It looks great Gary. The fit is impeccable. I love the paint job. The internals are so well painted. I think I might have to finish off a couple from the stash to make room for this beautiful beast. Thanks for sharing.
According to my Haynes manual on the Liberator, the cylindrical item in the bomb bay is a hydraulic reservoir and the rectangular things at the aft end of the engine nacelles are air filters. It says for dusty conditions so maybe UK based aircraft wouldn't have them.
I have had my B24 since it was released and all l have done is put it off but watching this as got my Mojo going so as soon as l have finished the Airfix 1/48 Hurricane l am doing this is definitely doing the baby it goes together beautiful thanks Gary 👍 P.S. wish l had seen this earlier
It's an absolute peach of a kit - Chris nailed it with this one. But beware, getting it to sit on its nose without the entry ladder to prop it takes some inventive addition of weights!
What a beautifully designed kit! All those inner details means the kit would be perfect for a diorama of a plane being cannibalized for parts, which happened a lot in the Pacific.
This model is one of the best I ve seen.The detail for the 1/72 scale just cannot be better.I did the Monogram 1/48 scale kit of the B-24 many years ago.This one looks so much better.
Hello Gary, Just a tip as to weight when needed, chat up any builders you know. See if they have any scraps of lead flashing lefty over from a job. Easy to cut to shape and a darn sight cheaper than liquid gravity. Ok , not healthy to work with but latex gloves can save the day.
22:07 Those are engine intake dust filters. In dusty conditions the ram air pipe from the front of the engine is closed off and air is drawn in through the back.
What an interesting build video. Looks like a really good kit. Not an aircraft I have ever been interested in and at the price wasn't going to be a I'll just get one anyway purchase. Looking at the build so far, the level of detail and the design it looks really good value for the price. I hope they do a coastal command version as I would definitely get that. As for the kit, it really looks like Airfix are continuing to get better and better in the design and details included. If they carry on like that they will be up there with the best.
Those engines fit way better than those on the Revell 1/72 B-17F kit I am building, Gary. Old vs new kit, I know, but I have to admire the engineering that Airfix put into its model. In comparison, the B-17F model is equally detailed, in my opinion, but is harder to put together smoothly and surely.
Just a cultural note: I was searching online to see if the cylindrical object in the back of the aircraft was a chemical toilet, because there's a chance it might have been a master compass - I was just curious. I looked at lots of cutaway B-24 diagrams and couldn't find a decent reference to the object. Very different to the British approach, where the first thing pointed out would be that it had a toilet and there'd be a five page article on its use and a film by the Air Ministry.
Hey Gary, Thought I'd address some of the questions you had - first, Airfix might have gotten a little off course - the only aircraft to have a "loo" in WW2 was the Lancaster. A crew in the B-24 were tucked in like a can of sardines and couldn't reach that - it was go in your flight suit or go to the bombay and pee on the bombs. This next bit of information is not meant to be pejorative to Airfix, the B-24 at 1/72 is a difficult aircraft to shrink down and like many WW2 aircraft there were many upgrades and variants. (on a proportionate basis the kit almost cost as much as a real B24 around $240,000 in 1940's dollars - above my pay grade on both). I didn't see the theater of operations the kit was representing , however, you asked about the opening in the back of the engine - thats is a dust filter for the turbo super charger only used in desert conditions. You mentioned a warp in the wing - the B24 had a "Davis Wing" which generates more lift at low angles of attack, the warp you referenced may have been the dihedral angle of the wing - hard to tell in 2D. The interior was pretty close to correct configuration. For example on the flight deck, the seats were correct with the pilot and co-pilot. In Fact that was a hazard because you only had two kinds of parachutes - seat and chest packs - pilots could only wear seat packs and if they did not fit right they would get caught on the armrest. Some pilots never thought they would need them and used a steel plate to sit on unfortunately, a flack hit would blow them out of the aircraft - orders were wear all chutes. The instrument panel appears to have a gap between the windscreen, maybe that will