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The Boeing B-17 STGB Chat


vppelt68

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While looking through the stash for a different GB I found I have a B-17C, but without decals.

 

I would like to build an RAF or Coastal Command version. I have put a request in the wanted section here on BM, any other ideas of where to obtain the required decals ? I see the Italeri version of this kit has loads of options for RAF & Coastal Command aircraft so with any luck someone may have some.

 

I am a bit reluctant to start this unless I have decals to finish it.

 

Let me know if it's eligible 

 

cheers Pat

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3 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

...I found I have a B-17C...

Let me know if it's eligible 

 

cheers Pat

Well it definitely is. Good luck with the hunt for the decals, though I'm sure the good BM:ers will heed your call (I'm sorry I can't help with this case). V-P

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I'm writing here instead of my build thread, as there's not much to show. I have decided to believe that B-17G interiors really were mostly unpainted aluminium. I have continued assembling and painting stuff that goes inside the wings. Quite frustrating to paint silver plastic with Hu 56! I like the way Revell has done the wheel bays and engine nacelles, though I think they have some parts numbers mixed between left and right wing :hmmm:. Or is it me :rofl2:?

I've snapped broken one forward section of landing gear leg. Fortunately the separate supporting arms part should strengthen the assembly regardless of that. About the flaps I cut open; Revell has you add a separate part to upper wing half for interior surface above flaps - and the visible side has half a dozen ejector pin marks, oh why Revell why on that side? It's a lovely kit nevertheless 👍. V-P

 

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I ran into this peculiar looking B-17 at the IWM American Air Museum:

2018-10-28_01-51-22

The Squat 'n Droppit appears to be an early G with chin turret but without all cheek guns... and was the plane really nearly all medium grey? Interesting... :hmmm:

V-P

edit: I was told she was a very early G; a B-17G-5-VE to be precise, and of a batch of planes where the addition of the chin turret was considered enough to make the cheek positions redundant. Well it made for a very sleek looking aircraft, for sure! Thanks to Paul Bellamy at the 381st BG fb-group for the information! Now I'm wondering... Revell F-kit has port cheek windows small-large-small; G-kit has large-small-small. On the starboard side the reverse. Could a pair of those parts be kitbashed to represent a gunless (a word?) small-small-small layout? Of course bashing clear plastic would be a challenge.

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Another interesting 381st BG Fortress from 535th BS, was the photogenic Stage Door Canteen MS*R. A B-17G-35-BO like the DREAMBABY, but most likely with the Stinger tail gun position. There´s a pic of the fin, taken at her christening ceremony April 21 1944.

Stage Door Canteen tail

The fin middle section is most likely green, but comparing her number and the R to the triangle, I´m tempted to believe the numbers and the R are yellow, not white. Opinions? You see, it´d be just a simple re-organizing of the Nine-O-Nine tailcodes 231909 and R to do this, by coincidence! I have all the other stuff (fuselage white MS and the triangle-L) on Kits-World sheets in my stash, all I need is another Revell kit... :hmmm:No harm would be done to DREAMBABY btw. V-P 

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1 hour ago, vppelt68 said:

Another interesting 381st BG Fortress from 535th BS, was the photogenic Stage Door Canteen MS*R. A B-17G-35-BO like the DREAMBABY, but most likely with the Stinger tail gun position. There´s a pic of the fin, taken at her christening ceremony April 21 1944.

Stage Door Canteen tail

The fin middle section is most likely green, but comparing her number and the R to the triangle, I´m tempted to believe the numbers and the R are yellow, not white. Opinions? You see, it´d be just a simple re-organizing of the Nine-O-Nine tailcodes 231909 and R to do this, by coincidence! I have all the other stuff (fuselage white MS and the triangle-L) on Kits-World sheets in my stash, all I need is another Revell kit... :hmmm:No harm would be done to DREAMBABY btw. V-P 

The First Air Division didn't introduce the red tail marking until July 1944, so if the date of April 1944 is correct, the tail would still indeed be green. Therefore, the serial number would indeed have been yellow at this point. However, the individual aircraft letter on the tail is likely to be light grey as the 381st used light grey for their squadron code letters, and this was carried onto the tail. The serial/letter went white when the red was introduced.

 

In the picture, you can see that the centre of the fin has a different hue of green - this was due to the fins being completed by sub-contractors and they used a slightly different shade of Olive Drab - in fact it's been documented that some factories used Medium Green, hence the different shade.

