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

I wouldnt worry to much about the grey star and bar. You can use it if you want and you wouldnt necessarilly be wrong. I dont know exactly when that was started, but it was done. I've see it alot where the S and B on the fuselage was grey but the ones one the wings were left white. But the white faded and dirty anyway so I would say it's up to you. I very highly doubt that if you did put them on nobody would be able to say you are wrong.

Just lucked out.....I decided to do some more research into my bird and ended up finding 2 rare pictures of her unbeknownst to me, including one in which she wears 15 mission markers; I'm modeling her returning from the 16th.  Unfortunately the national insignias cant be seen.

This may be off topic, but I wondering if anyone had information on "grayed out" national insignias on B-17s.  Its were the white on the star and bar is gray.  The decal sheet I have provides them for the particular plane I'm doing, but I have my doubts.  I was just wondering if anyone knew about these.

Yea she came with the all the stuff from the G kit, landing gear, guns, etc., even had the cut off tail section (probably make a factory dio of all the tail sections when I finish all three).  Thankfully the original owner dealt with the G style nose, as all of the astrodome and cheek gun fairings have already been removed.  I would definitely say its easier to convert it from an F kit then the G.

The engine nacelles and cowl flaps won't be much of a problem.  On the D, you don't have to do anything to the cowl flaps, but if you were to do a C, you'll have to fill in the cowl flaps.  The #1 and 2 engines broke off on mine, so there's something else I have to repair.  Now you do have to do some surgery on the props to make them into the non paddle blades.

WIll post pics when I work on her again, but it probably won't be till July, got a couple of other GBs I need to work on first.

That D doesnt look too bad. Did she at least least come with the rest of the kit parts, undercarraige etc...? Looks like alot more work to do it from the G kit, mainly cause of the astrodome on the nose. I'll probably be starting mine sooner rather than later after my mustangs are done. I was gonna build a special "sabre" jet in a a special scheme, but I gotta wait on that, I need the decals made for it.

So I've got an F kit to use for the D conversion. I'll be watching what you do with yours, I wanna see how you handle the engine nacelles and cowl flap areas. I'm also considering using the cut off F tail for a diorama of a shot down B-17.

Can you post wip pics as you go along on the D?

I feel the same about my G.  Everytime I think I'm ready to get the paint out I keep finding things to fix.  I didn't thin the plastic like I'm supposed to make the damage, so I'm gonna try covering the damaged panels with bare metal foil and then poking through holes since the metal is thin.  Other than that I just have to take off the wings, which is gonna suck, reattach them  properly and then fix up the damage. 

Yeah, the more I look it over the more things I noticed need to be done on her to fix her up.

Looks like that D has a bit of work to be done on it, but  I'm sure it'll look awesome when its done

Guy, I got two of the Koster conversions that have not been started as well.  The D I am currently working on I got from ebay, which is also a Koster conversion (which means I have three total).  It was started and then broke apart (bought it that way), so I figured I would get some experience with the conversion set by fixing the D before I started one of the other unfinished kits.  I have glued it back to together, as it split close to where the new tail section attaches.  I got a replacement set of glass pieces from Koster as the ones installed are all painted over with bits of dried glue on them.  Hopefully I'll gain some knowlodege while fixing this one that will help me with the other two conversions.

Here is where she is at right now.

As you can see, just past the wing root is where she broke in two.  It can't be seen in this photo, but a piece of lower fuselodge broke off and I'll have to replace it.  I'll be removing the cockpit window and nose cone and replace them with new ones.  I'll also have to see if the tape covering the small window openings let paint through.  But this is basically how I got her, except that she was in two pieces.  Oh the original builder started the conversion from a G kit.

I'll take more pics when I start working on her again.

Yea, I was only going to replace the guns, but the more research I did and the more builds I looked at, I just kept adding detail anywhere and then I just kept adding and adding and couldn't stop so I'm hoping it will turn out to be good.

Hey, redraider, welcome to the party pal! This a never ending group build, so feel free to post pics of your work when you can, looking forward to seeing what you do.

