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1/72 B-17G Airfix, Released. New boxing Fortress MK.III also released. New B-17G boxing for 2021


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Source: https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/news/workbench/clandestine-fortresses-of-the-raf/

Release expected in July 2017

 

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Clandestine Fortresses of the RAF

Date: 28/04/2017

Clandestine Fortresses of the RAF

 

Welcome to this 46th edition of Workbench and our regular look behind the scenes at the world of Airfix modelling. Since posting the previous edition of our blog, we have been grateful for all the supportive emails and social media posts telling us how much you enjoyed our feature on the production of Airfix instruction booklets and the talented man behind their design. This is such an integral component of any Airfix kit purchase that we knew the feature would appeal to Workbench readers and allow them a fascinating insight into how these familiar documents come together.

With more exclusive illustrations from the forthcoming 1/48th scale Hawker Sea Fury FB.II model release, we are pleased to bring you the final instalment of our instruction booklet feature in this latest edition of Workbench, where we look at some of the challenges facing the designer and how the finished booklets make it from the development office computer to the modellers latest model project. We also have a development update from the extremely interesting RAF Boeing Fortress Mk.III project and we end by looking at how our 1/24th scale range has been inspiring modellers since the early 1970s – another feature packed edition awaits your inspection.

 

Flying for Confusion

B-Airfix_RAF_Fortress_Mk.III_100_Group

The clandestine Fortress Mk.III is sure to be a popular addition to the Airfix range

 

Perhaps more than any other aircraft of the Second World War, the mighty Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress was seen as the flying manifestation of American military and industrial prowess. Operating in massed formations, these distinctive aircraft were designed to conduct daylight precision bombing missions, against strategic enemy targets, with the ultimate aim of literally pounding them into submission. As its name suggests, the Flying Fortress was bristling with defensive armament and it was intended that formations of B-17s could throw so much lead into the air, that any attacking enemy aircraft would either be shot down, or simply fly away from their certain demise – although this thinking did not actually materialise in combat, it did help to give the B-17 a fearsome reputation.

Although obviously more usually associated with USAAF operations, the B-17 was also an important aircraft for the Royal Air Force and a future 1/72nd scale release will mark a fascinating version of the B-17, which operated on classified missions during the final months of WWII. Around eighty-five B-17Gs were transferred to the RAF, most of which came under the control of 100 Group and were referred to as the Fortress Mk.III in British service. These aircraft would be modified to perform a specific and highly secret role in the skies above Europe, using electronic countermeasures to confuse and demoralise German night defences, making them less effective and helping to protect the aircrews of Bomber Command as they went about their nightly duties.

 

C-Airfix_Fortress_Mk.III_A08018

The magnificent box artwork will inspire many modellers to finish their model in this scheme

 

As both Britain and Germany had effective electronic detection systems by this stage of the war, the ability to jam and disrupt the Luftwaffe’s radar network became of vital strategic importance and 100 Group was formed in late 1943 to consolidate Britain’s attempts to produce an effective and integrated electronic countermeasures system. During the last months of WWII, the aircraft of 100 Group were equipped with and evaluated at least 32 different electronic devices, each one attempting to confuse or disable the German radar network, reducing Bomber Command losses and increasing the effectiveness of their bombing raids. The highly classified nature of these missions and the equipment used dictated that these aircraft were under constant armed guard whilst on the ground at their home stations at Sculthorpe and Oulton and the schemes applied to these aircraft certainly give them something of a clandestine appearance.

This fascinating addition to the Airfix 1/72nd scale range presents the modeller with one of the electronic counter measures equipped Fortress Mk.III aircraft that spread misinformation and confusion amongst Luftwaffe radar controllers and includes a number of additional parts needed to produce this distinctive version of the aircraft. Perhaps the most distinctive difference is the removal of the chin mounted guns and the installation of an American AN/APS15 radar unit, which was housed in a large plexiglass radome under the nose. A large radio jamming aerial, which was known as an ‘Airborne Cigar’ (ABC) rises from the spine of the aircraft and an ‘Airborne Grocer’ anti-aircraft radar jamming installation required aerials to be fitted at the rear of the aircraft, underneath the tail guns.

