Flying Fortress Mk111

[Jabba]

I will be using the Airfix kit to make a Flying Fortress Mk111. It will be OOB due to my limited knowledge of the aircraft, unless anyone knows of some better decals or aftermarket goodies for a 100 Group aircraft.

 

 

 

[vppelt68]

Great to see these new Airfix kits entered in the formation err... bomber stream. Welcome! V-P

[Rabbit Leader]

Nice choice Jabba. There’s a great build by tonyot somewhere here where he mentions something about the undernose radome being slightly too far back and needs to be positioned a smidge forward. Also depending on the chosen scheme be careful with the instructions guide to the squadron codes. They should either be BU or 6G with these letters applied side by side and not divided by the roundel and individual aircraft letter. Other than those minor issues I think you’ll be good with this one. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

[Jabba]

19 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Nice choice Jabba. There’s a great build by tonyot somewhere here where he mentions something about the undernose radome being slightly too far back and needs to be positioned a smidge forward. Also depending on the chosen scheme be careful with the instructions guide to the squadron codes. They should either be BU or 6G with these letters applied side by side and not divided by the roundel and individual aircraft letter. Other than those minor issues I think you’ll be good with this one. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

 

Thanks for this, because I think that because this model is so much outside my comfort zone (the time period of the aircraft) I am going to need all the help that I can get.

[Dave Swindell]

21 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

There’s a great build by tonyot somewhere here where he mentions something about the undernose radome being slightly too far back and needs to be positioned a smidge forward.

Tony's build is here, loads of useful info for 100 group Fortresses. The Airfix radome is too far forward, and needs moving back as can be seen from the photos in his thread.

[Rabbit Leader]

1 minute ago, Dave Swindell said:

Tony's build is here, loads of useful info for 100 group Fortresses. The Airfix radome is too far forward, and needs moving back as can be seen from the photos in his thread.

Thanks for providing the link and correcting my misquoted error. I knew there was something not quite right with the position of the radome, so glad you've added this before the STGB actually starts. I would hate to give anyone the bum steer! 

 

Cheers.. Dave. 

[Dave Swindell]

17 minutes ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Thanks for providing the link and correcting my misquoted error.

No worries, I'd forgotten about the incorrect codes location.

[DJJunis]

Jabba,

I plan on doing the same kit. I have the Aircraft of 100 Group by Martin Streetly and have collected some additional information from the internet. 

Here are some websites that I found that may be helpful.

 

http://sas.raf38group.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1710&start=60

http://www.wikiwand.com/en/No._100_Group_RAF

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._100_Group_RAF

https://defenceoftherealm.wordpress.com/2014/11/17/aircraft-gallery-b-17s-in-the-royal-air-force/

 

If you need a scan of a page from the book I can also help with that.

All the Best!

Don

 

[Jabba]

Thanks all for your help.

[Jabba]

I have put some parts together. I did start on the cockpit but after looking at the instruction and printing off  the thread that Tony did I found out that I did not have the right paints so this will have to wait until I can get some. Hopefully this afternoon. So I have built up the bomb bay, rear fuselage flooring plus one of the wings, which will be stuck together this evening before starting on the other one. I have sprayed the inside of the fuselage Aluminium, sorry forgot to take a photo of this, and will spray the parts that require this colour in the next day or so. So far I am enjoying the build with most parts going together very well, but I have not been happy with the amount  flash plastic especially on the smaller parts. It is not vast amounts it is just stuff that you have to scrape off, but it is on almost every part.

 

 

[DJJunis]

Looking good Jabba!

All the Best

[Jabba]

Thanks. The parts are actually going together very well, much better than another kit that I am building, which is meant to go together rather well.

[Jabba]

Have now got the wings together, and I am slowly getting the fuselage internal parts painted.

