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*done* B-17G-70-BO 43-37852 GD*A "Betty Lou"


vppelt68

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So far it looks lovely! I will stick with the 381st BG and build a PFF/H2X aircraft from its other squadrons than the DREAMBABY. So far I've found a few good choices for the prototype, will most likely choose the B-17G-45-VE 44-8036 GD*J from the 534th BS, that had no known name given. That eases decorating things up a bit! NMF and red tails too. But choices are still open! V-P

Edit: here we go for "official" history

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/16244

and for a mention of being a "no name", loaned to 535th BS as a PFF ship

http://austinwsimmons.blogspot.com/2010/08/complete-list-of-combat-b-17s-flown-in.html?m=1

and as a personal bonus, it was assigned to 534th BS on my birthday, August 31, though 24 years earlier 😊

 

 

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Day one of both year 2019 and my second B-17 build are now well on their way. Sat down and assembled as much as I thought would be possible before it gets on the way of my painting. It's a lot easier on the second time.

2019-01-01_07-00-18

The Airfix kit is in many ways a 2.0 version of its Revell predecessor, though there are some details and parts that Revell still does better. V-P

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Progress...

2019-01-03_08-14-16

Wing halves are ready to be joined, interior is in progress and the engines are built and painted. 17 days to go... I'm only worried about brushing all that silver/aluminium on the fuselage! V-P

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Good ole change o´plan has taken place. I couldn´t - can´t - 1) do a PFF Fortress simply by replacing the ball turret with a H2X dome and leave everything else "as is" and 2) model a plane without seeing a single photo of it. I can´t scratch build the interior either, at least not in a week and a half, so I reverted back to a regular bomber as a prototype. I didn´t need to go far though, as a fellow ship from the 533rd BS of the DREAMBABY was the well documented but another "no namer", 43-37791 VP*V, a NMF B-17G-70-BO with major features matching the Airfix kit; staggered waist guns and a pumpkin tail turret. I don´t even need to shop for any decals! The mask set arrived yesterday from Britmodellers´ own @Mikemx, thanks again for a speedy service! A link to IWM AAM page of the 43-37791 is here. Best regards, V-P

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  • vppelt68 changed the title to VP*V, was: B-17G-45-VE 44-8036 GD*J "no name" H2X Pathfinder

I was scared almost s... leepless for having to paint an "NMF" Fort, with a brush. I've seen many unbelievably good looking finishes here and in the Airfix P-51 DKGB. All of course airbrushed and polished with modern hi-tech modelling supplies. And of course with artistic skills like those of the great renaissance masters. Now I'm an old fashioned guy and with less skills than a pre-school kid. So I reverted back to basics; Humbrol #11 Silver fox. I wanted to just try it first on a small patch to see how it behaves; soon I found myself adding paint masks to get more surface ready to bepainted. Not that special result on a grand scale, but in my own universe yes, and now I can sleep better and I know I will get the bugger in the end painted at all :coolio:. V-P

2019-01-09_06-54-06

 

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Yes the paint is a bit grainy, out-of-scale metallic and will definitely benefit from a second, maybe more thinned layer after the fuselage halves are joined. I was anyway pleasantly surprised how well the paint covered the unprimered plastic. 

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I'm second layer of paint EDIT: at the ball turret, I mean, short of joining the fuselage halves. A few pics to prove the interior was quickly bashed together too.

2019-01-13_11-26-05

 

2019-01-13_11-27-22

 

2019-01-13_11-26-42

 

A quick build and not that well done, but I'll live with this one (too). V-P

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Now you (still) see me,

2019-01-15_07-53-18

now you don´t (but since it´s pointless to take and show pics of cementing two inch strips of fuselage seam little by little together let me just tell you it´s began). V-P

... instead of a new post I´ll just EDIT this one with a new pic:

2019-01-15_09-36-10

...NOW YOU DON`T! To the sharpeyed out there, yes it has also the tail gun position end piece, radio dept roof window, cockpit glazing (primed with dull dark green so it should look green, not aluminium, looked from inside) and nose cone added. I have a few short stretches of the seam to either just sand clean or first fill a little and then sand clean, after which she´ll receive a second layer of paint all over. Except the fin center panel of course! Oh and some photos of the original below! V-P

VPV

 

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Brush painting natural metal finish on a aircraft this big is an experience I'll not forget soon.

2019-01-18_06-21-11

The fuselage is painted and the anti-glare panel is masked...

2019-01-18_06-31-00

...and now painted. Top turret is just stuck on temporarily. Since this pic was taken, I've added the bomb bay doors (open) and chin turret but not its fairing. Sticker time next, and continue assembling the wings. Wouldn't make this by the original deadline, glad we got the extension!

V-P

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  • vppelt68 changed the title to B-17G-70-BO 43-37852 GD*A "Betty Lou"

Hi VP,

This all looks rather tasty! With NMF, I have found it best to dry brush the paint, rather than paint it.

Using a brush almost dry, where most of the paint has been removed on a cloth, seems to work best. You can add more coats, as long as the previous one is totally dry, and if poss after polishing the previous coat to remove any impurities.

Is it how you did it on your B-17?

 

Keep at it! It looks real good!!!

 

JR 

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  • 2 weeks later...

A few progress pics, I've been lazy both building and taking piccies, but this should be ready by sunday anyway!

2019-01-30_10-53-21

I masked the nacelle anti-glare panels.

2019-01-31_10-22-27

This pic shows the od panels and wing vents that are masked before ruin... staining.

2019-01-31_10-22-54

Exhaust staining didn't turn out as good as I hoped but hey, there'll always be the next time!

2019-01-31_10-59-34

So I ruined the upper wing surfaces too, and decided it was time to remove window masks and attach the wings to fuselage.

2019-01-31_11-10-18

So, her name is Betty Lou, and she's a heavy bomber. I have some details to paint and add, and add and paint, and wing decals to add, and put her standing on her own plastic legs. What a joy! V-P

EDIT: Why do I always forget to remove some of that masking? This time it´s the landing lights... fortunately that´s a quick fix 🙂

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I invented a new definition for "bad idea" late last night; oh the wing to fuselage- seams would benefit from adding some putty, nah, I don't need to mask the area but just add the stuff with care... You know, the GB deadline looming today I spent too much time carefully sanding that putty down, avoiding all those mg barrels, antennas, turrets, bomb bay doors and landing gear sticking all around the model! Well I got that sorted out without mishaps, but it was definitely not a recommendable way to do it! When I got to touching up the paint, I found it easy to back down the somewhat excessive ruin... staining I had done earlier, by mottling Hu 11 over the black areas. I liked the result. So just some stenciling left to do now, and my 381st BG build project is halfway done. This build thread is now done, anyway, and the next pics will be in the gallery if I make it by 2 AM local time tomorrow! Betty Lou and Dreambaby signing off. V-P

IMG-20190203-WA0000

 

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