Hunting Percival P.26 Commuter (Martin B-26B Marauder) Aer Lingus, 1956 at p.8

[Captain Canada]

I'm sure the paint or decal option will work just fine. With the flash paint job I don't think anybody will notice anyway....

[jcf]

In 1939 the R-3350 had not 'been around for some time', it was still under development. Look at columns 14 and 15
and you'll see that they are Turbo versions.

http://www.enginehistory.org/Wright/Wright%20R-3350.pdf

The first production Turbo-Compound R-3350 were delivered in March 1950, all production went to the military.
Commercial TC engines weren't produced until January 1952.

http://www.enginehistory.org/Wright/Cyclone18Facts.pdf

[Dizzyfugu]

More news from the work bench; plug for the dorsal turret:

"De/Militarize It" Group Build at whatifmodelers.com: a Martin Marauder Commuter (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Scratched holder/adapter for display and in-flight pics, later...

"De/Militarize It" Group Build at whatifmodelers.com: a Martin Marauder Commuter (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Place for the stairs that will also keep the model from tipping over all the time:

"De/Militarize It" Group Build at whatifmodelers.com: a Martin Marauder Commuter (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The improvised front wheel well:

"De/Militarize It" Group Build at whatifmodelers.com: a Martin Marauder Commuter (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The Supermarine Attacker nose cone that will end up as new tail section - matches well in size and shape!

"De/Militarize It" Group Build at whatifmodelers.com: a Martin Marauder Commuter (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

...and the new windows all along the fuselage:

"De/Militarize It" Group Build at whatifmodelers.com: a Martin Marauder Commuter (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

"De/Militarize It" Group Build at whatifmodelers.com: a Martin Marauder Commuter (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[KiwiZac]

Very cool! The new windows look great, and I just noticed the new wingtips.

[Dizzyfugu]

Yesterday's evening saw the wings being mounted, and more body work. This Matchbox kit has several sinkholes and the fuselage halves somehow do not go together well, as if one side was a bit twisted. I also tried to engrave some emergency hatches, but that went wrong, so they were filled up again and I'll look for a decal solution.

BTW: the new wing tips change the look of the Marauder considerably - even though they do not add much to the span, maybe 1" on both sides! More dramatic than I expected. Also, the air intakes under the engines make them look more massive than the OOB radials, despite having more slender cowlings.

Landing gear is next, hopefully the CB-26 stands on its spindly legs this evening.

[zenrat]

More news from the work bench; plug for the dorsal turret:

"De/Militarize It" Group Build at whatifmodelers.com: a Martin Marauder Commuter (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

It's looking at me in a funny way Dizz...

[Dizzyfugu]

Looks somewhat sad from this perspective...?

Anyway, more to see. Dry-fitting of a wing before the fuselage was about to be glued together, as well as the OOB propeller:

"De/Militarize It" Group Build at whatifmodelers.com: a Martin Marauder Commuter (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

"De/Militarize It" Group Build at whatifmodelers.com: a Martin Marauder Commuter (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Some details: the boarding ladder for the lower rear fuselage (scratched from styrene strips), and a selection of different wheels I will use - just for the sake of a slightly different look:

"De/Militarize It" Group Build at whatifmodelers.com: a Martin Marauder Commuter (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The interior:

"De/Militarize It" Group Build at whatifmodelers.com: a Martin Marauder Commuter (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

"De/Militarize It" Group Build at whatifmodelers.com: a Martin Marauder Commuter (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


...and the tail cone in place:

"De/Militarize It" Group Build at whatifmodelers.com: a Martin Marauder Commuter (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[Logan Hartke]

Looks somewhat sad from this perspective...?

Anyway, more to see. Dry-fitting of a wing before the fuselage was about to be glued together, as well as the OOB propeller:

"De/Militarize It" Group Build at whatifmodelers.com: a Martin Marauder Commuter (WiP) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Has a bit of an Airspeed Ambassador look to it here.

Cheers,

Logan

[PR19_Kit]

Has a bit of an Airspeed Ambassador look to it here.

That's very true Logan, it sure has. 

How about a triple fin then Thomas? That WILL confuse the JMNs. 

[Gondor]

Has a bit of an Airspeed Ambassador look to it here.

That's very true Logan, it sure has. 

How about a triple fin then Thomas? That WILL confuse the JMNs. 

Gondor

[loupgarou]

The fuselage looks slimmer than the "usual" B-26. Another very good build, you have the capacity for finding continuously new and believable projects.

[kitbasher]

Has a bit of an Airspeed Ambassador look to it here.

That's very true Logan, it sure has. 

How about a triple fin then Thomas? That WILL confuse the JMNs. 

Gondor

It does indeed.

[Captain Canada]

It does doesn't it !

Looking good now.

[philp]

Can't wait to see the full passenger cabin interior..

[Dizzyfugu]

Well, you might be disappointed - I remain pragmatic and do only minimal interior work. The scratched cockpit was enough hustle, and I am currently trying to puzzle two figures together that look like a commercial crew...

I actually did a twin-fin ASW Marauder-thing many years ago (lent from an A-10, fit perfectly):

1:72 S-26 Maritime Patrol Bomber (whif/kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 S-26 Maritime Patrol Bomber (whif/kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


I considered a similar conversion for this one, but I wanted to keep the B-26 outline. Compared with the Ambassador the CB-26 looks rather tubby. The windows create a treacherous cheatline, in fact I think the fuselage's diameter is a bit wider than on a benchmark Fokker 27, and the aircraft rests much higher over ground. Looks slick without all the guns, though, and I am curious how the solid nose looks with colors added?

As a side note: big surprise! The landing gear was dry yesterday evening, so I put the CB-26 on its feet to check ground attitude (placed the main legs a bit straighter, the new main wheels from an Il-28 bomber are a bit smaller than the OOB balloon tires)... and the thing keeps its nose down! Without extra weight! The resin engines are so big/massive/heavy that they are enough to keep the Marauder on its front leg - never expected that, especially after former experience with the Matchbox and Airfix kits...? The boarding ladder will be fixed in open position anyway, though, but that was one of the few moments that got me stunned...

Otherwise, not much happened. Landing gear covers were added, some antennae, detail sanding. Populating and closing the cockpit is next, and then things slowly move towards painting.