Author Topic: Grumman FB-2G Grebe  (Read 12423 times)

Offline Old Wombat

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Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« on: March 22, 2017, 09:41:51 AM »
OK, the chances of this being finished before the end of the GB is nil, nix nada & zilch but it has given me the incentive to start it.


So, first images:

The boxes


What's in the boxes (well, some of it, anyway)


First cutting done (last night)


What a Sunderland looks like without its belly


Where I'm going with this
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Online The Big Gimper

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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #1 on: March 22, 2017, 09:53:10 AM »
Cool. A near perfect fit. So will you shorten the hull or lengthen the fuselage?
Work in progress ::

I am giving up listing them. They all end up on the shelf of procrastination anyways.

User and abuser of Bothans...

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2017, 10:05:59 AM »
Possibly a bit of both.

Not 100% sure on where I'm going with it. I'll definitely extend the Tracker nose forward & (probably) fit a radar nose; however, if I shorten the tail, I can fit the MAD boom or I could extend it & fit a tail radar, instead.

Decisions! Decisions! :-\
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline apophenia

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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2017, 10:34:00 AM »
Looking very promising!  :)
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Tophe

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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2017, 12:15:00 PM »
Very nice piece of scale-o-rama 1/48+1/72... :-*

Offline finsrin

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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2017, 12:21:49 PM »
Great scale-o-rama perception.  Having good vibes about this build. :)

Offline Claymore

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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2017, 03:24:43 PM »
Looking good!  :)
Pass the razor saw, there is work to be done!

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2017, 10:04:30 PM »
Thanks, guys! :)

This build has been calling to me for quite some time now & I'm really enthused (Almost like an armour build!) by it. Hopefully it stays that way!
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Kerick

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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #8 on: March 23, 2017, 03:25:52 AM »
Well I will give you all the encouragement I can! This looks to be Epic!

Offline Buzzbomb

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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #9 on: March 23, 2017, 09:29:11 AM »
Hackage.. begin.

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #10 on: March 23, 2017, 10:01:13 AM »
Thanks! :) :)
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #11 on: March 23, 2017, 10:47:13 PM »
Think I've settled on a SAR role for this build, with a radar nose, & wing mounted DF units (to home in on EPIRB's), plus the Grumbly's search-light, & the sonobuoy chutes can be for flares.

I'm still tossing up whether to do a radar tail or enlarge the MAD boom housing to become a chute for emergency bundles (a tube with an inflatable raft, medical supplies, food & water).

I'm currently in the process of trying to work out if I have the skill-set/confidence to make it an amphibian.
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #12 on: March 24, 2017, 05:55:06 AM »
I'm currently in the process of trying to work out if I have the skill-set/confidence to make it an amphibian.

Is it too late to find a different amphibian kit for the hull containing the wheel cavities? 

Maybe the old Monogram 72nd scale SA-16 Albatross kit?  Not sure about other amphibians that would be good candidates for your kit bash.
"Every day we hear about new studies 'revealing' what should have been obvious to sentient beings for generations; 'Research shows wolverines don't like to be teased" -- Jonah Goldberg

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #13 on: March 24, 2017, 08:57:38 AM »
I'm looking at my 1/72 Catalina with a view to copying its gear to fit the Tracker & kit wheels. Looks complex but do-able. ;)
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #14 on: April 03, 2017, 07:29:41 PM »
Things have been happening. Slowly, I'll admit, due to work & 1:1 scale fernery construction, but happening, none the less.

I hope to get some photo's up sometime in the next day or two - mostly it's been detailing the sadly sparse cockpit & fitting the nose-wheel well.

 :)
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #15 on: April 03, 2017, 10:20:58 PM »
I'm looking at my 1/72 Catalina with a view to copying its gear to fit the Tracker & kit wheels. Looks complex but do-able. ;)

You would be better off using CL-215/415 gear which you can get from Scale Aircraft Conversions

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #16 on: April 04, 2017, 12:05:38 AM »
I'm looking at my 1/72 Catalina with a view to copying its gear to fit the Tracker & kit wheels. Looks complex but do-able. ;)

You would be better off using CL-215/415 gear which you can get from Scale Aircraft Conversions

Nah, I'll stick with the Cat gear. :)
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #17 on: April 04, 2017, 10:07:20 AM »
Photo's of minimal progress:

Almost all the lumpy-bumpy bits are scratch-built;














Most was built from my memory without references but I've brightened up the panels because it's not a Tracker. The vertical control column is what our (RAN) E's & G's had (don't know what model the kit's front-panel style column came from), I'm pretty sure I have the wing-fold controls modelled on the top panel somewhere, & the curtain is to block the void behind the cockpit.
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline finsrin

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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #18 on: April 04, 2017, 11:25:50 AM »
Killer interior work.  At least order of magnitude beyond my best.  :)

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #19 on: April 04, 2017, 01:11:57 PM »
Thanks, Bill! :icon_alabanza:
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #20 on: April 06, 2017, 12:31:21 AM »
Next update:

The fuselage bunged together with some filler strips (more required) & the radome nose fitted.









Still don't know what to do with the rear end; drop chute for survival equipment or radome?

Suggestions? ???
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Claymore

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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #21 on: April 06, 2017, 04:59:44 AM »
Oh my but that is looking mighty fine!  :)

I would have thought that a MAD boom à la the P3 Orion was the obvious addition to the rear... but perhaps too obvious?

« Last Edit: April 06, 2017, 05:02:15 AM by Claymore »
Pass the razor saw, there is work to be done!

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
  • "Define 'interesting'?"
Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #22 on: April 06, 2017, 09:00:35 AM »
Yeah, mate. I'm making her a SAR bird, plus, if I was to fit a MAD boom, I'd use the Tracker's retractable item (less chance of damage on take-off & landing).

Also, if I was to make her an ASW bird, there'd need to be a second (different) aircraft type with her to drop the ordnance.

Options I'm toying with are;

Sonobuoy chutes are going to be for smoke-flares, with

1) A chute coming out the rear, loaded & launched by the non-pilot crew, for cased emergency equipment with maybe 4 or 6 internal reloads.

2) 2 x wing-mounted drop-cases & a radome on the butt

3) Go for nothing & just square off the end, with the crew relying on the smoke-flares to guide in watercraft if they can't land.


Note: The casings will have a small raft (3/4 person) & emergency supplies (medical, water, food) in them for those situations when the water is too rough to make a landing.


(Odd thought: How does one "land" on water? ??? )




Edit: Tidied up reply, it was a mess.
« Last Edit: April 06, 2017, 09:57:18 AM by Old Wombat »
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Claymore

  • It's all done with smoke and mirrors!
  • Alt Hist AFV guy with a thing for Bradley turrets
Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #23 on: April 06, 2017, 03:37:27 PM »
Doh! Please excuse my buffoonery, I entirely missed your plan to go down the SAR line.  :-[

A smoke/flare chute out the rear seems logical, as does the under-wing containers. Probably also need a high powered search light (could be fitted in the wings as a fixed mount) or in some sort of turret for maximum flexibility. Perhaps said turret could also mount a thermal camera system too.

Not sure if the turret could fit in the rear but it's worth a thought.
« Last Edit: April 07, 2017, 06:47:12 AM by Claymore »
Pass the razor saw, there is work to be done!

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
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Re: Grumman FB-2G Grebe
« Reply #24 on: April 06, 2017, 10:12:33 PM »
S-2 Tracker comes with an insanely brilliant arc light mounted on the starboard wing as is (there's a joystick for it next to the co-pilot's window) but I may try  to find a way of fitting a thermal/IR camera system to the port wing, too.

 :)
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."