This is the Revell of
Germany B-24D built as a GR-V Liberator sub chaser using Belcher Bits nose
radome, Leigh light, and decals. The winglets for the rocket
launchers and Yagi antenna were scratch built from drawings and photos,
rocket rails are from Aires, and rockets from my spares box.
Quickboost engines were used, pushrod tubes and ignition harnesses were
fabricated. I used True Details wheels with most of the bulge
removed and fabricated brake lines. I built a new instrument panel
and made a new engine control console. Eduard pre-painted belts and
harness were added to the seats, as well as seat cushions. I opened
up air inlets and cowl flaps, drilled out the exhausts, and added waste
gates. I re-scribed most of the fuselage panel lines, but left some
of the raised detail alone. I used Model Master paints.
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Belcher Bits
offered markings for 4 aircraft, and I chose BZ792 of 224 Squadron,
Coastal Command because of a remarkable mission flown by this aircraft.
On the evening of June 7/8 1944, F/L K. O. Moore (RCAF) and crew sank 2
U-boats (U-373 and U-441) on a single sortie. Although they had a
full load of weapons including 12x 250lb depth charges, 2x Mk.24 homing
torpedoes, and 8x armour-piercing rockets, they sank both boats with
one stick of 6 depth charges each, and without using the 5 million
candlepower Leigh light.
Liberator IIIs and
GR-Vs were delivered with US armament, and most (but not all) had the
Consolidated tail turret replaced with a Boulton-Paul 4-gun tail turret.
This aircraft most likely had the B-P turret, but I installed the Consolidated
turret for lack of a suitable B-P turret. The winglets for the rocket
launchers were detachable, and not all sub-chasing Liberators had them.
Chas
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