Martin Baker MB5B Monsoon PR3 build thread

[PR19_Kit]

I'm getting less and less impressed with this Skybirds kit the more I get into it. 

Having pretty well finished the PSR work on the fuselage I turned my attention to that diabolical carb intake in the nose, and found it's NOTHING like the real thing was! It's miles too wide and nowhere near as deep as it should be, as well as being the wrong section. Apart from that it's perfect of course. 

Checking further it looks like the big radiator intake under the wing is equally badly shaped too!

I doubt if either of them can be modified so I may saw them both off and scratchbuild new ones. The radiator intake would have needed a lot of work to include the cross brace in the centre anyway, and that'll be easier if I build it all myself.

Ho hum, onwards and upwards......

[Martin H]

I built a Skybirds one years ago, but never finished the paint job. The plastic looked to good to cover in paint .



Ive got a 2nd skybirds NB5 to build at some point, along with several resin and the newish AZ kit

[PR19_Kit]

That looks rather good like that OGL. 

If you still have it ensure you bring it to Telford for the mini-MB5-theme display. 

Oh, was there a reason why you didn't fit the cannons?

[Gondor]

I'm getting less and less impressed with this Skybirds kit the more I get into it. 

Having pretty well finished the PSR work on the fuselage I turned my attention to that diabolical carb intake in the nose, and found it's NOTHING like the real thing was! It's miles too wide and nowhere near as deep as it should be, as well as being the wrong section. Apart from that it's perfect of course. 

Checking further it looks like the big radiator intake under the wing is equally badly shaped too!

I doubt if either of them can be modified so I may saw them both off and scratchbuild new ones. The radiator intake would have needed a lot of work to include the cross brace in the centre anyway, and that'll be easier if I build it all myself.

Ho hum, onwards and upwards......

Any modification you make though Kit can be specific to the version that your building of course.

Gondor

[PR19_Kit]

I'm getting less and less impressed with this Skybirds kit the more I get into it. 

Having pretty well finished the PSR work on the fuselage I turned my attention to that diabolical carb intake in the nose, and found it's NOTHING like the real thing was! It's miles too wide and nowhere near as deep as it should be, as well as being the wrong section. Apart from that it's perfect of course. 

Checking further it looks like the big radiator intake under the wing is equally badly shaped too!

I doubt if either of them can be modified so I may saw them both off and scratchbuild new ones. The radiator intake would have needed a lot of work to include the cross brace in the centre anyway, and that'll be easier if I build it all myself.

Ho hum, onwards and upwards......

Any modification you make though Kit can be specific to the version that your building of course.

Gondor

True Alastair, and the extended wings already fulfil that to an extent, but the darn thing's inaccurate to start with sadly. I'll be interested to see how it compares with the AZ MB5 in the same areas.

As it's a PR version it'll have the odd camera port added of course. 

[kitnut617]

l'll be interested how the AZ kit stacks up against the Falcon vacuform. Got four of those ------

[PR19_Kit]

I don't think I've ever seen the Falcon kit, but their stuff is usually pretty darn good. I'd be surprised if had any major problems.

I've managed to narrow down one side of the carb intake on mine, thanks to the thickness of the plastic they used. Here's hoping the other side responds similarly.

[JayBee]

As it's a PR version it'll have the odd camera port added of course. 

......and I for one will be very interested to see just where they are going to be.

[Martin H]

That looks rather good like that OGL. 

If you still have it ensure you bring it to Telford for the mini-MB5-theme display. 

Oh, was there a reason why you didn't fit the cannons?

Oh I still have it, the photo was less than five mins old when i posted it up.

As for the cannon. no reason, I think I lost em a while back

[The Wooksta!]

Doesn't it have the short barrel Hispanos? 

As long as you don't go for a 2TAF option as your camo scheme, we're good, yeah?  Or at least let me know which sqn you're going for so I can do something different with mine!

[PR19_Kit]

That looks rather good like that OGL. 

If you still have it ensure you bring it to Telford for the mini-MB5-theme display. 

Oh, was there a reason why you didn't fit the cannons?

Oh I still have it, the photo was less than five mins old when i posted it up.

As for the cannon. no reason, I think I lost em a while back

I still have mine, you can have them if you'd like?

Doesn't it have the short barrel Hispanos? 

As long as you don't go for a 2TAF option as your camo scheme, we're good, yeah?  Or at least let me know which sqn you're going for so I can do something different with mine!

I think they are, yes. They have the spring things on the barrels.

Mine's a PR3 so it'll be blue, probably 541 or 543 Sdn. so I doubt we'll be in any conflict.

That makes one of Chris', one of Lee's, one, maybe two of Jim's, one, probably two of mine, OGL's unpainted one. We're on a roll here. 

[The Wooksta!]

There'll be three, possibly four from me.  I have one that just needs a few finishing touches, plus I have a completed Magna one somewhere that could be brought out again.

[kitnut617]

That makes one of Chris', one of Lee's, one, maybe two of Jim's, one, probably two of mine, OGL's unpainted one. We're on a roll here. 

I can post some pics of my Airframe Vacuform too if you like

[Gondor]

That makes one of Chris', one of Lee's, one, maybe two of Jim's, one, probably two of mine, OGL's unpainted one. We're on a roll here. 

There'll be three, possibly four from me.  I have one that just needs a few finishing touches, plus I have a completed Magna one somewhere that could be brought out again.

Don't forget that I am building an M.B.5 in USAAF service too

Gondor

[strobez]

What a neat build. As others have said, the marbled plastic is crazy cool.  I also appreciate the comments that the engineering of a kit can lose a lot of its lustre the more you work with it.