B-17 G 1:48 scale, 351st Bomb Group, 510th Squadron, AC# 43-37862, Fearless Fosdick

[Airframes]

Nicely done.
From what I remember of the kit parts (it's nearly 30 years since I built this kit ), the gun receivers had the frame and recoil buffer tube mounts "moulded in". I replaced these on my model with thin plastic card and either stretched sprue or fine plastic rod. These were normally painted mid silver-grey or Interior Green.

EDIT : forgot to add the pics, now done.

 

[SaparotRob]

Incredible. Really nice.

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

Thanks Terry, that's detail I couldn't find and had to improvise with my knowledge of the gun. I use to work on these guns when I was in the Army. The blueing on our guns was a gray color as you mentioned. Other photos I've found show the gun black like as you posted. I do see that I need to alter it a bit.

 

[Airframes]

The gun itself was black during WW2 - the silver-grey I referred to is the tubular mounts and rear bracket.
The black colour on the cooling jacket often took on a brownish tinge, and I normally paint mine a very, very dark brown to replicate this.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Gnomey]

Nice work so far!

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

I have basically finished the radio room. I'm still working on the camera, based on a drawing I've found, and the 50 cal gun I'll add later to prevent damage. I did make the brass extinguisher and mount it on a bulkhead. I also added cables, ammo box, and seat belt.

Thanks for following.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Airframes]

Looking good with each stage.

 

[Snautzer01]

Agree with above

 

[roman64krawczyk]

Good job. Keep it up.

 

[Gnomey]

Lovely work so far!

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

By the way, here is a little insight into the engineering compartment / radio room machine gun. First the mount.
I found this on "legendsintheirowntime.com" The rack the gun was mounted on was called the "Bell Machinegun Adapter"

From the website:
Kept under cover by censorship until recently, the gun recoil damping device pictured here has been produced in large quantities by Bell Aircraft. It has been used as almost standard equipment on all types of bombers, both British and American.
Consisting of a lightweight cradle of two steel tubes incorporated with hydraulic absorption units, it attaches to the gun very quickly by means of two bolts, meanwhile adding less than an inch to over-all dimensions of the gun and only three pounds to the weight. It is now termed indispensable to accurate fire, and it saves much of the gun mount's structural weight which was formerly necessary to take recoil forces.
After the first of these .50-cal adapters were put into successful operation, a .30-cal mount followed in which the absorption unit consisted of air cushion, springs, and friction disks in place of hydraulic dampers. At present, twin gun mounts for both .30- and .50-cal weapons are being built in addition to single gun units. It is interesting to note that the present .50-cal adapter goes back to experiments conducted with this machine gun on the Bell Airacuda. The first mount consisted of a steel tube frame connected to two automobile shock absorbers, which were attached to the gun. It worked so well that it served as a basis for the present design, which is very similar in principle.
The device is used on Liberators, Fortresses, Mitchells, Marauders, Navy dive bombers and torpedo planes, and Martin and Consolidated patrol bombers, as well as on British aircraft and on PT boats. The number required has necessitated formation of a separate ordnance division within the Bell company.

This news clip was originally published in the August, 1943, issue of Aviation magazine, vol 42, no 8, pp 178, 181.​

The other thing I found out was that the actual gun mount came in three different designs. The first one looked like a hula-hoop that was mounted on a track which allowed it to be housed above the aft end of the bomb bay area and was used on F and early G models.

Then came the half a hoop mount that was also mounted on a track that allowed the gun to be moved into the compartment above the bomb bay. Also found on G models as I understand it.

Finally there came the mount that was used on G models which were incorporated on the Cheyenne modified bombers which, fortunately for me, was what the bomber I'm working on had.

I tell you what, it wasn't easy finding this picture.

Thanks for following.

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

I've been out recovering from surgery and found some time to continue. Worked on the wings and engines. Not much time to explain at the moment so I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Thanks for following.

 

[Wurger]

 

[fubar57]

Looking good. I hope all went well and have a speedy recovery

 

[Gnomey]

Nice work so far!

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

I was able to accomplish a bit over the weekend. Just worked on the ignition harness or collar and the accompanying sparkplug wires.

First I trimmed the collar since it is not a single piece and attached to either side of the crank case.

Once I had both sides on, I took some very thin wire and bent them in half to a sharp angle.

To attach them, I swabbed the collar with insta-set for CA glue then dipped the folded end of my wires in glue and attached to the collar.

Thanks for following and for your well wishes. We are doing much better now... for the time being.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Gnomey]

Good work so far!