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Scratch built 1:20 scale B17G finally in her resting place in California!


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Photos are present and looking very nice.

 

I find it helps to throw away superglue after a while anyway because it seems to lose its "stick". I normally find out half way through rigging something :(

 

Hope the Mojo returns!

 

Regards,

Adrian

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Hi there guys

 

My mojo has returned!

 

I'm in the middle of scratch building a auxiliary DC generator for the rear section. I have seen photos with the generator in the rear and I'm defo going to put it in mine as it looks fun to build and will make the rear section look more busy! This afternoon I sprayed it with my new airbrush (Paasche H... as my old Badger gave up the ghost before my summer break)...and will post it on my next update!

As for now I will give you a quick update on the trailing antenna mechanism that I have made for the rear section.

 

It was a bit fiddly due to the size but here are some photos.......

 

TRAILING_ANTENNA_MOTOR.jpg

 

TRAILING_ANTENNA_MOTOR_(1).jpg

 

This next photo shows the tube that the line feeds to the outside of the aircraft.....made from a Biro pen...

 

TRAILING_ANTENNA_MOTOR_(2).jpg

 

...and here are the two parts attached...

 

TRAILING_ANTENNA_MOTOR_(3).jpg

 

...and just to show you the scale......

 

TRAILING_ANTENNA_MOTOR_(4).jpg

 

Here is the electrical box that operates how much cable leaves the aircraft....

 

TRAILING_ANTENNA_MOTOR_(5).jpg

 

All finished and all wired up.....

 

TRAILING_ANTENNA_MOTOR_(6).jpg

 

OK......that was a short post!

 

So the next post I will show the DC generator!

 

Until then....thanks for looking in!😀

 

Cheers

 

Fozzy

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Afternoon all!

 

This post is likely to be a bit photo heavy of building the Auxiliary DC generator for my B17!

 

The generator was built by looking at just a few photos I found  and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed making it!....I used scrap plastic and wire as materials and I have taken a photo of each stage of the build.

 

First off....this is a photo of a real generator that I am trying to replicate......

 

on4113-02.jpg

 

So I built it by stages and hope the photos explains how I got it together.....here goes......

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR.jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(1).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(2).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(3).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(4).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(5).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(6).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(7).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(8).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(9).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(10).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(11).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(12).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(13).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(14).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(15).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(16).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(17).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(18).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(19).jpg

 

AUXILIARY_DC_GENERATOR_(20).jpg

 

OK....so now it's time to paint it ...the best part!.....but not before building the frame that it will sit on in the rear of the fuselage..

 

DC_GENERATOR_SUPPORT.jpg

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So here it is all finished........

 

GENERATOR_COMPLETE.jpg

 

GENERATOR_COMPLETE_(1).jpg

 

GENERATOR_COMPLETE_(2).jpg

 

GENERATOR_COMPLETE_(3).jpg

 

GENERATOR_COMPLETE_(4).jpg

 

...and up on it's frame......

 

GENERATOR_COMPLETE_(5).jpg

 

GENERATOR_COMPLETE_(6).jpg

 

GENERATOR_COMPLETE_(7).jpg

 

GENERATOR_COMPLETE_(8).jpg

 

GENERATOR_COMPLETE_(9).jpg

 

GENERATOR_COMPLETE_(10).jpg

 

GENERATOR_COMPLETE_(11).jpg

 

As I said ....really had a lot of fun with this generator build!....excuse the amount of photos!

 

Onwards ever onwards!....to getting the tail wheel assembly built......till then

 

Cheers once again for looking in!

 

Fozzy

 

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I just found you again, Fozzy. So lots of likes from me.

I'm glad you survived your visit to the UK, I hope your wallet didn't suffer too much.

There's some great progress here, and the more pictures, the better to see how you do your magic!

From the pictures it seems that the generator exhausts into the fuselage. H & S? then again, so did enemy bullets.

Keep the post coming, please. Fabulous stuff.

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23 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

I just found you again, Fozzy. So lots of likes from me.

I'm glad you survived your visit to the UK, I hope your wallet didn't suffer too much.

There's some great progress here, and the more pictures, the better to see how you do your magic!

From the pictures it seems that the generator exhausts into the fuselage. H & S? then again, so did enemy bullets.

