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Revell 1:72 B-17F Memphis Belle +++FINISHED+++


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That looks the part! I think you've done a fine job on the blotches, they look great from where I'm sitting!

The wing walks on the Belle were well spaced dashes and not solid lines. There is a great shot of her on the net (which unfortunately I can't provide a link to as I'm on holiday and using my mobile) but it definitely shows her without solid black wing walk lines.

The 1/48th version had this correctly portrayed.

I'm looking forward to seeing her decalled up!

Tom

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Thanks for all the kind words!

Have got more done on this, taking advantage of the long weekend. Got the Gloss coat done, and over the last few days I've done the decals:

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The underside has a lot of them, but they're nearly all very small stencils:

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Second gloss coat is next for the airframe, and I also have lots of other jobs to do (engine cowlings, supercharges/exhausts, props, undercarriage etc.). Then there's all the weathering as well. I'm telling myself I can get all of this done in a week, which will leave me 3 weeks to start and finish my 1:144 Tu-95 Bear for the 1:144 GB. We'll see! :)

J.

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Well, I'm getting there now, should only be a few more days on this until it's done!

I got the panel line wash done, and the matt coat on as well. I've also unmasked all of the windows now that the matt coat is dry. I'm pretty happy with how it's turned out, and you can actually see *some' of the detail inside the fuselage. Even the panel line wash isn't too bad, not perfect (it never is!) but it gets the point across:

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Still lots of little jobs to do. The engines are finished and just need to be glued on. The props need a little more painting, as do the tyres. The superchargers/exhausts are also ready to be glued on. Still need to paint some of the undercarriage structure and the outside of the bomb bay doors. And I also want to do some more weathering, basically making the engines and surrounding wing area a bit more dirty. More pics soon...

J.

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I must admit, I don't think I'd ever consider one of my models to be of a 'beautiful' standard, but thanks for the kind comments!

More work done on this tonight, and probably the last pics before she's finished. I got lots of little jobs done. The engines are on, and so are the superchargers/exhausts. I also got the undercarriage done, and it went on really easily, sometimes I find them quite awkward. Also got the bomb bay doors painted, and the props got a matt coat. So here's how it's looking now:

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The props and ball turret are only dry fitted, though I'll probably leave the ball turret that way, it's steady enough and it can move around if I don't glue it. The props should turn after gluing, but I want to remove them again to finish her off.

So what's left? Well, the remaining guns have to be painted and added (that'll be the last job). The upper turret needs to be finished. The open bomb bay doors & actuators need to be added. As does the nose (and it needs a hole drilled in it; Revell, in their wisdom, only drill one). And I also need to add a couple of aerials (the *very* last job!). And finally, I'd like to add some more weathering on the wings around the engines, hopefully masking off the air vents on the wings so that they come out cleaner, we'll see! Should have it finished by Saturday, all going well...

Thanks...

J.

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It's a great movie Sean, though not really based in fact from what I've read. Still really like it though...

Got more done on this today. I'd read an article about weathering the B-17 that mentioned the air vents in the wings, behind each engine, and the cleaning effect they had on the wings. So I wanted to at least try to represent that. So I got some Tamiya tape and put it in place, using some pencil marks as a guide:

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Then I very carefully used a brand new blade to cut out the shapes I wanted:

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Once that was done, I was ready to do more weathering, dirtying up the engines and wings. I also got all the other bits done, the props on, the nose on (after drilling a second hole in it), all the guns added and the bomb bay doors done. I even got the aerials done, and thankfully it all went fairly smoothly. The weathering at the air vents is probably a little too straight and exact, but it gets a sense of it, so it's not too bad.

So this one is done, nearly 7 weeks after I started. I have to admit, I really enjoyed this build, I do tend to enjoy builds more if I happen to just love the real aircraft! I'm pretty happy with it too, if I hadn't made a mess of the nose I'd just be delighted with the outcome. But even with the nose as it is I'm happy to have it on my shelf, it's big and imposing and just a cool looking aircraft!

Thanks for all the help and advice, it really has helped a lot in this build. I took a lot of photos, taking advantage of it actually being nice outside! So I'll put all of them up here, and then put a few of them in the gallery.

Thanks again...

J.

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Jason

That's great work - you have done a lovely job on what could not, by any reason, be considered an easy kit.

I have been following your progress with considerable interest over the past seven weeks.

Nice job on the weathering, in particular (You can just FEEL that carbonisation on the wings - clever idea to show up the "cleaning effect" of the wing air vents, really brings it home). :goodjob:

Philip

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