Monogram 1/48 Boeing B-29 Superfortress

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

It's been a while since I started a build thread, and I have been intending to start this one for a long time. Indeed, I have spent far too much money gathering bits for this kit and I think I have reached the point where I feel more guilty about the amount of money spent on unused aftermarket stuff than I do about starting another model.

 

That leads us to here then.

 

 

The Monogram B-29 is basically accurate. It's a kit of its day and features some nice (for its day) detail moulded in. It's not all the sharpest, and I personally find that makes it a bit hard to paint well and make it look convincing. In addition, it has raised panel detail outside. There is a school of thought that this is more realistic than recessed surface detail. I make no comment on that but what I will say and would happily argue to the point of exchanging punches in a carpark however is that raised panel lines are a real chore to work with. They are the first things to get obliterated when parts need remedial work to fit well and reinstatement is not easy. It's also difficult to work with when trying to achieve more than just rubbing paint over it with a brush or hosing the model down with an aerosol can. I have not yet decided what I will ultimately do about that on this model. I find rescribing about as much fun as a day at the dentist so this will be a balance of what annoys me most.

 

The Monogram B-29 is basically accurate. However, the aircraft which Monogram measured up was one of the Silverplate aircraft of which 65 wartime airframes were built (hence why Little Boy and Fat Man bombs are included in the kit). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverplate

This means that the Monogram kit is not appropriate for any 3,905 normal B-29s though. To rectify this, I spent a considerable wedge of money on Flightline Engineering's B-29 Super Update Kit which is beautiful, if expensive, and is available on and off when the guy has sufficient interest to warrant another set of resin casting moulds: http://www.flightlineengineering.com/b29-kit.html

This set includes new, glorious engines with a million pieces each. Whilst that sounds like a hassle, it should hopefully make spray painting a dawdle without the need for any masking and I will not have to pick up a paint brush which pleases me greatly. I hate brush painting  and can feel veins swell on my forehead just typing the words. The set also includes nice resin wheels with separate tyres and hubs which is excellent for exactly the same reasons as outlined two sentences previously. The correct propellers are included consisting of separate blades, hubs and an assembly jig. New turbochargers and exhaust pipework is included which looks lovely compared to Monogram's admirable yet dated relief moulding effort. Lastly, new engine cowlings are included which, with the uncuffed propellers, are the key external visual differences between a standard production B-29 and a Silverplate.

 

 

On to the wings next. These are, well, big. The Flightline Engineering set requires that I partially cut away the nacelles in order to use the turbochargers which I fully intend to. The cutting will require careful measurement and careful cutting though. I'd have liked a set of flaps and these are available but again expensive. I am mainly concerned about structural integrity though. These wings are big. Despite the kit including around 10 inches of wing spars to somewhat stiffen the wing-to-fuselage joints, when picked up and put down the wings are going to bend. Separate flaps will weaken them, exaggerating this and I am quite concerned that I will have trouble keeping brass flaps attached at both ends long term. Also, they will be very vulnerable on something so, well, big. I do have the Eduard set covering the wheel wells etc though:

 

Lastly then, the fuselage. The B-29 is known for its big greenhouse of a cockpit glazing. I have toyed with the idea of getting vacuum formed replacements to improve clarity, but am worried about getting a perfect fit all round with the fuselage. I have Eduard's seat belts set and front and rear fuselage sets. Some of the front fuselage set is highly unlikely to be used - e.g. those big quilted insulation pieces intended to go into the cockpit. The chances of those brass plates achieving a double curvature to fit in the cockpit are between slim and none. I may hammer them over my car panel-beating dollies with hammers just for a laugh, but there is no way on this earth I'm going to hack out the interior detail in the kit fuselage sides before I prove myself wrong by forming the brass. Likewise the pressure domes in the rear fuselage set. The PE parts look nice, but they are unlikely to work without sheet metalworking skills (which means hammers and a dolly to stretch the middle more than the edges forcing the metal to dish out into a 3-dimensional shape).

