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- #21
1/72 ProModeller B-17G "2nd Patches"
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SANCER
Senior Master Sergeant
... I keep taking notes 
Crimea_River
Marshal
Good stuff Chad. Hope the nose blister is nice and clear.
at6
1st Sergeant
Great work there. I was unaware the there was a Promodeler B-17 in 1/72. I have the B-24D in 1/48 still waiting to be built. When you finish it looks like it will be beautiful.
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Nice work, and great that you got the extra information too.
Nice work so far!
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- #27
SANCER
Keep taking notes buddy, glad I can be an inspiration!
Crimea_River
The squadron vac form parts are plenty clear, just hope I can make them fit as they are for the Hasegawa kit.
A at6
I sure hope it comes out alright. Revell of Germany released their B-17G kit in 2010 and Revell-Monogram reboxed it in the US under their Promodeller label in 2011. It is the same kit except it is molded in light grey versus RoG's silver-grey, which I prefer. Also, the Promodeller boxing offers three marking option as opposed to just two by RoG. Also, it was about half the price, the main reason I picked it up back then after reading positive reviews about the original kit. There are some shape errors and some of them I will address as I continue my build, but others, like the main wing chord being a scale six inches too thick, are just something I will have to live with. It will still look very much like a B-17 despite the discrepancies.
Airframes
Thanks, and yes, it certainly was a nice gift.
Gnomey
Thank you sir!
turbo
Staff Sergeant
That info you got is great Chad! And good progress on the model too
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- #29
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- #30
I realized that the waist gunner stations on this aircraft were staggered. The kit has no option for this, so surgery was necessary.
I measured the length of the window and marked off the new position. I scribed lines using my scriber and dymo tape as a guide.
I cut out the piece with a fine razor saw and moved it back the desired location. I glued it in place with tamiya extra thin and strips of styrene to fill the gaps. Unfortunately, I didn't measure correctly and only realized after the fact that the window still needed to be further forward.
Repeat the process and arrive at the desired result. I could have saved myself some work if I had only looked closer at my references. Oh well, its done now. I filled the gaps with stretched sprue and TET so that hopefully only a minimum of filler will be needed once sanded down. Now I just need to find some good references for the panel lines on this side of the fuselage so I know what to fill and where to scribe. Anyone have such a thing you wouldn't mind sharing?
Since I am detailing the nose, which the kit is pretty bare as far as detail, I was wondering how best to replicate the flexible 50 cal. Belt carriers. I tried using boiling water, and an open flame to bend styrene stock to shape. No dice. The water method couldn't get the styrene hot enough to bend smooth sharp curves and the flame method was too uncontrollable. Several ideas crossed my mind from CA soaked paper to zip ties. Neither seemed promising. So, I did what any modeller would do in this situation. I went to the craft store.
In the jewelry department I found this set of necklace chains for about $4 USD, a little less with the coupon I had.
Of the three styles in the pack this is the one I was after. Dimension-wise it is not perfect, being a little oversized, but damned close enough. It measures approx 2mm wide by approx 1mm deep. It is over by about .5mm in both areas, but I don't think I can get closer than this for off the shelf and at that price.
This what it looks like painted up. I painted the original gold edges with gloss black so that the chain was now all black. Next I painted the center section gold. Then I drybrushed everything chrome silver except for the center that I had painted gold. Not too bad I think.
Here is a comparison with one of the kit guns. I think it will do.
That's it for now, working on some other parts of this beast and will have updates on that soon. Thanks for looking in!
Chad
I measured the length of the window and marked off the new position. I scribed lines using my scriber and dymo tape as a guide.
I cut out the piece with a fine razor saw and moved it back the desired location. I glued it in place with tamiya extra thin and strips of styrene to fill the gaps. Unfortunately, I didn't measure correctly and only realized after the fact that the window still needed to be further forward.
Repeat the process and arrive at the desired result. I could have saved myself some work if I had only looked closer at my references. Oh well, its done now. I filled the gaps with stretched sprue and TET so that hopefully only a minimum of filler will be needed once sanded down. Now I just need to find some good references for the panel lines on this side of the fuselage so I know what to fill and where to scribe. Anyone have such a thing you wouldn't mind sharing?
Since I am detailing the nose, which the kit is pretty bare as far as detail, I was wondering how best to replicate the flexible 50 cal. Belt carriers. I tried using boiling water, and an open flame to bend styrene stock to shape. No dice. The water method couldn't get the styrene hot enough to bend smooth sharp curves and the flame method was too uncontrollable. Several ideas crossed my mind from CA soaked paper to zip ties. Neither seemed promising. So, I did what any modeller would do in this situation. I went to the craft store.
In the jewelry department I found this set of necklace chains for about $4 USD, a little less with the coupon I had.
Of the three styles in the pack this is the one I was after. Dimension-wise it is not perfect, being a little oversized, but damned close enough. It measures approx 2mm wide by approx 1mm deep. It is over by about .5mm in both areas, but I don't think I can get closer than this for off the shelf and at that price.