Edited by tomprobert
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Thanks Tom, yes I´ve become aware of the true green, not olive drab center section. I believe when you say the 381st used light grey, though I just browsed through ALL the pics I could find at the IWM AAM site of the 532...535 BS planes, and most of them looked like having white squadron codes or if not, they must be very, very light grey indeed! The "R" does look indeed a bit different than the numbers, though, so if I go and try to build her one day, I´ll use some of that modellers license there :coolio:.  V-P

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14 minutes ago, vppelt68 said:

Thanks Tom, yes I´ve become aware of the true green, not olive drab center section. I believe when you say the 381st used light grey, though I just browsed through ALL the pics I could find at the IWM AAM site of the 532...535 BS planes, and most of them looked like having white squadron codes or if not, they must be very, very light grey indeed! The "R" does look indeed a bit different than the numbers, though, so if I go and try to build her one day, I´ll use some of that modellers license there :coolio:.  V-P

I can't remember the exact grey, but it was indeed very light. I have a book at home and will endeavour to look it up.

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Evening all

 

Can I pick the brains of you B-17 experts by asking if the early B-17 in Coastal Command service was covered in antennae like the Whitley and Sunderland ?

photo below shows no antennae and they are not included in the kit ?

 

IMG_4125

 

cheers Pat

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9 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

Evening all

 

Can I pick the brains of you B-17 experts by asking if the early B-17 in Coastal Command service was covered in antennae like the Whitley and Sunderland ?

photo below shows no antennae and they are not included in the kit ?

 

cheers Pat

Oh... You´re not doing a sister ship of my DREAMBABY, the VP-X called "Princess Pat" :rofl2::cheers:! V-P

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We are closing the third week of this GB today and I think we´re doing just fine :yahoo:. So far we have 21 builds started, and they can be divided by

  • manufacturer: Revell 7, Academy 5, Airfix 3, Monogram 2, Minicraft, Italeri, Hasegawa and Maquette each 1. The Italeri is actually an Academy but it says Italeri on the box, so...
  • variant: G 12, F 4, C 2, B, E and the Model 307 each 1. British Fortress types are included in the number of their nearest US equivalent.
  • scale: 1:72 whopping 18, 1:48 2 and 1:144 1
  • air force: USAAF 16, RAF 5

Me myself building a Revell G in 1:72 and in USAAF markings am clearly in the majority :coolio:. Let the fun continue! V-P

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I’m accidentally  confirmed for this now popped in my local on a whim, see if he’d sold all of the new airfix  , is expecting the negative in which case I’d then buy one of whatever’s series 1/2 or starter sets where in. Instead ones been ordered in for me for next week. Oops 😬 

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I've not long got back from this years Telford Show. Amongst the goodies that journeyed back with me were a pair of B17's.

IMG-6437.jpg

The pair cost a more than reasonable £30 for both. The academy  F from the kitswap area, The Revell G a £14.99 bargain from one of the traders in the halls. I have no idea if either will appear here, I have a pair already under way, but they are available if a window of opportunity opens.  😁

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Check the references thread at this GB! I've learned that you cam finish a Fort with nothing but aluminium :rofl2:. Seriously, you need at least Hu 56 Alu, 149 Dark dull green, black and some wood colours. No need for interior green or zinc chromate yellow. V-P

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6 minutes ago, vppelt68 said:

Check the references thread at this GB! I've learned that you cam finish a Fort with nothing but aluminium :rofl2:. Seriously, you need at least Hu 56 Alu, 149 Dark dull green, black and some wood colours. No need for interior green or zinc chromate yellow. V-P

Now he blooming tells us ! ;)

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33 minutes ago, vppelt68 said:

Check the references thread at this GB! I've learned that you cam finish a Fort with nothing but aluminium :rofl2:. Seriously, you need at least Hu 56 Alu, 149 Dark dull green, black and some wood colours. No need for interior green or zinc chromate yellow. V-P

I now have, so aluminium and black which are already on ze list, got wood sorted, and various greens in the stash that could be the bronze green and dark dull green so nothing extra needed, cheers VP 

Edited by PhantomBigStu
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Me again, having been let down by airfix, and having been reminded by seeing one or two build threads, I have in my collection the corgi coastal command b-17, complete with it’s oddly painted camo, so thinking of a repaint were CC forts in the typical FAA camo of dark slate grey/ extra dark sea grey or something else? 

Edited by PhantomBigStu
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11 hours ago, PhantomBigStu said:

Me again, having been let down by airfix, and having been reminded by seeing one or two build threads, I have in my collection the corgi coastal command b-17, complete with it’s oddly painted camo, so thinking of a repaint were CC forts in the typical FAA camo of dark slate grey/ extra dark sea grey or something else? 

Yes Stu they were usually seen in the scheme you mention, with white undersides and fuselage sides to various extents. Though the Mk.III's (B-17G's) were in the natural metal finish when delivered and did fly in that scheme, in fact I don't think they were re-painted.

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1 hour ago, modelling minion said:

Yes Stu they were usually seen in the scheme you mention, with white undersides and fuselage sides to various extents. Though the Mk.III's (B-17G's) were in the natural metal finish when delivered and did fly in that scheme, in fact I don't think they were re-painted.

Thanks minion, always new corgis choice of medium sea grey was suspect, I think I’ll finally repaint it :)

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