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World War II: USA
Aircraft of the United States in WWII.
Hosted by Rowan Baylis
Restored Helldiver....
raccoonrough
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West Virginia, United States
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Posted: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 - 05:32 AM UTC
Hello,

I just wanted to share some photos. This past Sunday (April 20, 2014) I visited the Udvar Hazy Center Air and Space Museum (Smithsonian) in Chantilly, Virginia.

I had been following their restoration of a SBSC-5 Helldiver. They finally got it completed and had it out on the display floor. I finally got a chance to drive down and have a look at it.

She was a very very beautiful gal to say the least! It was a pure pleasure to see her in person! I snapped some photos an just wanted to share them here with my fellow modelers!

Now, I just HAVE to find a good 1/48 Helldiver kit and build my own model of her!!!!

Here you go.... Enjoy.

Spence









raccoonrough
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West Virginia, United States
Joined: December 31, 2012
KitMaker: 239 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 - 05:35 AM UTC












raccoonrough
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West Virginia, United States
Joined: December 31, 2012
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Posted: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 - 05:39 AM UTC
It was a very rewarding trip. I also got to see several other planes. Including a Hellcat, P-39, Hawker Hurricane, Do335, Ar234, He219 (Unassembled), Fw190, P40, and a Corsair! A very relaxing walk for sure. Though I spent a lot of time in awe and taking photos!! LOL.

S
BlackWidow
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European Union
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Posted: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 - 06:42 AM UTC
Hi Spencer,
thanks for the great photos. If you want a quarterscale Helldiver, I can recommend that old Revell-Monogram kit, which I still have somewhere in my stash .... It has decals for a USN, a French and an Italian version. Must look where I have it. This kit is hard to get in the meantime over here ....
In 2002 I visited DC and of course one of the main attractions for me was the NASM at the Mall (the Udvar Hazy Museum didn't exist back then). But I really got thrilled when I had the chance to visit Paul Garber Restauration Facilities in Suitland at the end of my holidays. The guy who showed us around was a Skyraider pilot from the Vietnam War. In that "Holy Halls" I saw so many great planes from WW2, a Bachem Natter (the last original), the cockpit section of a G4M Betty, a Me 210, a Kika (the Japanese Me 262), a B-17 C and my first P-61 Black Widow .... And also that He 219 you mentioned.
raccoonrough
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West Virginia, United States
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Posted: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 - 06:58 AM UTC
Yes....I also got to see the P61 black widow.....and took some photos. I can share them as well if you like. Maybe start a new post for those picts.
BlackWidow
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European Union
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Posted: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 - 07:09 AM UTC
Yes pleeeease! At the beginning of this millennium I still couldn't afford a digital camera and have used my good old Minolta X 700 mirror reflex camera in those dark rooms. Good enough for me but not good enough to show them here ....
Jessie_C
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British Columbia, Canada
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Posted: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 - 12:50 PM UTC
Those are some excellent photos of an excellent restoration. The best Helldiver in 1/48 is the Monogram/Promodeller kit, which has also been released in an Accurate Miniatures box. Watch what a real expert can do with it
Merlin
Staff MemberSenior Editor
AEROSCALE
#017
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United Kingdom
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Posted: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 - 07:28 PM UTC
Hi Spence

Really nice photos! You could submit these and others to go into our Walkarounds - that way they reach a wider audience and also don't chew up your on-line storage space.

All the best

Rowan
Joel_W
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
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New York, United States
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Posted: Wednesday, April 23, 2014 - 03:05 AM UTC
Spence,
Thank you for sharing those photographs with us. I have a special interest in WW11 USN aircraft, especially dive bombers and Torpedo planes.

I've shied away from the old Monogram kit simply because I'm not a good enough builder to do justice to it by todays standards. I keep on hoping that some company like GWH will eventually do a state of the art Helldiver.

Joel
raccoonrough
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West Virginia, United States
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Posted: Friday, April 25, 2014 - 07:39 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Those are some excellent photos of an excellent restoration. The best Helldiver in 1/48 is the Monogram/Promodeller kit, which has also been released in an Accurate Miniatures box. Watch what a real expert can do with it


Thanks!
Yes, I had already found his build. It is absolutely amazing. I wish I could do 1/10th as good with my future build of a Helldiver! That build is so very cool. Thanks for pointing it out.

