- Thread starter
- #461
Night Fighter Nut
Master Sergeant
something to start with
more to follow
more to follow
B-17 G 1:48 scale, 351st Bomb Group, 510th Squadron, AC# 43-37862, Fearless Fosdick
- Thread starter Night Fighter Nut
- Start date
Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
Vic Balshaw
Major General
Big build. 
- Thread starter
- #463
Night Fighter Nut
Master Sergeant
This base I made for the plane out of plywood, terrain cotton type fiber with adhesive, dark wood stain, Jute, ground chalk powder, and model rail road grass.
The sequence took some time with minor complications. Biggest problem was the board wanted to keep warping. A heavy bag of cat little flattened that pup out.
Polebrook had some grassy areas. It was once a fighter base before it was handed over to the American Bomber command. Most airfields, as I understand it, had concrete circles that the bombers parked on but there were places where the bombers sat on grass. So I figured why not.
More to follow.
The sequence took some time with minor complications. Biggest problem was the board wanted to keep warping. A heavy bag of cat little flattened that pup out.
Polebrook had some grassy areas. It was once a fighter base before it was handed over to the American Bomber command. Most airfields, as I understand it, had concrete circles that the bombers parked on but there were places where the bombers sat on grass. So I figured why not.
More to follow.
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
The two middle shots look like a tortilla.
- Thread starter
- #466
Night Fighter Nut
Master Sergeant
Yeah I know. This is that stuff I use for making terrain for dioramas. It's like small cotton balls that you mix with water. I introduced it when I showed how I made a diorama in an old one gallon aquarium.
Now to continue.
I had to shorten the star and bar between the starboard waist gun and door. It was too long otherwise. First I figured out where the center would be, then I applied the decal and with a very sharp knife, cut a vertical line through the middle of the bars both sides. Then I took those ends and slid them inward so that the edges would line up against the door and waist gun position.
The Decals from the kit and extra general decal sheet worked just fine. My troubles came with the decals I had to make. There is a small G on the lower part of the vertical tail near the rudder. At first I couldn't get it to print properly. Always seemed too light. Then I figured out I had to print for High Gloss paper and it printed correctly. Next I needed something to fix the ink on the decal sheet. Hobby shops will sell you the decal sheets for your printer but not something to fix what you printed to the sheet. I ended up using hair spray first. After it dried, I put a coat or two of sprayed on acrylic floor polish. This seemed to work but it still caused some trouble. It all worked in the end but I still need to find a better way.
The name of the plane, "Fearless Fosdick", was printed using 11pt letter size. After looking at aircraft in the same unit that was active at the same time, I picked a font that looked the same as the other planes. As I mentioned earlier, they didn't have an artist but they did have either a sign painter or a calligrapher. All evidence points to the plane having only the name, no art. That made things easier at least for me.
Meanwhile, I built up and fitted the top turret.
I cut off the plastic ammo chutes and added the photo etch ones. I also added photo etched barrels. I touched up painted them later.
The tail gunners position. This was before I added the grass.
Now to continue.
I had to shorten the star and bar between the starboard waist gun and door. It was too long otherwise. First I figured out where the center would be, then I applied the decal and with a very sharp knife, cut a vertical line through the middle of the bars both sides. Then I took those ends and slid them inward so that the edges would line up against the door and waist gun position.
The Decals from the kit and extra general decal sheet worked just fine. My troubles came with the decals I had to make. There is a small G on the lower part of the vertical tail near the rudder. At first I couldn't get it to print properly. Always seemed too light. Then I figured out I had to print for High Gloss paper and it printed correctly. Next I needed something to fix the ink on the decal sheet. Hobby shops will sell you the decal sheets for your printer but not something to fix what you printed to the sheet. I ended up using hair spray first. After it dried, I put a coat or two of sprayed on acrylic floor polish. This seemed to work but it still caused some trouble. It all worked in the end but I still need to find a better way.