not be seen. Six crewmembers were forward of the bombay while four were in back. The rendezvous point for bail out was the bomb bay and that was difficult to reach with the ball turret in the way - you could jettison the turret if you had time and go out that way. The really big sin of the kit was Airfix configuration of the bombay - it really looks like they didn't research that at all. The Bulkhead they showed was close however, a bit off base. There were two sections to the bombay with a nine inch wide catwalk connecting the front part of the aircraft to the rear, (also providing a "keel" for the center of gravity) - back in the day these crews were kids and if you weighed more than 150-180 max you were SOL trying to get down that catwalk and jump, (the nose wheel doors could be jettisoned and you could try to squeeze through that space. However the big faux pas is no manufacturer in the world to date has ever designed the bombay of a B24 correctly - the doors were like a roll top desk - very distinctive looking at the fuselage from inside and out - they were designed that way because of the fuselage being low to the ground and improved loading and if the hydraulic system was battle damaged you could toggle the bombs direct through the unopened doors. The catwalk also allowed the flight engineer to fuse the bombs as they approached the target. Airfix was a little shy on the engine scale as well as the detail on the cowl flaps. Other than those observations carve off about 30 quid and its not bad. Of course we know these issues, IMO, will not impact the skill of our host 😎
Great paint job, thx for the list of used paints. I'm not going to buy this kit: I have 3 b-24 in stock (1 Us navy version-Revell, 2 Anzac version Airfix & Uduard) all in 1/72.t My Airfix kit is still an old kit, which I can improve now, thank you for the info and the video. If Airfix has the guts to make a PB4Y (B-24 US Navy version) in 1/48 then I'll definitely buy this one. Otherwise, I hope ICM will do this. Its goes faster than the Gannat, Gary ... the old Gannat girl is still waiting.
Nice build! You listed the paints you used at the beginning, but as you assembled the fuselage you didn’t share with us what you pointed the inside with. Can you share that with us?
Just curious about the reasoning behind painting the wings before even putting them together? Seems like it would be double work, especially if your cleaning seams and joints, or masking for paint.
Made it easier for me with a monochrome paint scheme - no masking of the lower wing to fuselage joint and the bits are more easy to handle as the Lib is a big bird even at 1/72!
@@garys_stuff ok makes sense. Sounds like Airfix’s engineering is getting so finely tuned there’s little to no gaps. No more going through a tube of filler and a whole stick per kit if you know what I mean? 🤣 Looking forward to the final reveal!
You can get them through any craft shop or online, they are called chisel blades. They can be very useful, even for cutting bits off PE frames and things like that!
The fit of those parts is spectacular. Great engineering by Airfix. Like others I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a Coastal Command version. Nice build Gary.
I got this kit yesterday and will start building it soon. I’m glad I ran across this video - can’t wait to learn some good tips and insights from you.
It looks great Gary. The fit is impeccable. I love the paint job. The internals are so well painted. I think I might have to finish off a couple from the stash to make room for this beautiful beast. Thanks for sharing.
According to my Haynes manual on the Liberator, the cylindrical item in the bomb bay is a hydraulic reservoir and the rectangular things at the aft end of the engine nacelles are air filters. It says for dusty conditions so maybe UK based aircraft wouldn't have them.
I have had my B24 since it was released and all l have done is put it off but watching this as got my Mojo going so as soon as l have finished the Airfix 1/48 Hurricane l am doing this is definitely doing the baby it goes together beautiful thanks Gary 👍 P.S. wish l had seen this earlier
It's an absolute peach of a kit - Chris nailed it with this one. But beware, getting it to sit on its nose without the entry ladder to prop it takes some inventive addition of weights!
I built this model as a young teenager, I’m 67 now and I’ve still got it in my attic. 😀
What a beautifully designed kit! All those inner details means the kit would be perfect for a diorama of a plane being cannibalized for parts, which happened a lot in the Pacific.
Prior to this build video, I wasn’t overly interested in this kit, now I am! Thank You!
I am there with you. I was pretty "meh" about it until now.