Keep the post coming, please. Fabulous stuff.

 

Hi Pete!....cheers mate....I think exhaust fumes were least of their problems!...rather that than no electrickery!😮

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  • 2 weeks later...

Good day all!

Hope all is good where you all are and that everyone is staying safe from this virus!...2020 has been a terrible year for us all and the sooner it's all over with... the better! Lets hope and pray for a better 2021!

 

So on with the next part of this project!.....the tail wheel section!.....I have been kind of dreading this next part as there is lack of information and photos of this area of the B17. If you look for photos in books or the internet it's always the same.The whole area is covered with tarpaulin blocking out all the parts you want to see! Enthusiasts go for visits to see the B17 armed with their cameras and they can crawl all over the fuselage snapping away but the tail wheel well area is nearly always out of bounds!

I believe this is because the area is so confined that visitors would have to get on there belly's to crawl through and for health and safety issues. Well of course this doesn't help us modellers!

How ever I did managed to find a few photos of said area after hours of searching...(although only seeing certain angles on most of the photos)  which meant I had to use my imagination for the areas that I just cant see!....the usual artistic license had to be got out of the draw!

So as you know I am building this fuselage in two halves....top and bottom ...so I have started with the bottom half.

 

I had to make the tail wheel tub that the wheel retracts to and this was molded from plastic food packaging.

 

Here is the balsa wood plug that I made....

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1.jpg

 

After heating up the plastic and using the plug (plug and mold procedure) and ended up with this. You can see that I have added some detail with strips of plastic

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(1).jpg

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(2).jpg

 

The wheel well floor was then made from plastic card.....

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(3).jpg

 

...and from the underside...

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(4).jpg

 

The wheel tub was then glued into position...

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(5).jpg

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(6).jpg

 

Now for the wheel.

I hate making wheels!...I find it difficult!...I usually make them out of balsa wood and this time it was no exception!...it's my own fault as I haven't invested in a mini lathe....but that is all going to change soon....going to look for one!....meanwhile this wheel was whittled to shape by eye!

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(7).jpg

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(8).jpg

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(9).jpg

 

Time to paint the wheel tub area....

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(10).jpg

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(11).jpg

 

Here is the tail wheel strut...

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(12).jpg

 

Here is the tail wheel assembly fork head attached to the wheel....

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(13).jpg

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(14).jpg

 

The rest of the frame was then made from metal and electrical cables were added from wire...

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(15).jpg

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(16).jpg

 

Here you can see that I have placed the tail wheel onto the tail frame.....

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(17).jpg

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(18).jpg

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(19).jpg

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(20).jpg

 

I then glued the painted tail wheel strut onto the frame.....

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(21).jpg

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(22).jpg

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(23).jpg

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(24).jpg

 

The tail wheel area was in fact covered with a fitted tarpaulin and I thought about leaving it off because it would cover all the detail and at the end of the day this project is all about showing the workings of the B17G ....so I then I had an idea of making a cover and having it pulled back so a mechanic could get at it to inspect!

 

The tarpaulin was made from a painted sheet of tissue paper....the eyelets made from small cuts from a piece of wire insulation and the tie cord was made from thread from the wife's sewing box and threaded by one of her needles....that took some doing I'll tell you!...I broke off the Wheel strut in the process and had to re set it!

Here is the cover......

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(25).jpg

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(26).jpg

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(27).jpg

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(28).jpg

 

TAIL_WHEEL_PART_1_(29).jpg

 

So that is the lower half of the tail wheel area complete.

 

I have started the upper half of this area and it involves the re tractor  motor and gears to bring up the tail wheel....and if I thought that this lower half was difficult I thought wrong!.....but we will leave that till the next post!

 

So until then ...Thanks a lot for looking and following this non stop build!

 

Cheers

 

Fozzy

 

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11 hours ago, cherry268 said:

If  I ever get marooned on an island I hope you are with me as you seem to able to make anything using what I call rubbish

Fantastic model and so interesting

 

So, he's basically the Professor..? Can do one better though, and build a whole plane for you out of bamboo!

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23 hours ago, Thom216 said:

 

 

So, he's basically the Professor..? Can do one better though, and build a whole plane for you out of bamboo!

So do a "work in progress" on it and I'll believe you😀

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