GITom1944 Posted November 23, 2012 Share #1 Posted November 23, 2012 My late uncle, Sgt. Paul Hogan served in the 5th Bomb Group photo section. His photo collection and Group History helped to inspire my early interest in the PTO when I was young. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GITom1944 Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share #2 Posted November 23, 2012 This is a shot of Snow Job II, on the flight line. There's no caption for the photo, but this might have been taken on Wakde in August or September of 1944. Below is my 1/48th scale attempt to duplicate the photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GITom1944 Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share #3 Posted November 23, 2012 References for 5th BG markings are incomplete. I built this several years ago. There were no decal sheets on the market for this plane, and I assume there still aren't. This is a photo of another 31st Bomb Squadron plane, Mask-A-Raider, taken around the same time. There is a 31st BS insignia on the nose under the turret. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GITom1944 Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share #4 Posted November 23, 2012 I used Koster Aero Enterprises vacuformed parts for the nose and tail turrets. The figures are modified from various 1/48th items I scrounged. I made the nose art and squadron insignia myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GITom1944 Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share #5 Posted November 23, 2012 Here's the real Snow Job II in flight before she received any nose art. She apparently had a replacement rudder taken from an OD Liberator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GITom1944 Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share #6 Posted November 23, 2012 The diagonal stripes on the blue shields were apparently in the squadron color, but there are no published references identifying the colors. The best reference I could find was a color picture of a 31st BS commander's B-18 with yellow squadron colors. So my model received yellow stripes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GITom1944 Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share #7 Posted November 23, 2012 My initial plan was to add this nose art seen in the top pic to my model, On closer, (below) it looks like the artist is applying the art and the hula girl has not yet been added. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GITom1944 Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share #8 Posted November 23, 2012 I did not have any left side photos when I built the diorama. I had already made the hula girl decal before I realized it was not on the plane in the photo I was following. So I decided to put it on the the right side, along with other some guess and by golly markings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GITom1944 Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share #9 Posted November 23, 2012 Some time later, I found this pic on the web. I didn't get it exactly right, but its close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GITom1944 Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share #10 Posted November 23, 2012 The tractor and fuel trailers were modified/scratchbuilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12thengr Posted November 23, 2012 Share #11 Posted November 23, 2012 Wow! Impressive modeling job, great detail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted November 23, 2012 Share #12 Posted November 23, 2012 Excellent! Did you have to load the nose of the B-24 with lead shot to counter-balance it on its tricycle under-carriage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyCanteen Posted November 23, 2012 Share #13 Posted November 23, 2012 A wonderful tribute! Well done, and thanks for sharing it with us. RC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GITom1944 Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share #14 Posted November 23, 2012 Thanks for the comments. Did you have to load the nose of the B-24 with lead shot to counter-balance it on its tricycle under-carriage? Ian - I did add some weight to the nose. There are also metal pins inserted in all three wheels which are inserted into the base. It is pretty sturdy. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
317over60 Posted November 23, 2012 Share #15 Posted November 23, 2012 Great workmanship! Glad you shaired. B-24's are my favorites. Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCleary171 Posted November 23, 2012 Share #16 Posted November 23, 2012 Great model and the photos do a wonderful job of highlighting the detail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GITom1944 Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share #17 Posted November 23, 2012 Thank you. This seemed like the perfect website to share the build along with the wartime photos. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stinger Gunner USMC Posted December 8, 2012 Share #18 Posted December 8, 2012 Do you have any in-process photos to share or of the interior before it was assembled? Looks Great! I just finished my own 1:48 B-24 - "Lady in the Dark" from the 454th BG of the 15th AF. Now im on to the B-29 "Gone with the Wind" of the 20th BS in the CBI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strawberry 9 Posted December 8, 2012 Share #19 Posted December 8, 2012 Very nice...great job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cco23i Posted December 8, 2012 Share #20 Posted December 8, 2012 OUTSTANDING! Great to see a model with the gound crew AND support equipment. Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted December 8, 2012 Share #21 Posted December 8, 2012 Very nice diorama and love the way you incorporate the period photos. Are there more photos or anything else pertaining to your uncle ? Would love to see it if there is. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m1ashooter Posted December 8, 2012 Share #22 Posted December 8, 2012 Great job having served in the 5th Bomb Wing your work fills my heart with joy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted December 9, 2012 Share #23 Posted December 9, 2012 Tom Thats a teriffic diorama.Very nice and great details.Your time and hard work are well reflected in the finnish product.Thanks for sharing.I really love seeing the builds you guys do.I use to build but nothing on the scale of the forum members. RD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GITom1944 Posted December 9, 2012 Author Share #24 Posted December 9, 2012 Do you have any in-process photos to share or of the interior before it was assembled? Sorry - I don't. I did add details to the nose and tail turrets based on technical drawings I had gotten from Bill Koster. Koster used to make some well detailed 1/48th scale metal .50 cal. mgs. & 50 cal ammo chutes. I used his guns throughout, and I added the ammo chutes to the waist station. You can barely see it in this photo. The right waist window was closed in the original pic so I closed it on the model too; but I had added some details in the waist position so I left the left waist hatch open. It is actually folded upward inside. Love to see your B-24 too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GITom1944 Posted December 9, 2012 Author Share #25 Posted December 9, 2012 Are there more photos or anything else pertaining to your uncle ? I have a few more photos; I gave most of them to the Smithsonian ASM. Not many nose art pics. None of them were labelled, so I have to guess as to locations & timeframes, but the blue shield version of the 5th Bomb Group markings was in use from the late summer of '44 to early 1945. Here's my uncle with an Australian P-40 behind him. This might be Los Negros. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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