This model is one of the best I ve seen.The detail for the 1/72 scale just cannot be better.I did the Monogram 1/48 scale kit of the B-24 many years ago.This one looks so much better.
It is an absolute beauty but cries out for either some transparent panels or some cut-aways so the interior can really show through!
This kit is one I really want my hands on. Thanks for uploading.
Always had a soft spot for the Libby, and it looks like Airfix has an banger of kit, must get one.
Oh, and Imperial thumb up, good stuff.
Hello Gary, Just a tip as to weight when needed, chat up any builders you know. See if they have any scraps of lead flashing lefty over from a job. Easy to cut to shape and a darn sight cheaper than liquid gravity. Ok , not healthy to work with but latex gloves can save the day.
Kit and build both look great. Thanks Gary. I'll pick one of these up, hopefully as a coastal command beasty
Great build on an amazing looking kit! I look forward to the completion.
Ahh the navy lark, good choice excellent programme
22:07 Those are engine intake dust filters. In dusty conditions the ram air pipe from the front of the engine is closed off and air is drawn in through the back.
What an interesting build video. Looks like a really good kit. Not an aircraft I have ever been interested in and at the price wasn't going to be a I'll just get one anyway purchase. Looking at the build so far, the level of detail and the design it looks really good value for the price. I hope they do a coastal command version as I would definitely get that. As for the kit, it really looks like Airfix are continuing to get better and better in the design and details included. If they carry on like that they will be up there with the best.
Those engines fit way better than those on the Revell 1/72 B-17F kit I am building, Gary. Old vs new kit, I know, but I have to admire the engineering that Airfix put into its model. In comparison, the B-17F model is equally detailed, in my opinion, but is harder to put together smoothly and surely.
Perfect work 👍
Alright. Gotta gets me one of those!
It's a beaut John mate, it takes time to do but I loved it.
Looks like an order model kit. I am planning to build a b24 at some point. Maybe Airfix I will have to decide.
No way i would have been able to get those 2 fuselage halves together....well done Gary..👍👍👍
You would, the fit is amazing.
@@garys_stuff is it really that easy?
@@jaws848 yes it was. The trick is the spars, they not only support the wings but also help align the two halves relative to each other.
Just a cultural note: I was searching online to see if the cylindrical object in the back of the aircraft was a chemical toilet, because there's a chance it might have been a master compass - I was just curious. I looked at lots of cutaway B-24 diagrams and couldn't find a decent reference to the object. Very different to the British approach, where the first thing pointed out would be that it had a toilet and there'd be a five page article on its use and a film by the Air Ministry.
Hey Gary,
Thought I'd address some of the questions you had - first, Airfix might have gotten a little off course - the only aircraft to have a "loo" in WW2 was the Lancaster. A crew in the B-24 were tucked in like a can of sardines and couldn't reach that - it was go in your flight suit or go to the bombay and pee on the bombs. This next bit of information is not meant to be pejorative to Airfix, the B-24 at 1/72 is a difficult aircraft to shrink down and like many WW2 aircraft there were many upgrades and variants. (on a proportionate basis the kit almost cost as much as a real B24 around $240,000 in 1940's dollars - above my pay grade on both). I didn't see the theater of operations the kit was representing , however, you asked about the opening in the back of the engine - thats is a dust filter for the turbo super charger only used in desert conditions. You mentioned a warp in the wing - the B24 had a "Davis Wing" which generates more lift at low angles of attack, the warp you referenced may have been the dihedral angle of the wing - hard to tell in 2D. The interior was pretty close to correct configuration. For example on the flight deck, the seats were correct with the pilot and co-pilot. In Fact that was a hazard because you only had two kinds of parachutes - seat and chest packs - pilots could only wear seat packs and if they did not fit right they would get caught on the armrest. Some pilots never thought they would need them and used a steel plate to sit on unfortunately, a flack hit would blow them out of the aircraft - orders were wear all chutes. The instrument panel