B-25B Resin Parts
Engine Update Set
Cluster M7 Incendiary Bomb, Auxiliary Gas Cans and
Auxiliary Gas Tank

Parts-R-Parts

Reviewed by Don Fenton

HyperScale is proudly sponsored by Squadron

Engine Update Set

This new release supersedes an earlier offering from Parts-R-Parts.

The Accurate Miniatures B-25B kit #3430 includes exhausts stacks that do not resemble those installed on any model of the B 25. The exhaust stacks installed on the B-25B were not the same on the left and right engines. The exhaust stack on the left side was longer than that on the right. The Parts-R-Parts set provides nicely molded exhaust stacks in the correct configuration.

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Minor modification to the kit left engine nacelle is necessary to make the stack fit. To fit the left exhaust stack, a small cutout must be made in the kit nacelle. The short right stack does not require any modification of the kit parts. It is a direct replacement for the kit part. These resin parts significantly improve the appearance of the kit. The cowl flaps are replaced with resin parts of the correct configuration featuring a cutout for the short exhaust stack on the right and the added flare to the upper cowl flaps on both to match the carburettor air intakes.

Removal of the resin cowl flaps from the pour block must be done with care. The pour block is awkwardly attached to the rear of the part between the top cowl flaps.

The carburettor intake in the AM B-25B kit is not quite correct. The shape and location of the intakes as supplied in the kit need correction to match the B-25B installation. The replacement resin parts provide the intakes of the correct configuration. These resin parts directly replace the kit parts.

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The engine fronts in the Accurate Miniatures kit include the ignition wiring. Unfortunately, this molded-in wiring does not quite reach the engine cylinders and the gear cases are not as nicely detailed as those found in the Accurate Miniatures Avenger kits. The Parts-R-Parts engine fronts have the prominent ignition wiring harness ring nicely molded.

The model builder will have to install the wires to the spark plugs on each cylinder. The kit wire harness does not reach the cylinders but could be used.

Cluster M7 Incendiary Bomb

The Accurate Miniatures B-25B kit provides among other ordnance items, 500-lb. M-43 General Purpose Bombs. The kit instructions direct the model builder to install four of these bombs in the bomb bay. Most, if not all, of the Doolittle mission aircraft carried at least one Cluster M7, an incendiary cluster bomb made up of 128 stick-like bomblets. Doolittle's aircraft carried four of these devices. Unfortunately, the kit does not provide a replica of this bomb. A curious omission given that Accurate Miniatures includes a transcript of a post-mission report by General Doolittle that details the ordnance loads carried by most of the aircraft. The report briefly discusses the development and deployment of the M7 among the mission aircraft. Part-R-Parts item #PRP-009 gives the model builder this necessary bomb.

Take note that due to the ballistics of the M7, this device may have been loaded to drop last in a mixed bomb load. In other words, the M7 was loaded first.

Auxiliary Gas Cans and Auxiliary Fuel Tank

Ten or perhaps 15 five-gallon gas cans were loaded into the radio operator's compartment of each aircraft to increase the fuel capacity for the mission. These fuel cans were drained into the auxiliary 2' X 2' X 2' sixty gallon fuel tank installed in the space formerly used for the bottom gun turret. Sets #PRP-010 and PRP-011 supply the required fuel containers.

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To see these items once installed in the kit rear fuselage will require a flash light and a very close examination through the corrected lower fuselage scanning windows.

Recommended for those wanting to build a more accurate B-25B model.

• http://detailsite.tripod.com

• http://www.gj.net/~crenshaw/tokyoraiders.htm

Part-R-Parts items are available from:

Parts-R-Parts
211 Barecky Drive
Warner Robins, GA 31088
USA

 or online at http://www.partsrparts.homestead.com/B25Bparts.html

Review and Image Copyright © 2002 by Don Fenton
Page Created 12 May, 2002
Last updated 22 July, 2003

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