I built this kit for the “Longest Day” Group Build hosted by Bish. It is heavily modified on the interior, but the only AM for this kit specificly that I used was a set of “Quick Boost” barrels for the .50 Cal.s. all other additions were scratch built and or salvaged stuff off of old models from my spares bin and a few items of generic PE (flex ammo chutes and ammo for some of the .50s)
As stated earlier, here are the pictured of my build of the old 1/48 scale Monogram B-26B Marauder kit, “Flak Bait”.
B-26B-25-MA Serial Number 41-31773 was completed off of the Assembly line in late April 1943. She was flown across the Atlantic and assigned to the 8th Bomber Command in England, 322nd Bomb Group in late May 1943. This group had just introduced the B-26 to combat in the ETO. The 322nd had just stood down after all the B-26s dispatched on a low level strike into Holland had been shot down by fighters and flak, save one which aborted en route to the target.
She would fly over 200 combat missions in the ETO without an abort (207 or 208 depending upon the source), more than any other American bomber in the ETO. Aptly named by her first pilot, Lt. Farrell (after his brother’s dog “Flea Bait”), she took over 1000 holes in her airframe during the course of these missions. During the span of her combat career she would return to base twice on only one engine, survive an engine fire, have her hydraulics shot out once and electrical systems twice. But she always came back, for a total of 725 combat hours in the ETO while assigned to the 449th Bombardment Squadron, 322nd Bomb Group. She would be forward based in France and later Belgium after those areas had been liberated, and end her flying career in Germany before being selected to be sent home for preservation at the Smithsonian due to her distinguished combat career.
On June 1st Flak Bait flew her 100th combat sortie. On June 6th she would fly two more as part of the “maximum effort” put forth by the Allies to support the Normandy Invasion. On the morning of June 6th, the 322nd would dispatch three 16 ship “boxes”. Two were assigned to strike gun batteries near Ouistreham, opposite Sword Beach, while the third box was assigned to strike gun batteries near Utah Beach at Montfarfille. The overcast weather and icing conditions forced the Marauders to fly in under the cloud ceiling at 8000 feet. Many would abort, but not “Flak Bait”. In the afternoon, the full 322nd Bomb Group would fly a strike near Caen. Just a small part of the huge operation that the Normandy Operation was, but overall the B-26s of the 9th Air Force would put in the most effect close air support against the German coastal defenses of any of the Allied bombers that day, especially at Utah Beach.
This is Monogram’s venerable 1/48 scale kit, first issued in 1978. I added a scratch built radio/navigators compartment, tail gunner’s compartment, and added detail to the waist and top gunner’s compartments. All colors used are based off of WWII era color photos of Marauders, and of the actual Flak Bait herself in storage at the Smithsonian Institute.
I finished it in time to take it to this month’s IPMS OC’s meeting and enter it into the monthly contest there where it placed second in the Master Category.
Thanks for looking! Comments and Critiques are welcome.
If I went to a contest and saw that plane there, I’d pack up my stuff and head for home with my tail between my legs. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll be able to build something close to that by the time I get to the great workbench in the sky.
Jim, lets just say that joining and competing in that club has made me kick it up each build to stay in the game. And I keep learning more from the great builders there.
Not bad for a kit that is often maligned online. Most of the problems in the end were of my own making. And there were quite a few of those…
Thank you for all the kind comments guys. After all the fuss getting it done, it’s very nice to hear. Mike, the build that took 1st fully deserved it in my eyes. A 1/48 PBY in a waterborne take off vignette. Big and beautiful it was!
Steve, I definitely would recommend about stepping outside your comfort zone now and again. My next build will be somewhat out of mine.
Stik, holy cow. That is on my list of must builds and I have a HUGE set of shoes to try and wear to even think I’m gonna approach that nice of a build. Super nice!!!
Brandon, this is really not that difficult a kit to tackle. I would advise picking a scheme without invasion stripes to ease your painting challenges. And it could easily be rescribed for a more accurate build. From what I read, the Marauder was the first production aircraft for the USAAF that had butt joined panels rather than overlapping skin panels. Of course I did not come across that tidbit until after it was all built and mostly painted…
Richs, I had no idea what that red was for, but I did see it on several photos so I had to add it there. A nice spalsh of color there. Without the invasion stripes Flak Bait is really a drab aircraft with the grayed out stars and gray squadron codes.
MK, this PBY is what took 1st place. I sure can not hold any grudges. The presentation was quite impressive…
Bravo stik! That’s a great model plane, it just looks so “authentic” man. I really love the war-worn paint work and thanks for the wonderful details of the plane’s history too. That’s the cherry on top for me! [:D[
Tex, in the research I did for this, I came across so many Flak Bait builds that missed this small detail, or that small detail. I really wanted to get this one right. I am pretty sure that there are details that I missed as well, but with the available information that I found during the course of the build I did the best that I could. I am glad that you like this build and the background information.
MK, I can not begin to say how much that I truly enjoy being a part of this IPMS Chapter. I am truly blessed to have the opportunity here. Yes it’s only a hobby, but to find such a group of guys to share that same level of enthusiasm and learn from them really makes it a wondrful experience.
Eagle, thanks for the kind words. As far as placing or winning there goes, as Rodney Dangerfield would have said, “… tough crowd, tough crowd…” as he sweats and loosens his collar and necktie
