Brewster "Bison" Phoenix Re-build

[GTX]

Looking forward to seeing how this turns out!

Regards,

Greg

[sotoolslinger]

ME TOO

[AXU]

Hi,@sequoiaranger very interesting that camo pattern that you want to apply 
Perhaps this is useful to you,just an idea.
Alex

[sequoiaranger]

  Yup! Similar idea! 

[Captain Canada]

Neato ! Great rebuild on that bird....she sure looks the part now ! I have to agree with your thoughts on the first iteration. Looks good, but just not right !

[Weaver]

Looking good!

That cammo technique, modified a bit, could make a good jungle/woodland cammo, a bit like the German WWII "peas" pattern.

[sequoiaranger]

I tried to get the old paint off the old canopy with oven cleaner--didn't work very well. Handling and scrubbing the canopy broke the center piece (that, in the old Revell kits, was a separate piece and could slide back!), so I glued the whole 3-piece canopy assembly together, strengthened it with CA, and formed a Vac-U-Form one from it. I used the "new" aftermarket Mattel-like (with perforations) clear sheets and they worked like a dream. They are a little thicker than the originals, but seemed to form OK, and were a little easier to handle and trim (though harder to cut away from the original mold). I made my Balinese pilot (backstory later), with his yellow headband. (I tied a thread around a similar-diameter paint brush, super-glued it, then put it over the head of the pilot). The canopy looks a little crude in the extra-close close-up, but painting the frame will erase some of the crudeness. The  tubular gunsight is a real tube of stainless-steel.



A little canopy clean-up, and I am ready to mask it off, prime the plane, and begin the "bubblebath" camo!

[frank2056]

The canopy looks great! Where did you get the clear sheets with the perforations? I have some clear sheets that have been cut to fit the Vac-u-Form, but without the perforations. It doesn't work all that well and I've been using the heat and smash method to make canopies. The Mattel machine is more uniform and repeatable.

[sequoiaranger]

I was vectored to a good source by Barry Snell (John Howling Mouse)---

"Hi there.  Ron Callari of "Callari Modelworks"  at 71 Klink Rd, Rochester, NY 14625  E: modelworks@rochester.rr.com   Check out his other accessories for the Mattel system.  I bought pretty much each one and they really do make a difference (my machine was likely on its last leg from 1970 or so).  Sells a lot of his stuff via ebay; that's where I bought mine from him."

I got mine on E-Bay, since the link/e-mail didn't get me a response. This is my first try with the new stuff, but I like it so far. Each sheet is "wrapped" with a protective cover so they don't get scratched. The sheets are maybe twice the thickness of the old Mattel sheets, but they soften well, and form well.

[sequoiaranger]

It's on! The meticulous (Yes, I had to put EVERY "bubble" decal on individually) "bubblebath" camo is on! WHEW! What a lot of work! I like the outcome, however! Notice, too that the "rhino" emblem (a RW badge) is round, much the same size as the large "bubbles"--strictly a conicidence, but not an unwanted one. (The "grey" main color looks kinda brownish on my computer--done with indoor light and no flash, so maybe that's why)



Though it LOOKS like I put the national markings OVER the bubbled camo, I actually cut several circles in half, to place UP AGAINST the edges of the insignia to RESEMBLE an overlay. The vertical tail is deliberately "lightened" with some light-blue dots and no large, "heavy" circles, as an "in-between" region between ventral and dorsal surfaces.

Also, a home-made decal depicts the Bali flag ("our" pilot is Balinese, remember!):



The bubbles don't stick very well, and would come off my hand when I touched the model to move it, but I will douse the whole thing with some clear gloss lacquer to seal it all in and unify the sheen, then put on the dullcote. Nearing Completion!!

[sotoolslinger]

Hee hee hee  Just effin brilliant

[comrade harps]

Doctor, I see spots!

Looking good. Can't wait to see the finished product.

[sequoiaranger]

Here it is! This first view shows the old, pre-"Phoenix"-ed Bison and the new one.

Next is the top view that shows off the "bubblebath" camo to good effect:

Next, a front quarter view (showing the re-built engine)--Buffalo-looking but....!!??

And lastly (for now) a close-up of the cockpit area. I'm not too fond of my canopy work, but it shows Gede, the Balinese pilot, with his traditional headband, the rhino emblem, and the kill markings. Notice that the third Japanese one is backwards. This was a good-natured jibe. When attacking Truk from the hybrid carrier Molucca ( http://www.combinedfleet.com/furashita/molucc_f.htm  ) Gede was jumped by a Ki-43 and was weaving at low level over the ocean when he took violent evasive action. The pursuing Hayabusa inadvertently dipped its wingtip in the water, cartwheeled and sank. Gede claimed the kill, even though he was RUNNING AWAY and no rounds were fired from his guns! Gede of course rationally claimed that it was HIS ACTIONS that downed the Japanese plane. The kill was accepted, but the kill marking was put on backwards just as a reminder. The swastika is a kill of a See Stuka from the Graf Zeppelin, but on the next sortie newly-designated "ace" Gede was shot down by one of GZ's He-100Ts.

[AXU]

 Nice

[Weaver]

Nice one - the shape of the aircraft looks much better now: more attractive AND more practical.

The cammo looks cool, though I'm not sure what it would be camouflaged against: would probably work best over shallow coastal water where the colour of the sea is highly variable, and unlike a lot of "look down" schemes, it wouldn't stand out too badly if seen air-to-air against a sky background.