I'm going to be starting a build, and while my main goal behind this build is for the Twin Spinners campaign, I will also be offering this plane to the USAF museum when i'm done with it (they don't know yet). Therefore I'm taking my time on this one. I was considering replicating the diorama they have at the museum, but since I have no experience with dioramas I'll just stick to the plane for now. I want you guys to let me know what you think.



I've got PE, and I'm tinkering with the idea of scratching the bomb bay. I need some reference for it though.

Here's where I stand so far on the kit. not far, but I'm taking everything slowly as to do it right.


Removed the rudder pedals and lower parts of the gauge panel


The rudder pedals look nice, but the rods connecting them to the floorboard seemed way too skinny (and hard to glue on), so they were removed, and I cut some styrene instead


the new pedals


Installed!

Next will be either the instrument panel or the side panels, not sure. Lots of photo etch.

Found your build thread!

Are you sure that the pedals will be see with the canopy on

If there is a Breguet 693 at the USAF museum I wouldn't mind a set of detail photos

The A-20 looks so powerful compared to its contemporaries, I'll have to get myself one in 1/72!



Magnus

Yeah, you're probably right about the pedals, but I just feel better knowing they would look nice if they were seen!

No luck on the Breguet 693

This should be a fun plane, and a descent kit. no major problems in my test fits.

a few more pics of what I've got now. I'm really not having much fun with this PE. It's a pain, especially without an etch mate. Going by the ethos that modeling should be fun, I want to make sure I'm having fun, so I'll probably pass on PE for a while.

But aside from my bickering of PE, here's what I've done today. Hope to get everything in and painted by Wednesday, althought I still don't know if I want to scratch a bomb bay. I need some reference, and I can't find ANY. If anyone can help me there I would be much obliged!


there's the Inst. Panel, painted and with the film behind it. I just painted the back of the film white to show the gauges, is that what most people do? I also threw some future over each gauge to simulate the glass


This is why I didn't like the PE in this kit. It leaves huge voids, and i really didn't enjoy those tiny little handles and knobs (two of which I lost). I'd really rather just use super thin styrene and blocks to make solid pieces.


Removing what was already on this panel actually took me longer than putting the PE on. I had to be careful not to snap the whole thing in half when I was cutting/chipping off the plastic.

Should have some more "colorful" photos soon, at least of the cockpit anyway.

well, even if it was a pain, you've got a good looking start with all that photo etch there! It is going to pain up nicely I think

Eric:

You are really making some progress on this one. The cockpit is going to look great.

Well, I have definitely neglected to post my progress on this build. But I will update you all as to where I am now. the cockpit is painted and closed up with the exception of the control yolk which will be added toward the end so I don't break it. Here's what's done so far!

this picture is also in the campaign forum. it is of where I was last time I posted.


Being that I'm lucky enough to have the little joe just a little drive from my home, I get very good research.... or at least when I want to. I think one of the only things I'm going to scratch for this kit is the covers for the 50 cals either side of the nose. They stick out a little on the real plane and don't have that ugly seam down the middle, but I do need to preserve the rest of the seam.


I just took a pencil, did some tracing, and I'll use that as a template for some VERY thin sheet styrene.


I couldn't help but to mix this in, this is my new computer with it's MASSIVE heatsink and DUAL fans! I haven't felt this thing get warm yet!


some test fitting with the wings revealed a bad step if I didn't reinforce the inside of the wing. the plastic guide keeps a good dihedral, but the step was HORRIBLE. Easy fix though. just threw a cut up piece of sprue in there and it's all better.


Here's my "rig" for letting the proweld sit. notice that I'm hardly ever off this site (background)


I then got the other wing on, put the tail assembly together, which is nice because it really eliminates having to sit and make sure the angles are perfect while the glue dries, and then I decided to get the airbrush and start the green zinc chromate. I had a bunch left over and decided to check some seams with it. I'm going to have some work cut out for me with the tail, but it'll have to wait until I get my Mr. Surfacer in the mail! Notice the MASSIVE 36 dollar refund check! YAY! now I can go get the paint I need to paint this darnd thing!

A must read for anyone building the A-20!

She's starting to shape up! Lot's of promise with this one, Eric. keep up the good work.

Looks good so far, Eric. This one looks like it is going to be a really nice bird!

Looking forward to see more

Eric:

Its great to see this one come together. Great work so far. I can't wait to see this one finished. Looks like you are definitely going to beat me to the finish line on the campaign.