Brazilian SB2C Helldiver, Southern Ocean, January 1947.

[pyro-manic]

I was building this for the '46 GB last year, but didn't finish it. Until now!

Back Story:

HMS Indomitable is transferred to the Brazilian Navy in January 1946, after the ballistic missile attacks on Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo in late 1945. Renamed Bahia, she begins Antarctic operations in August, after training and working up in the South Atlantic with elements of the USN and RN. Equipped with Hellcats and Helldivers, begins operations against the Axis by harassing shipping and patrols, before moving on to attacking shore installations as they are discovered. Ho229 all-weather fighters take a heavy toll on the attackers, but the main missile assembly base is finally located and put out of action in March 1947, as the Antarctic winter begins. With harsh weather preventing the Axis forces from reactivating the facility, the Allied force build-up continues unmolested and the facility is finally destroyed by the USAAF with a nuclear weapon (dropped by B-36A) on August 18th, 1947.



Curtiss SB2C Helldiver, Brazilian Navy 1947 by pyro-manic, on Flickr

Kit is the old Airfix one, which is horrible. Amazingly rivetty, wings designed to be folded that look terrible otherwise, and canopy parts which just don't fit. It's a bit of a mess up close, but I've had enough and it's done. Markings are a combination of the kit stencils with Brazilian roundels from a Special Hobby Vultee Vengeance.

[The Rat]

You've done a bang-up job on that! 

[Hotte]

That looks really good!
Also I like the story !


Hotte

[nebnoswal]

Most impressive, well done 

[tc2324]

Thats a lovely finish Pyro and an interesting subject matter.

[Cliffy B]

Oh man, killer big tailed beast man, killer!!!!!!   Great camo and excellent backstory!

What colors did you use?

[NARSES2]

I'm currently having fun with this kit - looks like you've done better then me mate 

Must agree re the wing folds. Mine will be land based therefore I've opted for a non folding option and puttied the life out of them 

[MilitaryAircraft101]

Helldiver!!!!!!!!!  and Brazilian too! Great job... Now I want to see Narses' whiffy Helldiver 

[pyro-manic]

Thank'ee, peeps! Feels good to just have the thing done and in the cabinet rather than cluttering up my bench!

Cliffy: The main colours are ADC Gray (FS 16473) and Dark Blue/Gray (FS 15237), both from the Xtracrylix range. The other colours are all Citadel - the tail is Golden Yellow and Dark Angels Green.

Narses: It's a bit of a pig, isn't it? I wish I'd done the wings folded now - adding a bit of detail would have been much easier than trying to smooth out the joint was! I wonder if the Matchbox kit is any good, or at least better than this one. I must say the kit markings and stencils were rather good, though (if sometimes too small to see!) - very happy to have Cartograph doing the printing for Airfix. Looking forward to seeing your build.

[NARSES2]

Narses: It's a bit of a pig, isn't it? I wish I'd done the wings folded now - adding a bit of detail would have been much easier than trying to smooth out the joint was! I wonder if the Matchbox kit is any good, or at least better than this one. I must say the kit markings and stencils were rather good, though (if sometimes too small to see!) - very happy to have Cartograph doing the printing for Airfix. Looking forward to seeing your build.

Got to agree with you all the way there. I've not seen the Matchbox kit but the Academy one is superb 

The strange thing is that I built this kit when it first came out and I've fond memories of it  How time changes perception and expectation

[Army of One]

Awesome backstory......!!! Absolutely love it....!!! You have done a great job with a very taxing kit....great finish and colour scheme........