woody37 Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 This was my Christmas present from the missus (thank god I'm through the socks & undies stage of life 😂) . I've been umming and arring about whether to start this or the 1/48 B-24 in the stash, but this has won. I spent an hour or so removing all the little sprue bits that festooned the fuselage parts and have taped the big bits together because I never grew up and just needed to see it so! Glad I did, it looks gorgeous in the flesh. EDIT:I couldn’t sleep tonight so been looking for schemes and decided on The Swoose based in Italy, a nice weathered bird so should have fun on the paint work The real aircraft I have only managed to find two photo's so far, but it has some unusual art work positioning which stood out and an opportunity to practice faded olive drab along with a plash of colour on the rudder. There's a great profile on Mark Stylings website, I hope he is OK with me taking a snippet as I've put a link to the original to respect his copywrite. All I've found out so far is that it was salvaged 16th May 1945, so if anyone can shed any light on it's operational career, I'd be most welcoming of your research. The kit And just look at these instructions, lovely! Cheers Neil 24 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil5208 Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Impressive looking kit, will be watching your progress. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Lovely... I haven’t got this kit yet so instead will enjoy watching you work your magic. As a massive B-17 nut I have the 🍿ready! Tom 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antb Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 It is a lovely kit. I've one in the stash with a load of goodies to go with it but don't want to make a hash of it so nervous about making a start. Be great to follow your progress and see how she comes together 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 And the sacrificial lamb has been led to the- oh sorry, sorry!😁 I also have this kit in the stash and will be pulling up a seat for a look see. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 It was my Christmas present too, “to me from me,” my wife and kids always get a kick out of my yearly gift to myself. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted July 24, 2020 Author Share Posted July 24, 2020 5 hours ago, tomprobert said: Lovely... I haven’t got this kit yet so instead will enjoy watching you work your magic. As a massive B-17 nut I have the 🍿ready! Tom No pressure here with the B17 guru and master modeller watching....gulp! Might need to pick your brains along the way. 4 hours ago, Antb said: It is a lovely kit. I've one in the stash with a load of goodies to go with it but don't want to make a hash of it so nervous about making a start. Be great to follow your progress and see how she comes together Ha ha, I’ve been nervous of starting too! 2 hours ago, Thom216 said: And the sacrificial lamb has been led to the- oh sorry, sorry!😁 I also have this kit in the stash and will be pulling up a seat for a look see. That’s me, someone on here has to go first! Fingers crossed! 16 minutes ago, Scooby said: It was my Christmas present too, “to me from me,” my wife and kids always get a kick out of my yearly gift to myself. Actually it was from me to me too technically. I bought it and she was going to give me the money but we never got to exchanging cash 😂 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cees Broere Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 9 hours ago, tomprobert said: Lovely... I haven’t got this kit yet so instead will enjoy watching you work your magic. As a massive B-17 nut I have the 🍿ready! Tom Tom, As a B-17-nut you would have raced to the shops the very minute this kit was released and got at least two😄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey-1980 Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 Looking forward to seeing your progress with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, woody37 said: Might need to pick your brains along the way. Feel free - I’ve done lots of research on B-17s over the years so will happily chip in if required. What I will say now is do not paint the interior US interior green as most modellers do - B-17s were natural metal throughout their interiors with only the exposed metal on the flight deck being painted Bronze Green. 41 minutes ago, Cees Broere said: Tom, As a B-17-nut you would have raced to the shops the very minute this kit was released and got at least two😄 I did consider it but the version they’ve released is an identical block to the venerable Monogram kit and I’ve got more of those than the 8th Air Force had B-17s. When HK (hopefully) release a later G with staggered waist guns and the Cheyenne tail, the wallet will take a hammering. I’d be keen on an E/F version too... It’ll be great to see a 15th AF machine, Neil - you don’t see these too often and it’ll make a nice change from the more popular 8th AF builds. Edited July 24, 2020 by tomprobert Typos 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichieW Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 Very excited to see this getting built. It's a lovely looking kit. I'm more into WW1 aircraft these days but everybody loves a B17! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted July 24, 2020 Author Share Posted July 24, 2020 8 hours ago, tomprobert said: Feel free - I’ve done lots of research on B-17s over the years so will happily chip in if required. What I will say now is do not paint the interior US interior green as most modellers do - B-17s were natural metal throughout their interiors with only the exposed metal on the flight deck being painted Bronze Green. I did consider it but the version they’ve released is an identical block to the venerable Monogram kit and I’ve got more of those than the 8th Air Force had B-17s. When HK (hopefully) release a later G with staggered waist guns and the Cheyenne tail, the wallet will take a hammering. I’d be keen on an E/F version too... It’ll be great to see a 15th AF machine, Neil - you don’t see these too often and it’ll make a nice change from the more popular 8th AF builds. There were some good schemes that I want to build, but most have the staggered waist guns. I came across a profile of this aircraft and did a search for decals to no avail, however trawling through Hannants, it's listed as 'The Swooze' which explains why it wasn't showing up. I was rather delighted to be able to commit to this scheme, as you say, the 15th often gets overlooked compared to the Eighth. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phildagreek Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 This looks like a beast! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted July 29, 2020 Author Share Posted July 29, 2020 Made a start on the interior paintwork this evening, just the base colours down initially then I'll build up the detail from there. I used MRP black primer and Super Silver. Our young @general melchett recommended them to me but it's the first time I've used the paint and have to say, he's right as usual! There's more bits painted but still on the sprues so haven't been captured here. It's nice to be building a straight forwards kit with plenty of detail included for a change instead of scratch building! 