Northrop Gamma 2G Conqueror - Arctic Decals/Dekno 1/72nd conversion

 

After a scratch conversion project I built some time ago that rendered a Cochran Conqueror Gamma -based on the vintage Williams Bros. kit...

https://wingsofintent.blogspot.com/2017/05/conqueror-gamma-conversion-completed.html

...Arctic Decals/Dekno released a much convenient way to model such machine in the form of an aftermarket package with resin parts, masks, decals, “lights”, vacuum-formed canopy and detailed instructions:

https://www.arcticdecals.com/products.html?id=45671/613557

when this conversion was made available, in 2017, I posted a review:

https://wingsofintent.blogspot.com/2017/12/arctic-decals-dekno-northrop-gamma-2c.html 

This Arctic Decals/Dekno Curtiss Conqueror conversion was based instead on the Azur/FRROM Northrop Gamma 2E since the kit depicts more accurately the wing and other parts.

I got the conversion set, but given that I have a vintage William Bros. kit, I will use those parts (with some required mods) for this, my second Jackie Cochran Conqueror Gamma.

The change from a radial to an online engine created an equally beautiful machine that has a glimmer of Art Deco in it. 

Here is the original post with my conversion involving the scratchbuilding of the needed parts and modifying some of the kit's parts:

https://wingsofintent.blogspot.com/2017/05/conqueror-gamma-conversion-completed.html

The William Bros. Northrop Gamma kit is the proverbial gift that keeps on giving, and multiple samples of it can be seen in every modeling site and forum.

Here are my goes at it modifying in two instances the original William Bros kits, and my first build long ago, oob:

https://wingsofintent.blogspot.com/2017/07/modified-northrop-gamma-experimental.html

https://wingsofintent.blogspot.com/2020/07/twin-wasp-northrop-gamma-jackie-cochran.html

https://wingsofintent.blogspot.com/2014/07/172-williams-brothers-northrop-gamma.html

Now, the path suggested by Arctic Decals/Dekno (using the Azur / FFROM Delta kit) is by far easier than what I am doing here. Again, I had this vintage kit lying around and didn't want to spend money on a new (albeit much better) kit.

The conversion box contents:

Great instructions with references and drawings:

The kit I already had and decided to work on (but better you get the Azur kit, a much pleasant ride):

The old and venerable WB kit:

 Conversion and WB kit parts:

Areas that need addressing (and many other things too, to be described later):

Removing the "spine" under the wing:

Other parts needed from the WB kit

The conversion parts:

The WB kit parts have raised panel lines. They are all engraved following the original. The kit's lights are added to restore contour but will be painted over:

New lights drilled, ailerons added with their mods:

The conversion has the fat stab roots to match the Azur kit (Azur overdid the thickness of the stab by a good margin). The stab of the WB kit is much thinner (and more to scale, actually, than the Azur kit), so that will have to be dealt with:

The conversion vertical tail (with the proper balanced rudder) is a tad thin. Instead I removed and modified the WB kit part to render the correct mass balance:

That will be added like this, sanding lightly the bit that was there to receive the resin vertical tail:

Very carefully the thickness of the stab roots is reduced to match the WB kit parts, going for a smooth transition (right fus half shown in original form):

The WB stabs need to be modified to match the angles of the conversion fuselage:

The roots now match the stabs:

NOTE: thanks to president stupid's tariff policies (among much graver, inane and dangerous policies) it may be difficult to obtain this conversion set from Arctic Decals in Finland (along with innumerable other supplies from all over the world). 

Today I had a strange experience with the last Humbrol paints I recently purchased.

They would not dissolve (thin) properly with lacquer thinner (Two different cans of commercial lacquer thinner, and one Tamiya lacquer thinner).

I tried four of the paints I bought together very recently, with the same result.

They even gunked my Aztek airbrush. 

The four Humbrol enamel colors in the pictures did exactly the same.

The paints were enamels as said, but I could only properly clean the mess I made with Acetone. Thinners wouldn't really work.

Not sure what's going on here. All elements involved (thinners and paints) were brand new. 

 

This of course prevented me from carrying on the planned airbrushing session for two models:

 

A few modelers have replied to this suggesting the use of enamel thinners, which is of course correct, but  I have used lacquer thinner with enamels on all the models you see in this blog, so far no issues... until that fateful day. The answer maybe perhaps that Humbrol has changed their formula again.

 The cover of the wing bolts that wraps around the LE is reconstituted with putty and sanding:

A few details under the wing: 

Reverted to enamel thinner as my usual lacquer thinner is not working with the this batch of enamels, which means less coverage and longer drying times. In any case this is the base coat for the metal paint: 

The two parts of the nose that allow the intake cavity to be molded are joined. The fuselage sides that are molded to accept the Azur/FRROM Delta kit's wing root are carved following the WB wing airfoil as the wing in the WB kit is whole:

 

 The system of trapping the wheels as you glue the two parts of a wheel pant makes painting difficult. This is an atavism from when wheels were supposed to roll. The first time a model rolled off a board as I was trying to photograph it and crash-landed I was done with that. Supports are installed inside the pant halves to lodge the wheels once everything is painted:

Priming the various parts, with resin, a must:

The wheel pants are glued to the wing. The Pitot location is drilled:

The wing is primed and blemishes fixed:

The interior is readied. To use the WB kit inst. pan. and seats you have to reduce them in size to avoid interference. Control columns, seat bealts and rudder pedals were added: 

A spreader needed to be added to make the fuselage match the nose: 

The nose is epoxied and small size and contour differences are sanded flush:

To accept the WB kit wing (and not the recommended Azur kit wing) the nose has to be filed to match the different contour (dry fit):

Carefully the volumes are matched (dry-fit):

The wing is epoxied to the fuselage and the tail feathers are metal-pinned and added:

The sleek lines start to emerge.

 A Pitot is made with nickel/silver tube:

To fabricate the handles for the fuselage hatches (lost while sanding) and the elevator hinge covers (not depicted on the WB kit) a styrene stick is shaped as a treardrop in cross section, then the end rounded and cut off:

General priming and checking:

 

To be continued....