Mario Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 (edited) Hello everybody,Today a pair of B-17 from my collection. Both models are in 1/72 scale were made back in the nineties. The B-17 F is from the old tool Revell kit. “Knockout Dropper” was a Flying Fortress of the 303rd Bombardment Group and is said to be the first B-17 to reach the fiftieth mission mark. As the famous “Memphis Belle”, it returned to the U.S. for a war bond tour. The silver B-17 G is from the old Airfix kit. It´s a well known aircraft from the 447th Bombardment Group and if I remember right, the old Hasegawa kit had the same markings option. Both models were airbrushed with Revell enamels. Antennas and windscreen wipers were made from sprue and in case of the Revell B-17 F, additional waist guns were scratch-built. References used were different issues of Aircraft and Aeroplane magazines and the Squadron Signal book about the Boeing B-17 by Ernest R. Mc Dowell.Hope you like the models Mario Edited February 12, 2015 by Mario 20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king daddy Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 love em.....built both over the years but bit o lace of the 447th was the one I remember building the most....brought back a memory or two.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboydim Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Very nice, both of them. I've a soft spot for the Bit o Lace. I made her years ago. It didn't turn out like yours. Yours is a lot better than mine. Thank you for posting them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spruecutter96 Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Two great examples of the Fortress, Sir. Thanks very much for sharing. Cheers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luis Alfonso Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 (edited) Hi Uncle Mario!!!!!! Even if I don't want to tell you something, watching your nice job made me a story teller: I remember a song named "As time goes by" from the famous Humprey Bogart movie "Casablanca".....and as time goes by i am begining to think I willbe inmersed in so many project all my life, as i have one we, me and my son recovered one Old Revell kit to canibalize as the "donor" gave it as spares recovery only with the suggestion that the propeller should be used for the Airfix C 47 you already know.....after we got home, the son said "Hey look, this one deserves to be rescued, just a half fuselage broken, some missing things and you could save her".....I said "All the glass parts are missing and this was the reason she was given to us as the "donor" is a B 17 fan having no less than 15 of these old ladies", and the son replied "but you can made all the things lost". He began to clean up as was very bad silver painted, and separate carefully all the parts....I asked for help to the "donor" can lease the plans to know how many parts were missing and as he refused because all the ones he has are already factory sealed, i asked for help to Revell as the didn't had the plans in PDF format....A month later, arrived vía air mail a white envelope from Revell factory with photocopies of the plans and a decal sheet.....W O W....now I bought a Vacuformed set for the cockpit trasparency, made all the windows (gunner closed ones included) and began detail parts for the wheel bays but then arrived to my stash the NEW F and G variants.......then I watched the details I made for the wheel bays were too small compared with the ones from the new kits and have some modeling time shortage and have to stop my work in her. Even tough I stopped the model was sored in the infamous started projects box........hope not for so long. I have the Hasegawa, Revell New moulds, Matchbox (x2), Maquette (Ex Frog-Novo x 2) Academy F variant (and hope to get the SB 17 and B 17 C/D variant for "The Swoose") and Old Airfix,......... but really the Older girls from Airfix and Revell are in great sense of the word the MOST and very special for me. You would know why.... BTW I was planning to sell the Old Airfix to the "donor" who wanted her ASAP as is the only one kit of B17 he doesn't have.....but looking your nice rendition of "A Bit O'Lace", he will have to wait until one appeared in Ebay or other place....JAJAJAJAJAJA....ahhh the things you made My Uncle MArio!!!! Your nice and wonderful job with these nice friends are making me pray for more life and time to do plastic modeling, to complete so many planes as you, I'm really very happy of watching your nice pair of Fortresses, your nice and dedicated work is making me itching again my fingers but maybe this will be the sixth project but not before ending something. C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S ! ! ! ! ! Thank you very much for sharing!!!! Cheers, Luis Alfonso Edited February 12, 2015 by Luis Alfonso 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stesca Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Two great B17,s a bit o lace was my favourite too, I intend doing an Academy one as bit o lace in time. nice work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith in the uk Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Great pair of B17S , Many memories of the Revell kit as it was one of the first kits brought and built by my dad for me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Nice work on both olds Cheers J-W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario Posted February 12, 2015 Author Share Posted February 12, 2015 (edited) Thanks to all commentators for the positive feedback! To Jerzy: The duo flew straight from Davis-Monthan to Britmodeller yesterday. Today did a second dust-off session and added three new pics. Hope you honor my effort! To Nephew Luis Alfonso: Thank you very much for eating my bait again and rewarding me with another of your so much appreciated stories! Although lacking a connection to the famous hobby shop and the amount of "Quetzales" you have paid for the kit some 25 years ago, enjoyed that comment very much. In fact it was the evidence that you are not only manager of Republic and Douglas aircraft plants but also of Boeing in Seattle! I´m strongly believing that you are already on your way to "El Dorado" to find some interesting treasures for the next weekend! Cheers, Uncle Mario Edited February 12, 2015 by Mario 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somtec Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Nice looking work as usual Mario, were these pre your Vietnam days. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luis Alfonso Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 To Nephew Luis Alfonso: Thank you very much for eating my bait again and rewarding me with another of your so much appreciated stories! Although lacking a connection to the famous hobby shop and the amount of "Quetzales" you have paid for the kit some 25 years ago, enjoyed that comment very much. In fact it was the evidence that you are not only manager of Republic and Douglas aircraft plants but also of Boeing in Seattle! I´m strongly believing that you are already on your way to "El Dorado" to find some interesting treasures for the next weekend! Cheers, Uncle Mario Hi Uncle Mario!!!! You Just send some bait, and I will begin to think you really want to know many more stories about the Guatemalan way and things connected with plastic modeling,and as the things that way, let me say "YES!!!...last night a trip to El Dorado is planned, but the trip will be very short as the box in which the old Lady os waiting, is not so deep in the valley, just in top of, as this one was the first alternative chosen before the Airfix A 26 and the others, so stay tuned because maybe in these coming Days/Nights you will see more about the one related. Cheers, Luis Alfonso 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario Posted February 12, 2015 Author Share Posted February 12, 2015 Nice looking work as usual Mario, were these pre your Vietnam days. Nice comment as usual, Peter! The Vietnam conflict has always been in the focus of my modelling activities - even in the nineties. But from time to time my attention shifts to other subjects: Modern jets, Second World War or Korean war. Most of my models are american airplanes but not only. In case of the B-17 it was the movie and doku "Memphis Belle" that drew my attention if I remember right. Cheers, Mario Hi Uncle Mario!!!! You Just send some bait, and I will begin to think you really want to know many more stories about the Guatemalan way and things connected with plastic modeling,and as the things that way, let me say "YES!!!...last night a trip to El Dorado is planned, but the trip will be very short as the box in which the old Lady os waiting, is not so deep in the valley, just in top of, as this one was the first alternative chosen before the Airfix A 26 and the others, so stay tuned because maybe in these coming Days/Nights you will see more about the one related. Cheers, Luis Alfonso Hi nephew Luis Alfonso, big surprise you appeared here so early! Really appreciate to learn about the Guatemalan/Luis Alfonso way of modelling and looking forward to your next trip to El Dorado!! Cheers, Uncle Mario 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finnthedude Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Great builds, lovely to see them both. I'll add my name to the people who built A Bit o' Lace. I made it back in the day but it was nowhere near as good as yours! Finnthedude. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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