 

Lastly for now, the markings. The B-29 is most famous for the only atomic bombs ever dropped on cities. That topic is best not discussed on my thread as it is the subject of much heated debate, but due to the prevailence of Enola Gay and Bocks Car as modelling subjects I wanted to do something different. The aircraft became a bit more colourful after the second world war and into the Korean conflict there are some nice schemes and decals available. I bought this sheet:

 

I quite like Command Decision with the Disney Dwarves and the globe. The overall colourscheme looks quite attractive and balanced. I also quite like Kee Bird though, if only because the International Orange tail is bright and eye-catching, that I have International Orange in the Colourcoats range which I have yet to use myself, and that Kee Bird is also quite famous in that it was almost recovered from the ice by a team led by a man who is not kindly regarded by the aviation world these days. Indeed he has received some severe criticism for unprofessionalism during the attempt and how he just walked away and left the burnt out wreckage after the aircraft caught fire, burned out and sank with 4 new, borrowed, R3350 engines and propellers which were loaned for the purposes of recovering the aircraft and to be returned afterwards.

 

Any interest in the big Superfortress?

[fubar57]

Looking forward to this Jamie. I have one in the stash but last week I came to the realization that I would never build it or the rest of the 1:48 multi-engine aircraft I have due to lack of display space and I've decided to sell them off

 

 

George

Edited February 15, 2019 by fubar57

[busnproplinerfan]

I have three and a half of them. Two older ones that were rebuilds, one good one, all are wrecked now from when my garage was broken into years ago and an old one that is just whats left of it. My good one had running electric motors and Paragon resin flaps, all are rebuildable, I just have nowhere to put it and them. This will be something neat to see built, ice that now there is photo etch for it. It's a good model with a little work. If anyone wants the ones I have I will sell them, won't ask much for them, just want a good home for them.

[Nikolay Polyakov]

Yay, Jamie - these bits and an old school Monogram kit looks very promising!

 

I’m in, have a nice build here! 😃

 

Cheers! 😎

[Silver Fox]

Looking forward to this one. I have a very special place in my modellers heart for these old Monogram machines.🍿

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

2 hours ago, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said:

Kee Bird is also quite famous in that it was almost recovered from the ice by a team led by a man who is not kindly regarded by the aviation world these days. Indeed he has received some severe criticism for unprofessionalism during the attempt and how he just walked away and left the burnt out wreckage after the aircraft caught fire, burned out and sank with 4 new, borrowed, R3350 engines and propellers which were loaned for the purposes of recovering the aircraft and to be returned afterwards.

Know the story and was disgusted to see the final outcome. Who in there right mind goes through all that trouble. Only to not secure a running generator in the waist section while taxiing ? It always smelled of a set-up.  

Edited February 15, 2019 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

On 2/15/2019 at 4:30 PM, fubar57 said:

Looking forward to this Jamie. I have one in the stash but last week I came to the realization that I would never build it or the rest of the 1:48 multi-engine aircraft I have due to lack of display space and I've decided to sell them off

 

 

George

Hi George, it is big. I haven't quite figured out what to do with it yet either 😕

 

On 2/15/2019 at 4:38 PM, busnproplinerfan said:

I have three and a half of them. Two older ones that were rebuilds, one good one, all are wrecked now from when my garage was broken into years ago and an old one that is just whats left of it. My good one had running electric motors and Paragon resin flaps, all are rebuildable, I just have nowhere to put it and them. This will be something neat to see built, ice that now there is photo etch for it. It's a good model with a little work. If anyone wants the ones I have I will sell them, won't ask much for them, just want a good home for them.

Hi, I'm sorry to hear that. I hate thieves at the best of times. I hadn't ever come across the Paragon flaps. I may do some hunting online for a set of those

 

On 2/15/2019 at 4:43 PM, Nikolay Polyakov said:

Yay, Jamie - these bits and an old school Monogram kit looks very promising!

 

I’m in, have a nice build here! 😃

 

Cheers! 😎

Hi Nikolay - I hope I don't disappoint you!

 

On 2/15/2019 at 5:16 PM, Silver Fox said:

Looking forward to this one. I have a very special place in my modellers heart for these old Monogram machines.🍿

Hi Andy - me too! I build the B-17G when I was younger and loved that. It was squashed by a suitcase which was thrown on top of it in the loft. Naturally, everyone denied ever touching the suitcase, so obviously a poltergeist threw it on top of my Fortress...

 

On 2/15/2019 at 6:27 PM, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Know the story and was disgusted to see the final outcome. Who in there right mind goes through all that trouble. Only to not secure a running generator in the waist section while taxiing ? It always smelled of a set-up.  

I agree - it beggars belief really. I can only imagine being the one being told that my 4 new engines had sank into a lake bolted to a burning bomber because of something so utterly, utterly stupid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time to cut plastic though. I had to start somewhere, so I have started in the fuselage using the undercarriage PE set. The first step according to the instructions are to remove the raised structural detail under the cockpit floor.

