This brilliantly colored plane was the CO's bird of the 13th Bomb Squadron based at Kunsan (K-8) Airbase in 1952.  For three years the 13th flew night interdiction missions over North Korea in a largely forgotten but absolutely crucial campaign to restrict and disrupt Chinese supply lines.

To save common confusion, the designation "B-26" was added to all A-26 Invaders after 1947, as the "P" and "A" designations were dropped in favour of the standard "F" and "B".  (The last B-26 Marauder was retired shortly after WW2, while the Invader continued to serve in front line service for another 20 years!)

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The model was the basic 1/48 Monogram B-26C kit with surface detail and panels sanded off and re-etched. I used the Eduard Big Ed set for this kit, which was superb and highly recommended to anyone wanting to build up a nice Invader.  The engine was a beautiful resin set by Vector which I obtained from the always reliable Linden Hill.  The 8-gun "hard nose" was from Cutting Edge.  All the armament came from an Accurate Miniatures WWII USAAF weapons set, and the napalm tanks were amended from Tamiya's P-51 Mustang. 

I also used True Details resin wheels, Squadron vacuform canopies and Aeromaster decals.  I also scratchbuilt some exterior and interior details.  The diorama base was a picture frame with Polyfilla and pre-cast styrene PSP.  The work platform was a scratchbuild and the figures were from Verlinden.

I can't make models better than this and I would recommend any average modeller (like me) to stretch their abilities by trying something more ambitious than their usual level - it gives you so much confidence by the end, even after all the failed attempts.  I would say the five months experience of doing this diorama for the group build was worth a good few years of my usual dabbling.  Go for it!

Alan 

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