Consolidated PB2B-2 Catalina, QANTAS

[RayS]

To add to the every growing build pile there is a Flying Boats and Floatplanes GB starting over at BritModeller.

So I am having a crack at a Catalina, it was going to be either an 11SQN tub or QANTAS. Popular consensus over there led to me deciding on QANTAS.

Starting with the Academy 1/72 PBY-5A kit I will add the Red Roo PB2B-2 conversion.



I would have preferred to start with a PBY-5 kit but the 5A is all that is around and easy to find these days in the LHS



They come with locally added RAAF decals, though I will not be using them.

The Red Roo conversion includes the resin parts to make a wartime or civil PB2B-2 and the set I have includes decals for an 11SQN RAAF machine among others.



Though since it also has the parts for a civil aircraft I will be building a QANTAS one!



I could also do the 11SQN bird as I have another kit and conversion in the stash. I had picked the other kit up to do one of the Double Sunrise PBYs using the DK decals sheet.

[DesTROYer]

Great stuff. I'll be following your build.

[Graeme H]

Well after Troy did his and seeing as that's one of the reasons I went to Longreach, I got a bunch of photos of the PB2B masquerading as a Qantas Double Sunrise bird
so you are welcome to search my Flickr photos of her

DSCN0179 by qfa_tsv, on Flickr

[RayS]

Thanks, Graeme, I saw a news article on the Longreach Catalina and could not figure out why it was grey. I thought they had not repainted it yet!

Will take a look at you pictures.

[Uros]

I will be folowing this one closely!

[RayS]

Had some time this morning at a club build table during the local Model Shipwrights display to get started on the Cat.



I had to blank the main gear wells so I traced a template onto tape and transferred it to some card







After some fettling, it is fit in the opening that had been backed with thinner card.
And repeat...



Then I  removed the rudder and top part of the fin to make way for the new taller tail/rudder assembly





That's it so far

[DesTROYer]

Great work. Good luck with the tail. It can be a tricky fit.

[RayS]

Thanks Troy, see how I go... Some progress to report,

I started on the interior.


Though I added a bit more to the seats, airliner pilots fly in a little more comfort, right? (sorry, bad picture)


I then started on the back end, I figured the gunnery blisters were used to load and unload (from pictures of QANTAS Cats I have found on the net) so I just used what was there and filled some spaces.


Next was to add some passenger windows, I marked them out, drilled some pilot holes and then carved and filed the rest out.

Two done, two to go on this side


All done this side




Forward turret removed and replacement fairing test fitted


Interior paintwork and cockpit installed


Fuselage together and wings assembly started


And I found some crew for the cockpit


Rear blanking parts fitted


and the tail fin glued and puttied


That's all for now

[Graeme H]

Coming along very well Ray, I do like the idea of this conversion

[jayveedee]

That's going to be a beauty. I've always wanted to try a Catalina, watching
with interest.---John