 

[Jabba]

Finally started to put the inside of the fuselage together. Last night I put in the bomb bay/wing spar assembly, and tonight after test fitting a few times added the rear assembly. The rear part is a bit reluctant to fit towards the rear of the fuselage, so I bent it down slightly just after where the ball turret would go which did make it better so when I added glue I also added a peg to hold it in place. I have also almost completed the cockpit part, but after seeing that most people adding some sort of cushion affair, I broke and I have added a few bits of plasti-card to act as said cushion which I am now painting before adding some tape to act as seat belts. You will also note that I have added the glass parts to the front of the fuselage and the turret to the rear. I must remember to add that part that fits inside the turret to the side of the fuselage.

 

 

[DJJunis]

Looking GREAT Jabba! 

All the Best!

Don

[Jabba]

With Telford now over it is back to modelling. I have now got most of the inside parts fitted, with the tail wheel cover and tail gun ammo still to fir.

 

 

Found these at Telford so I thought that I may as well buy them.

[Thom216]

Nice choice of livery.

[DJJunis]

Jabba,

Looking good!

I love the Coastal Command colors on a B-17...or on anything frankly.  Maybe the next one?

I'm sure SMW was inspiring. I have been there several times and that's how I found it.

 

All the Best!

Don

[Jabba]

The decals are just replacement ones for the scheme that I am doing. As for another B-17 I doubt it as the aircraft is not in my normal modelling era.

[Jabba]

I have got the fuselage together with a bit of clamping and tight lacky bands. In the last photo you will see what I have done with the roof of the rear turret so that I can place a piece of clear plasti card. These photos were taken last night but I could not upload them. Since then I have filled in where required, especially where the ball turret plug is and started sanding down tonight. I have also started to build up the engines as I have mainly sanded the wings and needed to do something. When built up I will paint them before adding to the wings, but I am not sure whether to add the wings to the fuselage first. We shall see.

 

 

 

 

[DJJunis]

Jabba,

For what it's worth I do all the filling and rescribing before assembling the main assemblies. It makes it easier to handle. I've got the engines, cowls doen. The fuelage completely filled

and rescribed. I was very disappointed with  the Airfix lack of panel lines on the forward section...especially on the clear parts. The wings are almost done as far as resribing but again 

Airfix has some missing lines and incomplete lines esepcially around the wing tips. There was a considerable amount of filling at the intakes. As far as painting I assembly the entire 

plane , check and repair the seams than shoot the primer.

 

All the Best!

Don

[Jabba]

I am going to fill and sand as separate parts, fuselage, wings etc and then add them together. I have the wings done, but am not sure whether to fit the exhausts and such like before fitting wings to the fuselage. I also fitted the bomb bay in the close position, not a pretty fit, so that has being filled ready to be sanded.

[DJJunis]

I have decided to get all of the sub-assemblies complete with the clears masked before assembling them. I am opening the bombay. I want to show the Jostle unit I added plus I had no confidence that

they would fit and you confirmed my fears. I'll mask the bombay after the wings are on. Been spending TOO much time cleaning up the wing panels lines. I did get one finally done and added the engines and cowls. The engine and cowl package looks really good. I am nearly done with the panel lines on the second wing...hopefuly today. I'll add the landing light clears to both wings and then mask both.

Then I'll go back to the fuselage. Add the clears and fuselage crew door. Then HOPEFULLY we'll do the assembly.

 

[DJJunis]

3 hours ago, DJJunis said:

I have decided to get all of the sub-assemblies complete with the clears masked before assembling them. I am opening the bombay. I want to show the Jostle unit I added plus I had no confidence that

they would fit and you confirmed my fears. I'll mask the bombay after the wings are on. Been spending TOO much time cleaning up the wing panels lines. I did get one finally done and added the engines and cowls. The engine and cowl package looks really good. I am nearly done with the panel lines on the second wing...hopefuly today. I'll add the landing light clears to both wings and then mask both.

Then I'll go back to the fuselage. Add the clears and fuselage crew door. Then HOPEFULLY we'll do the assembly.

 

Jabba I will not be putting the exhaust on the wings. It will be put on after the plane is assembled and painted. DOn't want the hassle of masking it while painting. Forgot to mention that bit.

[Jabba]

I have started to add the exhausts and superchargers (I think that is what they are), as being a hairy stick user to apply paint I do not have to mask them off just a fine hairy stick require and a steady hand.