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

Well guys, its so close to being done.  I'm about 98% finnished.  All thats left is a little minor assembly and paint. 

I had great results with the decals...good bite...good coverage with the dullcote.

Well, if I go hard at it today, she should be finnished. 

Thanks for the pics B-17 Guy, they'll help out for sure if I decide to go that route.  I'm going to complete the entire bird, than decide if I'm going to wheather it.  I did find a decent set of pics online...

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal4/3401-3500/gal3419_B17_Patterson/00.shtm

I see what you mean about most of the sut buildup being on top of the wings...Thanks again brother.

the Baron wrote:

Wow, VA, that is some superb scratching!  Too bad you're not working at Revell/Monogram any more, your work could have been the basis for a revived series of "Tips on Building Dioramas" brochures.

Actually that is what this project was going to be for.  Before R&M was bought out I had started to put in motion the idea of remaking the inserts by Shepard Pain (I actually know the man personally) The guys at R&M loved the idea and wanted to see the finished B-17s I was making ( the pics I posted were taken by the photographer Gerry at R&M) I had planned to make a series of aircraft models based in the Pacific. The B-17, B-25, and B-29 were to be the subjects. Each one would showcase different techniques and after market parts. They would show how easy it is to update the kits and I hoped they would inspire young builders when they saw them, much as the originals by Shep had done.

VA

Yeah VA.....maybe you could talk to someone at revell and maybe light a fire under someones arse to get that retooled B-17 going again....had to take a shot.

Tiny.....Here are a few pics that might help you in weathering.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/B-17_bw_left_inflight.jpg

http://www.historylink101.com/ww2photo/b-17.jpg

http://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/albums/black_and_white/B_17_flying_fortress_formation1.jpg

http://www.historylink101.com/ww2photo/b-17-over-germany.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Memphis_Belle.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Memphis_Belle.jpg

Hope these help ya. Most of the exhaust would exit from the underside of the wings, the engine nnacelles would also be very dirty behind the engine cowls. The upper surfaces of the wing would mostly be dirty directly on top of each engine nacelle streaking back from there. The 4 vents behind each engine would have little to no streaking. There are small vents all the way around each engine nacelle after the engine cowls that would be very dirty and streaked back. And suprisingly nothing really streaks straight back. I cant find goog enough pics to show you though. 

Vintage Aircraft wrote:

Here are some pictures of the B-17E I have been working on for awhile.  I used the Revell F body and the G wings and some of the G interior parts as well.  Everything else was mostly scratch built with the addition of some resin parts. The ring turret mount in the radio gunners comparment. Inner flap detail Top turret and cockpit ceiling detail Reshaped propellers and engine detail Wheel well detail  Interior pics I have gotten a bit farther since these pictures were taken about 2 years ago, the interior is almost done, Im still trying to find a set of Paragon Bomb bay doors to install though.   VA

Wow, VA, that is some superb scratching!  Too bad you're not working at Revell/Monogram any more, your work could have been the basis for a revived series of "Tips on Building Dioramas" brochures.

Vintage Aircraft wrote:

It takes practice to get looking right, try it every chance you get and eventually you will get the right technique down. Your fort is looking really good though, are you planning to weather it at all? VA

Well, I was going to do an all-out weathering job on it...but I'm thinking twice.  You see, I've never put this much time and effort into a piece before.  This is the finest model I've ever done...and only the 5th plane in my collection.  I'm just worried I'm going to completly wreck it. 

I've got some crushed chalk for some exhaust staining...at least I can brush or scrub it off if I mess it up.  I may add a few random pain chips as well.  I can paint over them if I want to...We'll see bud...we'll see.

It takes practice to get looking right, try it every chance you get and eventually you will get the right technique down.

Your fort is looking really good though, are you planning to weather it at all?

VA

Pretty agressive day today...I started the right wing around noon today...just finnished it a few minutes ago.  Gotta love flat paints eh!  May sound weird, but I heat up my oven, spray the paint out my patio door, than I bring it back inside and hover it in the oven with the door open, for about 15-30 seconds at a time...You wouldn't believe how well it works.

The paint lines didn't quite line up in the fuselage seem...touch up's inbound.