 

A08018_Boeing_Fortress_Mk.III_Box_Lid-size-70+Deeperbox-5042AX-L

Always of interest to the modeller, this is what we will be reaching from the shelves of our favourite model suppliers

 

Performing these secretive electronic countermeasures missions, 100 Group Fortresses would take their place in the bomber formations, attempting to protect them by jamming and confusing the German defensive network and making night interception more difficult. These missions could take the form of flying diversional raids, attempting to draw the attentions of Luftwaffe nightfighters, leaving the main force to head towards their latest strategic target, hopefully facing reduced opposition. They could also include the dropping of ‘Window’, which were thousands of paper strips coated in aluminium, designed to interfere with German radar, with all these measures attempting to blind the Luftwaffe nightfighter force and dramatically reduce its ability to intercept Allied bombers.

 

Scheme Options with the Fortress Mk.III

E-Airfix_RAF_Fortress_Mk.III_100_Group

Boeing Fortress Mk.III, BU-E (KJ177/G) ‘Take it Easy’, RAF No.214 (Federated Malay States) Squadron, No.100 (Bomber Support) Group, Based at RAF Sculthorpe and Oulton, Norfolk, England 1944

 

F-Airfix_RAF_Fortress_Mk.III_100_Group

 

This fascinating aircraft wears the distinctive scheme applied to Bomber Command aircraft, but looks very different on this US manufactured aircraft. Although we have included the serial KJ177/G in our description, there is little evidence to conclusively corroborate this detail, but existing research and a number of reputable sources are confident that this is the case – research is currently ongoing. The aircraft features attractive ‘Take it Easy’ nose artwork and the radome which houses the radar unit is depicted with a semi-opaque finish. It is perhaps one of the most interesting British bombers of the Second World War.

 

G-Airfix_RAF_Fortress_Mk.III_100_Group

Boeing Fortress Mk.III, B6-G (KJ121), RAF No.223 Squadron, No.100 (Bomber Support) Group, Based at RAF Sculthorpe and Oulton, Norfolk, England 1944.

 

H-Airfix_RAF_Fortress_Mk.III_100_Group

 

There is no doubting that the release of this latest Boeing B-17 Fortress kit will stimulate interest in this little known area of the air war during the latter stages of WWII. They mark the birth of electronic warfare as an effective method of waging war and an aircraft that spread confusion and uncertainty amongst Luftwaffe home defence units. At a time when Germany was facing increasingly overwhelming odds in the skies above Europe, the actions of RAF 100 Group aircraft further frustrated their difficult operations and possibly saved the lives of thousands of Allied airmen. These RAF Fortress Mk.IIIs will build into particularly handsome models and we are very much looking forward to featuring more images of them in the weeks to come – we can all look forward to building one of these beauties following its release, which is currently scheduled for July.

 

V.P.

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4 hours ago, Work In Progress said:

Why cut and paste the entire content?A simple link would be enough.

 

Because it's more convenient for the people who are following the thread? It is a news updates forum anyway.

 

Thanks for the continuous updates Homebee.

Edited by Dudikoff
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Started a Revell kit of a MkIII with the Paragon bits about 3years ago but then stopped as I lost a couple of parts. Think I will just wait now and use some of the etch for aerials etc. Looks very tasty

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7 hours ago, Work In Progress said:

Why cut and paste the entire content?A simple link would be enough.

 

Because that's what Homebee does, and that's why he has 9k+ posts. Anyone who don't want to visit Facebook, or outside sites.. it's a quick and easy way to keep up with a thread. No harm?

 

As for the B-17, they look great in the RAF colours and although I swore I would only build fire bomber B-17's, I may be tempted by this once the B.II Lanc is done.

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Will be interesting to see the actual 100 Grp parts sprue...

 

Firstly to make sure Airfix have done their homework correctly and not missed stuff,secondly to see how bad the sprue gates are gonna be on the various antennas given Airfix's habit of relatively thick sprue gates & soft plastic.

