1:32 Consolidated B-24D Liberator

Two aircraft, one name

At the turn of 1942 and 1943 the desert airfields in Libya were home to Consolidated B-24D heavy bombers. Among them flew a machine whose nose was adorned by the whole set of seven dwarfs from the then brand-new animated film. The serial number 41-11913 belonged to the 343rd Bomb Squadron of the 98th Bomb Group, and the drawing became one of the most photographed designs of the whole Mediterranean theater.

When the machine had served its time, the name traveled on. The replacement B-24D-53-CO with the serial number 42-40364 of the 43rd Bomb Squadron received the same subject, extended by a pink elephant. Carrying a name over from a worn-out aircraft to its successor was common practice in the desert units, and thanks to that the modeler can build both versions side by side as a pair that tells one story in two acts. The markings of this unit are sought after among collectors, because it was among the busiest formations of the whole Mediterranean area.

Working with large drawings

A scale of 1:32 means large areas of artwork, and that is why it pays to proceed slowly. The drawing is seated on a smoothly polished surface so that no small bubbles stay under the film, which after drying would create a matte shadow around the outline. The carrier film is thin and at larger sizes it easily folds over on itself, so it is better to move it off the backing paper with a brush and with plenty of water. Once seated, decal softener helps, as it draws the artwork into the panel seams and over the riveting, so that the result looks like a painting directly on the skin.