I just finished Monogram's 1/48 P-61A Black Widow, and here are the final pics. I used both of Eduard's photoetched detail sets (interior and exterior), and AeroMaster decals. The markings depict "Moonhappy," the first P-61 credited with a victory. It was based on Saipan in 1944.

I applied a wash to the lower surfaces, along the raised lines. It took about four hours to remove the excess wash with a #000 brush, cleaning along either side of the raised panel lines. The wash turned out to be much darker than I had wished, but I was not going to redo it. I used a technical pencil to draw the panel lines on the top surfaces, after the model had been dullcoated. It took less time, but I'm not pleased with the color.

I tried to save a buck by buying some house-brand frosty tape to mask the canopies. Every pane was fouled with adhesive. I dipped Q-Tips in isopropyl alcohol and swabbed the windows. When it dried, I used dape to daub the remaining goo. Each window was then brush coated with Future. This took about three hours to accomplish. I threw the house-brand tape in the trash, and bought some more Scotch frosty tape. Scotch has NEVER left adhesive behind, and I'll never use anything else.

I lost many of the small parts during final assembly, so I scratchbuilt replacements. These included antennas, and one of the "spoiler" attachment pieces. After taking the pics, I noticed that the left main wheel moved out of alignment. After all the hiurs I've put into this build in the past few days, I'll let it sit as is until I fix it. I'm a little burnt out on this kit right now.

Hope you like it, and thanks for letting me share the build with you !











The progress pics can be found here: http://www.pix.prettyneatinc.com/widowbuild.htm

Nice build. I like the red wheels. Nice touch

Hi Bill!

Great job! Apart from the wheel you mentionned... sad you didn't noticed it before the pics.

The panel work is excellent... I never would have known they are raised! I also like the various shades of green (wheel bays) and the red walkway lines are looking great too. Are they from the kit's decals or from the aftermarket sheet?

Jean-Luc

Looks very nice. The Black Widow has always been a favorite of mine...if memory serves me, I have 1 (maybe 2) in the basement stash.

Jim

.... very very very very impressive bill! ..i like it very much!

That's a very beautifull aircraft. congratulations. I really like de decals

Excellent work on such an old kit looks good!

Very nice build there Bill. I especially like the panel highlights and the fuselag most.

Thank you very much Alan, Jean-Luc, Jim, moJimbo, Davy, Steve, and Jeremy !

Jean-Luc - the wingwalks are from the AeroMaster sheet. They are printed in segments, and join along the straight lines rather than the corners. This makes the alignment positive. They are the most trouble-free wingwalk decals I've ever used.

Jim - a lot of people seem to have this kit, but you don't see many of them built. It's a kit on which you can use the basic skills you've acquired over the years.

Glad you like it, and thanks again !

Bill, only going to echo what the others have said, nice looking build. You're right, you don't see a whole lot of these built up. I've got one underway, that was shelved just before I started moving. I think I am going to crack it open again once I get into our new house in December. Thanks again for sharing. "Q"

Bill,

Do you ever get tired of having well-deserved praise heaped upon you?

Perhaps it is time to start mine. I was going to do the HE-219 for the nightfighter build...

woow , pretty impressive work you have there. I've checked your site after seeing this beautiful P-61.
I love the way you build your models , clean and with some subtle weathering.

Keep 'em comming.

Q

Thank you Matthew, Fred, and Quinten !

Matthew - if you're going to do the OD/NG scheme, make sure you have plenty of paint. The black plastic makes multiple coats necessary.

Fred - reading the things people have to say is humbling, but it's not why I post the pics. I like to share my work with others, and let them see what's in a kit's box or a detail set. I also enjoy helping others who may want to build a particular kit, but run into difficulties. I do a lot of things differently from most modelers, and sometimes a different approach can help someone leave their "comfort zone," and build the kits they want to have on their shelves. The internet is the greatest place in the world to do that !

Quinten - my display case will one day be a 1/48 museum setting, so I keep the builds clean. I also enjoy the challenge of not being able to hide anything with weathering.

Thanks again !

Bill, Thanks, I already figured that. Just glad to hear you confirm it. I have cut all the control surfaces on mine and rescribed it as well. The PE sets are about a nightmare. So many fiddly pieces and they are everywhere! Hopefully mine will look close to yours. Thanks again. "Q"

OK...after looking at your build I have to add this to my "To Build" list.

Fantastic looking job on one of the baddest looking warplanes ever!

Jim

And I have 2 of them in my inventory... cool

Nice job, as that kit is really hard to build up to look good!

Bill as usual your work is inspiring and in this case you have inspired me to get hold of the Eduard PE sets and get on with my own P-61and not wait for whoever it was that said they would produce a new one. I will have to finish re-scribing the thing first though
Mal

congradulations on finishing that kit! I've tried two seperate times with the monogram p-61 and just didn't have the patience to finish it the way i wanted it done. while your build up shows it can be done, i'm just going to continue to sit it out until someone releases a new 1/48 of this lovely AC.

Bill,

Beautitful job on such a challenging kit. I've got two of these in the stash now, just waiting for the chance to dive back into them. I remember struggling with this one as a kid.

I love the OD/NG scheme, especially as 99% of the builds you see online are the black.

Congrats on the terrific build and thanks for the inspiration that it can be really built!

- Frank

Bill.
Another awesome finished model.
I agree with what you say about not weathering and your museum idea.Sometimes its nice to see "prestine" examples, and it certainly makes yours stand out,espescially that P47 you showed recently.
Very inspiring work.I just look at them and think,,"one day"!!!!
Nige

Very nice Bill, yet another inspiring piece of work.
I would never have guessed that you drew the top panel lines on. Has the whole kit got raised panel lines ?
Andy (++)

Bill, you did an excellent job.
How about submitting it for an ON DISPLAY?

OH Scotch also makes a LOW tack frosty tape, if you ever need to use a low tack tape. It's the one in the BLUE plaid box.

I'm stunned! Outstanding build. We were just looking at this kit for a group build, and I just wish you had completed the kit sooner...may have helped the cause (no they are looking at a bigger kit, KIDS!!). Love the front tire too, nice touch.

hello bill! i've been keeping an eye on this, on your site ever since i saw the little lamp you put in the rear gunner/radar ops position, i thought that was a nice touch. reading your post here about the washes and cockpit masking, you must have the patience of a saint! i enjoy seeing your stuff, keeps up the inspiration level for me, nice one

Bill,
When it comes to TWINS the P-61 is my FAV. And knowing the pedigree of the subject(the kit is a %&#@!) you did a Fantastic job finishing her. I like the selected artwork too. Nice job on the upper panel lines,
and finish. I know what you mean when you say this kit burns you out. There is so much to fix, and improve. the days of mono wanting removable panels and features sacraficed construction ease. NICE JOB!!!