Vintage - I tried out the weathering on the props...I just couldn't get it to look right.

the props were painted with a flat black that I weathered a bit by adding a drop of white to get the faded color I wanted, then I simply took dark silver and speckled and dry drushed the edges of the props, thats it.  It gets a great effect with very little effort.

VA

Vintage Aircraft wrote:

Thanks for the compliments.  The build has cost me about $20 for the B-17G (the revell F body was free becuase I grabbed a few of them while I worked at revell Monogram :)) and the resin cockpit and front nose section cost about $10 each.  Plus about $5 in styreen strips and thats it.  Very cheap and not too hard to build, I plan on doing another just like it with my other revell F body I have but I will make many impovements. As for the props, all I did was to dry brush them and speckle the edges with a brush that had dark silver on it, thats it. VA

Did you use the dark silver only? Or did you start with flat white or flat grey...adding the dark silver afterwards?   

Thanks for the compliments.  The build has cost me about $20 for the B-17G (the revell F body was free becuase I grabbed a few of them while I worked at revell Monogram :)) and the resin cockpit and front nose section cost about $10 each.  Plus about $5 in styreen strips and thats it.  Very cheap and not too hard to build, I plan on doing another just like it with my other revell F body I have but I will make many impovements.

As for the props, all I did was to dry brush them and speckle the edges with a brush that had dark silver on it, thats it.

VA

Vintage - Okay, Okay...you're not welcome anymore...you're making us look bad now.  LOL, just kidding man...awe inspiring work man, truly beautiful.  How much has this baby cost you so far?  Did you cast all the resin parts yourself, or are they off the shelf?

I like what you did with the props, if you saw what I did earlier in the thread you'll understand why I re-did them...didn't turn out.  Not a fan of the salt crystal technique.  I'd like to make them like yours if you don't mind.  Did you dry-brush them?

B-17 Guy - Thanks bud, i thought that's where the exhaust came from...wasn't 100%sure.  Would there be any wheathering what soever comming from the heat ports?  What about paint discolouration due to the high heat?

The PE kit I bought comes with tips for the exhaust...they're gonna look killer.

P.S...I managed to pull off the engines and paint in behind them.

Question to all - The PE kit comes with window frames...how do I get rid of the molded frames on the glass parts? I know I have to sand them off, but I don't want to scratch the hell out of the glass.  If so, how do I get rid of scratches on the glass from my sanding sticks?  Polishing?

PM inbound VA.

All those pictures are of the 1/48 B-17E I am building, I have not taken pictures of the D model yet as it is mostly still in parts right now lol.

 VA

I'm not worthy!!!!! Holey crap! Beautiful work!

One question though, I thought one of them was supposed to be a D model?

Here are some pictures of the B-17E I have been working on for awhile.  I used the Revell F body and the G wings and some of the G interior parts as well.  Everything else was mostly scratch built with the addition of some resin parts.

The ring turret mount in the radio gunners comparment.

Inner flap detail

Top turret and cockpit ceiling detail

Reshaped propellers and engine detail

Wheel well detail 

Interior pics

I have gotten a bit farther since these pictures were taken about 2 years ago, the interior is almost done, Im still trying to find a set of Paragon Bomb bay doors to install though.

VA

-Tiny- wrote:

Question - Does the exhaust from the engines come from the 4 slats that are behind each engine on top of the wing?

No, those are actually hot air vents, not exhaust vents. Do you have any B-17 books? If not, try to google image B-17's and find a pic that is shot overhead of the plane in flight. My book's have them. 

EDIT: Dont know why I didnt type this earlier but the exhaust for each engine is on the underside of the wings after the turbo chargers....the piece that stick's up. See V/A's pics, in the second pic with the flap detail, you can see them, he's got them drilled out. Nice touch by the way.

Roy - Thanks bud, apreicate it.

Vintage - I think I speak for all when i say...Welcome!  No restrictions what soever...if it's a B-17, build er' and show er' off...that's about it.  Can't wait to see your pics man!

B-17 Guy - Markings? I'm using the decals that came with the kit.  I'm goin' with the red triangle with the 'C'...'Man O' War II'.  It's going to pretty much look like the Fort in my signature pic. 

