Douglas Dauntless SBD

Kelly Wellington
Well...once this is all prepped, it goes together quite quickly.

I had a problem with the tailhook, in that it broke in to two piece on the sprue. I glued it back together (a frustrating project), but the result is not particularly impressive. I painted it flat aluminum and wished it in to obscurity.

I've finished assembling the craft, but for the canopy. It will require some detailed close attention

I'm still amused with set of instructions compared to the set of instructions I got with the FROG Beaufort kit I just finished. This thing is pages long.

The other thing is how small the Dauntless really was. I knew it was a two-man dive bomber, but the finished size, next to my multi-engine marine patrol aircraft, makes it look on the dinky side. It had always loomed large as a typical 'rugged and reliable' Douglas aircraft. I shall be interested how it compares to the even smaller Grumman Wildcat, next up on the workbench.

Thomas Bischoff
I am with you - is this a reboxing of their vintage kit or from new molds?

Kelly Wellington
My bet is that it is a reboxing. It seems very 'Old School'.

Kelly Wellington
Yep...It's a 1967 tooling which has been reboxed more than a dozen times. This particular one has new decals, early US involvement and French Free Forces, both of which I will forego for late war insignia.

Thomas Bischoff
in this case it is also an old friend of mine 🙂
This will be in the gray over white Atlantic scheme?

Jan Voorbij
I don't want to spil the party, but please be aware that this kit has several issues. Like the machine guns in the nose right above the cowling, the shape of the cowling and you have to drill many tiny holes in the flaps...

Jan Voorbij
You might want to check my friend's project. It's all in Dutch but the pics are not 😉
modelbrouwers.nl/php..&hilit=dauntless

Kelly Wellington
Yes...Dark gull gray over matte white. And, as a lazy novice, I'm going to ignore the Blackburn Lancashire diving flaps revealed red underpanels...no mass of tiny red dots.

Kelly Wellington
Hmmm...I like looking at your friend's project, but I'm not putting that much energy. For one, although I have a couple of drills, they are both manual...like for clearing out sockets, and such. No power drills yet to drill more than a hundred tiny holes. I did nothing about the cowl guns. Nothing whatsoever. Oh, and as per so many other Airfix kits...the canopy fit is abysmal. Back to apply more clear filler.

Kelly Wellington
USS Ranger (CV-4), North Atlantic, 1943. Duantlesses, and Avengers, and Wildcats...OH MY!

Kelly Wellington
Grumble. The clear canopy alignment is 'off'. Meaning that the middle set, which spans the back upright of the pilot's seat, is offset from the midline to the port. That section, of course is attached by runners to the lead windshield. A fair amount of clear 'filler' went into the openings and then was painted over. Any way...It is now ready for the Future and for decal selection to be made.

Thomas Bischoff
years and years ago the fit was not better - I can still remember this as not being the best kit ever produced by Airfix.
The Atlantic gray over white is my favourite!

Kelly Wellington
Well, to honor the tradition of sub-hunting by the US Navy, I've committed to the trio...Dauntless, Wildcat, and Avenger, all in Atlantic gray over white. The Dauntless was the first of that batch. They blend right in with the late war Coastal Command.