tomprobert Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 (edited) I resisted for as long as possible, but upon entering Hannant's warehouse earlier this week I couldn't hold out any longer... for a B-17 nut seeing a pile of the new HK Models' 1/32nd scale kit resistance was futile After all, my 1/32nd B-29 needs some company...Obligatory box shots:I plan to build this pretty much out of the box, with the only enhancements being good old fashioned plastic card and some imagination. Also, after forking out £200+ for a kit, my wallet (or my wife's patience) won't stretch much further - especially when seeing the price of the aftermarket goodies.Although the colour scheme provided in the kit is attractive (the 447th Bomb Group's "Milk Wagon" with the bright yellow tail feathers of the 3rd Combat Wing) I don't fancy natural metal so I am going to do an olive drab over neutral grey aircraft from the 306th Bomb Group based at Thurleigh towards the end of the war."You can't build a camouflaged B-17 from this kit" I hear you say... well all will be revealed as the build progresses. I'm a teacher on half term next week so stay tuned for some regular updates.I can't wait to get cracking on what seems to be a stunning kit of my favourite aircraft.Tom Edited January 21, 2014 by tomprobert 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phildagreek Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 Busy days ahead........................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radleigh Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 Oh Tom, I don't know how you get the time! Can't wait to see this built..... In time for Telford? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper_city Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glen Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 But it's not a vac form!! Thank God for long school holidays so that Tom can keep us entertained! Cheers Glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony C Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 ... I don't fancy natural metal so I am going to do an olive drab over neutral grey aircraft from the 306th Bomb Group based at Thurleigh towards the end of the war."You can't build a camouflaged B-17 from this kit" I hear you say... well all will be revealed as the build progresses. Or an RAF Fortress MkIII from 100 Group! Go on, you know you want too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 Come on Tom.....man up! http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234948903-ballys-b-17/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paramedic Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 Will definetly be following this! Like the sound of the colours too, I like those green & grey Fortresses - big thumbs up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charley420 Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 Oh Tom, I don't know how you get the time! Like he said, he's a teacher Will a great build tho as always Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 I vote for a 100 Group Fortress also. For some reason, the Fortress looks better in British camouflage and insignia. I suppose it's just the shock value, the Fortress being such an iconic American aeroplane. However you wish to finish it, good luck on your B-17, Tom - I'm certain you'll do a brilliant job, and this time you won't have to scratchbuild 95% of it like you did with Kee Bird. Regards, Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted October 24, 2013 Author Share Posted October 24, 2013 Thanks for the interest folks I'm afraid I won't be doing an RAF Fortress - I am very interested in the Mighty Eighth so this will be 'All American'. I agree a 100 Group Fortress would be interesting on the eye, but I've done a lot of research into a B-17 called 'Skipper' of the 367th Bomb Squadron, 306th Bomb Group based at Thurleigh. The reason I have chosen this aircraft is it was camouflaged and had the staggered waist guns as in the HK kit. It did originally have the earlier B-17F type 'stinger' tail turret, but due to severe damage sustained in November 1944 received a natural metal 'Cheyenne' turret, as well as a new starboard stabiliser and elevator, tail fin and chin turret, which were all left in natural metal - a bit of a patchwork. I thought the contrast between the new parts and the old, weathered olive drab and neutral grey paint would make it an eye catching model. This picture of 'Skipper' is courtesy of the 306thBG website, and is used for illustrative purposes only: I've made some progress today on the model, and have started with the area under the flightdeck, where the forward entry hatch for the crew will be displayed in the open position. There is no detailing on these parts, so I felt it would be good to add some of my own... and I said earlier this was going to be an OOB project! Here are the kit parts - the flightdeck floor and the forward bulkhead: Using pictures from my flight on Yankee Lady, I have made an attempt to build the framework seen under the floor and on the bulkhead. Evergreen strip and plastic card were used here: A peep through the door shows things look a little busier now: Here I have applied aluminium paint (contrary to popular belief, B-17s were predominantly natural metal inside): I've also given this area a dark enamel wash to dirty it up a little, after all this B-17 was a veteran of over 100 missions: Tomorrow I'm planning to crack on with the flightdeck itself, as well as the forward bulkhead. Looking at the parts in the kit, no extra work will be needed there! Tom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 Tom, I'm torn now between wanting to see this finished first and your Halifax ! Great start and nice choice of scheme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted October 24, 2013 Author Share Posted October 24, 2013 Tom, I'm torn now between wanting to see this finished first and your Halifax ! Great start and nice choice of scheme. Fear not Woody, the Halifax will not be forgotten. I'll still be playing with it along with this build. It just makes a nice change to build a straightforward injection kit without the hours of scratch-building that go along with the big vacs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Right, Tom, I have to admit that patchwork Fortress is visually very interesting. Good choice of subject! I did a couple of Shturmoviks which obviously had some parts replaced (one evidently had an entirely "new" rear fuselage!). Once you finish this, then you can do the 100 Group Fortress! Regards, Jason 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HL-10 Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I am liking this! Some great work going on. Glad to see that you are doing it in 306th markings. Thurleigh is just up the road from me and I have done a lot of research into the 306th. I can highly recommend the museum there too: http://www.306bg.