1/48 B-17 Group Build...ALL INVITED TO JOIN!

modelchasm wrote:

Soooooooo .... here's a question that I've got for my 17. After researching and researching, I couldn't find very much information in the particular ship I wanted to do. So, I started w/ what I had. Fast-forward to now ..... The ship is all closed up and I've just read a blurb about my 17 in a book I picked up. I just learned that "Tail Crazy" had the staggered wasit gunner's windows...... $*^%*&**^$*^)^^%$^%$#$$@$#(*_)(!!!!!! ... Is there anyway/ surgery that I can do to move one of the windows over w/o making a complete mess of everything? I wanted this build to be as accurate as possible since its a ribute piece to my grandfather. However, I will probably be the only on to know of this oops mistake when others are looking at it. Any advice?

I'm on the way of doing an IAF b-17 and it also has staggered waist guns. The problem I have is getting the position of the rightside window.

In cutting out the new window I would use the old opening as reference and make the new one the same size. 

You would need to plug the original window and scratch the fuselage framing on the inside. Also you would need to do some new panel lines on the outside.

I don't think it would be that hard to do, it is going to be my first scratch built conversion.

Michael

Thanks for that, smoffo ... the problem that I have is that the fuse halves are already glued together.

I think that this might just be one of those inaccuracies for this build....

Anyone have pics of the underside of an operational G (either original or one of these modern rebuilds)?  I'm curious as to how the exhaust stains look on the undersides of the wings.

Thanks,

Fred

Thanks, Scott . 

The build is pretty much finished and I'd rather not have to purchase another book just for a few pictures.

-Fred

Thanks for that link, D6

-Fred

Hi Ray

Thanks for sharing your recent (August) posting of b-17 built.  May I know where did you obtain those crew figures?

thank you

B17fan

FAN - if you're asking about the figures in my recent posts (I'm not Ray) ... all the figures came out of the Mono kit. They're just highly modified.

PILOT - Good to have you on .... this thread moves a little slow .... as I think we all are on these builds. But you're falling right in line w/ working on your G for over a year! HAHA!!!!

Haven't really done anything on mine in a good minute ... and I thought that getting it closed up was supposed to be the hard part!?!

Well today I'm test fitting the wings on my Fort, she look's good.  Just a bit of more sanding down the fuselage, then after that I'll be gluing in the canonplys.

Here's a picture of my Fort next to a P-51D mustang I'm working on, with the Forts bomb wage.

My B-29 next to my B-17,

FMSM .... WWoOOOoooooooooo!!! Me likely!!!  I had always thought that the 29 was SO much bigger than the 17 .... but it's really not. Suprising.

I need to finish up my wheel bays (not that its going to do any good ... my wheels will be up) so that I can get the wing/ fuselage seams cleaned up.

That 51 looks good next to the 17 .... I've got a Revell P51D in the stash ... Hmmm ....

But if/ when I bring that out ... I want to build something from one of the fighter groups that helped escort the 2nd Bomb Group out of Italy .... Can anyone help jump-start my research!?!

Yeah I though the 29 was much bigger, my 51D is from Monogram.

Heres one web page I found,

http://www.2ndbombgroup.org/2ndBombGroup.htm

Here's some photos I've taken along the way.  It's almost done.

Here's the radio bulkhead

The left waist postion

I replaced the kit engines with the ones from Aires.  This ones inside the cowl already

Here's where the Fort is as of now.  Its got the anti-glare panels painted and the 91BG Red Tail and wing tips painted.   I'm waiting for the weather to corporate to put on the NMF.  Sorry its blurry.

Oh, here's that B-17D I mentioned earlier.  I reattached the tail, as it broke off before I got a hold of it.  Its missing a few parts here in there and in need of putty, but its still in good condition considering it came from ebay.

They have a B-17 next to a B-29 at Castle Air Museum.

Eric... 

Hans von Hammer wrote:

-Tiny- wrote: For my Fort, I'm gonna do an Olive top and Grey bottom...the kit calls for red on the tips of the wings and tail...I don't like it...Reminds me of christmas.  I don't care if it's not accurate, I'm thinking of replacing the red with either yellow for that 'SNAP' effect, or a dark tan or brown...who knows. What do you guys suggest? Yellow tails and tips were a 447th BG marking... A yellow tail, horizontal stabs, and wingtips would definately make it stand out... Both OD and NMF aircraft were assigned to the Group.

Going back and reading some of the old posts.  Ya'll should look for a book called "Battle Colors Volume 1"  it covers all the markings of B-17s and B-24s in the entire 8th AF.  It gives you acurate markings for all squadrons and BGs, from the start of the war to the end.  As of right now there are three volumes.  Volume 2 covers the fighters of the 8th AF and volume three covers the 9th AF (B-26s, troop transports, photo recon, and night fighters).  They are great books!

Here's the last pic I took of mine.  I've done a little more work on it since then, like adding the wheels and detailing the chargers.  I'll try and get a new pic over the next few nights.

-Fred

Looking good Pilot, your detail is nice.  Only reason why I don't put as much detail into mine is that when you glue it up, you can't see most of that extra detail.

Gigatron, Your's looks great to.

That would be one heck of an Diorama, airfield, tower, barracks, hangers.  Oh and along with WWII era planes.

I found a museum in New Mexico, that has model plains.

http://abqscalemodelers.com/ASM_Atomic%20Museuem%20Display%20Pics.htm

small update, not much but a few newer pics from tonight. More to follow......eventually. But I'm starting to feel the bite again so hopefully I'll get my @ss in gear again, wish me luck.

The nose art was changed, as was the sqdrn codes from VK to PU, so now the name, serial number and codes match to the correct aircraft, even got the BG right! I'm happy with the chipping on the cowls so, there's a pic. And that top turret is the flat F model...look the guns are raised! I just built the G model kit turret but swapped the glass, it fit's.

Nice progress 17 Guy, I also made some good progress.

The USAF Museum has updated there site with lots of pictures from each aircraft, there's some of the B-17G Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby.

Boeing B-17G "Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby" with P-51 escort during its flight to the National Museum of the United States Air Force on Oct. 12, 1988. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Boeing B-17G "Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby" (LL-E) in flight in 1944. Foreground aircraft is B-17G-35-DL (S/N 42-107069) (LL-N).

Boeing B-17G "Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby" en route to the National Museum of the United States Air Force on Oct. 12, 1988. 

Boeing B-17G "Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby" at French National Geographic Institute.

Boeing B-17G "Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby" in flight. The aircraft carried the name "Store Bjorn" while in service with Denmark.

All these pictures are from the USAF Museum web site.