352nd Fighter Group "Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney" Build

[Vic Balshaw]

This is looking very good H.

 

[B-17engineer]

Thanks Vic and Andy!

I'll have to check some of the dates of this plane about the air take filters. BTW how did you remove the fin fillet?

 

[B-17engineer]

I think I'm gonna leave the armor black and change the headrest to brown. Then paint the well where the joystick and instrument panel attach..ummm

 

[Airframes]

Harrison, have a look at Geedee's thread on his P51 cockpit. It's a 'D', but the layout and colours were basically the same.
The only wooden bit was the floor, which was plywood, sometimes clear laquered, sometimes painted, probably scuffed.
The armour plate behind the seat on the 'D' was the same Interior Green, with the top part, around the head rest, black or very dark grey, with a dark brown leather head rest pad. The seat was normally Olive Drab or Medium Green, although, like Gary's, Interior Green seats were not unknown. Note that Gary's 'pit has yet to have the trim wheel and landing gear lever added to the port side pedestal.

 

[B-17engineer]

Alright Terry! Instead of fixing the cushion I think I'll use the kits seat (instead of painting over)because its actually not very different from resin.

 

[Crimea_River]

. BTW how did you remove the fin fillet?

I used a saw.8)

Seriously, it's quite easy. Once the fuselage halves are glued together, just take a razor saw and cut it off in line with the fin and the fuslegage. Then fill the gaps with putty, sculpt with a file and paper until you get the finished result. The small fin to fuselage fillet is sculpted from putty.

 

[Airframes]

I agree with Andy, but I'd remove the fillet before joining the fuselage halves. That way, you can glue a strip of plastic card inside the fuselage, on one half, and join it to the other half once set (when joining the fuselage). This will provide a base for any filler or putty to sit on, instead of falling inside the small gap left by the removal of the fillet along the fuselage spine, and will be easier to achive the correct shape when sanding.

 

[B-17engineer]

Aye Aye Cap'n

 

[B-17engineer]

Got a new 14 megapixel camera!!! It was my graduation present.

Ok I learned a new skill

With the wood floor to make it look more real, use rust colored paint (Testors 1/4oz. has an enamel rust paint) and going along the wood (Not across, you can see I messed up in my first shot the bottom. But it adds more realism to the wood and the instrument panel is just simply dry brushed. The seat was painted OD but then it'll paint the seatbelt. The armor near the head area is painted black and then the cushion will be painted brown the rest of the armor Interior Green. Also the radio rack was painted and the radios will be next and black. Also to make sure I still know how to get the bare metal finish I sprayed the one wing half I attatched. How does it look?

The other wing I've decided to display the gun bay open (Nice kit feature.) But what color should the bullets be?

Thanks for looking and during the week should have some more progress.

 

[Airframes]

Coming along nicely H. The ammunition itself was brass cartridge cases, with copper coloured bullet heads, although the bullet tips were coloured according to type. But this won't be seen in 1/48th scale. The flexible feed chutes were dull 'silver' bare metal.
The rack for the radio should normally be aluminium, and the fuel tank was normally a dark grey, or Olive Drab.

 

[Lucky13]

Looking great H!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Doing great H, nice camera as well, there'll be no stopping you with pictures now.

 

[B-17engineer]

Okay Terry will change those things! Thanks everyone!

 

[B-17engineer]

Some minor touch ups left....but I think it looks pretty good.

Tailwheel Wojtek...

Just noticed the top of the instrument panels,,,how'd that green get there? Will fix that and paint the back when I come home.

 

[Crimea_River]

Looking good H. Is the inst panel twisted a bit? looks like it in first 2 pics. Should be 90 degrees to axis of the fuselage.

 

[B-17engineer]

Not near the workbench right now, but could be. Shouldn't be hard to correct

 

[B-17engineer]

Ok fixed the control panel, still need to clean the green off.

I painted the interior and wheel bats, added stabilizers...more work tomorrow

 

[Airframes]

Looking good H. Is there a reason you fitted the tailplanes before joining the fuselage halves? It's often better to complete the fuselage, then fit tailplanes (and wings, if two separate pieces), in order to get them aligned square to each other. No problem though, as long as they're equal.

 

[B-17engineer]

Yeah, the kit was open when I bought it and the guy was selling a ton and he said some pieces were missing but he'd take them from other kits. He gave me 2 for the same side so when I fitted it , it wouldn't go in very far. So, I decided to fix it and fit it now.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks H, seems to have worked OK.