New B-24 'H' Liberator conversion to 'J' is it easy?

[Tweezers]

Hi all

Calling Liberator experts,  what have I got to do to the new release to turnit into 'J' varient?

Just seen some nice decals  for a Suffolk UK based a/c in natural metal as opposed to the problematic and drab "olive drab" colour

Thanks in anticipation.

P.S.  Very good article in AMW.

[Tour de Airfix]

From my understanding the H and J are so similar you’d probably not notice the differences between what would be the Emerson and Consolidated A-6 front turrets, certainly not at this scale.

So, unless you are looking to enter it into some scale modelling competition where the judges would pick you up on such an obscure detail, I would push on with the Airfix kit as is and build in the colours of your chosen aircraft for your own enjoyment.

Now if your chosen B-24 had the earlier greenhouse nose, that would have been a totally different prospect!

I recently built the Airfix B-17 and had a similar dilemma finding I needed the earlier version without the nose turret for my chosen aircraft and so went off and bought the Academy kit to complete my build. I ended up with my chosen aircraft being a kit which I didn’t like while the Airfix model was finished with a compromise set of decals. Had I had my time over again, I’d have used my original decals on the later Airfix kit and been happy, as only the very very few may have spotted the discrepancy but for the rest (and me) it would have been an excellent model in memory of those who flew all B-17s from that, my squadron of choice 😊

 

[peebeep]

The two types are outwardly almost identical in appearance apart from the nose turrets. The H used the electrically powered Emerson A-15, whilst due to shortages the J used the hydraulically powered Consolidated A-6 turret. I think the latter comes as a spare with Hasegawa kits using the fully glazed options, so if you either have, or know someone with one of these, you might have one to use. To be honest I would simply use one of the J kits that are easy enough to find, either the Academy, or the (better) Hasegawa.  

[Tour de Airfix]

Although both B-24 J … here’s a nice illustration of the different turrets used 

I’d still go with the Airfix kit 😉