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"A Bit of Lace" the boys own B-17 **Finished** 👍


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10 hours ago, Dansk said:

Let’s see what results he gets. He did say he was going to rub and buff and let us know what happens :)

Let's hope he is not buffing away vigorously when his better half enters the mancave - there might be more trouble in the offing....🤦‍♀️

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Hi everyone

13 hours ago, Dansk said:

Pat have you rubbed and buffed yet?

Hi Paul

Not yet, I've been using good old Humbrol 11, before trying rubbing in the buff !

 

13 hours ago, modelling minion said:

Thats a very personal question Paul!

Too blooming right, but relax I'm not taking any selfie photos whilst doing it !

 

12 hours ago, stevej60 said:

He may not be able to here you Dansk buffing away right now!

Bluffing definitely, but buffing not yet I'm afraid

 

12 hours ago, Dansk said:

Let’s see what results he gets. He did say he was going to rub and buff and let us know what happens :)

I plan on buffing sections of the aircraft to try and get differences in the overall silver colour, well that's the idea anyway !

 

1 hour ago, Jinxman said:

Let's hope he is not buffing away vigorously when his better half enters the mancave - there might be more trouble in the offing....🤦‍♀️

I'm hoping to demonstrate my buffing technique to Mrs Jockney before doing it in the man cave to avoid that very issue, however there is a danger of this being used for me to do more domestic items that involve a simular cleaning action so it might yet back fire !

 

To return to the build ;) Some progress to report

 

IMG_5023

 

First coat of silver on fuselage and wings, tailplanes being added. There is many variations on the colour scheme for this aircraft as it evolved / was repaired I hope if mine isn't exactly to everyone's expectations I will be forgiven.

 

IMG_5024

 

And yes the wheel turn and undercarriage retracts, very important when we were building this kit back in the day, so I had to make it fully functional 

 

IMG_5029

 

So this is progress so far, spinning props as well !

 

Couple of issues on the horizon, masking the upper and ball turrets as the clear parts seem to have no raised detail on them, plus the cockpit clear part fit is an absolute shocker, the side windows are inside the aircraft so the clear part isn't wide enough. I will post another picture, any ideas on a resolution ?

 

Cheers Pat

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More on the cockpit clear part challenge 

 

So this side nicely lined up

 

IMG_5030

 

View from the front, clearly the part isn't wide enough 

 

IMG_5031

 

Resulting in this !

 

IMG_5032

 

Any ideas appreciated 

 

cheers Pat

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Not sure there is an easy answer there Pat.  :hmmm: Not without a lot of work and a possible moulding of a new part.  

 

I cant recall how I dealt with that problem 50 years ago now.  An excess of Britfix glue I suspect.

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Dear Pat

If you have a razor saw and you are feeling brave, saw the canopy in half along the centre line and pack it out with plastic card. The actual B-17 transparent sections are not on the centre line. In the roof there is a sperate window on each side. One above the pilots head, the other above the co-pilot.

 

I like the OD weathered wing you did, how did you get thar effect?
 

regards Toby

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43 minutes ago, JOCKNEY said:

Any ideas appreciated 

Hi Pat,

 

Just checked one of my part-builts awaiting disassembly, and the part fits ok. 🥴

 

How about cutting two of the same piece slightly off centre.  Join the two big pieces carefully with Bondic, (other cheaper versions are available), polish, & hey presto!

 

The B17 has a fairly prominent piece of framing down the centre so a bit of paint should cover the join?

 

I have a spare off the part built if you want to go for it - I'll be forming some new ones when I get around to the re-builds.

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Thanks Guys

 

I like the idea of cutting the clear part down the middle but, I'll need to "grow a pair" to find the courage to do so !

 

I think I have a scrap B-17, make unknown this might provide a replacement canopy.

 

The wing was done as an experiment, first wing painted with Humbrol 11 (what else !) then after drying olive drab acrylic dabbed on in a few random places. Before the paint hardens, use a flat ended dry brush to stipple into the olive drab, this removes chunks of paint onto the end of the dry brush, remove paint and repeat as required.

I then went over it with bits of masking tape, stuck down and pulled off removing other bits of paint.

This is probably all wrong but as I haven't done it before, I'm happy with my first attempt.

 

 Cheers Pat 

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So time for an update, scrap B-17 brought in from the garage to offer up its canopy

 

IMG_5041

 

Heres a better look

 

IMG_5042

 

So this looks promising until...

 

IMG_5043

 

Side on it's a different story and will need a lot of work to get it to fit so...

 

IMG_5044

 

Well there's no going back now !

 

Cheers Pat

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Ok bit of work on the canopy today and some homemade masking 

 

IMG_5053

 

Its a bit rough around the edges but it fits, so sand down the top fill the gap and then form a pointed front edge, more later.

 

As I mentioned earlier the clear parts have no detail at all for framing, so I had a go based on some Internet photos on the ball turret, all rivet counters please look away now !

 

IMG_5055

 

IMG_5056

 

I've painted it tonight so will do a grand unveiling tomorrow it with either be fist pumps or floods of tears !

 

Cheers Pat 

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Goodness me, apologies for being away, I've started co-hosting the Choppers, Autogyro and VSTOL GB so actual building time has suffered.

 

So masked up the canopy

 

IMG_5057

 

Nearly forgot about the 2 green fuselage stripes so more masking

 

IMG_5059

 

And of course as the wing chevron doesn't come as a decal, yet more masking !

 

IMG_5063

 

A bit of leakage but no too bad

 

IMG_5065

 

Canopy on but filler required 

 

IMG_5064

 

Finally and old tip on not losing bits inside the fuselage, a bit of tape on it allows it to be moved around easily without it dropping in.

 

IMG_5066

 

I learned this lesson the hard way as an apprentice working on a transformer and dropped a spanner in the tank, we had to pump all the oil out with a Castrol tanker then a crane to lift the windings and core out.

I always tied a spanner to my wrist with cotton tape after that !

 

Wings on tomorrow 

 

Cheers Pat

 

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7 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

I always tied a spanner to my wrist with cotton tape after that !

Reminds me of what an older guy at work shouted at me when I was a clumsy apprentice and used to drop tools " you would be no bloody good working on flying boats!" is what I used to get, he used to work on Catalinas during the war.

Very nice work on your B-17 mate, some good masking and your cockpit fix has worked a treat.

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