Snafu35's Kuta: This is the end.

[Snafu35]

Hello,

 

first of all, the justification !

I had started to build a 1/72 Airfix B17G in parallel with a Revell model.

Here you can see it:

The search for details may have dulled my mojo, yet I'm a bit of a fan of this plane, with the aim of building all the models that are sleeping in my stock (...a lot, that's true! ) 

I'll give less detail on the interior in the next few, especially as you can't see much when the fuselage is closed (familiar refrain).

But I want to finish it!

 

Here is the construction now:

 

I can say that the main part is done, I even riveted the bird:

 

One of the reasons I stopped the project was a deep reflection on the presence of the Mickey radar in the Airfix box:

 

What if I built a Mickey Mouse ship?

I mainly decorate my B17s with 91BG colours; I did some research and found out that a 91BG B17G was a mickey ship.

But I already did it, without the radar (I didn't know at the time!) 

(Tennessee Tess, radio call sign 44-8357, B17G-70-VE)

 

Otherwise, I have a lot of decos with pin up for B17G of 91eBG with cheyenne turret 😍

 

PS: for VP, I have the decos for the fox and Happy Bottom from 381st.

 

A little kick to help me?

 

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

 

 

Edited January 5, 2023 by Snafu35
change title

[vppelt68]

Thanks Eric, but I have the decals for The Fox and Gladass Happy Bottom too 🙂. But, the 91st had several staggered waist, Cheyenne tail Pathfinders. Do you need help choosing one? V-P

 

[Snafu35]

Hello VP,

 

Oh yes, with pleasure!

I often leaf through Ray Bowden's book Plane, names and fancy noses, but I havenot read it all.

Also Roger A. Freeman's glossary is a bit heavy to read from cover to cover, and it does not mention the B17 Mickey ships.
Any help is welcome.😃

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

[Adm Lord De Univers]

That detailing is insanely good, almost a shame to seal her up, but more of a shame if you don't finish it. Kick delivered.

 

David

[vppelt68]

That Bowden's book is a treasure and you can find one in my bookshelf too! Here's one for you, although I'm not sure about the tail position, but as a G-50-VE she had all the other proper qualities:

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/aircraft/44-8135

Then of course there's Klette's Wild Hares...

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/aircraft/44-8588

Someone even has a decal set for it. V-P

[Snafu35]

Good morning,

 

So I am an incorrigible person!      :

 

 

I found in my jumble of models another box of B17;

 

it was given to me this year, and the model was started.

 

I engraved the Hasegawa plastic (which is very hard and tiring to engrave), and passed Rosie the Riveter.

 

The Cheyenne turret of the Hasegawa model has always seemed a bit puny and simplistic to me, so I've just replaced it with a turret offered by Académy.

 

I have finished the preparation work, and the construction of the two models should go quickly now. 

 

Especially since I now have -unfortunately or fortunately? - a little more free time... 

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

[Snafu35]

Hello, once again.

 

The B17 Hasegawa is well on its way.
I did the minimum inside, closed the fuselage and assembled the wings:

 

I am going to change the wheels of the hasegawa kit by personal resin prints of the Revell model wheels:

I use Gunze 62 to paint the legs and struts of the undercarriage, as these parts were factory painted by the subcontractor. 

 

to be continued,

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

 

 

[Adm Lord De Univers]

Maybe I should show my partner this thread next time she claims I have too big a stash..."but dear, I haven't found a 1/72 B-17 yet." Yup, definitely ought to work...

 

Anyway, looking real nice Eric and glad to see you did the minimum inside on the second one, but also thank you for showing the detailing of these monsters on the first, I recently bought a 1/144 version and will be needing these pics to pull any interior details from (at the moment, theres nothing)!

 

If you have more photos of the innards I would love to see them (I'm sure others would also like to see what appears to be some excellent work done inside). Secondly, any thoughts on panel lining and riveting a 1/144 version?

 

 

David

[Snafu35]

Hello David/Admiral,

 

Thank you for your interest.

I'm doing the minimum in B17 Hasegawa, as I wouldn't have enough time in my life to build the flying fortresses that are in my stock! 
To think that I used to make scratchbuilt interiors before the Airfix and Revell models appeared! 
And I keep all the boxes I have (I can't count anymore, I got four this year!)   

