OK, all. Since I seem to have become obsessed with the idea of turning an AcMin B-25 into a Navy or Marine Corps PBJ-1, I think I have finally hit upon a practical solution. After I figured out that it would be pretty much beyond my modeling skils (which may not say a whole lot, after seeing the work posted here for the past three months), and beyond the skills of just about anyone but a pure scratchbuilder, I found one that may be an easy conversion. If I can get hold of an AcMin B-25C/D, I think it will pretty easily translate into a Navalized PBJ-1C/D. I think the major external differerence will be exchanging the lower turret for a radome, which is, as I said yesterday, a very simple shape I can make from the front half of a 1,000 lb. WW II HE bomb.
Now, since I am short of references, I am asking you good men and women to advise me on this project any way you can, such as how can I find the white markings (nose art was all but prohibited on Marine Corps aircraft, at least in bomber squadrons.) Also, I notice that in the modification that gave us the cannon nose B-25G, there was a provision built into the bomb bay for hanging a Mk 13 aerial torpedo. Now, I just happen to have one from True Details lying around, and I’m wondering just how they hung that bad boy in the bay. Suggestions? And did these torpedoes always get loaded on the airplane with the frangible wooden fin protector on it? I also saw one of these PBJ’s with a big Tiny Tim rocket mounted on the center line. That would look great., but I’ll have to check that profile, because I think it was hanging from a PBJ-1J and I don’t know if it was used on other marks.
Suggestions? Please send me any you might have for this build.
A thousand and one thanks,
Tom
How’s this one coming along, Tom?
Here’s some good reference material on PBJ’s
PBJ Mitchell Units of the Pacific War,by Jerry Scutts:Osprey Combat Aircraft #40.
Leatherneck Bombers USMC B-25/PBJ Squadrons in WW2,by Alan C.Carey/By SCHIFFER Books.
Marine Mitchells in WW2,by Jerry Scutts.PHALANX PUBLISHERS.
Not counting Detail & Scale or the Sqd books.The 1st 3 are still available and will give you all the info you need on USMC PBJ’s,I highly recommend them.Good Luck.
Try someof these links. Hope they are of some use to you.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/d/o/dob104/aviation/us/npatrolb.html
http://www.photovault.com/Link/Military/Navy/Aircraft/PBJMitchell.html
http://aeroweb.brooklyn.cuny.edu/specs/northam/pbj-1j.htm
http://www.kitreview.com/reviews/mitchellradarnosereviewbg_1.htm
http://www.microworks.net/pacific/aviation/pbj_mitchell.htm
http://home.att.net/~jbaugher2/b25_19.html
http://www.vmb-613.com/aircraft.html