The Martin PB3M-1 Master Mariner

[PR19_Kit]

Yet another Spackman Long Term Build................

I've already started on the Academy Martin Mariner I bought y'day, if only to see if my plans for extending it in bo0th directions will work.

Here's the mandatory box pic.



All very impressive I think you'll agree, and so is the SIZE of it, it's about 3.5-4" thick! 

And there's a LOT of plastic in there too.



While I'm impressed with Academy's engineering of the kit, and its complexity, finding the parts on the sprues is a pain. They give you a diagram in the manuals (Yes, there are two of them.........) but they're so small you can't see the part nos. Neither can you see them on the sprues either as they're very slightly raised and don't cast shadows on the rest of the grey plastic.

The kit harks back to the 60s in some ways as all the control surfaces are designed to move, flaps and all, but the latter are so heavy they'll only rest in the full down position. Not for me, all the surfaces will be glued in place whether they like it or not.

[Wardukw]

Oh I'm gonna be keeping a not so close eye on this 
I agree mate about moving parts..they never look right especially tails ..they never seem to sit right ..slightly cockeyed..yep..glue em up 

I know what ya mean about the size difference between the Catalina and this beast Kit.
Here in NZ we've got a small air field called Ardmore and they have or had the remains of a Catalina there and when ya stand beside it ya think it's a good size then you see pics of a Mariner ..and nope 😄
She's a big girl for sure...I take it ..it's either getting a monster engine upgrade or more added 🤔 😅

[sandiego89]

Great box art!  Quite a splash with the depth charge detonation.

The nacelle weapon bays are a neat feature. 

My dad was stationed on a US Navy Seaplane tender in the early 1960's (then using Marlins) and alluded to the old salts reminiscing of Mariners doing some interesting things into China and N Korea   

[PR19_Kit]

She's a big girl for sure...I take it ..it's either getting a monster engine upgrade or more added 🤔 😅

Current plans will have four engines, and four weapons bays of course too.

That is if I can figure out how to NOT have a gullwinged root on the vacform wing extensions. Having TWO gillwinged sections on the same aeroplane would look seriously silly. 

[Rick Lowe]

Not if they cancel each other out...
--\//\__/\\/--
   

(The arrows wouldn't work, just imagine that the 'V's attach to each other... and the inner/outer dashes...)

[Wardukw]

She's a big girl for sure...I take it ..it's either getting a monster engine upgrade or more added 🤔 😅

Current plans will have four engines, and four weapons bays of course too.

That is if I can figure out how to NOT have a gullwinged root on the vacform wing extensions. Having TWO gillwinged sections on the same aeroplane would look seriously silly. 

Seriously silly would be putting one set of wings above the other and ending up with a gigantic X wing.
Would make more sense to eliminate the gull wing part completely if at all possible 🤔
Those engine locations are annoying and let me guess that wing past the engine gets very narrow very fast  giving you not alot of room to play .

[NARSES2]

Great box art!  Quite a splash with the depth charge detonation.

Whenever I see that box art I always think she's making a sheer verticle climb away 

[zenrat]

Minicraft, not Academy would have engineered the moulds given it's originally their kit.

I regret not getting one of these even more now i've seen your sprue shots.
If I can engineer a gull wing INTO a B-25 wing you can definitely engineer one OUT of a Mariner.

If a Master Mariner flying boat was used to lure enemy fighter aircraft into a trap would it be a Master Baiter?   


I'll get me coat...

[loupgarou]

She's a big girl for sure...I take it ..it's either getting a monster engine upgrade or more added 🤔 😅

Current plans will have four engines, and four weapons bays of course too.

That is if I can figure out how to NOT have a gullwinged root on the vacform wing extensions. Having TWO gillwinged sections on the same aeroplane would look seriously silly. 

Use wings from an old Hase Shinmeiwa....

[Dizzyfugu]

Huge flying boats are always cool. Go for it!

[Weaver]

Minicraft, not Academy would have engineered the moulds given it's originally their kit.

I regret not getting one of these even more now i've seen your sprue shots.
If I can engineer a gull wing INTO a B-25 wing you can definitely engineer one OUT of a Mariner.

If a Master Mariner flying boat was used to lure enemy fighter aircraft into a trap would it be a Master Baiter?   


I'll get me coat...

If it was a lend-lease one operating from a river in Ukraine, would it be a Master Don?



Pass me mine while you're there...

[scooter]

If it was a lend-lease one operating from a river in Ukraine...

And now I'm picturing Ukraine Air Force Mariners hunting Russian BSF Kilos

[PR19_Kit]

If I can engineer a gull wing INTO a B-25 wing you can definitely engineer one OUT of a Mariner.

It'll need close examination of the vacform one first, and currently that's maybe 300+ miles and 10 days away. I'm not sure if I've ever taken that one out of its packet, ever! 

If a Master Mariner flying boat was used to lure enemy fighter aircraft into a trap would it be a Master Baiter?   


I'll get me coat...

I was thinking of adding a few extra turrets to it anyway. 

And I suspect you're about to be back in The Book Fred, AGAIN!   

[Old Wombat]

I can't see why you can't just have the rise of the gull-wing continuing through the inboard engine nacelles to the outboard engine nacelles, Kit.

^{_ _ _ _ _}_{O                  O}^{_ _ _ _ _
                \_{O          O}/
                        \_{(  )}/}

[NARSES2]

And I suspect you're about to be back in The Book Fred, AGAIN!   

Indeed and Weaver's been reported to the Natural History Museum