Wait, they were offered to me!    

 

If I were you, I would skip the engraving and riveting of a 1/144 model.
Well, that is my opinion!  

 

The B17 Hasegawa is ready to be painted:

I have already daubed the left wing with different shades of aluminium.

I am going to paint a B17 for the first time in subsets.

 

I do not have much to search for inside the B17 Airfix, as everything is in the box.
Here is a picture of two models with the finished interior:

The model in the foreground is Revell's version, it is finished.

 

You can find detailed photos of my constructions here:

and the finale here:

Maybe I should have started a 1/144 collection...  

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

[Adm Lord De Univers]

2 hours ago, Snafu35 said:

Well, that is my opinion!  

An opinion I hold in high regard, especially as you appear to be King of the B-17, and myself by comparison a lowly Lord...I'm guessing BMF would be overkill too?

 

And thank you for this little treasure trove, they look absolutely amazing. I will save these and review at length for later.

 

I wouldn't advise a 1/144 collection as I think you'd end up with double the number of kits - if not more (can get more shelves in if they're shorter)! 🤣

 

 

David

[Snafu35]

My dear David (or should I say Sir for your honorary rank?), I would be quite pretentious to say that you are right in asserting my quality of B17 king. Let's rather say that I control my madness by adoring this four-engined aircraft...

 

My wife is currently at her mother's, so I escaped Christmas shopping today, and played with my airbrush all afternoon.

I have finished for today:

 

Let us take a closer look:

 

Shall I tell you how I did it?

 

 

Okay, don't panic. 

 

I highlighted the engravings with the olive drab 78 Gunze.
I then pencilled in light veils with olive drab faded 304 Gunze.
Then I passed veils of this 304 with added brown 7 Gunze to cook the olive green.
I did veils of 304 mixed with sand yellow 79 Gunze, stuff like that. 

The hot air coming out of the heat exchangers on the extrados degrades the paint, I added gray FS36622 Gunze 311.
The heat from the engines also bakes the paint on the engine nacelles. I passed the Gunze 79 yellow Sandy veils, then I added dark earth Gunze 72, black. 
All in all this is quite a kitchen, and I do not think I am done yet.
What I like about this technique is that the paint is applied in successive layers, I load the paint on the areas as I want to give depth or lightness. 

 

To accentuate the patchwork look on this flying fortress, I painted the fin panel Gunze 302 green, as this fin was usually built by a subcontractor and the shade used could differ from olive green. 
 

 

You can see the highlighting that I did with olive green 78 Gunze.
I am decorating this Hasegawa model with a decoration proposed by Airfix.
Okay, it would not be a pin up of the 91st BG, but this one will look good with its aluminium wing.

 

 

PS: I collect model bombers for the pin ups, that's the reason for my attraction to this flying machine!  

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

 

[Snafu35]

Hello all,

 

The Flyin' Fort is ready for decalling, now:

 

I spent some time improving some points, like the gradient between the green and the grey with the airbrush:

 

The delimitation was done without a mask at the factory, and I try to reproduce this detail on all my models.

It is not necessarily easy, but with the right dilution, a little pressure and a proper nozzle, it is done.

 

I also did a trompe l'oeil painting to accentuate the relief of the spoilers:

Masking took me longer than draining a glass of good whisky...

 

By the way, I might let myself be influenced, as I have other models in progress, like many on this GB.
So I am stuck on this Buffalo Tamiya in 1/48th:

I had done a brown pre-shading before applying thin layers of yellow, but perhaps I should re-shade the yellow as the contrast is too noticeable (even though you can't see much in the photo).

I started the construction eight or nine months ago. That's a long time!

 

To be continued

 

Eric-Snafu35

[Adm Lord De Univers]

2 hours ago, Snafu35 said:

Masking took me longer than draining a glass of good whisky...

The outcome is so good you should probably have a celebratory whisky! If it floats your boat, I recommend Ardbeg's Uigeadail...like drinking liquid smoke it is.

 

Any other models to add onto this burgeoning thread? Three is such a small number...and they're almost all complete!

 

David

[Snafu35]

Could you help me, please?

 

I painted the left wing of the B17 as recommended in the Airfix manual.

I assume that the brand's proposal is certainly backed up by a photo.  