Pilot.....you've got a D model going? 48th scale right, koster conversion I assume? Got pics yet? I'd love to see that build, especially the conversion work. I plan on starting that build this summer (hopefully) I'm not looking forward to some of it, but we'll see.

redraider56

I guess I'll say right now on some of the improvements I'm putting into this build.  All machine guns are either replaced or modified with resin pieces from Verlinden and Quickboost, along with ammo belts and sights.  All hatches are opened and replaced with Paragon doors and dropped flaps are from Paragon too.  Then I'm also adding main wheels from True Details.  Various other details throughout the plane are scratchbuilt too.

Sounds like you're doing what I did.  I put a lot of extra details in mine.  Replaced the flaps, doors, guns, and a couple of the glass pieces.  Over the summer I hope to get back to my D version and finish her up.

I should also say that I dont really have a diorama set out yet, but I do have all the figures and a jeep from Tamiya.  There is however a build on the internet that I got alot of inspiration from and my diorama should look somewhat the same.

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Fea1/301-400/Fea395_B-17_Perry/00a.shtm

Well I'm at college right now so I won't be able to post some pics or start work again for about a month yet.  I will say though that it aint pretty right now.  I'm in the porcess of stripping the paint and now decided to detach the wings after watching a video on how to properly do it with virtually no seam. 

I guess I'll say right now on some of the improvements I'm putting into this build.  All machine guns are either replaced or modified with resin pieces from Verlinden and Quickboost, along with ammo belts and sights.  All hatches are opened and replaced with Paragon doors and dropped flaps are from Paragon too.  Then I'm also adding main wheels from True Details.  Various other details throughout the plane are scratchbuilt too.

With the markings I'm using some kit decals but also purchased an Eagle Strike/Aeromaster sheet to model "Man O War II" from the 322nd BS 91st BG.  Using the 91st bomb group web site I was able to find daily mission listings from 1944; this bird was commissioned in february of 1944.  So I found a particular mission where Man O War received major damage ( i had previously planned on building another bird and had already made damage), and I narrowed it down to an April 11th 1944 mission over Gotthem, Germany to attack a Focke Wulf plant.  This was the plane's 16th mission and my diorama will be right after it returned to Bassingbourn.

Yeah its a never ending build.  Feel free to join.  Post lots of pics!  Can't wait to see your dio!

to the build and forums!

I think this one has been on for a while .I wont have mine till oct '11.Lets see a pic of your dio.

Hey guys, I was wondering if this build was still going on.  I got a B-17G diorama I've been working on  on and off for almost 3 years, and plan on finishing it this summer.

Oops my apologies ...........

Well done, Pilot!!!  Nice job!!

I've ogt some other things on my plate at the moment, but I'm thinking about bringing mine down from the shelf this weekend for a little work. Maybe ... JUUUUST maybe .... if I finish a little piece here and there I can be done w/ mine by the end of the year.

Thanks, but I think you're confusing me with B-17 Guy.  I'm not Jeremy.

Very well done Jeremy.I cant wait until next year to get on mine.Very nice weathering as well ,not too overdone. thanks for posting the pix.

Oh My Goodness, that is one more great job.

Thanks for sharing this one

Tony Lee

Outstanding job.  I hope mine comes out half as nice.

FINALLY!  She's finished. That's right I got my B-17 done, and it only took well, let's just say longer than expected.

The bombbay has been installed, along with the doors.

The finished B-17

I also submitted a couple of photos to the reader's gallery, so maybe they will publish it.

Hope ya'll like!  Now onto my B-17D!

B-17 Guy

How you gonna get the cheek guns in?

Thanks!  The breech  to the cheek and waist guns are already installed, just need to add the barrels.  Left all of them off so I won't break them off while painting.

Nice! Looking forward to an o/a shot.

Nice work pilot, I like the nose art.

How you gonna get the cheek guns in?

Got some work done on the 17. Got all the clear pieces installed and the ball turret. Just need the rest of the guns, bombbay and doors, and well of course the props.

The ball turret installed

Got the lower antenna wire installed as well

And finally the nose clear piece was the last of the clear pieces to be installed, had to add the Norden bomb sight first.

Hopefully have her done by the weekend!  After two years, I can finally say she is done!

Haven't been here in a good minute ....

You guys are doing some great work here!!! And yes .... I'm very motivated to get mine finished up! ... but its not going to happen very soon. Maybe this coming fall/ winter ...

... I think that's what I say every year!?!?!

Oh and the stains on the bottom are darker than they appear in the pics.  The pic of the top turned out good, but the ones of the bottom picked up more light the way I was holding it.