Spence
raccoonrough
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West Virginia, United States
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Posted: Friday, April 25, 2014 - 07:40 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Spence

Really nice photos! You could submit these and others to go into our Walkarounds - that way they reach a wider audience and also don't chew up your on-line storage space.

All the best

Rowan


Rowan,

I would be more then happy to submit these and other photos to the walkaround section. I just need to learn how to do it, let me see if I can figure it out.

Thanks
Spence
raccoonrough
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West Virginia, United States
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Posted: Friday, April 25, 2014 - 07:42 AM UTC
Thanks for the advice on which Helldiver kit in 1/48 scale I should consider.

I am currently on the lookout for a Pro Modeler SBSC-4 Helldiver kit for sale.

So if anyone spots a good deal on one, please drop me line. )

Thanks
Spence
Merlin
Staff MemberSenior Editor
AEROSCALE
#017
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United Kingdom
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Posted: Friday, April 25, 2014 - 07:25 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Hi Spence

Really nice photos! You could submit these and others to go into our Walkarounds - that way they reach a wider audience and also don't chew up your on-line storage space.

All the best

Rowan


Rowan,

I would be more then happy to submit these and other photos to the walkaround section. I just need to learn how to do it, let me see if I can figure it out.

Thanks
Spence


Hi Spence

Just e-mail pics to this address: [email protected]

All the best

Rowan
MichaelSatin
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Posted: Saturday, April 26, 2014 - 03:51 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Thanks for the advice on which Helldiver kit in 1/48 scale I should consider.

I am currently on the lookout for a Pro Modeler SBSC-4 Helldiver kit for sale.

So if anyone spots a good deal on one, please drop me line. )

Thanks
Spence


Spence,

There appear to be several on Ebay at what look like good prices, including one that ends in 7 hours (Pro-Modeller box) and one that ends tomorrow (Accurate Miniatures), both for around $20 so far (plus shipping).

Look here.

Michael
JPTRR
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RAILROAD MODELING
#051
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Tennessee, United States
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Posted: Saturday, April 26, 2014 - 07:27 AM UTC
Torsten, et al.,

When i visited Silver Hill back about 1994 they had one or two surviving Ho 229s. I recall they were planning to send them back to Germany for restoration, U-H keeping one for display. I've since read that there was only one but I recall seeing 2. Maybe the other was parts.
bdanie6
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New Hampshire, United States
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Posted: Saturday, April 26, 2014 - 10:33 AM UTC
Hi all,
Back in November of 2012 the Confederate Air Force had their SBSC-4 Helldiver on display at the Stuart Air Show (that's Stuart Florida). So, for your consideration;







Beautifully restored plane. Too bad it never became a pilots favorite

Later
raccoonrough
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West Virginia, United States
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Posted: Sunday, April 27, 2014 - 05:14 AM UTC
[quote]Spence,

There appear to be several on Ebay at what look like good prices, including one that ends in 7 hours (Pro-Modeller box) and one that ends tomorrow (Accurate Miniatures), both for around $20 so far (plus shipping).

Michael
[quote]

Thanks for posting the links Michael,

I will have my try and getting one at a decent price!

S
Jessie_C
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British Columbia, Canada
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Posted: Sunday, April 27, 2014 - 05:32 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Too bad it never became a pilots favorite


That's likely to be because of the constraints Curtiss was forced to design it under. In order to fit onto the standard US Navy deck elevator, it had to be short and stubby, which caused it to fly like a beast.

Those are great photos of a very nicely restored airplane though
raccoonrough
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West Virginia, United States
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Posted: Sunday, April 27, 2014 - 06:56 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Torsten, et al.,

When i visited Silver Hill back about 1994 they had one or two surviving Ho 229s. I recall they were planning to send them back to Germany for restoration, U-H keeping one for display. I've since read that there was only one but I recall seeing 2. Maybe the other was parts.


Thanks. I have posted some pictures of the Smithsonian's Horten Ho-111's. One is a fully restored f model. the other is just the fuselage of a h model.

Not many pictures of them.......but I plan on going back and taking more. So standby.

Spence
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