Question - Does the exhaust from the engines come from the 4 slats that are behind each engine on top of the wing? 

Summit......I understand.....I'm having a hard time finding time to work these, energy has been in short supply as well. I'm kinda side tracking myself right now. I just got back from the hardware store, I picked up 2 roll's of metal duct tape. I'm gonna experiment with using it as a cheaper alternative to bare metal foil. I figure....I've seen some others use the BMF on other a/c, but it doesnt look right for the scale, way too shiny. I figure a good wash too tone it down MIGHT make it look right, I do not want to go through all the alclad process crap, especially on plane this large. Wish me luck.

Vintage aircraft.....Of course you can jump in to this build, we dont have a time limit on this as it is not an official group build, we dont get one of those fancy little GB avatar's for the signature line. As a matter of fact, I strongly encourage you to join us and PLEASE post your pics, I really want to see them! Also....PM inbound.

Wyoroy...thanks for the compliments!

trexx wrote:

B-17 Guy wrote: Look'n good tiny! Any thought to what markings yet? And where is everyone else? Trexx? Summit? goat? This thread is starting to die off now.   Oooh. I know, I know.... I wanna... BUT, I dare not complain about being busy at my job. I've put my building models on hold whilst I put in extra time at work. I think this week-end (12/27 12/28) may bring me some time at "the bench". Winter is here in a big way and I've got a big stack of seasoned oak for the wood burning stove, plus all the makin's for some homemade chili too!

Trexx - I am on my way over with a pile of Classic kits to spend the day in front of the wood~stove  building models and eating chili .

B-17 - I look at it every day but I have been spending a lot of time at the bench finishing up kits I sidelined last Spring before the remodel. I am to the point of having to make my Frisket Film markings..

This seems like A fun build to jump in on.  I have two 1/48 B-17s I have been working on for quite some time now.  They were originally both projects for Revell Monogram when I worked for them about two years ago, but I have quit the company since then and took the projects with me.  I can post pictures latter tonight if I can join, one is a B-17E and the other a B-17D.  They were to be part of a pacific warriors project, the B-17E set in late to very early 43-44 and the B-17D to be set in late to early 42-43.

 VA

B-17 Guy wrote:

Look'n good tiny! Any thought to what markings yet? And where is everyone else? Trexx? Summit? goat? This thread is starting to die off now.

Oooh. I know, I know.... I wanna... BUT, I dare not complain about being busy at my job. I've put my building models on hold whilst I put in extra time at work. I think this week-end (12/27 12/28) may bring me some time at "the bench". Winter is here in a big way and I've got a big stack of seasoned oak for the wood burning stove, plus all the makin's for some homemade chili too!

Each day I head out to work and I walk past my F-106 #2 propped up on paint cans. It's still got masking tape over the canopy and "steel" trim. I wanted to make it more glossy. Right now it's a touch on the shiny side of semi-gloss. I'm tempted to declare it done and hang her from the ceiling. Airbrushing is a no-go because of the cold, so the 1/72 Cauldron "Cyclone" is at a stand still too. It's probably a perfect time to get into my Flying Fortress interior detail painting as well as the 1/48 Dassault Mirage III!

Thanks for the prod! I do want hucker down and BUILD!

Look'n good tiny! Any thought to what markings yet?

And where is everyone else? Trexx? Summit? goat? This thread is starting to die off now.

Looks good, Tiny, very clean!   Can't wait to see how you make her look "lived in"

Regards,

Brad

Well guys...SNOW DAY IN MICHIGAN!  I called in today, no way I was risking it.  Turns out there were a tonne of accidents including a 10 car pile-up this morning...good choice I think.

Anyhoo...this gave me a chance to get some more work done on my Fort.  I finnished painting the de-icer boots on the left wing and continued on to the tail and stabilizers.  Thanks again for the tip B-17 Guy...I love how this effect turned out.

The only major assembly I have left is the right wing...havn't even started it yet.  I love the parts that came with the Eduards PE set.  Most of the parts are for the wings...I'll do some close-ups of them later on when the bird's done.