1/48 Monogram B-17G Flying Fortress

It's always very interesting to me to see the intimate details of aircraft I've admired since I was a kid. Thanks for posting Rob!
Now a question.
When you reworked the tanks you left of the rubber locking plugs. Is there a reason?

Wow, you learn something new every day, thanks heaps for that.

hkshooter

It's always very interesting to me to see the intimate details of aircraft I've admired since I was a kid. Thanks for posting Rob!
Now a question.
When you reworked the tanks you left of the rubber locking plugs. Is there a reason?

 

Hi hkshooter,

    I'm going to add them back on, and the filler hole.  I didn't like the way the foil formed around the pins.  Next weeks project if I can get home.

Cheers

I love this build, Rob.

Call me crazy ... but I want to almost this exact build on that new 1/32 '17 that's coming out from WingScale... Gonna have to bookmark this thread and clear my calendar for about a year ... or two!

Back at it again.  I should have some time between now and the first of the year to get a lot of work done... Ya right!!!&8&8&8

I started installing the circuit board into the wing and because of the openings, the wiring isn't long enough to reach the navigation lights, so Clyde is sending me more wiring.  In the mean time, I installed the motors into the engines this morning.

First I drilled out the front of the engine with a 1mm drill.  I chucked the engine into my lathe and gradually opened up the hole to a #10 drill (.1935) on the back side, being careful not to go too deep.  The motor fits like a glove, and there is no prop wobble at all.

Happy Holidays

Finished up the Wing Tanks today

Cheers

Nice work, Rob. The wing looks sweet!

Did you just get lucky on the "no prop wobble" or how did you do it?

Looking forward to more ....

      I started installing the electronics into the right wing tonight.  I started by sanding the landing light LED flat at the end and finishing with 600 grit sand paper.  I drilled a 3mm hole in the landing light pocket and secured the light with micro crystal clear.  The flat of the LED sits just over flush with the wing so I can add a bezel later.  I also painted the LED and the surrounding area black to eliminate light bleed thru.

      The navigation light is handled a little different.  A 2mm hole was drilled in the top and bottom wings skins and a fiber optic rod is installed to reflect the light from the green LED.  I added a "V" notch and will paint the surrounding area black tomorrow.

       I started detailing the engines as well.  Started by spraying metalizer paint to the jugs.

Thanks for looking

Happy Holidays

Awesome rob, simply awesome!

Very nice Rob! Those wing seams are going to be an inconvenience to fill huh?

Simply AWESOME Rob !! I hope one day to be skilled enough to justify a build like this one.

Last night I decided to test the packaging space of the wires in the gear well and make sure the motors still worked.  So far, so good.  (knock on wood)

Started adding small details to the engines today and added spars and started the aileron hinging on the left wing.  Wouldn't you know it, I broke my last #76 drill a month ago, and forgot to order new ones.  Now I have to wait.....-=--=--=  I also started detailing the props.

Have a Merry Christmas everyone.  I hope Santa brings you everything you asked for.

I worked on the engines and props today.  One more engine to go.  You can see the pushrod tubes are screwed up in a few places.  I didn't see these until I posted the pictures, so now they are corrected.

Cheers

Today I started adding detail to the main gear wells, applied the decals to the props and tomorrow I will shoot the dull coat.  I decided to make one of the props a new one and the other 3 with black hubs will be weathered.

Happy New Year

Main gears are ready for paint, and the right gear well is ready to be closed.  Tomorrow, I'll try to get the left wing to the same level as the right.

Props are ready for weathering

Cheers

Great job!

I am amazed to see how much work it takes to turn a Monogram Monster into a work of art.

Back to work on the 17.  I've been spending all my time in Grand Rapids for work and weekends at home, so today, I finally made it down to the shop.

  The Left wing is just about ready to close up.  Did a test today making sure the lights still function.

Left Nav Light Off

Left Nav Light On

Left Landing Light Off

Left Landing Light On

Main gears were drilled and a guide wide fed through the holes.  These will be the wires that will feed power from the base to the model.

More tomorrow.  I hope.

Cheers

Spent a few hours today on the Fort.

Wings are closed after a final electrical test.

Weathered the Tires and Wheels

Weathered the Props

Cheers

 This project is most spanktaculous!!! I can't wait for it to beat me off the conest table!!!!

Seriously though, I'm lovin it!!!

BTW, contest in Bay City...Feb 5 (check out ... www.midmichiganmodelmakers.com)      

I know this won't be ready by then, but you've got plenty that will raise the bar at the show!!!

Not sure yet if I'll go, but if you go, I'll go!

That is just way over the top!

Yet again, more great stuff, Rob! Nice job .... But if I may, I think that the props need a little more suttle weathering. The marks on there now just lokk like small, stiff, pencil marks. Just thought I'd share what I see....

Thanks again for the inspiration with this awesome build!

Thanks.  That's the kind of feedback I need.  Now to figure out how to make them look better.

modelchasm

Yet again, more great stuff, Rob! Nice job .... But if I may, I think that the props need a little more suttle weathering. The marks on there now just lokk like small, stiff, pencil marks. Just thought I'd share what I see....

Thanks again for the inspiration with this awesome build!

Hey Rob,

I'm assuming you're using a prismacolor pencil for the weathering on the prop.  What I do on props, instead of using the point, is use the side of the point.

Hold the point of the pencil parrallell to the leading edge of the prop blade and just kind of drag it towards the trailing edge, in the direction of airflow.  If a prop is going to wear down, the heaviest will be at the leading edge and fades towards the trailing edge.  It will hardly ever be uniform, unless there was some kind of impact damage.

My Corsair is the best picture I have on hand to show what I'm talking about

-Fred

Great weathering on that Corsair Gigatron.

Thanks, Buckeye .  It's my favorite weathering job, of all the ones I've attempted.

-Fred

modelchasm

Yet again, more great stuff, Rob! Nice job .... But if I may, I think that the props need a little more suttle weathering. The marks on there now just lokk like small, stiff, pencil marks. Just thought I'd share what I see....

Thanks again for the inspiration with this awesome build!

Also, in RL the backs of the blades will have more weathering damage on the back of the blades than the fronts for reasons that I don't understand.  I read that somewhere and a couple of months ago looking at the prop blades on the CAF B-17 Sentimental Journey, I saw that it was actually correct.

I'm going to try and post the pics I took of the front and back of the B-17G "Sentimental Journy's" propeller blades.

Rob,

Very cool set up your going for. Those are some small motors for the props. Can't wait to see this one done.

Thanks for the advice.  How does this look?

Cheers

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about!!! Very nice job, Rob!!!! Did you end up using the pencil still? ... If so, try taking a strip of paper, roll it up tightly and try feathering the trailing end of the chip marks. I think blending them in just a little more will really hit it off!

Nice job though ....

Thanks for posting that bit about the props, Isch ... never knew that!