This what it looks like painted up. I painted the original gold edges with gloss black so that the chain was now all black. Next I painted the center section gold. Then I drybrushed everything chrome silver except for the center that I had painted gold. Not too bad I think.
Here is a comparison with one of the kit guns. I think it will do.
That's it for now, working on some other parts of this beast and will have updates on that soon. Thanks for looking in!
Chad
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JKim
Senior Master Sergeant
Like the improve use of the craft store chain! Bonus points for using a discount code!
fubar57
General
PM sent Chad
- Thread starter
- #33
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Nice work Chad.
I had to stagger the waist windows on the Monogram 1/48th scale kit 20 odd years ago, and used a similar method.
Regarding the panel lines, I think I'd fill them in, as they look rather over scale. The pic below might help.
Good solution for the ammo flexi-feeds - I often use lead foil, folded to the required width and thickness, then run the milled edge of a coin along the length, to create the impression of the feed and rounds. Once painted, they look fine in 1/72nd and 1/48th scales, although now there are PE parts for these.
I had to stagger the waist windows on the Monogram 1/48th scale kit 20 odd years ago, and used a similar method.
Regarding the panel lines, I think I'd fill them in, as they look rather over scale. The pic below might help.
Good solution for the ammo flexi-feeds - I often use lead foil, folded to the required width and thickness, then run the milled edge of a coin along the length, to create the impression of the feed and rounds. Once painted, they look fine in 1/72nd and 1/48th scales, although now there are PE parts for these.
Crimea_River
Marshal
Very innovative Chad.
turbo
Staff Sergeant
Nice thinking. Hope your missus doesn't ask why you've been using coupons to buy necklaces...
SANCER
Senior Master Sergeant
Very good solution Chad. Is not it possible to "flatten" that chain a bit? Carefully using a hammer or clamp? IMHO.
I used the technique that Terry mentioned, in my 1/48 Liberator.
Bien hecho y saludos
I used the technique that Terry mentioned, in my 1/48 Liberator.
Bien hecho y saludos
Looks good so far!
- Thread starter
- #39
Airframes
Thanks for the pic, very useful! Your input is always welcomed and appreciated. As far as the panel lines, they are out of scale for 1/72. I'm just not feeling motivated enough to rework/fill all the lines on the kit though.
I do plan to fill some that are represented by lines that really should just be a row of rivets. The engine cowlings especially will be addressed as I find them a little silly looking with big prominent lines on them. I'm tempted to try the foil method you mention, but for now I think I'm gonna stick with the chain unless it gives me too much trouble later on.
Crimea_River
Thanks! I have weird ideas sometimes.
turbo
Ha! Luckily she was with me on that particular trip, it was her coupon I used.
I count myself lucky to have a creative/artsy gal, so strange items to be repurposed for another use is not uncommon for us.
SANCER
I read through your b-24 thread a while back and revisited it again when you mentioned your foil belts. They came out really nice and I may try it myself some time.
I did test flattening the chain and the results were not good. The width became too wide as expected, but more so the links became distorted and started falling apart. Oh well, was worth a try.
Also, the chain is the exact same size as the kit representations for the waist gun positions, so other than being a hair over scale, the added detail is still an improvement over stock items that have no molded detail. I will show a comparison later in the build.
Gnomey
Thanks!
So, I have been scratching some more items, pics will follow in another post shortly. Most of my modelling time has been taken up by research, some of which has paid off and raising questions in other areas. Most of the problems arise from not enough wartime photos versus not always accurate contemporary restored aircraft. So, I defer to you my knowledgeable friends to help set me straight. My questions are as follows.
1. What is the proper lay out for the plywood floor throughout the aircraft?
2. The crew stations in the nose, cockpit and radio room had sound proofing. I have read that most of this was later removed in the nose and radio room, but remained in place in the cockpit. Where would this sound proofing that was left in place be located? Also, was this a smooth canvas texture or a diamond quilted pattern?
3. My aircraft is a Douglas built Block 30 aircraft, one of the last twelve of Block 30 to be exact. I have read Dana Bell's article several times on the IPMS website and he suggests that some aircraft could have had interior green bulkheads (maybe metal floor areas too?) as opposed to the dark dull green that was specified at the time. Do any of you know when (year, month) block 30 aircraft were assembled at the Douglas plant and what colors were being used there at that time? This one may be a long shot, but figured I'd ask just in case someone does know.
4. The Bombay was finished in aluminum lacquer, does this include the three airframe girders that ran the length of the Bombay, or would they have been primered or painted? I know the bomb racks themselves were left natural aluminum.
Thanks for any help in advance. I know it is a pretty tall order to ask, but you guys are the best to turn to in such matters.
Updates soon.
Chad
SANCER
Senior Master Sergeant
These are very interesting questions, I declare myself ignorant , but I'm sure more than a friend here, will help us learn more about "La Fortaleza Voladora" (it's my favorite bomber), so I'll keep an eye on the comments.
Saludos and thanks for your comment
, but I'm sure more than a friend here, will help us learn more about "La Fortaleza Voladora" (it's my favorite bomber), so I'll keep an eye on the comments.Saludos and thanks for your comment
