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Loon Models B-26 Cowlings with Engines and Flaps

By Eric Christianson

Loon Models has released a resin aftermarket product for the Revell-Monogram 1/48th Scale B-26 Marauder.

The product consists of two complete engine/cowling sets; each set containing a one-piece cowling, two rows of R-2800 engine, a separator gear case, Scintilla distributors (often mistaken for magnetos), a prop shaft, engine mount/firewall and open cowl flaps.  There are two extra distributors and two extra cowl flaps, and the instructions are thorough and intuitive.

Opening the box and reviewing the instructions everything looks simple enough.  After pulling down my big old Monogram B-26 kit I compared what is offered between the two manufacturers.  The opening in the engine cowl on the B-26 is small enough to cover up most of what is inside, so I focused on the engine cowl itself.  Monogram's engine cowl is a three-piece affair - the main cowl and two parts to represent the prominent intakes at 10 and 2 o-clock on the cowl.  Once glued to the cowl, these intakes form the centerline panel line that runs across the top of the cowl.  Monogram’s representation is thin, well molded and looks accurate enough for Monogram.

The Loon Models engine cowl is molded as a single piece.  The panel lines are the same as Monogram's although with a slightly different placement.  The panel lines on the Loon product lack the fine (flush) line of rivets found on the Monogram cowl.  The opening appears smaller (indeed it is - 1/16th of an inch), and because of the thickness of the front edge of the cowl it appears still smaller than that.  The Loon cowl has separate cowl flaps, the Monogram flaps are molded on.  I decided to assemble the Monogram cowl and compare the two, side by side.

My initial observation is the thinness of the Monogram cowl, which, normally is a good thing.  But maybe not on the B-26.  There is a certain ruggedness to the Loon cowl and comes across in the thicker surfaces and openings that is lacking in the Monogram cowl.  I think the pattern maker captured the elegant yet intimidating look of the Marauder engines nacelles.

Conclusion

I would recommend this addition to the B-26 stable.  After reviewing this set, I look forward to dusting off that old Monogram kit and building the rest of it.  There just aren’t enough good old American twin-engine bombers on the show tables any more!

My thanks to Loon Models and Internet Modeler for the review set.