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted October 25, 2013 Author Share Posted October 25, 2013 I am liking this! Some great work going on. Glad to see that you are doing it in 306th markings. Thurleigh is just up the road from me and I have done a lot of research into the 306th. I can highly recommend the museum there too: http://www.306bg.co.uk/ I think Thurleigh based Forts are under represented in the model world! I can't recall ever seeing one made. I'm hoping to put that right! I've been to and photographed almost every single 8th AF bomber base in the UK, but Thurleigh is one of the few exceptions. It looks like it's well worth a visit though, and I must get up and have a look. There's nothing more moving than standing on an abandoned airfield knowing that it was the last place that many a young flyer called home... I've often been given goosebumps when I've come across old sleeping quarters, or stood at the threshold of a huge runway and looked into the distance, just as a pilot did 70 odd years ago, and perhaps didn't come back. Very moving, and sometimes haunting places indeed. Tom 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HL-10 Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 After the war Thurleigh became RAE Bedford and the old base disapeared overnight almost. There are a few parts of the old base left and the museum will help you find them. I built Monograms B-17G as a 306th machine because I totaly agree that it is an under represented group, especially as they were the first 8th Air Force group over Germany and Berlin. My model is on display in the museum. The excellent film "Twelve O'clock High" is based on their early experiencs. Good on you for doing youre model in 306th colours, maybe some decal companies will see your excellent work and respond with decals in all scales. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted October 26, 2013 Author Share Posted October 26, 2013 The last couple of sessions have been spent working on the flightdeck area. The whole cockpit area on the B-17 was painted Dull Dark Green (not US Interior Green as all my research points to this colour not being used on the B-17.) The only modification I did here was to re-create the canvass covering on the rear of the instrument panel from Milliput - in this picture it just needs painting. All that is needed here is some careful brush work and the HK parts really come to life: There are 12 low-pressure oxygen bottles to be constructed which were all dotted around the flightdeck and underfloor area. Here they are in 'mass production': Here are all of the main cockpit components assembled, painted and weathered. Being a high-time aircraft I figured there'd be plenty of worn paint so I added some paint chips with a sponge and Xtracolour Aluminium. Although the main floors on the B-17 were plywood (both to save weight and precious alloy) I cannot imagine the floors were left in bare wood - surely they would become slippery if moisture was present and froze at high altitude, not to mention spilt hydraulic fluids and oils? Therefore, I've painted them Dark Dull Green and represented the rubber anti-slip matting using fine grade black sandpaper: All of these parts are out of the box, and I think the level of detail is excellent - no aftermarket needed here! Here follows some general shots of the flightdeck dry fitted together: I'm pretty pleased with the outcome so far, and look forward to tackling the bomb-bay next. So far, the work pictured above has taken approximately 12 hours, so the kit is working out at just over £20 per hour thus far - and there's still plenty to do Tom 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paramedic Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Looking real sweet! Excellent work! I really like the yellow colour you used on the bottles, looks good to me. Nice weathering with the silver as well - keep it coming! Lovelly thread to follow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radleigh Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Neat work Tom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanD Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 good detail work Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phildagreek Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Coming alive already, looking good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobydog Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Great work Tom. This looks to be an excellent kit. I was looking at MK1 Design's detailing set for this here .Would come in at well over £100. It strikes me, with a bit of skill and imagination, it would be largely redundant. Looking forward to HK's 1/32 Lanc. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted October 27, 2013 Author Share Posted October 27, 2013 Great work Tom. This looks to be an excellent kit. I was looking at MK1 Design's detailing set for this here .Would come in at well over £100. It strikes me, with a bit of skill and imagination, it would be largely redundant. Looking forward to HK's 1/32 Lanc. Andy I agree, I think the detail sets will be largely redundant for this kit. The parts are beautifully moulded and with some fine brush work look as good as any aftermarket resin. The fun is in the painting for me - and sticking on pre-painted photo-etch just seems like cheating I must confess the photo-etched flap set looks very good though, but it was (is) very rare to see a B-17 parked flaps down (unless for maintenance of course) so I'll not be investing in a set and do mine flaps up I think... Tom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicarage Vee Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Just adding more support to the choice of the 306th. Excellent work so far! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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