'Memphis Belle' B-17f Revell 1/72 (Pic heavy)

[philp]

Ced, I would use wartime pics for her. Never know if the restorers were as concerned to get it right as us modelers.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/The_crew_of_the_B-17_%22Memphis_Belle%22.jpg/1280px-The_crew_of_the_B-17_%22Memphis_Belle%22.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Memphis_Belle.jpg

http://www.historien.nl/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/memphisbelle.jpg

http://www.warbirdsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/MemphisBelle-Thronged-in-LosAngeles.jpg

According to these looks like the OD comes a bit lower on the cowlings.

Also, if you haven't watched this yet, might be worth a look.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn8tqacRXK4#t=20

Edited May 29, 2015 by philp

[CedB]

Thanks Phil, those links were a great help, not least because they show the OD down to under the exhausts and pretty straight which will save me a lot of masking fiddle!

I had seen the film on a paid rental so thanks for that link - I'll look again later.

Thanks again!

[Procopius]

I generally use blu-tac (or its American equivalent, Mega-Blue ULTRAGRIP*) for complex curves like that where there's a slight soft edge.

^{* Names have been changed.}

[CedB]

Thanks PC - good tip

Belle's patiently waiting for me to get my masking mojo back. I have tried a few ideas today for the exhausts, prompted by John's link to Suddensky's thread (thanks again John). Replicating this in 1/72 would drive me mad, but some mixed paint / wash / pigment might be on the cards so tried out some paint (chosen for its rough colour match) and the 'rust' pigment from my Mig Jiminez 'Engines and Exhaust' set. I bought this on a whim and I'm still not convinced I'll use to much. Anyways:

Possibly the most useless photo you've seen in a while but the 71 looks closest to me. I might try 110, thinned 71 wash and then the pigment. It should be an iron base surely?

I'm also going to have a look at the u/c and see how I can get it 'up' (fnaar fnaar).

[CedB]

Still no sign of the masking mojo and a bit distracted finishing Gromit, but I have painted the tyres and a piece of sprue for the 'iron finish' exhaust tests.

Big deal.

Hopefully more progress tomorrow.

[Stew Dapple]

Little progress is still better than no progress Ced. You're not on a deadline anyway...

Cheers,

Stew

[CedB]

Thanks Stew!

I have just spent about an hour looking for some photos of the retracted u/c and found this video of the tailwheel retraction on YouTube. NOW I see why they don't provide a 'wheels up' option!

[Van]

You didn't really use a knife and fork to eat that Mille Feuille did you? You must be a toff.

Not sure if it is a mille feuille...

:-)

[CedB]

Thanks Van. I know what you mean but then this is still delicious, even if it is a trois feuille really

Found some masking mojo tonight:

Tamiya tape for the demarcation lines, Blu Tack for the bendy bits then fill in the gaps with cheap masking tape. I still have the engines to do and I'm tending towards templates as, once I've got the shape right, I can cut four at once... bending tack is driving me mad!!

[Spookytooth]

A tedious task Ced, as we all know.

Still this is all a way to an end, as they say.

Simon.

[Cookenbacher]

Yes, that is quite the masking job, Ced. Your fortitude will pay off.

[Stew Dapple]

Yes, got that beast taped Ced! Just one last push, come on now...

Cheers,

Stews

[CedB]

Thanks guys!

Simon "this is all a way to an end" - score 1. I quite enjoy masking usually - this is just silly and bendy around the demarcations.

Stew "Just one last push, come on now" - score 1.5

Fnaar fnaar!

I've been avoiding the nacelles as, from the side (actually 2 x 4 = 8 sides) it looked tricky and painful. However, when viewed from the bottom (score 1) it appears far more straightforward so I'll have another go later today.

[CedB]

In the end I went with PC's method and rolled up some tack sausages, filled gaps with tape and then out to the garage for a spray session:

Had some lunch and then off with the masking (like others, I just can't wait). Don't forget the aerial thing on the bottom or you'll rip it off (ask me how I know):

and then, if you're like me, while you're sticking the thing back on you'll find out what 'touch dry' really means:

Rats. Better leave her alone to properly dry then we can see how the nacelle masking turned out (jeopardy to keep you hooked!?)

[Procopius]

That happens to me more often than I care to admit, Ced.

[MikeW]

Sorry to see that. Now, if you take a page from my modelling guide, you'll sand that fingerprint back before it is dry, and repaint, and then have to do it again, very efficiently tuning an _^oops into a CALAMITY.

[Cookenbacher]

You'll take care of that fingerprint in no time, Ced, and it does add a little suspense to the thread.

It's certainly starting to look like the Memphis Belle now.

[CedB]

Thanks PC - nice to know I'm not the only one

Thanks Mike - OK, I'm not the only two... Mike I almost followed your orders but realised just in time

Thanks Cookie - she does look good now even though I say it myself!

