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

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Finishing up the day with more rib work. I added the armor plating by the waist position and the upper portion of a couple or ribs where the flight cables will go through. I also figured out the tail wheel situation. I need to make a half shell for the tail wheel to retract into and a canvas cover for the forward part. Then I can make the retracting piston and other mechanisms to be shown outside the covers and still retain the strength I need to hold up the plane.

Here is where I finished.


 
Hmmmm. Something doesn't look right. The tail wheel as origianlly installed seems too short and too far to the rear.



Looks like I need to do some modifications.
 
Just a quick update. Here is what I have done to the tail wheel retraction gear. I've added a pin to the original gear for strength both vertically and horizontally. Then scratch built the hinge and piston assembly. I still have the worm gear and a few more goodies to scratch build to get this right. So far I feel confident in the direction its going and it hangs down to its proper position.


I'll clean up the old mounting hole before I finish the attachments.
 
Should look great through the clear fuselage side.
One point regarding the latter - it may look better if part of the outer skin is painted, with 'cut-away' clear areas revealing the interior. That way, it minimises the areas where it will be impossible, or impractical, to create authentic interior detail, due to the structural / assembly requirements of the kit parts.
 
Thanks guys, yes Terry I agree and that has been a plan of mine. I have no intention to show the internal workings of the vertical stabilizer along with a few other areas that are reslly not necessary. As for the pins I added, I applied considerable pressure to it and it felt rock steady. The pins are certainly helping but with the added structures around it it seems to have added to the gears rigidity. For those triangle like braces, I drilled a little into the gear and secured the other end into the pivot pin. Again, the worm gear will be added later once the bulkheads are in.. not worming out of this one...

Does a little bugalu shingaling out the door.......
 
Ok structurally this is about as far as I want to go with the tail end. I'll add wires and cables but no more bulkhead stuff is needed I think. I believe I did achieve a good representation of the landing gear mechanism.



Next I'll try to finish up the front end as time permits. At work I'll try to clean up some parts for assembly. Hope you like the work so far. Oh, almost forgot. I need to make the shell the rear wheel pulls up into.
 
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