I remember reading about this decoration on this excellent website Britmodeller.

And then I found this photo, which was posted by one of the followers of this temple of perdition that is Britmodeller:

Oh oooh, I don't see an aluminium wing, but the reflection of the light on the satin paint. Also the left engine nacelles look camouflaged...  

 

Would you keep the artistic licence of the shiny aluminium, or would you reproduce the photo?

 

Thanks for watching.

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

 

 

 

 

 

[vppelt68]

She had a complete replacement wing after combat (flak?) damage. I believe you can decorate her fully or partially camouflaged, depending on the date depicted. V-P

[Snafu35]

Hello,

 

I made an important decision this morning. In addition to brushing my teeth, I decided not to install the aluminium wing on this B17 Thundermug.

Why?

Perhaps because this decoration popularised by Airfix would be quite common.

 

So I decided to take a wing from another Hasegawa kit and paint it Olive Drab. I have almost finished the engraving and riveting:

I must add that few B17Gs with Cheyenne turrets were painted in olive drab. That is a good reason to keep this decoration, isn't it?

The problem now is that I have three B17s in the works...    
Unless I keep the third one for the next Kuta...

 

Well, I'm hot to build them, I do not have to slow down the pace.

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

[Adm Lord De Univers]

2 hours ago, Snafu35 said:

The problem now is that I have three B17s in the works...    

[Snafu35]

Hello, young men.

 

I think I can finish the first B17 Hasegawa tomorrow. Here is the work done tonight: 

Redoing a wing was a bit of a walk in the park. 

 

Of course, I remain equal to myself, and that is why I choose the nickname: Situation Normale, All Fudged Up!

I used a little too much liquid glue to assemble the stabilizers, and I can now customize my B17 with a nice fingerprint. 
So back to the paint shop...

 

See you tomorow?

 

Regards, 

Eric-Snafu35

 

Edited December 7, 2022 by Mike
We're a no swearing board, so I've altered your F* bomb accordingly. Please remember not to swear when you're on Britmodeller.

[Adm Lord De Univers]

Oh fudge! There's a definite plus side of doing ships really. Sausage fingers mangling railing? Battle damage. Poor at painting a deck, spilt a bit of glue? Shove a sailor on it, a box, hell, even a cat. Fingerprint the hull? Add wave.

 

David

 

Ps. She's looking great though! I probably wouldn't have spotted this if not pointed out mind.

[Snafu35]

Hello all,

 

I fixed my mistake, and without swearing (sorry, Mike, I'll be careful from now on)

I used the Tamiya smoke to make marks, they are clearly visible because the paint is glossy. But I will apply a veil of matte varnish at the end.

 

My wife had suggested that I do some combat damage to cover up my foolishness. But damage is more like this, isn't it?:

 

I will now make a first, and represent the oil drips on the extrados by drawing oil paint with a cotton swab.

Wish me luck... 

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

[Roberto]

Nice work 👍

[vppelt68]

The in my opinion ultimate combat damage was found in 42-97174 Joanne... Pilots brought her back to Ridgewell using the elevator and rudder trim only, as they were metal covered and weren't burned off when the plane flew through two exploding Forts having a mid-air collision. Better pics can be found in Ron Mackay's "bigger" 381st BG book Ridgewell's Flying Fortresses. Go 1st CBW 👍

https://b17flyingfortress.de/en/b17/42-97174-joanne/

[Snafu35]

Hello,

 

The first B17 is done:

 

 

So I replaced the Cheyenne turret proposed by Hasegawa with the one supplied by Academy. I find the latter more compliant.

 

 

I like situation scenarios!:

 

My fleet of flying fortresses is growing:

 

I am working on the next one now, which is already well underway.

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

[Mjwomack]

Congratulations and maximum respect for being first to the gallery- proof to the rest of us that it can be done. I always feel the pressure (a bit like an England penalty taker (too soon?)) when someone gets into the KUTA gallery.

for along time, my nearest former B17 base was Horham which had been home to the 95th BG which was proud to be the first to Berlin in daylight, but first to the KUTA gallery has really got to be worth a citation!!!

[Adm Lord De Univers]

Too soon @Mjwomack, too soon.😅

 

But what a build, that'll be one tough act to follow!

 

David