1:32 B-25H Mitchell

A Mitchell with a gun in the nose

The attack version B-25H differed from the bomber Mitchells at first glance. The glazed nose disappeared and in its place came a 75 mm cannon, around it four heavy machine guns and another pair in side packs beside the cockpit. A salvo from an arrangement like that was enough for a Japanese supply boat during a single pass just above the water.

The artwork belongs to two aircraft of the B-25H-5 series, which in 1943 served with the 100th Bomb Squadron within the 42nd Bomb Group over the South Pacific. The first is the serial number 43-4573 with the inscription Power House on the nose, the second 43-4498 with the name Dutch. Both crews worked from forward island bases, where the tropical sun and the salty air did finishes no good, so it pays to suggest a weathered surface on the model before the markings go on.

Before you reach for the tweezers

The individual pieces of artwork are printed on a continuous carrier film and each one is cut out separately, as close to the printed edge as possible. Make the cut with a new blade; a blunt scalpel tends to tear the film rather than cut through it. The area under the artwork must be smooth and glossy, otherwise air is trapped under the film and the edge turns white once dry.

In a large scale even the small lettering stands out, which on a smaller model would merge with its surroundings, and so take a period photograph for placing it. The markings are an accessory for a finished twin-engine bomber and are applied only onto a completed finish. Before you set to work, look at the sheet against the light. The small accompanying marks tend to be printed close beside one another and are easily missed while cutting.