Airfix Model World – September 2019

INTERMEDIATE BUILD

B-25 MITCHELL Mk.II

60 Airfi x Model World

I

nspiration for our builds

comes in so many forms and

I wonder just how often a

simple photograph forms the

kernel of a future project?

When this kit arrived, it came

with editorial guidance to build

either Mitchell Mk.II, FL-176

Grumpy, or another 98 Squadron

machine, but with D-Day stripes.

Google image searching ensued

and I happened across a fantastic

colour photo of a modern-day

warbird wearing the colours of

Grumpy. Unlike most warbirds,

though, this aircraft sported the

most wonderful used patina.

The upper surface Olive Drab

paint was faded, with extensive

oil stains from those big radial

engines. This was coupled with

fresh D-Day stripes and a glossy

under surface – I knew I just had

to have a go at it.

The aircraft in question is B-25D,

serial number 43-3318, which was

built in 1943 and delivered to the

US military in October of that year.

In 1945, it was overhauled and

transferred to the Royal Canadian

Air Force, where it was employed

as a training aircraft for the next

17 years. After sale to a private

owner in Canada, it was assigned

the current registration of

N88972 and at one stage

was converted to a

fire bomber.

Several

ownership

changes

later, the aircraft

The upper surface Olive Drab

paint was faded, with extensive

oil stains from those big radial

engines. This was coupled with

fresh D-Day stripes and a glossy

under surface – I knew I just had

to have a go at it.

The aircraft in question is B-25D,

serial number 43-3318, which was

built in 1943 and delivered to the

US military in October of that year.

In 1945, it was overhauled and

transferred to the Royal Canadian

Air Force, where it was employed

as a training aircraft for the next

17 years. After sale to a private

owner in Canada, it was assigned

the current registration of

N88972 and at one stage

was converted to a

fire bomber.

ownership

later, the aircraft

Jen Wright recreates a warbird

using Airfix’s recently re-tooled

1/72 B-25C/D Mitchell

Grumpy

I

nspiration for our builds

comes in so many forms and

I

comes in so many forms and

I

I wonder just how often a

I

I wonder just how often a

IIIsimple photograph forms the simple photograph forms the

kernel of a future project?

warbird wearing the colours of

Grumpy. Unlike most warbirds,

though, this aircraft sported the

most wonderful used patina.

The upper surface Olive Drab

warbird wearing the colours of

. Unlike most warbirds,
though, this aircraft sported the
most wonderful used patina.
The upper surface Olive Drab

Jen Wright recreates a warbird

using Airfix’s recently re-tooled

1/72 B-25C/D Mitchell

Grumpy

Jen Wright

Grumpy

Jen Wright

MODELSPEC

North American B-25C/D

Mitchell

By: Airfix

Stock Code: A06015

Scale: 1/72

Price: £24.99

Available from: http://www.airfix.com

 Bare-Metal foil was utilised to mask the inside of the fuselage windows, as the reflective
nature of the product made it much easier to see where to cut than masking tape.

 Since the fuselage cut-out was slightly deeper than the insert, Blu Tack was used to hold
the transparency flush with the exterior, while Tamiya cement was applied to the join.