The name of the plane, "Fearless Fosdick", was printed using 11pt letter size. After looking at aircraft in the same unit that was active at the same time, I picked a font that looked the same as the other planes. As I mentioned earlier, they didn't have an artist but they did have either a sign painter or a calligrapher. All evidence points to the plane having only the name, no art. That made things easier at least for me.
Meanwhile, I built up and fitted the top turret.
I cut off the plastic ammo chutes and added the photo etch ones. I also added photo etched barrels. I touched up painted them later.
The tail gunners position. This was before I added the grass.
- Thread starter
- #467
Night Fighter Nut
Master Sergeant
Please bear with me. I am not as good as most when it comes to the outside of the plane. I tried very hard to get the paint to work right. Cleaned the surfaces to remove all oil, wore gloves to keep finger prints off, Gave lots of time for paint to dry between coats. Still had problems. Mostly with the dissimilar plastics between the two halves. One was harder than the other. I was able to correct most of them later on but I still don't like how it came out.
Thanks all for your kind words about my work.
Here I have the name added and was attaching the longwave antenna. Painted on the four blue lights on the tail, the red and green for the respective wings, and the ident lights on the bottom. I also added brake lines.
At this point I started using acrylic washes to add contrast to all those nooks and crannies. This helped a lot.
When the base was done, I figured out where I wanted the plane to sit then added pins the each of the wheels made from a small paper clip.
Hopefully not too bad.
Thanks all for your kind words about my work.
Here I have the name added and was attaching the longwave antenna. Painted on the four blue lights on the tail, the red and green for the respective wings, and the ident lights on the bottom. I also added brake lines.
At this point I started using acrylic washes to add contrast to all those nooks and crannies. This helped a lot.
When the base was done, I figured out where I wanted the plane to sit then added pins the each of the wheels made from a small paper clip.
Hopefully not too bad.
- Thread starter
- #468
Night Fighter Nut
Master Sergeant
More pictures...
N4521U
Colonel
Very well carried out complex build................... coodos!
Nice work so far!
fubar57
General
AWESOME job!!!! Enjoyed the build very much
- Thread starter
- #473
Night Fighter Nut
Master Sergeant
Thank you all for your support and encouragement.
The plane was delivered to the daughter of the pilot of this plane and modeled pilot and plane are reunited. I had to impress upon them that the plane is fragile. They are currently looking for someone to make a display case for the plane. Future plans are for the plane to be donated and sent to the 351st Bomb group organization... and yes, tears where shed as daughters finally got to see what her dad's plane looked like.
So now I will close this thread with a final photograph from the one direction that I had not included. Again, thanks for being patient with me.
The plane was delivered to the daughter of the pilot of this plane and modeled pilot and plane are reunited. I had to impress upon them that the plane is fragile. They are currently looking for someone to make a display case for the plane. Future plans are for the plane to be donated and sent to the 351st Bomb group organization... and yes, tears where shed as daughters finally got to see what her dad's plane looked like.
So now I will close this thread with a final photograph from the one direction that I had not included. Again, thanks for being patient with me.
Vic Balshaw
Major General
Thanks for sharing.
N4521U
Colonel
crazy nice!
Good stuff!
SANCER
Senior Master Sergeant
Congratulations Bill for the great project you presented and the noble deed of offering it to the pilot's daughter.
I'm sure it must be very emotional and satisfying for you.
As a lover of details and meticulous work, I really enjoyed the process and it will be a great reference and consultancy for the information it includes, for a Flying Fortress in 1/48 that I still have in my drawer.
Greetings and in good time for your achievement.
Saludos desde México
Luis Carlos
I'm sure it must be very emotional and satisfying for you.
As a lover of details and meticulous work, I really enjoyed the process and it will be a great reference and consultancy for the information it includes, for a Flying Fortress in 1/48 that I still have in my drawer.
Greetings and in good time for your achievement.
Saludos desde México
Luis Carlos
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
Beautiful!