So tonight I had a little rub with the Micromesh and then I thought "Enough of this, time to get rid of that fingerprint!"* Bit of wet 4000 and it's gone, although the paint's a bit 'weathered'. I got lucky though as the scheme shows some camo near that spot:

The cowlings are good enough - one side needs touching up but the other's fine:

I've done a bit of cleaning up with surgical spirit and very gentle rubbing with a cotton bud and also cleaned off some paint that got under the masking.*

So, left to do:

• 'upping' the u/c
• assembling and fitting the engines (remembering Andy's warnings about different parts)
• painting the exhausts
• painting the ice boots
• painting the 'camo' blobs
• fitting the small parts, including all those guns
• Klear
• transfers and weathering (a bit)
• Matt coat

Not long now then!

Thanks for looking guys.

* Dbl-E, score 1, fnaar fnaar

[Stew Dapple]

Nice job Ced, it's looking rather spiffy now

Not sure "Not long now then!" is the correct response to a list such as that, but I stand ready and happy to be corrected

Cheers,

Stew

[rob85]

Right up to date now... busy day my boss came to see me as a nice 'surprise' before I leave... cheers mate.

Looks cracking ced shame about the finger print but you have found your feet well! Like the colour choices and it looked one hell of a a masking job.... she a big bird!

Rob

[CedB]

Thanks Stew and Rob, a bit more progress tonight...

The four common sets of parts for the engines assembled (step 59):

Mr Hobby iron on the cylinders, VMA aluminium for the pipes (sprayed ages ago) and Dark Star tarnished steel for the backplates and between the cylinders. Nice little details on these.

Next job is to work out how to assemble the u/c 'up' as the orders don't give any guidance on this. Actually straightforward for the main gear, chop off the support leg and it glues to the well nicely at the back (there's a flat 'shelf' for it):

The tailwheel needed a bit more work, cutting off most of the struts to make it fit:

(Don't look at that re-scribing - it's my first time and I'm shy)

For future builders I think if I was building this wheels down I'd assemble the tailwheel before close up to try to make sure it fitted as in this video and take some photos - shame to lose that detail.

That's it for tonight - thanks for looking.

[MikeW]

I'd love to show you my re-scribing effort - it would make you feel like a king. I put it down to not nearly having the correct tools, but the first effort looked like an annoying scratch, and the second like I was playing with the aeroplane in the street and got broadsided by a Greyhound bus. Re-scribing is an idea I have filed away until the next reincarnation.

[CedB]

Thanks Mike - that's made me feel a lot better!

Today's quiz is the bomb bay doors. I'm sure there are some readers out there holding there tongues buth tshinkin whasth (you can let go of your tongue now) he going to do about those doors where the Maskol ate into the paint? I'm thinking, along with those annoying bare bits by the tailwheel bay and the lower turret, some 'chipping' might be in order (just blobbed aluminium paint - too late for anything else). To this end I've removed any remaining Maskol and sanded then a quick test fit:

So you can't really see the bits on the fuselage when the doors are on, but what about the doors themselves? Quick respray or chipping?

I'm easy (fnaar fnaar) and I've plenty else to do.

[Biggles87]

A quick swipe with a fine razor saw should sort out your rescribing Ced. I don't know what you use now, but it might be worth considering RBs scribing blades. Thet come with a section of razor saw on the 'back' edge which is great for going over curved surfaces like fuselage centrelines.

Can't wait to see the painted exhausts.

Regards

John

[CedB]

Thanks John - RBs scribing blades on the shopping list! Wait no longer for the exhausts...

While the rest of you are pondering the bay doors (or working, or sleeping) I got on with the exhausts.

John had kindly pointed me at Suddensky's post on his 1/32 B17 which points to a thread here on 'Large Scale Planes'. I did say I'd try to replicate this at the Gentlemen's scale and I did some tests on sprue here. This morning I just went at it, and then I did the exhausts*. For future builders, do this before you fit the exhausts!

First off, I had painted the exhausts (now called pipes as it's easier to type) with Mr Hobby Metal iron and left that to dry thoroughly. Then I applied some H71 thinned with flow improver, let it dry (a bit) and then did the same with thinned H110 and let that dry a bit (I'm going to rub it off later, and the paint*):

The paint's just applied in random areas - I think the technical term for this is 'dobbing it on'. Now the scary bit (gulp). Applied the Ammo Mig Rust pigment across the whole lot to give texture and colour. The idea is that you wipe it off later. Honestly, it'll be fine (double gulp). After it had dried I wiped off the excess with a dry cotton bud and then set about exposing the metal with a pointy Tamiya cotton bud (they're hard) to shine up the bands and some random 'rubbed bits'*:

Here's a close up of one of the pipes and the finished thing with the little green bits fitted (what are they?):

Looks a bit weird with the shiny grey but hopefully will be better after the matt coat.

Pretty happy with that for a first attempt

* Dbl-E, score 1, fnaar fnaar