1:144 B-25J Mitchells

Bombers in front of the camera

When the adaptation of a famous antiwar novel was being filmed in the late 1960s, the crew needed a whole squadron of Mitchells. The only way to get them was among private owners and aerial firefighting companies, which still operated the old bombers at the time. The machines were given uniform fuselage codes with a numeral and a letter so that they could be told apart in the scenes, and it is exactly this guise that became a subject in its own right for modelers. The sheet brings four such aircraft.

What you get on paper

For each scheme the supplier gives the name painted on the nose, the fuselage code and the civil registration under which the aircraft flew outside the shoot. One of the schemes listed is tied to a machine of the earlier form with a solid nose, while the remaining three belong to the late production subversion. The difference is worth attention when choosing a kit, because the shape of the tip is the first thing visible on a model.

Advice on laying them

The fuselage codes are the most demanding item at this size, because they are large and crease easily while being slid into place. It helps to lay them on a well clear-coated surface and to line them up with a wet brush from the center toward the edges. Then blot off the water with a fine cloth and leave the model alone for at least an hour, and only then apply clear coat if you want to.

What to obtain separately

The sheet is a standalone product and the aircraft does not come with it. Allow also for the fact that the supplier does not give the shades used on the film machines, so the choice of paints has to be based on period photographs.