appears to have a gap between the windscreen, maybe that will not be seen. Six crewmembers were forward of the bombay while four were in back. The rendezvous point for bail out was the bomb bay and that was difficult to reach with the ball turret in the way - you could jettison the turret if you had time and go out that way. The really big sin of the kit was Airfix configuration of the bombay - it really looks like they didn't research that at all. The Bulkhead they showed was close however, a bit off base. There were two sections to the bombay with a nine inch wide catwalk connecting the front part of the aircraft to the rear, (also providing a "keel" for the center of gravity) - back in the day these crews were kids and if you weighed more than 150-180 max you were SOL trying to get down that catwalk and jump, (the nose wheel doors could be jettisoned and you could try to squeeze through that space. However the big faux pas is no manufacturer in the world to date has ever designed the bombay of a B24 correctly - the doors were like a roll top desk - very distinctive looking at the fuselage from inside and out - they were designed that way because of the fuselage being low to the ground and improved loading and if the hydraulic system was battle damaged you could toggle the bombs direct through the unopened doors. The catwalk also allowed the flight engineer to fuse the bombs as they approached the target. Airfix was a little shy on the engine scale as well as the detail on the cowl flaps. Other than those observations carve off about 30 quid and its not bad. Of course we know these issues, IMO, will not impact the skill of our host 😎
Great work Gary , looks fantastic
looks like a nice kit ty for the build video
Just finished mine , great kit, loved it !
Great paint job, thx for the list of used paints. I'm not going to buy this kit: I have 3 b-24 in stock (1 Us navy version-Revell, 2 Anzac version Airfix & Uduard) all in 1/72.t My Airfix kit is still an old kit, which I can improve now, thank you for the info and the video. If Airfix has the guts to make a PB4Y (B-24 US Navy version) in 1/48 then I'll definitely buy this one. Otherwise, I hope ICM will do this. Its goes faster than the Gannat, Gary ... the old Gannat girl is still waiting.
Even though its 1/72 which is my preferred scale.....im dreading starting my DC-6
Hello Mr.gary!great job done.i am looking forward 2 the 2.part.with sticky greetings. Your modellmate.christian
Not long to wait - it'll be live tomorrow!
A fairly detailed kit, I wanted to ask you what you used as a weight to get the twenty grams.
I use cycle balance weights - 5g each and they are self-adhesive - and liquid gravity pellets.
Nice build! You listed the paints you used at the beginning, but as you assembled the fuselage you didn’t share with us what you pointed the inside with. Can you share that with us?
The interior is painted with the Vallejo interior green at the front, the ICM grey in the bomb bay area and the Ammo yellow chromate at the tail end.
Just curious about the reasoning behind painting the wings before even putting them together? Seems like it would be double work, especially if your cleaning seams and joints, or masking for paint.
Made it easier for me with a monochrome paint scheme - no masking of the lower wing to fuselage joint and the bits are more easy to handle as the Lib is a big bird even at 1/72!
@@garys_stuff ok makes sense. Sounds like Airfix’s engineering is getting so finely tuned there’s little to no gaps. No more going through a tube of filler and a whole stick per kit if you know what I mean? 🤣 Looking forward to the final reveal!
Left-Hand down a bit - nice work Gary.
Ha ha ha ha ha!!! One of my Dad's favourites (ex-Navy of course) and something with which I was indoctrinated from an early age.
I see a new (kind of) glue bottle. What glue did you use this time, Gary?
The thin one is Mr Cement SP.
Hello. Great build! Could You tell me what is this small weight steel (or lead?) balls? This is special kind of aftermarket goods?
It's called Liquid Gravity, very small balls of something non-toxic instead of lead - maybe tungsten?
@@garys_stuff thank You!
Looks great, where did you get the blade that you used on the ejector pins?
You can get them through any craft shop or online, they are called chisel blades. They can be very useful, even for cutting bits off PE frames and things like that!
The fit of those parts is spectacular. Great engineering by Airfix. Like others I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a Coastal Command version. Nice build Gary.
It’s such a shame so much detail gets “lost” inside!🤷🏼♂️