1/48 B-17G - Allied Advance and Defense of the Reich WWII.

[Gnomey]

Good work so far!

 

[Catch22]

Great stuff Don.

 

[Donivanp]

Thanks all for looking in, I'm learning (more doing things I have not done before so this is a really fun build. Frustrating at times but fun all the way. So anywho as I am opening the bomb bay and hatches I figured that I needed to put in the side bomb racks also. The B-17 has four rack in the weapons bay, the center set with the walkway, which is depicted in the kit, and there is a shorter one on each side, not depicted in the kit. I stole the racks from another kit I have (yes Andy I have more then one, at 40% off at Hobby Lobby, I almost always get more then one.) and then I cut off the rails and trimmed the walkway and cut the rack just short of the top hand holds. I then revirsed it (right had goes to the left had side and Visa versa.so that the top of the rack fit just inside the top of the lobe and the bottom of the rack and rails fit at the weapons bay lip.

I've also been getting some of the painting done interior. If I had it to do again, I would build this SOB with maybe some Eduard touch ups. The TD set leaves a lot of kit supplied details out. There are a few things it does supply that help but it's not a lot and I have had to cut parts of the pre molded cockpit such as the ammo box for the Nave/BN station and the bomb door controls to go in the DT set.

But it is moving along and I am happy with how it is going so far.

The bomb bay photos are from Thunderbird at the LSFM (Grey paint) and Collings Foundation's Nine O' Nine.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Airframes]

Good stuff Don.
One point though - have you checked that the kit wing spar 'tabs' will still slot in and hold the wing, without fouling those extra side-wall bomb rack lower cantilever beams ?
You might have to cut away the cross-beam cantilver section, or possibly remove the lower section completely, to allow the wings to fit.
On my model, I scratch-built the vertical sections of the side racks, locating them between the wing slots to clear the wing tabs.

 

[Donivanp]

One point though - have you checked that the kit wing spar 'tabs' will still slot in and hold the wing, without fouling those extra side-wall bomb rack lower cantilever beams ?

Thanks Terry, I thought of that and did trim about an 1/8 inch but not really sure I needed that much. I'll post pictures later.

 

[T Bolt]

You're doing a lot of good work there Don

 

[Donivanp]

Thanks Glenn, Terry and Wurger, I really appreciate the good words. I had been thinking about the wing fit issue for a long time Terry as this was in my mind about 2 years now. Found that the cut was about 1/8" and that leave a little over half the locking caps on the wing. The bomb rack assembly in the kit gives you half with the walkway and the other half without. As the aircraft has the frame work but no walkway on the side racks I needed two of the center bomb racks to do this right. I could have cut a bunch of sprue and done it that way but this was easier and I had the kits so no biggie. Most likely won't one up another bomb bay for a while.

I then cut the bracing from the bottom as it is revirsed from how it has to be in the fuselage half.

Then I cut the rack to the correct height

Trimmed the bracings and removed the actuators and reattached them.

I then trimmed the wing attachment point and installed the bomb rack.

Wings are not glued on yet just for fitting purpose.

Thanks again for checking in.

 

[Wildcat]

Nice work on the interior!

 

[Wurger]

Agreed.

 

[Gnomey]

Nicely done so far!

 

[rochie]

Nifty bit of scratch building Don

 

[Donivanp]

Nifty bit of scratch building Don

I knew had an itch Karl.

Thanks all for the check in.I got the interior installed on the left fuselage and it fitted together to test the fit. Still have quite a bit of work before I can put the halves together. the wings are just fitted on also, not glued.

 

[Airframes]

Looking good Don.

 

[Donivanp]

Thank you Terry, I appreciate it very much.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Donivanp]

Thanks Wurger, love the thumbs up. Well I moved a little paint and pulled out some gun barrels. These will be fun. Each has a two barrels and two sleeves I have six sets so 12 guns can be done. I have eight reson guns from the TD sets. I don't quite know which I like better because the more I go over this kit, in spite of it coming out in 1975 (the year I was a sophomore in high school ) it looks really good. Believe me next one gets some Eduard help and little of that. Should have named this bird "Black Beauty".

One of the problems with Tondalayo is that there are many inconsistencies in the information out there about her. S he is listed as Gloss, semi gloss, and flat black. I my years I would call for semi gloss as the norm for night operations. I am laying down this black now and will follow up with gloss coat and marking then a semi gloss coat after.

Also the markings for the aircraft are of some question. Martin Bowman's "B-17 Groups of the Eighth Air Force", has a profile drawing with just the white diamond on the tail, no "G" in the diamond. The decals show the G. Bowman states the aircraft belonged to the 305th (one of the reasons I wanted to do her is because I served with the 305th from 84-88). Other sources 457th BG. All sources state that she was part of the 406 NLS or BS. The 406th NLS flew from Cheddington, and the 305th flew early from Chelveston and moved to Grafton Underwood later. The 406th was made largely of B-24's and I have only been able to note Tondalayo so far as the lone B-17 much less black B-17. So I shall proceed unless I can find any evidence otherwise, with the 305th tail and wing insignias as the decal set calls out.

Oops looks like I got my G!

 

[Wayne Little]

NICE! doin' a good job man...

 

[Wurger]

Agreed.

 

[Airframes]

Yep, good stuff.