The Plan:
After some contemplation I have
decided that I will be building an intricate model plane, more specifically
Revel's 167 piece 1:48 scale model of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. The B-24
was a heavy bomber widely used by the United States air force and to a lesser
extent other allied forces during world war two. The B-24 was introduced in
1941 and was an intended upgrade over the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, as it
boasted a superior range, top speed and
bomb load, despite it's lower service ceiling and far less robust design (the
B-17 was know for being able to stay in the sky despite sustaining heavy
damage). I have been interested in building a model of this historic aircraft
for over a year now and am happy to be able to seize this opportunity to
finally attempt to construct a World War Two bomber. I have only ever built one
model plane, a 1:48 scale Revel p38 lightning, one of the most unique fighter
planes of the second World war and my favorite. While this model turned out
satisfactory, I wish to enhance my model making skills and techniques with this
larger, more challenging build.
The ultimate goal for this project
is to produce the most realistic model possible while maintain historical
accuracy and attention to detail. In order to accomplish this it is important
that I become proficient in several aspects of model making techniques. These
include the actually gluing together of pieces, sanding, filling, decaling, and
by far the most important part, painting. thought this semester I hope to be
able to learn how to properly apply these techniques to my B-24 liberator build
in order to produce the best product possible.
Unfortunately I do not know anyone
who has experience and expertise in model making and so I will be relying largely
on the internet and instructional videos if I am unable to find a proper
mentor. Despite this I was able to recruit the help of Mr. Tim Toews, an expert
in anything artistic to help me in the painting process of my model. With his
help I hope to experiment with airbrushing, a technique that can be used on
both the interior and exterior surfaces of the model. I hope that this method
will create a more even and accurate looking finish that conventional brush
painting.
In order to succeed in this project it
is important that I am willing to really put my time into the model (you'd be
surprised how long these things can take). I will have to be patient and
realize that even small mistakes, especially on clear pieces, can have a
dramatically negative affect on the final appearance of the model. It is my
opinion that if I am willing to put in the necessary time and attention to
detail to my model I will be able to create at very least an adequate model of
a Consolidated B-24 Liberator.
