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

[Night Fighter Nut]

After a week off, wife's birthday and she is not happy if I go into airplane mode, and some more research to see things normally not seen on the aircraft.

First, I don't like the way the rudder pedals are going... they can be better. Thinking of scratch building them. Second, I needed to see what the opposite side of the instrument panel looked like and a couple other views around the passage between the pilots station and the navigator's station.

I found a couple of videos to help figure this out. Fortunately the area opposite the flight instruments was covered with canvas. I could live with that, just need to simulate this.

Back to work.

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

Just posting pictures at the moment. Will go into more detail as time permits.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Gnomey]

Nicely done so far!

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

Now to get caught up with what I had done. I've been busy... sorry I couldn't write earlier. After studying photos of old planes and reading what the floor material was, I decided to go ahead and add the section going from the pilot's station through to the navigator's station. I cut out both entrances since these have always been open and the last thing anyone would want to do is fiddle with a door while flying a mission. Also the cover between the pilots was a single piece not two separate doors. I made this as shown in picture 7.

Since I decided to use real wood for the plywood floor covering, I drilled holes where the table legs should be and where the navigator's stool would sit. Place holders if you will. I also added styrene to build up the edges of the one entrance and extend the bulkhead to the lower part of the aircraft. I attached the turret pin and plate and made them movable for later. I also drilled lightning holes in the vertical section between the floors as all photos I've seen of this area have them.

The plywood is 1/32nds thick balsa that was cut to fit within the area intended and sanded to near construction paper thin. I used CA glue to attach the wood then cut and sand to shape. The colored chalk was used to stain the wood to the appropriate color. A kind of orange-ish stain due to the varnish used on the wood. I rubbed orange and a touch of red chalk powder into the wood then put a bit of liquid floor polish on it to seal it. Once the wood dried, with the pigment still in the wood, I sanded it a little more to remove the rough areas caused by the wood being wet. The final sanding was with a high grit (1K) paper that polished the wood smooth. I really liked the way it came out. The upper deck was done the same way, just cut and sanded carefully to allow for the two protrusions to show while I fitted it. The only thing that bothers me at the moment on this area is the circular portion of the upper deck. I'm not sure if that was on all of them or some. If I need to I will recreate this.

The chairs were then added along with a shot of Bronze to set the under color. I'll dry brush the final green, slightly lighter in color, to get the details to pop. Under the flight deck will be painted aluminum and a aluminum floor runner going between the two openings will be added along with the detail I've been able to find for this area.

I plan to use tissue paper stretched with water and white glue to make the canvas cover for the back side of the instrument panel. My next problem will be where to put the several oxygen tanks that allowed the plane to fly at such high altitudes. There are two areas in question. I've seen them located behind the pilots seats and I've seen them located beneath the floor under the pilot seats. I'm not definite about which one is correct. Looking for internal diagrams to be sure before I commit to them. Hope you enjoyed.

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

I found that I don't like the way the forward floor area on the kit was done so this morning I started some major surgery on the front decks. All relevant photos show that there are three decks, not two. The middle deck is really a step between the two and there is a round section to accommodate the chin turret. I plan to capture this. I also started making the tissue paper canvas for the back of the instrument panel.

 

[fubar57]

Lordy....good stuff

 

[Wurger]

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

Operation seems to be coming along well. Not a lot more to go. Just some final cuts and fits.

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

Mated the different levels. As soon as it dries, I'll refloor it with balsa.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Gnomey]

Locker work so far!

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

The operation was a success, the new configuration worked and passes fit check. Just putting on the new wood decking now.

Now it looks like it is suppose to. To bad it took all day but I believe it was worth it. Hope you guys like it. Let me know if something else seems offish.

 

[fubar57]

Nice

 

[Crimea_River]

Looks great.

 

[Airframes]

Very nice work.
You may already know this, but there was a fabric curtain to close off the hatch from the nose compartment to the 'tunnel' leading to the cockpit, which was a green / olive green colour.
I made mine, folded back in the open position, from foil, suitably 'creased' and rolled, but tissue paper, folded and painted would work just as well, if not better.

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

Thanks, I had actuality forgotten about that curtain until you mentioned it. I have not seen it in any photos. Do you know if it is in one piece or two? Was it attached by bar or rope? I'll try foil like you mentioned and tissue and see how it turns out.

 

[Airframes]

As far as I know, it was just a one-piece affair, suspended from a rail at the top, just like window curtains. I made mine rolled up against the port side of the hatch, and didn't bother making a rail, as this would not be seen, even through a transparent fuselage section.

 

[Gnomey]

Good work so far!

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

Alright, back to work. The tail wheel has a dog house it retracts into. There are no parts for this so I will have to make my own. I first took some measurements of the area where it will fit along with examining all possible photos and videos of this area. The dog house is kind of a half shell with a canvas cover around the retraction mechanism which seals it off from the outside; otherwise it would be windy as blazes back there.

Once I had the basic measurements and shape in mind, I took a couple of popcycle sticks and created the basic form profiles. Then I roughed in spaces with a wine cork and sanded to final shape.

Next I'll use an empty water bottle and some wood sticks to put with the plug I made. Pictures to follow.