 

The belly turret blank and i presume there will be one for the chin turret also with a small location point for the radar dish under the clear dome,will make this kit handy for building late post war unarmed USAF Fort's...even civilian Firebombers...leaving the modeller just the task of making a top turret blank from plasticard...a simple flat circle...

 

Can wait to add acouple to my stash..

 

Can we have a Early 'G' and 'E/F' kits next please...Airfix!

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3 hours ago, general melchett said:

Really looking forward to getting a couple of these, 100 Group has a fascinating history and of very much interest to us BC types......time to dust off the Martin Streetly book once again.... 

You might also like to read Murray Peden's book "A Thousand shall Fall" as he flew with 214 from Oulton. The museum at Blickling Hall has some very interesting information and a photo of Murray on display.

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The first option from 214 Sqn should be KJ117,......NOT KJ177 and the way that the codes are displayed on the right  hand side seems queer,.....B-UE? When I built my model of this same aircraft I chose to build it as 6G-E from 223 Sqn and could not find definitive proof that KJ117 actually served as BU-E of 214 Sqn! 

Here is my build thread if anybody is interested where I explain my case;

Here is the right side of another 214 Sqn Fortress,.....which reads as Q-BU,..... not B-UQ. Note also the strake and wind break baffle around the waist gun position;

Image result for fortress 100 group

 

Still,.....it is great to have the extra parts to enable a 100 Sqn Fortress to be built,..... although the H2S scanner blister seems to be rather pinched towards the rear and it also needs to be fitted further back under the nose as there was a gap between the clear nose cone and the front of the H2S blister on the real aircraft, see the photos below.

Image result for fortress 100 group

Image result for kj117 fortress

Related image

And the real KJ117;

Image result for AIRFIX fortress  bu-e

Compared to the Airfix kit;

a08018.6.jpg

 

If you note also,.....the real aircraft have a panel across the inside of the clear nose housing a pair of infra red i/d kit,......as also seen fitted to the bomb aimers blister of later Lancaster`s,.....used for rear gunners of other bombers to recognise the aircraft behind them as friendly. They also had curtains across this opening and also inside the nose windows too,.....with some having the windows painted over.  Of course you don`t fit the cheek machine guns either. 

 

Despite what I have said, it is still a wonderful kit, by far the best B-17G on the market,.......it is just better to be forewarned,

 

Cheers

          Tony

Edited by tonyot
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The following may be useful.

 

I have been looking at the photos from Murray Peden’s book “A Thousand shall Fall” and have noticed the following which may be of interest:

Stirling III Q-BU (portside) Q-Queenie BF382 of 214 squadron (IWM) – roundel between Q and B

B-17 BU-W (port) with W repeated on fin (Tom Butler)

B-17 M-Mike – A small M is repeated at the front of the radome (Geoff Liles)

B-17 Q-Queenie – A small Q is repeated at the front of the radome (Geoff Liles)

B-17 BU-? – seen in the background of another picture – portside – roundel between U and a/c letter.

B-17 E-Easy – radome appears to be clear (Tom Butler)

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Tony, in fairness to Airfix the illustration of their kit is a CAD rendering and may very well not be fully representative of the final product, but thanks in any case for the reminder that the H2S radomes needs to be set back from the nose transparency.  Thanks also for the reminder about the IR emitters at the bomb aimer's position.  Note also the different windscreen arrangements with at least one aircraft fitted with the small direct-vision window at the outer end, a feature catered for in the kit.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...
25 minutes ago, Black Knight said:

Not for a while I think.

They can't make the new one into an F without moulding a new fuselage

Which is probably what they will do otherwise why have a separate sprue for the fuselage?

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Here is a question. What is the difference between the first issue the "G" model and the Fortress III? The reason l am asking is that  the reviews l have seen  all the parts are there for the latter including the radar nose. So other then the decals what other changes?

 

 

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Without any references to hand, I'd expect the Fortress III to have additional antennas for the Bomber Support role such as the tall Airborne Cigar (I think) one on the top of the fuselage. Also Window chutes under the waist gunners' positions and flame dampers for the exhausts. I don't know if these are included in the B-17G boxing or not, but the H2S is on the clear sprue.

 

Cheers

 

Phil

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  • 2 months later...

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