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Quote Our young general melchett recommended them to me but it's the first time I've used the paint and have to say, he's right as usual! Could I please have that last part in triplicate, signed, sealed, stamped and non-negotiable, so I can show the Memsahib just how horribly wrong she is... Lovely work as usual Neil, you'll have a lot of fun with the faded paint job. MRP is perfect for this, look forward to progress. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted July 30, 2020 Author Share Posted July 30, 2020 7 hours ago, general melchett said: Could I please have that last part in triplicate, signed, sealed, stamped and non-negotiable, so I can show the Memsahib just how horribly wrong she is... Lovely work as usual Neil, you'll have a lot of fun with the faded paint job. MRP is perfect for this, look forward to progress. Might need to see what they've got in the range for the outside then, splendid idea young general 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Quote Might need to see what they've got in the range for the outside The outside!, good lord man, it's a weapon of mass destruction,not a ruddy outhouse. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted July 30, 2020 Author Share Posted July 30, 2020 18 minutes ago, general melchett said: The outside!, good lord man, it's a weapon of mass destruction,not a ruddy outhouse. 😂😂😂 That made me chuckle mate, need to catch up some time when we're allowed to play out properly! Tonights mission was making some wood. I'm getting used to playing with these oils now. The base colour is Tamiya XF59 Dessert yellow because that's all I could find that looks right in the box. Klear was sprayed over to give a gloss surface as I find this helps smearing oils across the surface. The wood effect was then burnt umber and yellow oche brushed over and wiped with an ear bud. Quite pleased with how its turned out. Many many years ago, I painted a B-17. not the best looking back on it, but great to be immersed in all things Fortressy at the moment! I still have it under the bed along with my O'level art work! 24 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 'Top wood, woody' right, with that out of the way, lovely effect mate, works really well. Yes, we must get together again once things are a bit easier, (barring a second wave of course)...with Martian coming up and Tony onboard we ought to sort out another visit to Elvington, if possible. Anyway, great stuff, keep at it, you seem to be getting the hang of things now... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 Convincing wood effect, and very nice painting! I still make triangle planes... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAT69 Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 The impression I get from seeing the initial test fit photos is that the kit is almost or perhaps is Tamiya quality regarding parts fit. The paint work, especially the wood grain, is amazing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rakovica Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 Hello, great choice to build a 15th AF machine, just keep it up! 🙂 As about "The Swoose 1944 model" itself, there's a brief story about it in Osprey's "B-17 units of the MTO", in short it was the 463rd BG CO Col. Frank Kurtz's personal plane when the unit first flew from US to Italy in March 1944, and was named after a famous B-17D model that Kurtz flew in Pacific early in the war. Apparently, "The Swoose" rarely flew in combat during Kurtz was in charge, as he was careful not to lose it. He even named his baby daughter Swoosie after the plane's name! It was used more frequently later, when Kurtz was rotated back to US I think. What also may be of interest for your project is that sometime during the autumn 1944 or later "The Swoose" received a replacement left horizontal stabilizer together with elevator, which were left unpainted. There's a clear photo showing this detail on the 463rd BG pictorial CD no.1, however I've lost mine some years ago, so you have to believe me on word or to try to find someone who has that CD. 😉 Good luck! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 On 7/31/2020 at 10:53 AM, general melchett said: 'Top wood, woody' right, with that out of the way, lovely effect mate, works really well. Yes, we must get together again once things are a bit easier, (barring a second wave of course)...with Martian coming up and Tony onboard we ought to sort out another visit to Elvington, if possible. Anyway, great stuff, keep at it, you seem to be getting the hang of things now... Elvington sounds like a splended plan mate, enjoyed the last trp although pity Colin can't make it over. 15 hours ago, SAT69 said: The impression I get from seeing the initial test fit photos is that the kit is almost or perhaps is Tamiya quality regarding parts fit. The paint work, especially the wood grain, is amazing. The kit is very good quality. I haven't built any of the latest Tamiya offerings but certainly as good as other Tamiya kits I've built. Fit appears to be superb. I've just done a dry fit with the internals in place and no issues so far. 5 hours ago, Rakovica said: Hello, great choice to build a 15th AF machine, just keep it up! 🙂 As about "The Swoose 1944 model" itself, there's a brief story about it in Osprey's "B-17 units of the MTO", in short it was the 463rd BG CO Col. Frank Kurtz's personal plane when the unit first flew from US to Italy in March 1944, and was named after a famous B-17D model that Kurtz flew in Pacific early in the war. Apparently, "The Swoose" rarely flew in combat during Kurtz was in charge, as he was careful not to lose it. He even named his baby daughter Swoosie after the plane's name! It was used more frequently later, when Kurtz was rotated back to US I think. What also may be of interest for your project is that sometime during the autumn 1944 or later "The Swoose" received a replacement left horizontal stabilizer together with elevator, which were left unpainted. There's a clear photo showing this detail on the 463rd BG pictorial CD no.1, however I've lost mine some years ago, so you have to believe me on word or to try to find someone who has that CD. 😉 Good luck! Thank you for sharing that A different coloured stabiliser sounds like a nice bit of variety. There is no nose art on the left hand side so it adds some interest too. I haven't come across that photo but do believe you! Thanks Neil 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rakovica Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 (edited) Hi, glad to help. 🙂 Until a better photo appear, here's one of its left side, the second plane in row is almost certainly "The Swoose". Courtesy of Wilbur Wannenburg web page. Edited August 1, 2020 by Rakovica 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rakovica Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 And another one, Col. Frank Kurtz is kneeling in the middle. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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