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


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3 hours ago, Thom216 said:

 

I think making a trailer for it, would be pretty cool. 

 

Thanks for the idea!....lots of things are running round in my mind at the moment ...so I will have to see!😉

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi there to all!

 

OMG!😮

 

I really can see the finishing post now!...In this last week I have been at this B17  every day trying to move it along!

Of course here in Bulgaria we are experiencing dangerous weather warnings of extreme high temperatures....like most of Europe I guess...most days 42C plus /107F...and so I had to vacate my workshop as it was far too hot in there and move into the bedroom as I have aircon there!...So I had to find an old table and take some tools from my workshop to the house (workshop is in another building from the house) and get on with the job at hand!

The end result being that I have completely finished all the internal detail , joined the top and bottom halves together and managed to skin the entire rear section!....so all in all I am really pleased!

 

Last post had me fitting the waist guns into the perspex windows but the very last detail after 10 years is to make the ammunition belts that feed the guns....so here are a few photos...

 

The ammo belts have to be able to twist and turn from the ammo boxes to the guns so I had to scrap the belt I had previously made as they wouldn't bend without snapping in half!.....so I decided to use slivers of aluminum from a Coca Cola can to make up the shape I needed to go from the ammo boxes to the guns!....you follow me?...probably not!....so here is a photo!......

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING.jpg

 

In this way I have it bent to shape before I super glue all the hundreds of rounds...(cut pieces of wire...took all afternoon!!)

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(1).jpg

 

This next photo shows some of the rounds on the belt.

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(2).jpg

 

All I had to do then was enclose the rounds in the belts using strips of paper which when painted will hopefully look the part!

 

Here you see I have attached the belts to the ammo boxes and to the guns.....starting with the starboard MG

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(3).jpg

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(4).jpg

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(5).jpg

 

 Here is the port MG

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(6).jpg

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(7).jpg

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(8).jpg

 

....and a couple of shots looking at both Waist guns from the rear....

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(9).jpg

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(10).jpg

 

 

Now came the part that I had been dreading for months and months and that was gluing the top and bottom halves together!

It had to be a strong setting glue that would be permanent and since the fuselage is constructed out of balsa wood I thought wood glue was the way to go....nope!...it's no good.....it will have to be super glue!....but I had to work fast and be accurate as if it didn't line up it would be impossible to take it apart without destroying the fuselage!.....so working from the rear to the front I super glued a few inches at a time....remembering to make sure all the internal detail was in line from the top to the bottom!

Finally after a few  nerve racking minutes it was complete!....all lined up and secure!...

That for me was a huge worrying part of this build.....it was as well  for the front section ,Bomb bay ,radio room!...still all done now!

 

Skinning!.......I kind of enjoy it!....very slow process but if I can get it right then worth the effort!

First of all I had to mark the entire fuselage  with a marker of where all the rivet lines go....that took a day!....and then all the separate panels had to be cut out of a sticky back aluminum sheet used on real aircraft kindly donated by my good modelling friend Finn and marked up for rivets and then placed onto the fuselage.....here are a couple of photos I took during the process...

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(11).jpg

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(12).jpg

 

So here we have in the next batch of photos the fuselage all skinned.

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(13).jpg

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(14).jpg

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(15).jpg

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(16).jpg

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(17).jpg

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(18).jpg

 

AMMO_BELTS_AND_SKINNING_(19).jpg

 

To finish off the rear section , all I have to do now is spray some markings including the USAF insignias.....and that will be that!

 

Of course  I say that will be that but then its buckle down to the display ideas I'm thinking of...which will involve more scratch building!

 

So until then....I will see you all on the next post  when she's all marked up and sprayed!

 

Cheers for looking in

 

Fozzy

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Fozzy, I love those ammo belts. Very realistic indeed! The skinning looks great too.

As for your hot weather, We've got plenty of rain we could pass over in exchange.

BTW, I was delivering beer to the Masons Arms in Doncaster market on Friday!