 

This was tackled with two modelling chisels. I needed the pointy one to get the most-forward stiffener off the floor, leaving the bit moulded boss for the nose leg intact.

 

I needed to make two 90 degree folds in the PE overlay before I could check the fit. Much like I used to think I was clever driving around on summer tyres in the snow to prove my car control prowess, I used to think everything in the world of photoetch could be achieved with two blades. There's no denying that having winter tyres is just hugely superior in Scottish winter road conditions though and likewise having a photo etch bending tool does make bending parts without twisting them a quick and easy affair too.

 

To my surprise, it does actually fit really well around that boss.

 

The next step here is to add a load of folded PE stiffeners to all of those relief-etched lines. It should look great when it's done. I am getting careful in my advanced years though and before I glue that brass down and add fragile bits, I'm going to open the forward fuselage interior PE set and find out what butchery Eduard expect me to perform on the other side of plastic floor.

 

 

 

[fubar57]

Nice. An improvement already. I just came back from my local post office to check out shipping prices world-wide for my largest 1:48 models - The Italeri AC-130 will cost me $100-$230CAN 😨. I may have to keep them after all

[Pete in Lincs]

You could glue all those big boxes together and row them across the Atlantic?

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

15 minutes ago, fubar57 said:

Nice. An improvement already. I just came back from my local post office to check out shipping prices world-wide for my largest 1:48 models - The Italeri AC-130 will cost me $100-$230CAN 😨. I may have to keep them after all

 

Wow that's a lot! I quite fancy the big Italeri C-130H at some point. I have fond memories of RAF C.1s at airshows.

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

I'm glad I checked. This looks quite violent

 

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/y12/jamie_duff/555c2856-422e-478f-bb78-0dcc06f108b2.jpg

[Nikolay Polyakov]

40 minutes ago, fubar57 said:

I just came back from my local post office to check out shipping prices world-wide for my largest 1:48 models - The Italeri AC-130 will cost me $100-$230CAN 😨.

Some people want to have a $300 for an old Italeri/Testors Herculeses... Last spring I given my AC-130U to the commission on a local hobby store and gain about a $50. That was a fast deal, I must say. I think someone will build her!

 

Cheers! 🙂

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

I have cut away the consoles and seat rails from the cockpit floor.

 

At this point I had a choice to trust Eduard or not to trust Eduard. I've been burned before so have gone with the latter. Until it's built up I can't be sure that the new PE centre console is bigger than the hole left in the floor. Finding out that it doesn't cover the floor later will result in the invention of new swear words so it seemed best to safeguard things by investing a little time at this point to fill it in with plasticard. I shall skim this over with Squadron green filler and maybe Mr Surfacer. Better safe than very, very angry!

 

[Nikolay Polyakov]

1 hour ago, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said:

The next step here is to add a load of folded PE stiffeners to all of those relief-etched lines.

Did you use only a CA glue for these parts? I read somewhere, that after applying the PE parts with the CA glue is great to feed the little seam between the plastic and metal with an acrylic gloss clear coat... I’m always nervous about the PE and its tenacity to the plastic.

 

17 minutes ago, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said:

Better safe than very, very angry!

Word!

 

Cheers! 😎

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

35 minutes ago, Nikolay Polyakov said:

Did you use only a CA glue for these parts? I read somewhere, that after applying the PE parts with the CA glue is great to feed the little seam between the plastic and metal with an acrylic gloss clear coat... I’m always nervous about the PE and its tenacity to the plastic.

 

Usually I just use CA and leave it at that. For big flat pieces that are glued on like laminates I will sand the gluing side of the brass piece first to key the surface. Sometimes the brass is happy to just peel off from the CA glue otherwise 😕

[Nikolay Polyakov]

13 minutes ago, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said:

For big flat pieces that are glued on like laminates I will sand the gluing side of the brass piece first to key the surface.

Thanks Jamie, it’s very helpful!

 

13 minutes ago, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said:

Sometimes the brass is happy to just peel off from the CA glue otherwise 😕

That’s why I asked you. When I glue the plastic parts, I trust them and myself, but with a PE it’s looks more like a lottery.

 

Thanks! 🤝

[busnproplinerfan]

2 hours ago, fubar57 said:

Nice. An improvement already. I just came back from my local post office to check out shipping prices world-wide for my largest 1:48 models - The Italeri AC-130 will cost me $100-$230CAN 😨. I may have to keep them after all

Gaaa, I just spit out my bacon ketchup sandwitch. I know shipping will get you, but wow. i sold three of those Hercs a couple years ago(taken apart for shipping)and I forget what it was but the guy paid for it.

