1/48 Italeri/AMT A-20G Havoc.

Scratch built pilots armored shield, and life raft from layered plasticard.  

Quite nice instrument panel, cannot be seen from outside cockpit.  

Considering its only three parts, the gun turret is quite nice. 

That's it for today. Wanted to build a simple kit, to ease myself back into plane building, what started me making models when I was Five. I've built the gun turret, finished a cockpit you can't see, joined the fuselage together, added the empennage... Still needs a lot of sanding, but it's coming along. Tomorrow, a start on engines and the wings as im on a roll. I'm probably going to do this one as an A-20G from the USAAF fighting in New Guinea in '44. 

Just a quick dry fit.  

Nice kit from AMT.  

Yes I quite like it. Just dry fitted to get a sense of what it will look like. Nice.  

Weight added, nose on. Dry fit cockpit glass, escape hatch, turret glass and rear window.  

Bit more sanding needed on the nose, then all over scribing touch ups, and a taste of rivets. Also I'll add the added armour either side of the nose.  

A-20G Havoc. Today I have added the nose with weight, sanded seams, added the front gear landing bay doors, added the closed bomb bay doors, and proven I have AMS, by wiring up one of the fourteen cylinder Wright twin cyclone engines, things that will hardly be seen... suppose its practice for when I build them in 1/32. 

Spent half the day today, after housework, wiring up the other radial engine, glad I didn't bother wiring the other fourteen spark plugs, as you can barely see the ones I've done. Modeling madness. 

I tried not to, I really did, but I ended up adding the missing fourteen spark plug wires. Looks really good though. One down, one to go. Need to look for some decals too.... 1/48 Italeri/AMT A-20G Havoc 312th Bomb Group, raid on Hollandia Airfield, Papua New Guinea 1944. 

Twins. Both engines now done. Wings next.  

Two engines done. Must be on a roll. Wings next. The building and painting of this old Italeri kit, is training for building my Hong Kong Models 1/48 B-25J, a much nicer model of my favourite aircraft, I'll be building it as one of the Catch-22 Mitchells. 

I think they look very good, for box stock engines and props. 

That's it I'm done for today. Engines and props on, wings on, engine nacelles dry fitted. Next landing gear, engine fitting, fine details, paint. Impressed with the old kit. 

Today I'm checking fit and alignment on the engine nacelles, rescribing lost panel lines, adding a few rivets, maybe. Defining the control surfaces, and making a start on the landing gear. 

Absolutely nothing interesting to look at today.
Using black to sort out seams, and get a general idea of its lines. Painting the inside of the engine nacelles, hopefully something more interesting tomorrow. 

Sooo, seams done, fuselage, empennage and wings painted black. Making a start on the undercarriage, got short shot part, so bit of scratching on one leg support. To me this doesn't look terribly strong, so I'll beef it up with gorilla white glue where it's attached. That way if it gets knocked, there's a bit of give, unlike superglue, which would just snap. Also rescribing the diamond pattern on the tyres, as they looked bloody awful. 

That's better, the new ones are on the left, after rescribing and sanding. Original on the right, with bizarre stepped ridge pattern. Still needs more sanding, bit it's getting there.  

That's it for today, still working on engine nacelles and landing gear. Scratched the fuel dump pipes on the end of the nacelles, I'll sand them a bit smaller when they are dry. Getting there slowly. 

That's all for now, more in the new year. I've attached the undercarriage and engine nacelles. First time on its wheels. May put some more weight in the front of the engines to shift its balance forwards a smidge. I'm kitbashing the front main gear, lengthening it as its too short. 

I thought about finishing this kit, but after a very long period I've decided to throw it out. I did what I wanted with it, and enjoyed scratch building and detailing parts, but I've no interest in it as a finished model, so, I've thrown it away, and abandoned the project. Sometimes you have to, I've got far too many kits, and no room, I didn't like this one. On a side note though, it felt awesome to smash it up and chuck it in the bin.