Revell/Monogram B-29 Super Fort GB

You won't get much illumination from FO... They really only give off enough light to illuminate themselves... I'd suggest a couple grain-of-wheat or grain-of-rice bulbs (check the model railroad section) hidden up inside the the upper viewer-side of the cut-out... A couple of AA batteries will give you enough power, unless you want a transformer...  OR... You could go with LEDs... Tie a half-watt resistor to each of them, power them with a pair of AA batteries and you should get some good illum... Either one has pluses and minuses... The GoW/GoR bulbs have to be planned well in case of a burn out (be a LONG time though) so a "quick-change" mount is required... The LEDs don't give as much light, but then the chance of a burn out is much lower and will allow a permanent install.. Both will fit into a telescoping brass tube section to allow for a "spotlight" effect..

Neither are heat hazzard at 3 volts...

Hans von Hammer wrote:

kg4kpg wrote: Looking good all.  I'm slowly making progress, doing some scratchbuilding of radio and ACM gear in the "bunk space".  I got a deal on a second kit to aid in spare parts.  Anyone have experience with fiber-optic line as far as lighting an interior?  I want to have some light so when folks look into my cut-away fuse sides, you can see the little details.  Also, anyone who has worked with foil, what's the best medium to use to glue it to the surface? I lit the panels, bomb bay, and nav-lights in my first B-29 dio... Whatcha tryin' to do exactly? I ran the cockpit fiber optics from holes drilled in the panel intrument faces and sandwiched them in the panel halves, running them down under the floor and back to the forward bomb bay, where the bundle poked through the pressure bulkhead to the light source in the bomb bay..

 Since my build is a cut-away, I would like a little light to highlight the details inside each pened up compartment.  Of course, light will come in through the cutout, but even at 1/48, it will appear dark inside.  Maybe just one line running from front to rear painted except where I want light (if thats possible).

kg4kpg wrote:

Looking good all.  I'm slowly making progress, doing some scratchbuilding of radio and ACM gear in the "bunk space".  I got a deal on a second kit to aid in spare parts.  Anyone have experience with fiber-optic line as far as lighting an interior?  I want to have some light so when folks look into my cut-away fuse sides, you can see the little details.  Also, anyone who has worked with foil, what's the best medium to use to glue it to the surface?

I lit the panels, bomb bay, and nav-lights in my first B-29 dio... Whatcha tryin' to do exactly?

I ran the cockpit fiber optics from holes drilled in the panel intrument faces and sandwiched them in the panel halves, running them down under the floor and back to the forward bomb bay, where the bundle poked through the pressure bulkhead to the light source in the bomb bay..

kg4kpg wrote:

Also, anyone who has worked with foil, what's the best medium to use to glue it to the surface?

I always had good luck with "Aleene's Original Tacky Glue" . I used it all the time when I was Model RR'n to glue aluminum foil to wood , plastic, cardstock for roofing.  I use to find mine at a craft store that had Scrapbooking stuff.

kg4kpg, sorry to say I have no experience with lighting. I am however interested in learning with you. Have you tried asking on the Sci-Fi forum, they have people that use fiber optics to light their space ships? As for foil I tried using some once that had a sticky backing to it, did not turn out well.

-Stephen

Looking good Summit, detailing the whole cp area I see. Good for practice I guess I was just lazy on mine.

I've got the seam lines puttied and sanded, then one of my wing joints came apart. So tonight I get to re-glue the joint, then putty and sand some more. Hopefully this weekend I'll start painting it.

-Stephen

I really have been working on this, just not progressing very fast. Almost every part I have sawed off the sprue attachment with a razorsaw. Just to close to use any of my nippers without fear of clipping the part.

I have started painting, most of the major pit parts are not cemented in as I need to highlight with drybrushing. But here is a pic to show I actually have done something.

Works pretty well as a clamp once the fuslage is glued together.

Well, the PC is up and running again so I will post my update pics while I still can. Not much to really see but here it is.

Well I'm off to do some sanding.

-Stephen

NucMedTech wrote:

Summit- Plan on doing mine gear up, bomb bay doors open and hopefully bombs a droppin!! Going to hang it from the ceiling.

hmmm - same thing here , I just wasnt going to let the cat out of the bag yet. until I had it all fine~tuned. 

Summit- Plan on doing mine gear up, bomb bay doors open and hopefully bombs a droppin!! Going to hang it from the ceiling.

Whitebiker- Thanks for the complement, but that's the kits decal on the IP nothing special.

-Stephen

numedtech,

How on earth were you able to get such detail on that cockpit panel.  I swear it looks like a photo etch color overlay.  Looking great so far.  All I have done so far is to start priming the exterior.  This is going to be along build.

Well, I got some work done this weekend. I put the fuselage together, got the wings and stabilizers on and puttied up the wings. This week will be dedicated to seem line removal and engine painting. Unfortunately I had computer problems at home so unable to provide any update pics. Summit I missed your Wed. report, starting to feel a little lonely out here.

-Stephen

Nah, you're not going to see that big ugly pin mark once she's togehter...looks great so far though...I can see you're not going to put much detail from the cockpit back...don't blame you what so ever, you can bareley see it at all once she's togehter.

I'm going to make a guess here...you used thin masking tape and yellow paint to do the lines on the bombs...or thin yellow masking tape itself...I've done that before.

Looks great so far!

Well, I got some work done this weekend. Here are some pics

The cockpit is not glued in as I have some more detail painting and weathering to do up front.

I'm hoping that big e-pin mark won't be visible once everything is buttoned up.

-Stephen

Come on FeldMarSchall, your thread is what inspired this group build!! Let me know if you get one and want to join, we're just getting started here.

-Stephen

FeldMarSchall Model wrote:

Well Im going to HobbyLobby today, and it will be very tempting to pick up a Super Fort at 39.99.

Yes, Buy one and Join in.   Your thread last year is why I went ordered one.  Be nice to have you aboard. 

Summit- looks like you and I are the only ones working right now.

I've got the wing halves together, bombs together, crawl tube together and started on the pit area. Currently I'm removing the seem lines from the bombs and crawl tube. A whole lot of sanding going on. I'm hoping to get all that done and the cockpit completed so I can do some painting this weekend.

-Stephen

Today was B-29 Wednesday. I Officially got started on mine Spent most of the morning Razar Sawing fuse & wing halfs off the trees . (so they would not break off at mounting points)

Also started airbrushing the pit areas FS34079 Dark Green. Nothing worth showing in pics yet.  That is all until next week. Summit Out

Tiny- Thanks for the info! The tremclad paint looks great. Your super fort looks great. How much interior do you see once its finished? I'm thinking past the cockpit bulkhead and the sleeping area will be unseen. In an effort to save time I'm thinking of not finishing these areas.

Summit- 6 GB!! I'm pushing myself with two. I do like your work schedule though, looking forward to your pics

I've done some work, got the wings, bombs and crawl tube together. Started working on the cockpit when the flu hit me this weekend. I'll try and get more done this week and then get some pics up.

-Stephen