Comprehensive Series
Scale Model Manual No. 2

Building & Detailing the AMT 1/48 Scale B-26 Marauder

by Mike Ashey

Reviewed by Graham Carter

Mike Ashey is a modeller of not inconsiderable skills judging by the quality of his work that I have seen on-line and in magazines. He is also the producer of a number of “How to” ‘books’ on such things as detailing ship, railway trackside buildings and aircraft models in PDF format, all available (some are free downloads) from his web-site quoted below.

This is not a medium I am familiar with but could easily get used to as, like most modellers, I have a computer screen close by my modelling bench.
So what do we have here?

The manual has 22 pages, and 119 colour photos that follow the sequence of Mike’s build. Being an American production the spelling is North American in style, so we get caliber, mold, color and modeling, but that is quite understandable. In an introduction Mike comments on the history of the model and compares the two main 1/48 versions of the aircraft, commenting that the AMT/ERTL/ESCI kit is marginally larger than the Monogram edition, which appears to be too small in some sections, despite the overall dimensions being very close to each other! The principal areas where the AMT kit is larger are the nacelles and engines, cockpit and undercarriage. He was therefore unable to cross-kit the parts.

The photos are good captions will give the modeller a nuts and bolts approach to the build as Mike outlines in quite some detail all the work he did. Photos are excellent and can be seen in good size by pulling out the size of the document on your screen. Those of you working from a phone or tablet will struggle with this I suspect. On my 21inch iMac I could pull the individual images out to 160x120mm which was ample to see all the necessary details and there was absolutely no pixellation so all was very clear. I did pick up a couple of errors - at the bottom of page 2 he writes ‘ each seam was scrapped’ , but suspect that he meant ‘scraped’, and again on page 10 he ‘carefully scrapped off a seam’ while I am sure he again meant ‘scraped’ - Sorry but I was school teacher and the pedant in me has not left after 15 years! Makes little difference to the quality of the information anyway.

To quote from the authors letter to Brett about the manual:

“The manual shows you in step by step sequenced colour photos how to prepare parts, build sub-assemblies, mask, paint and complete the assembly of this 1/48 scale kit, which like its Monogram counterpart, has fit issues. The manual shows you how to assemble the kit in the proper sequence while modifying and correcting fit issues during assembly.  The manual shows you how to use plastic sheet and strip to solve all of the gap issues especially those around the engine nacelle to wing attachments and the wing to fuselage attachments. The manual also shows you how to reinforce and strengthen each assembly so that seams will not crack or split. 

The Monogram and AMT kits have different size diameter engine nacelles and consequently the engine parts are not interchangeable. The kit’s engines were enhanced with scratch-building including adding a wiring harness and spark plug wires. The manual shows you how and where to add lead weight to balance the finished model on its landing gear.  

The Eduard pre-painted photoetch interior detail set for the Monogram B-26 was used to enhance the cockpit along with Eduard’s pre-painted seat belts. Eduard’s pre-painted photoetch 50 caliber machine gun belts were also used to enhance the appearance of interior areas.   A step-by-step painting sequence is also provided along with adding the decals and mild surface weathering.

The manual also demonstrates modelling tips and techniques that are applicable to aircraft modelling in any scale.”

I was intrigued by Mike’s use of super glue in all steps of construction as I have never considered using CA in anything but resin kits.

The aircraft workbench quick tips PDF is included in every order. This is a very useful set of guides for the modeller, whether he/she be a long-time exponent or the raw beginner. It covers tips about General Modelling, Seam Work, Gluing, Painting, Decalling, as well as Working with Resin kits, Photoetch, and 3D parts. All good stuff!

An interesting modern way to access modelling information. This is a very useful and cheap document, even if you are not modelling this particular kit, especially as it covers so many hints, tips and techniques that will carry over into other projects and scales. Certainly worth downloading. Recommended.

Thanks to Mike Ashey for the sample.

Review Copyright © 2020 by Graham Carter
This Page Created on 28 July, 2020
Last updated 28 July, 2020

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