Eduard 1/72 Liberator B.Mk.VI in CBI
By Matt Bittner
Introduction
No introduction needed on the Consolidated B-24. One of the most famous bombers of WW2, it served with distinction not only alongside the more famous B-17, but also did extremely well on its own.
One thing I like to say. If you haven't learned something new from day-to-day, then you have wasted your potential. That can definitely be said with this release of the Academy B-24. I knew other nations flew the B-24 – I didn't know the British used it in the China-Burma-India (CBI) theater from 1944 through 1945. It served with No. 99, 159 and 369 Squadrons of the Air Command South East Asia (ACSEA) and there were approximately 1500 total aircraft flying for ACSEA.
The Liberator B.Mk.VI was actually a B-24J, and the ones catered for in this kit were actually Block 86, 90 and 91 aircraft coming from the Fort Worth, TX, USA plant.
The Kit
The Eduard 1/72 Liberator B.Mk.VI (kit #2110) is actually the Academy kit with Eduard decals, photoetch, clear film and masks. There are two photoetch sets, one pre-colored (interior bits) and the other not, which is primarily photoetch for the exterior.
Now, there is a lot to this build, so definitely study the instructions and take your time. The amount of photoetch that goes into the interior is staggering, so you'll want to treat each assembly as its own model. The first page of instructions is just construction interior pieces and adding all the photoetch to everything inside. From the colored instrument panel to all seats and belts, you'll find photoetch for everything. Gun sights, sidewall detail including separate boxes, etc., you'll definitely want to follow the instructions closely. One aspect I really like is that not only does Eduard provide paint call-outs for Gunze paints, but also – textually – spell out each color. So you'll have something like "H12/C33/Flat Black" for those pieces that need to be painted black. Too many other instructions just list the paint call-outs without provide any text to what the actual color should be, so you're left flipping back and forth between the step-by-step instructions, and the table (usually on the first or last page) with the colors listed as text.Once all the interior pieces are built up, then construction moves to adding other pieces to the inside of the fuselage halves and closing those halves up. The instructions don't list if you need nose weight or not, but I would add it anyway as I'm unsure if the Academy B-24 without nose weight would be a tail sitter. Now that major fuselage construction is finished, you can move on to adding the wings, engine cowls and tail. However, I have heard from one source the wings fit tight enough that you could paint these off the fuselage.
The rest of assembly you'll want to decide. The majority of it is adding landing gear and the like, but there are bits and pieces you'll want to add prior to painting. For example, the area of the fuselage around the lower ball turret, bomb-bay doors (especially if closing the bomb-bay), etc. In addition, you'll want to add the clear parts – masking them using the supplied Eduard masks – prior to painting as well.The supplied decals – beautifully printed and in register – are for the following aircraft:
- KH 211, "Audrey's Back", No. 99 Squadron RAF ACSEA, Coco Islands, August, 1945
- KH 283, Captain S/L John Gauntlet, No. 159 Squadron RAF ACSEA, 1945
- KH 284, "Donald III", No. 99 Squadron RAF ACSEA, 1945
- KH 327 "Y'vonne Yippee", No. 159 Squadron RAF ACSEA, 1945
All are finished in standard OD over Neutral Gray, and all have some sort of nose art. Regardless of the OD/Gray scheme these will be some colorful models once built.
Conclusion
Some might balk at this release from Eduard due to price. However, once you factor the price of the Academy kit, two frets of photoetch with clear film, Eduard's masks and the excellent decals, it all works out, price-wise. If you're looking for a different way to finish a 1/72 B-24, and want to deck out that model as much as possible, then you'll definitely want to pick up this release from Eduard. I'm glad they're releasing these in this way as it truly does make sense, money-wise. Everything is in one box and you don't have to look – and buy – anything else. I'm looking forward to starting this, although it will probably take me even longer to finish than anything else I've ever worked on. Well, maybe not. There's this Nieuport 11 I've been working on...
Huge thanks to Eduard for supplying this kit to review.