1/48 Monogram ProModeler OA-10A

USAAF

by Mike Lepek

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I purchased this kit quite a few years ago and of course it was sitting in my closet collecting dust. I decided I needed to build something big and for a 1/48 scale twin engine this is about as big as they come, the wingspan is 26 inches while the fuselage is 24 inches long. 

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This is the cockpit, gunner’s compartment and rear bulkhead after assembly, painting and weathering. The fuselage after assembly and preshading.

I was looking for a different paint scheme and found a picture of this aircraft the book titled, “ The Mighty Eighth in Color ” by Roger Freeman. This is the USAAF version of the PBY-5A flown by the 5th Emergency rescue Squadron out of Halesworth England. 

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This is the Nose Art and forward fuselage.

Side beauty profile.

I used the 1/48 Monogram Pro Modeler kit and also the True Detail wheels and cockpit, other than that the model is pretty much out of box. I did have to do a little modification to fill in the gap in the gunner’s compartment. I glued a 5/32 x 1/16 strip of plastic to the curved edges either side of the floor so the 1/16 edge was flush with the top of the floor and the rest hangs down.  I did this along the gun platform and the small aft end where it steps’s down and this cured that gap. I had to add a considerable amount of weight to the forward fuselage and since there is not much room in the nose most of the weight behind the cockpit bulk head and in the engine nacelles. I did add a set of long-range tanks on the wing, which I took from the P-61 kit. 

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Tail and gunners compartment. Another Side profile beauty shot.

The aircraft was first preshaded with Flat Black along all panel lines and control surfaces, and then I painted the topcoat of Flat White. After letting this dry for a few days I then applied a coat of Clear gloss. The decals were then applied and then they were sealed with a coat of clear flat. 

Since this is such a large plane the fuselage and wings were painted separate and then assembled after everything was dry. The weathering was accomplished with a mixture of Heavenly Hues brown and black. This kit took about six months to assemble during my convalescent leave from the USMC.  

Mike 

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  OA-10A in action.

Photos and text © by Mike Lepek