Been getting rid of some older kits that have raised panels and require heroic modeling. (Didn’t quite know what I was doing a year back and made some poor buys.) Included is a 48 scale Monogram B-25J. Because there are a couple of new 25s coming out, thought I’d get one of the latest and greatest for my birthday. (Nobody else can buy models for me anymore - so I have to do the job myself.) But I just stumbled on this review of the kit on Modeling Madness by Tim Cleaver:
“Once the model was assembled, I rescribed the panel lines with a sharp #11 X-acto blade. In fact, much of the surface on a 1:1 Mitchell (we have three out at Chino, including the rebuilds over at Aero Trader, to look at) is covered with lapped panels, so the raised panel line of this kit is actually much more accurate in final look than the “state of the art” recessed panel lines so many modelers think a model must have if it is to be worth bothering with. The result with the X-acto left panel lines that looked close to the original ones.”
Not sure what this guy is talking about. Would he remove the raised panels or carve along side of them? Anyway, should I be keeping this thing?
Absolutely keep it! The Monogram 25 is a decent kit. Who cares if it has raised panel lines? All these recessed line models and AM parts are cool but not really needed (imo anyway). Enjoy building the kit - that’s what model building is about.
AGREED!!! Keep it! Recessed panel lines are highly overrated at least as far as I see it, when it comes to WWII modeling. Consider this, a large majority of the aircraft that fought in WWII were 1930’s technology, which was mainly overlapping panels and tons of raised rivets, in turn you get raised panels. Not all WWII aircraft were built this way of course but the majority were.
I’ve always found it funny that I’ve seen guys building, let’s say, the revell 48th scale B-17G going nuts over accuracy down to the last detail so they EVERYTHING is 100% accurate, then go and rescribe the damn thing.
There’s an article in the recent issue of FSM on dealing with raised panel lines. While I appreciate engraved panel lines ,most times the raised lines on kits such as most Revell/Monogram kits can be painted, washed ,filtered, and weathered pretty much the same as todays higher priced , high tech kits.
As far as the Revellogram B-25 J , by all means keep it and build it. Here’s my example. Finished as a what if. With a pic of my then 3yr old daughter as nose art , camo was an educated guess from a few magazine pics, and guess who the pilot is.
I had a lot of fun with this build. The only real challenge was finding places to add enough weight to keep the nose down. An issue with even the high tech kits.
Getting rid of a model because it has raised panel lines??!?!?! [:@] That’s like saying I’ll get rid of this solid gold bar because it has a speck of lint on it!
OK, I’ll keep it. Sprue Brothers is bringing in a new Euro line of kits and the 25 is their initial offering - at $125. But it’s 32 scale, and I’ve decided to keep my aircraft at 48. Italeri has a 48 (repackaged I think) for $70. So we have 70 good reasons to keep the one I’ve got. Aside from that, Cleaver (who must have some association with the Planes of Fame guys at Chino) says that most turrets were plexiglass glued together - so no masking there. I’m not sure that he’s right about 5th AF removing the factory version side gun pods. I interviewed one of the last members of the North American B-25 design teams and he said once a plane was in the hands of 5th AF heaven itself was helpless. So maybe it was a case of sometimes. That’s one subject I do have reference on, so I’ll look it up back in CA. (Modelers do seem to like the 25-H. I didn’t talk to anyone that thought the H was a success. But that was New Guinea - I’ve heard second hand that some units in the PI had better luck. Kind of hard to imagine what target a 75mm canon could damage that 8-12 .50 calibers couldn’t shred, especially as they’d “skip bomb” a proper ship. Apparently the real problem was as much accuracy as recoil. I know US pilots didn’t like the P-39s 37mm canon for that reason: Rooskies just had better conditions for it. A lot of Red 25s too.)
I still don’t quite understand what Cleaver was doing with his X-Acto if he liked the raised lines. I’ll check back when I build the thing.
But I do want to get this one right. In one of my projects B-25 crews of 5th and 13th AF were of tremendous help. And, no joke, my mother worked in the tower at Mitchell Field in Kansas City and directed new 25s either West or East depending upon orders. Ditto with all SOPAC/SWPAC aircraft so I haven’t done one yet because I’m still not happy with my models.
Now, should I spring $50 for the Tamiya 48 Betty or should I stick with my ancient Lindbergh?
While all the PE , resin, recessed panel lines available today are wonderful, one of the cornerstones of scale modeling has always been figuring out how to do it ,build it , finish it, etc.
I’m one of those old school modelers who cut there teeth on the old Monogram kits. They sometimes took a little extra work ,but always built up beautifully. and still look great even next to todays high tech kits.
