Help With A B-17

Glad to hear you're thinking about the '17.  I'm currently building one myself, and you might want to join the group build.   The only 1/48 kits out there are the Revell B-17G, the Visible B-17 from Monogram(Revell), and the Revell-Germany B-17F, and are very nice kits for the most part.  I would recommend either the B-17G or the Visible B-17 (these are essentially the same kit) because the B-17F is relatively void of interior detail.  Out of the B-17G and the Visible B-17, the B-17G may be a little cheaper, but it's your decision.

 The kit builds up fine out of the box, but if you're a detail nut like most of us here, you might want to get some of those detail sets.  There's a few out there and are relatively easy to find.  One is the Verlinden B-17 update with various resin and photoetch goodies and would be a good addition.  You can find this here http://www.internethobbies.com/vrl-718.html or it may also be on ebay.  A couple other resin sets available are made by true details with 3 kits focusing on the nose interior, cockpit, and waist stations.  These you can find here http://www.squadron.com/SearchResults.asp?offset=20&comflag=N.  At squadron you will also find various Eduard photoetch detail sets.  Another maker of resin details for the fortress is Paragon, and you will find various detail sets here http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/index.php?product_category_id=&product_division_id=&manufacturer_id=8159&code=&product_type_id=&scale_id=&keyword_search=B-17&setPerPage=25.  There are also some other aftermarket kits out there that ar efor engines, or some that aren't necessarily for the B-17 but can be added like Verlindens 1/48 WWII US aircraft guns.  For a list of all detail sets ever made (but not necessarily in production) visit this site http://www.swannysmodels.com/B17G.html.   I notice that you live in Wales, and since Hannants online is based in the UK, you may be able to find everything you need from their site.

Hope this helps, and hope you decide to build the '17.  Good Luck!

Well that pretty much answered everything i wanted to know :) thankyou very much, i want to start on one, never properly built one before only a 1/72 scale B-17 and there wasnt much to it...

But again thankyou for the help, i'll get on it soon

Scott

Glad I could help.  Feel free to ask as many questions along the way...the people here are very knowledgeable and have helped me greatly with my own research.

One note, the Verlinden detail set is hard to find.  The ones on EBay keep getting to be too much money.   I've had trouble finding one in stock on most of the online stores, luckly I found one for the 17 I just finished, but looking for another.  The Eduard sets are real nice.  The True Details cockpit, nose, and waist sets don't fit very well into the fuselodge. I recommend only getting the main wheels, as I had to fight the TD sets all the way for the 17 I built.

Feel free to join the group build when you start your B-17.

Forget the resin kits.  Most don't fit too well and the rest have sketchy detail.  It looks busy, but when you compare it to the real deal, you realize how much of it is just invented.

Get the Eduard PE sets (cockpit, nose, radio, waist and exterior) sets and then scratchbuild the rest (if you decide on the visble B-17)

10 months of work, but definitely worth it.

-Fred

I can recommend the -G kit, too, I built 2 of them years ago, when I was in high school.  The -G originated with Monogram, by the way, and through the merger of Monogram and Revell, it's still in the catalog.  You can build it into a nice model right out of the box, though, as you've seen, you can go to town and really superdetail the heck out of the kit.

I have 2 of the -F kits, which I'm backdating into -E's, for a Battle of Midway collection.  The -F also originated with Monogram, in that Revell copied the Monogram B-17G, modified the nose to remove the chin turret, and then brought it out on the market.  The company execs at Monogram examined the Revell kit, and sent Revell a letter to indicate that they could sue and win, but chose not to, and that it should never happen again.   A little bit of kit lore there for you.

The -F is a definite opportunity to exercise your scratchbuilding skills.

Looking forward to seeing your build!

Brad

I am kitbashing a Monogram B-17G and using the parts to upgrade the interior of the Revell B-17F.  These are virtually the same kit as Revell famously reverse engineered (stole) Monogram's design.  There is a lot of work involved but I really want a decent F with a bombay and all the rest.  Just about the only visible difference between the F and the G are the chin turret on the G and the offset and larger waist gun windows; the interiors were virtually the same.  The B-17upgrade sets (and I have a bunch) are available sometimes on e-bay.  

I really like the Revellogram B-17G. To me that is the quintessential B-17. The chin turret is like icing on the cake. A great solution to a problem, unlike the B-24J with that weird nose turret. However, I do like that plane because it is so bizarre.

It is an easy matter to convert the Revell/Monogram G to an F.  Just cut the nose off of an old Revell F (ebay is a good place to get a cheap F) and graft it onto the Monogram G.  There is a great panel line common to the two models just forward of the cockpit windscreen.  You can strengthen the join with some really thin plastic stock and the join is so tight you don't have much filling to do.  Of course, that's the easy part; then you have to scratch build the interior which doesn't appear.  It will be a lot of work but is well worth the effort.  In my opinion, the Revell/Monogram is a more realistic representation of the 17 than the HK but will take some work.  Just so you know, Monogram came out with the G model in the 70's and Revell stole it (may not be the right word), changed it by converting the nose to an F, left off a lot of the interior and then sold it as it's own.  So they are literally the same model with a different nose.  Of course, if you want an easier, less accurate version, go with the HK.