Very nice build...love the weathering and the liferaft

Nicely done!  You're inspiring me, I have 2 AMT A-20s, an -A/B and a -G, I'm thinking of converting the -A/B to a P-70, too, maybe the -G as a what-if.

Yes, very nicely done, nice weathering!

Best regards,

Brad

That is one excellent build. Fantastic effort all around especially the weathering and antenna. I have this kit in my stash along with the cockpit detail set, resin wheels and metal landing gear and I'm pretty stoked to build 'er and you certainly have provided some incentive. Curious about the over all fit and construction. Have you got any insight for me there B-17? Thank You very much for sharing your subject and skills.

                                                                          Joe 

Thanks, Ya'll!  I got another one in the stash (a -B/C, also from AMT) that I am thinking about doing soon after this one.  As far as fit, it went well. The fusladge needed some help to come together in the rear, but I think that was more that the locating pins broke off (got it from ebay that way).  I did have to caress the cockpit floor to align right.  The only other problem was the bombbay doors, had to sand a side a little to get it to fit in the opening, but these where no deal breakers by any means.

Would definitely do another one, good think I got another one!

thats a mighty dirty bird you got there! Great job!

Thanks, Owl!

Oh, yea one more thing on building the -G, watch out for those rear gun barrels.  You have to add the rear turret before cementing the fuseladge.  Almost broke mine off several times before actually finishing it.

Outstanding job on a great kit. Too bad that Italeri wants so dang much for them now.

That's some fine building, and first-rate weathering, right down to the fading on the markings. Cool stuff !

MKelley

Outstanding job on a great kit. Too bad that Italeri wants so dang much for them now.

It's a shame, you could get the A-20's and Tigercats at the discount stores for $5 bucks several years ago.

Great looking build B-17 Guy.  I don't think there were any clean A-20's.  Rick.

Wabashwheels

MKelley:

Outstanding job on a great kit. Too bad that Italeri wants so dang much for them now.

 

It's a shame, you could get the A-20's and Tigercats at the discount stores for $5 bucks several years ago.

Great looking build B-17 Guy.  I don't think there were any clean A-20's.  Rick.

Indeed that's true. Yet, you can pick up this and other AMT kits for a reasonable deal on ebay. Just over a year ago I got the AMT A-20 and their P-40F together for $20.00. Although I have yet to build one of the AMT kits ( I also have the F7F) they seem to be rather nice kits with descent fit and detail and there is plenty of AM to dress them up quite nicely. That is except for the P-40F, not much AM out there for that one.

                                                                                         Joe

Wow, beautiful model!

And really nice nose-art too!

Nice!  I like yours better than the one that was in the magazine a couple months ago.

 Can you tell us about your weathering technique?

JOE RIX

Wabashwheels:

MKelley:

Outstanding job on a great kit. Too bad that Italeri wants so dang much for them now.

 

It's a shame, you could get the A-20's and Tigercats at the discount stores for $5 bucks several years ago.

Great looking build B-17 Guy.  I don't think there were any clean A-20's.  Rick.

 

Indeed that's true. Yet, you can pick up this and other AMT kits for a reasonable deal on ebay. Just over a year ago I got the AMT A-20 and their P-40F together for $20.00. Although I have yet to build one of the AMT kits ( I also have the F7F) they seem to be rather nice kits with descent fit and detail and there is plenty of AM to dress them up quite nicely. That is except for the P-40F, not much AM out there for that one.

                                                                                         Joe

If and when you build the Tigercat don't use the vinyl tires. They will melt the plastic wheels. Unless you cover the wheels with something. I know that it has been on the forum what to use but, I don't remember what it was now.

MKelley

If and when you build the Tigercat don't use the vinyl tires. They will melt the plastic wheels. Unless you cover the wheels with something. I know that it has been on the forum what to use but, I don't remember what it was now.

I think as along as you paint the hubs and then flat coat them, you'll be fine.  Just make sure that the vinyl tire doesn't come into contact with bare plastic.

dmk

Nice!  I like yours better than the one that was in the magazine a couple months ago.

  Can you tell us about your weathering technique?

Actually I kinda used that one in the magazine as a guide.  After the intial paint coat and decals, I gave it an oil filter of different colors.  Then I used an aryclic was to hit some of the panel line corners and such.  After all that (and a flat coat), I used pastels to give the whole thing a "dusty" appearence.  It is after all a modeled after a PTO A-20.

Thanks B-17Pilot. It is very convincing.

You can "foil" the hub where the tire meets it and that would work too.  You might want to research the main gear placement on the A-20.  I think they goofed and the locator holes are 1/4" to far back. Read that in an article some where several years ago.   Main gear strut should be almost against the forward end of the gear bay. 

MKelley

JOE RIX:

Wabashwheels:

MKelley:

Outstanding job on a great kit. Too bad that Italeri wants so dang much for them now.

 

It's a shame, you could get the A-20's and Tigercats at the discount stores for $5 bucks several years ago.

Great looking build B-17 Guy.  I don't think there were any clean A-20's.  Rick.

 

Indeed that's true. Yet, you can pick up this and other AMT kits for a reasonable deal on ebay. Just over a year ago I got the AMT A-20 and their P-40F together for $20.00. Although I have yet to build one of the AMT kits ( I also have the F7F) they seem to be rather nice kits with descent fit and detail and there is plenty of AM to dress them up quite nicely. That is except for the P-40F, not much AM out there for that one.

                                                                                         Joe

 

If and when you build the Tigercat don't use the vinyl tires. They will melt the plastic wheels. Unless you cover the wheels with something. I know that it has been on the forum what to use but, I don't remember what it was now.

Thanks for the tip gentleman. I had seen that very problem stated on another thread here a while back and thus I simply ordered up a resin wheel set along with metal landing gear just in case the amount of weight required to keep the nose on the ground was a bit much for the kit's plastic gear.

B-17 - This leads me to ask, did you add weights to your A-20 and if so how much did it take? Also, I was wondering if you had used filtering to weather your bird as I was curious how that would work out on aircraft as opposed to armor. You have certainly demonstrated that it works wonders.

                                                                                          Joe

Yes I did use weights.  Unfortunately I don't know how much exactly.  Once I got the tail, wings and engines attached to the fuseladge, I temp attached the landing gear, and then stuffed fishing weights into the nose cone until she sat on the nose gear.

I'm impressed with your project.  Right now I'm working on the Italeri version of this kit, using Vector cockpit.  I'm stumped because I have been able to find any reference photos to the life raft behind the pilot.  Can you point me to some?  How did you settle on the color?

Nice! Well done. Congrats. 

Thanks! I didn't really find any photos per se of the life raft, but I have read a pilot's memiors on his expierence as a A-20 pilot in the pacific and he mentions the life raft behind him a few times (one time being it was removed so he could watch the instructor on how to fly the A-20).

As for the color, lift rafts where yellow during WWII. Not sure of the exact shade of yellow, however. Pick what you think looks best to you.

Yeah, I'm following this thread. I have the AMT A-20J and the AMT P-70 kits. The plan for the P-70 kit is to build it as a P-70 based at Orlando Army Air Field. The A-20J, not too sure yet. Modelpalooza will be here in a couple of weeks and I'll be looking for some more AMT kits.