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14 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

Fozzy, I love those ammo belts. Very realistic indeed! The skinning looks great too.

As for your hot weather, We've got plenty of rain we could pass over in exchange.

BTW, I was delivering beer to the Masons Arms in Doncaster market on Friday!

 

I do hope you weren't drinking and driving Pete!😮

 

11 hours ago, brianthemodeller said:

That is just stunning. It has been an honour and a privilege to watch this build take shape. 

 

Thanks Brian ...and thanks for all the encouragement you gave me to make the wings etc!🙄😉

 

40 minutes ago, Herrick said:

I’ve only just seen this thread and I have to say that this is a work of art! I am in awe.

 

 

Cheers mate!🙂

 

32 minutes ago, perdu said:

Just exquisite Fozzy, thanks for sharing the endeavour with us.

 

From back then 'til now it's just been a delight and a pleasure, cheers mate.

 

Thanks Bill....you know that you haven't got rid of me yet?....there's the doors to make!...not to mention the display set!😉

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi there

 

This post will be all about painting and adding the markings to the rear of this fuselage. I thought that this would be the last post before i actually finish all the work on the fuselage but then I remembered that I had to make the rear crew door!

 

I have made the rear gunners door that I will show you now. Because the door is the shape of the fuselage I had to use the bulk head formers as a template to get the shape right. I made it from plastic card and here is the inside of the door...

 

PAINTING_AND_MARKINGS.jpg

 

The out side was then covered in a sheet of aluminum and a handle was made from a piece of sanded plastic sprue...

 

PAINTING_AND_MARKINGS_(1).jpg

 

Then I painted the inside of the door with interior green....

 

PAINTING_AND_MARKINGS_(2).jpg

 

PAINTING_AND_MARKINGS_(3).jpg

 

I made a couple of hinges from plastic, (covered in pieces of aluminum from a Coca Cola can to strengthen them)... and then dry fitted the completed door to the fuselage.

 

PAINTING_AND_MARKINGS_(4).jpg

 

PAINTING_AND_MARKINGS_(5).jpg

 

Its now time to paint the markings on the fuselage but first I had to mask up the areas I didn't want the airbrush to cover....for some reason I hate this job of masking ....you miss a bit and the blasted spray gets it!!

 

PAINTING_AND_MARKINGS_(6).jpg

 

Before I fired up my Paasche....I spent a LOT of time marking out the USAF Insignia I needed for both sides of the fuselage. This wasn't as easy as I thought as not only did I have to get the scale correct but actually drawing out the insignia meant I had to dabble into geometry....which I totally ignored in my schooling years!....72 degrees spacing for each star point ...the bars are the radius x a half.... etc etc...luckily I found a great little page on the internet explaining how to actually draw the Insignia!

I drew the insignia onto some sticky back silver paper I have...which if all goes well I can literally just place them on the fuselage!  After drawing another extra insignia , I cut out the star and the bars.....sprayed the original white and then replaced the star and bars over the white as a mask for the dark blue paint!.....did you get all that??? !!!

 

PAINTING_AND_MARKINGS_(7).jpg

 

So first off....here are the green bands I sprayed that are on "Fuddy Duddy"...

 

PAINTING_AND_MARKINGS_(8).jpg

 

....and here is the USAF insignia on the starboard side....I have to say I am pleased in how they have turned out!....

 

PAINTING_AND_MARKINGS_(9).jpg

 

The next 6 photos show the overall completed paint scheme for the rear of this B17...

 

PAINTING_AND_MARKINGS_(10).jpg

 

PAINTING_AND_MARKINGS_(11).jpg

 

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PAINTING_AND_MARKINGS_(13).jpg

 

PAINTING_AND_MARKINGS_(14).jpg

 

 

PAINTING_AND_MARKINGS_(15).jpg

 

It seems such a long time ago that I had the tail wheel in place!... The reason it isn't fixed at the moment is the fact that this whole model has to be transported to USA at some point and the less sticky out bits for packing the better!!...but as a reminder for myself and you guys...here it is....

