[kingpin]

Here is a couple quick pics of the new PBY-5
This plane is awesome and big 16 long 26 wing tip to wing tip.
The floats do go down.

Glen

[kingpin]

Floats Down

[Cruver Collecter]

FMs Catalina looks pretty nice, and I like their beaching gear (Wish the Corgi had done it right on their Catalina flying boat versions).

[STARMAN 352ND]

WOW....that looks like FM did a great job on that PBY...She is Big too..
Great pictures.
JP

[Ara1]

Nice pictures, thank you for posting.

Guys, is the straight front turret a deal breaker for anybody? If so, can the Monogram part be dropped in as a replacement? Looks very nice otherwise.

[1250ships]

As these are the first photos I've seen I went back to my earlier post about the plane based on the pre-production photos shown earlier this year to see if there had been any improvements on the model. See: Catalina pre-pro pictures for photos, drawings, and discussion.

First this is not a PBY-5A, it is clearly a PBY-5. The 5A model is the amphibian with retractable gear. This is just a labeling problem though as the model is correct for the aircraft in question.

As to my earlier concerns based on the pre-pro photos:

• Panel lines are over done- This still is the case. The photos all show the aircraft much smoother skinned. Perhaps the camera and lighting makes them pop out a bit more.
• The waist blisters seem to be oddly shaped- They look better in these photos. The framing might be off a bit through.
• Wingtip float support structure is not correct but might not but fully assembled in the photos- This looks much improved. However the groves in the floats themselves are wrong. They should be smooth. This is actually a major problem as it means the ends of the wings are wrong when the floats are in the flying position.
• Waterline boot line markings are missing on the model- Not present on the model.
• The nose looks too fat- might just be the photos- and should have a more prominent lip on it at the waterline- I still think it should be a bit more rounded toward the top but I'll admit that is a judgement call based solely on a few photos- could certainly be wrong!
• Front turret should have some slope to it- it is too straight- Still wrong.
• Antenna below the cockpit probably should not be there- Completely wrong on a pre-war PBY and should be removed.
• I'd like to see the underside of the model as I suspect the hull shape is wrong- Still don't have a prefect view of it but it does look much better in these images.

Two new thing too. First the engine exausts are too prominent. They were more like that on the PBY-5A but more compact and streamline on the PBY-5. I do like the attempt to add the stains from the engines. The model might benefit from more overall weathering. Second I think the tops of the cowels should be painted black. Every other pre-war scheme like this one I've seen has the black cowels.

Overall I see a couple problems with the model. The biggest is something I didn't suspect from the earlier photos- the floats are really bad. Just compare them to some photos of the real thing or the way Corgi handled them on their model. That is a major feature of the aircraft that is just plain wrong.

The antenna is a easy fix- just remove it. The turret is a bigger issue but most folks will probably be able to overlook that. Likewise the lack of the bootline markings and the panel lines.

So where does that leave you if you want a pre-war Catalina? Corgi/Hornby could do one as they have shown both a 5 and a 5A version. But you might have to wait a long time for that. If you have to have 1/48 this is only option. The smaller scale Model Power 1:156 version has some issues too but at under $20 they can get away with more.

If this was a nearly perfect 1/48 pre-war Catalina I'd have to buy it even though I'd have a hard time finding a place to put it. Given the problems with it I'll pass unless it shows up down the road at half price.

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by Ara1

Nice pictures, thank you for posting.

Guys, is the straight front turret a deal breaker for anybody? If so, can the Monogram part be dropped in as a replacement? Looks very nice otherwise.

I have a 1/48th scale Monogram Catalina, and after looking at the clear turret piece, not sure how well it would fit on this model.

[Ara1]

Another model that's not feeling the love, at the moment.

I will buy one, if I end up with this version I would try to makes the fixes 1250ships so ably points out.

If I buy the gray 1942 version, I would give thought to, and research, the upper wing insignia, they look very, very small for an early 1942 scheme.

[John Youngs]

Originally Posted by Cruver Collecter

FMs Catalina looks pretty nice, and I like their beaching gear (Wish the Corgi had done it right on their Catalina flying boat versions).

Cruver Collector - I pretty much agree with you - nice plane & no doubt the beaching gear is probably more historically correct than the amphib flying boat version; having said that, however, I pretty much lean towards the amphibious floatplane version of the Catalina - even if the gear would no doubt be "fixed" on the Armour model. I've had more than a few rides in amphib Cats over the years and there's a reason the Navy went to them early on - the only benefit the earlier "beaching gear" version had was a moderate increase in useful load - not having to carry the landing gear and the associated hydraulic system to operate it. - JY

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by Ara1

Another model that's not feeling the love, at the moment.

I will buy one, if I end up with this version I would try to makes the fixes 1250ships so ably points out.

If I buy the gray 1942 version, I would give thought to, and research, the upper wing insignia, they look very, very small for an early 1942 scheme.

It may not be prefect, but I think it will look mighty sharp sitting on a shelf. 1/48th Cat mighty big too.