawberry Bitch - an early model Lib …
pepper
Oooops !! … shoulda said the ‘Strawberry Bitch’ …
pepper
Gotta space those words or he Nannybot gets ya, Pepper… “Strawberry B itch”
Or you could use the South Park spelling/pronunciation’ , “B yatch”…[;)]
OK who flies this B-24? I took this pic last year when it flew over my house, along with a B-17. I know they are due in town again soon… They fly in at the same time every year.
That’s Collings’ “Witchcraft”… Here she is with their B-17 “909” and B-25 “Tondelayo”…
We (CAF) got those guys outnumbered with B-17s and B-25s, too… Plus “FiFi” as a trump card, lol…
Here`s a close-up of that stab…
Heres some other pics of Collings birds at NAS Wildwood, NJ…
…Nine `o Nine…B-17G…
In lieu of Tondelayo, they sent this P-51 C last year…
