11 replies to this topic

[keefr22]

Well, at last I've managed to get the two entries for the last club competition finished & off the bench & can crack on with this one. I bought the Revell B-17G at the Nats, but have to say I was very disappointed with the panel lines on it - nowhere near as delicately done as on this much older Academy kit.

Anyway, let's crack on with the obligatory box shot!;



Inside the box;



I think I'll need to find some more roundels! Not keen on the overlapping rings on the upper wing B types - or the black they've used in the fuselage C types!! Why they did that I've no idea....



Starting as usual with the flightdeck, like the rest of the build it's going to be more or less straight from the box I can never be bothered to do stuff that can't be seen!. All I've added is some lead foil lap belts. I even used the decal instrument panel - first time I've used one of those for yonks.....!!!





As I say, I don't believe in spending untold hours detailing the interior of kits that can't be seen. On the other hand, I wanted to show some impression of the structure, without the work! So here's the result of 20 minutes work a side with some 3m flexible tape, a black chinagraph pencil & some 'faux shadows' with some 'devlan mud' citadel wash;



It looks a bit rough but as I say I just want it to show an impression of the structure through the thick, somewhat distorting, kit clear parts.

I then started putting some of said thick clear plastic parts in - & promptly managed to drop & lose the two small windows off the top of the fuselage. So I enlarged the holes a bit, superglued some thick plasticard in & then sanded & micromeshed it back to clarity. I'll then mask out the right window size & shape before painting;

Plasticard superglued in;



and sanded & micromeshed with a couple of coats of Klear;



They'll need the other side sanded to shape & polished when the fuselage halves are joined!

That's all for now!

Keef

[Nick Belbin]

Fast work . . . Nice one!!

Nick

[Jasonb13]

In my ignorance I didn't know the B17 was used for Coastal work. What an excellent excuse to build one, especially a chance to build an older kit! I love your determination not to put 'too much effort in', but it still all looks great!

J.

[davidelvy]

I bought the Revell B-17G at the Nats, but have to say I was very disappointed with the panel lines on it - nowhere near as delicately done as on this much older Academy kit.

Keef

Ah, but you did get it for a good price.

I'm looking forward to seeing this one finished as I have always thought the Coastal Command scheme gave the B17 quite an elegant look. I like your technique for the interior detail. Much quicker than adding frames and stringers out of Microstrip and probably just as effective when viewed through a tiny piece of clear plastic.

[MadNurseGaz]

That looks great, what a good start you've made!

Think I'll have go get one of these to park next to the Wellington XIV!

Could you possibly do a "tutorial" on your "interior structure" method?

[rowmk9]

Looking great, nice to see a B-17 in Coastal Command colours.

[keefr22]

Thanks guys! Found out from someone yesterday that the 'window' on the upper fuselage nearest the cockpit was actually an astrodome on RAF Fortresses! The kit actually has one on the clear sprue but the destructions don't mention it! Teach me for not looking at my reference pics closely enough!

Could you possibly do a "tutorial" on your "interior structure" method?

Basically, all I did was paint the interior surfaces, the forward compartments US interior green from xtracrylic & the rear Citadel chainmail (although I think that may be another mistake & they should also be green! Ah well...!) When dry, I just cut a piece of 3m blue fineline tape, like this;

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...=item588c889968

I used the 3mm wide stuff as I 'guestimated' that should be about the width between the ribs. And then starting at the front just laid the strip of tape vertically down the interior of the fuselage & using a black chinagraph pencil drew one side of the rib down one side of the tape. I then just moved the tape about a milimeter along to draw the other side of the rib. Then drew the first side of the next rib on the other side of the tape - then lifted the tape & pressed it down again a milimeter away to draw the second side of the second rib. And then just continued that all the way along the fuselage. For the horizontal stringers, I first began at the front again with a fresh piece of tape laid lightly across the vertical ribs & simply drew the horizontal lines between them. I stress lightly as if you burnish the tape down you'll lift all your carefully drawn ribs off!! At the rear of the fuselage though, as I'm leaving the waist gunners windows closed & as the B-17E had very small clear areas in the closed windows, I took the lazy way out & just drew the stringers in freehand! To finish off I just added the 'false shadows' in one corner of each rib/stringers using a fine brush & citadel 'devlan mud' wash.

It's a very rough & ready techinique, but one I think is sufficient to just break up the areas of solid colour & impart the impression of the internal structure. I hope my description makes sense, but if you want any more details, just PM me & I'll try to take some pics to show what I'm trying to explain (probably very badly!) I'm away till Sunday night though, so won't be able to do anything before then!

thanks again for the interest

Keef

[theplasticsurgeon]

Hi Keefr22.

There's a picture of that RAF Fortress FL459/J in the book British Warplanes of World War II.
I can't find an online reference of the photo to show you, but it's leading another similar Fortress - if anyone else can find the picture.
It definitely has an astrodome over the nose though and just the centerline windows over the navigator's compartment.
That's the reason I built my model thus:

It probably should have radar aerials as well - but I couldn't find photos of that.

Hope this isn't info tooo late, but your progress is looking great so far.

[MadNurseGaz]

Thanks guys! Found out from someone yesterday that the 'window' on the upper fuselage nearest the cockpit was actually an astrodome on RAF Fortresses! The kit actually has one on the clear sprue but the destructions don't mention it! Teach me for not looking at my reference pics closely enough!



Basically, all I did was paint the interior surfaces, the forward compartments US interior green from xtracrylic & the rear Citadel chainmail (although I think that may be another mistake & they should also be green! Ah well...!) When dry, I just cut a piece of 3m blue fineline tape, like this;

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...=item588c889968

I used the 3mm wide stuff as I 'guestimated' that should be about the width between the ribs. And then starting at the front just laid the strip of tape vertically down the interior of the fuselage & using a black chinagraph pencil drew one side of the rib down one side of the tape. I then just moved the tape about a milimeter along to draw the other side of the rib. Then drew the first side of the next rib on the other side of the tape - then lifted the tape & pressed it down again a milimeter away to draw the second side of the second rib. And then just continued that all the way along the fuselage. For the horizontal stringers, I first began at the front again with a fresh piece of tape laid lightly across the vertical ribs & simply drew the horizontal lines between them. I stress lightly as if you burnish the tape down you'll lift all your carefully drawn ribs off!! At the rear of the fuselage though, as I'm leaving the waist gunners windows closed & as the B-17E had very small clear areas in the closed windows, I took the lazy way out & just drew the stringers in freehand! To finish off I just added the 'false shadows' in one corner of each rib/stringers using a fine brush & citadel 'devlan mud' wash.

It's a very rough & ready techinique, but one I think is sufficient to just break up the areas of solid colour & impart the impression of the internal structure. I hope my description makes sense, but if you want any more details, just PM me & I'll try to take some pics to show what I'm trying to explain (probably very badly!) I'm away till Sunday night though, so won't be able to do anything before then!

thanks again for the interest

Keef

Explained brilliantly! Ta very muchly!

[keefr22]

Explained brilliantly! Ta very muchly!

you're welcome!

And thanks plastic surgeon - nice Fortress! I have that picture you mention (& a few others too) that all show the astrodome - I just hadn't looked at them properly! Still plenty of time to fix it, the fuselage halves are still apart (I haven't built the turrets yet!)

Cheers

Keef

[Deacon]

I'll be watching this with interest as I have the same kit to make up, some time.

Deacon

[keefr22]

I'll be watching this with interest as I have the same kit to make up, some time.

Deacon

Thanks! I've been a bit unwell this past month which is why progress stopped on it, but I managed to do a little bit on it last week, so hope to crack on & get some more piccies done this week!

K