Bill GilmanHi mates,
It seems I never learn my lesson - here I go with another CMR resin kit. This time it's the Martin AM Mauler, one of the more obscure beasts from the immediate post-war period. And she was a beast! She still holds the record for the heaviest armament load ever carried by a single piston engine aircraft, over 4,800 kg. We don't need no stinkin' Skyraiders! Well, maybe we do as the Martin AM, which originally had a nickname of "Able Mable" soon became "Awful Monster" due to its deck handling characteristics. Still, I find it an intriguing subject with its monster P&W R-4360 engine.
The Mauler was part of a design competition which consisted of the Curtiss XBTC, Douglas XBT2D Skyraider, Kaiser-Fleetwings BTK and the Martin XBTM. Ultimately only the Douglas and Martin aircraft were produced in any quantity, but Douglas was the winner by far with over 3,100 Skyraiders produced. Only 151 Maulers were built, and most spent their service life with USN reserve squadrons.
This kit was an "overrun" (although I'm not sure how you do that with resin kits) and had no decal sheet. I'll poke around in my spares box to get the markings for a reserve aircraft from Naval Air Station Grosse Isle in 1950. She'll have an International Orange fuselage band, white spinner, and Insignia Yellow armament - three aerial torpedoes and twelve practice bombs. That should break up the monotone of Glossy Sea Blue.
When it was time to put the paint down, I found the only Sea Blue I had was Tamiya, and it is dead flat and very prone to scuffing when handling. I had to be super careful prior to gloss coating. Anyway, that's where I am now and I hope to have some more updates soon.
Cheers,
Bill
31. August, 21:05
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Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (1937-now)
2+
, how do u do that man