 

PAINTING_AND_MARKINGS_(16).jpg

 

PAINTING_AND_MARKINGS_(17).jpg

 

Well that's it for this week!

 

Next week some time will be the final post of this rear section showing the rear crew door that I have yet to build and a good few photos of the rear section completed!

 

Until then ....take care and thanks for looking in!

 

Cheers

 

Fozzy

 

 

 

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More terrific work, I know it's only a tiny little detail among many thousands but I love that tiny little sprue door handle. It's looking resplendent in its markings! Is it being shipped to the USA for display when finished? 

 

Richie

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38 minutes ago, RichieW said:

More terrific work, I know it's only a tiny little detail among many thousands but I love that tiny little sprue door handle. It's looking resplendent in its markings! Is it being shipped to the USA for display when finished? 

 

Richie

 

Thanks Richie!🙂....yes its off to California to go into this museum.......

 

http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com

 

Cheers!

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8 minutes ago, Fozzy said:

 

Thanks Richie!🙂....yes its off to California to go into this museum.......

 

http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com

 

Cheers!

Brilliant news! I hope they send pictures of it on display so you can include them in the RFI post.

 

I can truly appreciate the skill and patience that have gone into this. I made a start on what was to be a no aftermarket scratchbuild but had engine trouble! 

 

Richie

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9 hours ago, RichieW said:

Brilliant news! I hope they send pictures of it on display so you can include them in the RFI post.

 

I can truly appreciate the skill and patience that have gone into this. I made a start on what was to be a no aftermarket scratchbuild but had engine trouble! 

 

Richie

 

Hi Richie...cheers...but I personally  thought you were going great guns with your engine!....keep at it mate!😉

 

1 hour ago, brianthemodeller said:

I am so chuffed that this will be in display in a museum. It’s just a shame we won’t get to see it at SMW before it goes. Reckon it gives me an excuse to travel to the States, though…

 

 Thanks Brian...I would like to display it in UK but traveling with it is a logistical nightmare!🙄...timing as well!...me being here in Bulgaria...shame as I am close to Telford as my Mum lives in Stafford!

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Hi guys

 

Just a quick post showing the very last detail that I shall be doing on this B17.

 

Of course they is still a lot more thought and scratch building to be done to finally display the model but I am going to take a bit of time out whilst I think about it!

I have made a decision about the two halves of the fuselage (front section and rear section). Right from the start of this project it was important for me to show all the interior detail and the actual outer fuselage came second in the importance of this project and so to that end the two sections will be apart. I am thinking of a gap about 8 inches between the front and the rear.This will allow you peer down into the fuselage as well as seeing the detail from the missing panels in the top. I am also steering towards actually keeping the ball turret displayed on a little stand in the 8 inch gap between the two halves......I know it sounds crazy but I am also thinking of taking out the ball turret hanging frame which holds the ammo chutes from the fuselage and attaching it to the top of the turret as a complete unit.  I have seen a photo of this of a turret from a B24 and I think it might work for my display but as I said I am going to take time out and think about it!

 

In the mean time here is the last of the detail which I will do on the actual fuselage.... and that is the rear crew door.

Made in the same way I built the tail turret door....here it is before painting...

 

REAR_CREW_DOOR.jpg

 

REAR_CREW_DOOR_(1).jpg

 

...and here it is painted....

 

REAR_CREW_DOOR_(2).jpg

 

REAR_CREW_DOOR_(3).jpg

 

REAR_CREW_DOOR_(4).jpg

 

....here's a couple of photos of the door attached to the fuselage...

 

REAR_CREW_DOOR_(5).jpg

 

REAR_CREW_DOOR_(6).jpg

 

So that's all the internal and external scratch building done for this B17G.

 

Of course you won't get rid of me that easy after these past 10 years!😉......I am going to try to photo the 2 fuselage sections before starting on the display work ,so I will be back soon!

 

Cheers as always for looking in and see you on the next post!

 

Fozzy

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