Old Man Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 This is a bit off my usual open-cockpit, wind in the wires patch, but I have long been fond of the early B-17s, and have wanted for a while to do a bare metal example in foil. This is a machine of the 50th Reconnaissance Squadron at Hickham Field, in the late spring/early sumer of 1941. I had it pretty near done in July, but put it aside for other projects, with only few fiddly bits remaining to be done to finish it. This week I got it out to have it done for today.... I want to thank Mr. Aitken and Mr. Matsuoka for cuing me in to a genuine Pearl Harbor subject (the kit markings were spurious and only D-types were at Hickam in bare metal that spring and summer), and especially to thank HyperScaler Steve Nelson, who was kind enough to send me gilled cowlings for a D (my old 17C boxing had only the solid cowls included). 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 For a foil job that is simply stunning, must have taken ages! Do you often employ the foiling technique then? Looks like your'e a master at it! I thought for a moment that it was the same one I have on an original print. I have an original Boeing B&W print of one of these - 8-28-40 (guess that's the year the photo was taken) 12879-B to be precise! Not sure if I'm allowed to scan it to upload to the internet due to copyright. Don't want Boeing after me! Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunnylurve Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Brave man to attempt a foil job, but you've more than pulled it off. It's a stunner. Hat's off to you sir! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murdo Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Lovely neat job on the glazing frames Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HL-10 Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Outstanding work! You really have done a great job on that foil finish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMChladek Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Ah yes, the essence of a pre-war B-17 in all its polished metal glory. Impressive work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clift Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 all foil eh? Outstanding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Simply love it - superb! Cheers Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamden Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 What the others said - outstanding Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 What a finish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bri48 Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Superb! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plasticbutcher Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Wow, incredible, you've really changed my opinion on foiling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulcanicity Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 That's a gorgeous machine Old Man, a great job on the foiling, and good to see you've not fallen prey to the dihedral issue of the Academy B-17s too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbuna Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Terrific work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted December 9, 2012 Author Share Posted December 9, 2012 Thank you very much for the kind words, Gentlemen. It was enjoyable doing something well outside my usual. I have been using foil for a long time, mostly for cowling panels, but prior to this I had only completely foiled two models, both single-engine types in 1/72. I expect this model required more than twice the amount of foil I have used previously, in total, and I learned quite a bit in doing it. Foiling is laborious, but not really so difficult. If you make your own, from kitchen foil and a contact adhesive, you can approach the thing with a relaxed attitude of 'if something shows up wrong, just take the piece off, fix things, and put on another; there's plenty more where this came from', which is hard to take with the expensive commercial foil. Commercial foil cannot be aged, either, since its adhesive is already on, but you can boil kitchen foil with egg shells for a while, and take the shine off it nicely, as well as give different swatches of your foil slightly different tones. I make the stuff in pieces about six inches by six inches, go over it on both sides thoroughly with fine steel wool, then put it into the pot with the egg shells, after which a little more steel wool, and adhesive applied when dried out. I made up at least three square feet of foil in advance for this, and still have about half a square foot left over. Thin strips do very well for canopy framing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris FFZ Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 That is amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLP Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Amazing job, as others said. Forgive my igorance - I have never tried a foil job! Do you cut pieces to fit each panel or groups of panels before glueing, or how do you approach? Kenneth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted December 10, 2012 Author Share Posted December 10, 2012 Amazing job, as others said. Forgive my igorance - I have never tried a foil job! Do you cut pieces to fit each panel or groups of panels before glueing, or how do you approach? Kenneth Here is how I do it, Sir. I take a piece of kitchen foil about six inches by six inches, tape it down to a sheet of glass, and work it over with fine steel wool on both sides. This makes the foil thinner, hence more flexible and easier to press down over curves and bumps and such. It also makes it possible to apply adhesive to either side. I then boil the piece in water with eggshells; shells of about a dozen eggs, two cups of water (not in an aluminum pan, of course), in for several minutes. This take the shine off, and ages the foil bit, giving it a grey-brown tone. After boiling, I go over it again with fine steel wool. The color change will survive. Once the foil dries, i press it flat in a heavy book. For this project I prepared about twelve such sheet, for a single engined plane in 1/72, two or three will do. Different pieces will have slightly different tones, so there will be variation in color on the model as different portions are covered from different sheets. When it is time to use a sheet, I tape it to the glass again, and spread on Micro-Scale Foil Adhesive (a casein glue, that sticks hard under pressure) using the end of a cotton bud. Drying takes about twenty minutes. On this project I did not do each panel separately (way too much work), but I did cover different areas with foil from different sheets. Here is an 'in progress' picture from near the end of the process to illustrate: The foil is burnished down mostly with cotton buds and round tooth-picks, but other items, including handles of an X-acto and the backs of spoons, can be useful in a pinch. You want to start burnishing in the center of the piece, and work outwards; at least in my experience this reduces the chance of wrinkling greatly. Cut the piece a bit bigger than the area you intend to cover, and trim at the panel lines on the boundaries. Panel lines in the covered area I slit with a razor knife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldhouse Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Outstanding work there !! Great Job !! Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLP Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Holy cow, thank you very much for that explanation! It looks superb, I'll have to try this some time... Kenneth P.S. Your explanation is saved for future reference! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Beautiful! You have far more patience than I have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted December 12, 2012 Author Share Posted December 12, 2012 Holy cow, thank you very much for that explanation! It looks superb, I'll have to try this some time... Kenneth P.S. Your explanation is saved for future reference! Happy to be of some help, Sir. "Nothing looks so like metal as metal." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wisco7 Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 I too am a believer now on foiling, that is remarkable to say the least. it looks very real, absolutly fantastic workmanship!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josip Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 Simply stunning! Unfortunately there is one thing that mares the othervise exceptional illusion of real metal. Scratches! But then again those are impossible to avoid during the foiling. Josip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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