With all that big green house, the photo etch will sure make a difference.

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

Morning folks.

 

It turned out that it was good enough to just go straight for the Mr Surfacer last thing last night. I gave that a rub down this morning. I think I can proceed now.

 

[phantom61]

20 minutes ago, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said:

Morning folks.

 

It turned out that it was good enough to just go straight for the Mr Surfacer last thing last night. I gave that a rub down this morning. I think I can proceed now.

 

 

👍👍

 

[phantom61]

Jamie,

the Russian tu4, copy of the B29 played an important role in the development of the Russian bomber ...

in fact both for the Tu16 and for the Tu95, the fuselage sections were derived from this

 

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

7 minutes ago, phantom61 said:

Jamie,

the Russian tu4, copy of the B29 played an important role in the development of the Russian bomber ...

in fact both for the Tu16 and for the Tu95, the fuselage sections were derived from this

 

Now that I did not know!

[pinky coffeeboat]

Hi Jamie. I'm following this one for sure. 

This is one model I made many years ago (1991) and absolutely loved it. I went to town on the interior detailing adding notes and maps to the map readers table, enhancing the rear crew rest compartment, "superdetailing" the flight deck compartents - only to conceal for ever all the hard work when the two fuselages halves were joined!! I used the "lucky 'leven" decals from the kit.

 

From that upsetting experience, I never add anything that won't be seen - nothing at all. Weirdly, when I was detailing it, it never dawned on me that it would all be invisible!!

 

I recently bought the Fujimi 1/144 Superfortress kit and the Kits-World decals for "Lucky 'Leven" as a nostalgia type build. Much more manageable size wise!!

 

Jeff

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

On 2/16/2019 at 9:24 AM, pinky coffeeboat said:

Hi Jamie. I'm following this one for sure. 

This is one model I made many years ago (1991) and absolutely loved it. I went to town on the interior detailing adding notes and maps to the map readers table, enhancing the rear crew rest compartment, "superdetailing" the flight deck compartents - only to conceal for ever all the hard work when the two fuselages halves were joined!! I used the "lucky 'leven" decals from the kit.

 

From that upsetting experience, I never add anything that won't be seen - nothing at all. Weirdly, when I was detailing it, it never dawned on me that it would all be invisible!!

 

I recently bought the Fujimi 1/144 Superfortress kit and the Kits-World decals for "Lucky 'Leven" as a nostalgia type build. Much more manageable size wise!!

 

Jeff

Hi Jeff,

 

This is a good argument in favour of vacuum formed glazings including the observation domes further back. Hmm. I need to think on that some more...

 

I've spent a bit of time checking the fit of the surrounding major pieces. The sides have needed a little fettling in general but mostly because of the additional thickness of brass laminated on. I wanted to make sure it was all going to slot together before adding the PE stiffeners on which will make adjustment of the overall fit very difficult without obliterating the brass assembly.

 

 

The bulkhead at the aft end is not represented in plastic, but is included in the Eduard set. Eduard shows it as being simply glued in place but this seemed a high-risk strategy for closing the fuselage halves later on, so I have backed it with plasticard. The avoid displacing the bulkhead 1mm forward due to the plastic thickness though (which I'm guessing would haunt me later), the plastic only comes down as far as the step in the plastic kit part.

 

[TheBaron]

This looks to be the modelling equivalent of 'I'm just off to explore a continent...' Jamie!

Nice choice of subject and enjoying the work.

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

Evening all,

 

I've spent some time today procuring GU10 LEDs to replace the halogens in the house (paranoid about those things now and the heat they generate). I also picked up some A4 sheets of 240 grit wet and dry to make a big long sanding board, as I am thinking of building a vacuum formed kit very soon and it might be the 1/48 Avro Shackleton I've had sat unloved for donkey's years. I also spent a few hours on the old Jag X-Type today and have now got my replacement transfer box in (from an older model so it has a viscous coupling centre differential), the torque reaction mounts and propshaft bolted back up and the offside driveshaft back in.

 

I've done a bit of B-29 though. This doesn't look like much but there's quite a few pieces involved and each of them is folded, some at 90deg to make a flange and others doubled over back on themselves to make thicker parts.

 

 

Clearly I have started checking the fit in the fuselage halves too and began sticking car wheel balance weights inside.