Tour de Airfix Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 I’ve commented on a couple of threads today on one of my latest projects which involves me building a B-17 Flying Fortress and as I could not find any other postings on the subject (forgive me should this just be my inability to use the search function) I thought I would share my progress. This kit is Airfix’s 2016 moulding of the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress, kit no. A08017B re-released in 2021 with new decals and still available from the Airfix shop. On opening the box one is presented with an impressive array of detailed parts attached to 10 sprue with 22 pages of instructions and over 138 steps! Snipping off the first cockpit pieces and gluing them together you know you’re going to be in for a joyous build! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tour de Airfix Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 The detailing of the interior is just superb and even if it’s very unlikely much of it will be visible once the fuselage is closed up, I’ve still very much enjoyed working on it, even down to adding wood grain to the desk and some of the flooring 😀 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tour de Airfix Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 Fuselage has joined together nicely. I’ve taken a little risk in not fitting the ball turret to aid painting, although I’ve had to install the bracket, so I hope this all lines up later. Next up are the wings, and what beautiful detail Airfix have crafted in to the wheel wells. I’ve a real issue with some kits which insist on providing five pieces where just one or two would have done but here, every piece adds value. I’m really loving this kit! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SD45elect2000 Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 I have several of these to build, I appreciate your recon ! Randall 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tour de Airfix Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 The wings dry fit really well … excellent work Airfix 👍 Because of the size of the B-17, what I have a mind to do, therefore, is to paint these off the fuselage and fit them later, with hopefully minimal blending in of paint along the joins once attached. I’ve had just a couple of minor issues at this stage. 1. Part E09 which fits into the port upper wing surface wasn’t fully extruded but luckily there was another unused part of the same shape, but with a smooth rather than vertical lined finish which fit perfectly. Probably for another variant (?). I’m sure that few will notice so rather than raise a fault report with Airfix I’ve used that. 2. the upper inner wing surface needs to be painted aluminium where visible from the undercarriage. The instructions omit this requirement and I stupidly did not notice. This is however easily rectified, but it have preferred to have had this done when all the parts were separate. I’ve frustratingly got a long weekend away from the bench now, so no more building until next week 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tour de Airfix Posted March 4 Author Share Posted March 4 After a weekend away, taking in the Peterborough model show, I thought I’d tackle the Fortress engines. The detail is amazing but I’ve not shown them in their best light here as what I want to show is how it’s all lost when the cowlings are fitted! 🤦♂️ I assume if you wanted to display the Fortress stripped for maintenance then it would be fine, but I’m now rather regretting the hours I’ve spent building and painting all that detail 🤷♂️ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominic Thomas Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 That’s what’s called Satisfaction. Airfix (in this case) give us the parts to construct this detail. When the kit is finished, we all know the detail is there inside, and no-one can criticise it. Great stuff. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tour de Airfix Posted March 5 Author Share Posted March 5 Now that no figures seem to be being provided with Airfix aircraft kits, I find it disappointing that we are not instead provided with a set of harness decals to fill the empty seats. For this B-17, I decided to source and fit an after market set of Eduard USAAF seatbelts. While I don't really find these that convincing, I am hoping that being just visible through the canopy they will at least provide some interesting detail. I next tackled the canopy. I’m so pleased to find it to be just a single piece which fits perfectly. Masking is, however, more challenging as each piece of masking tape needs shaping. Unlike other canopies I've masked in the past, none of my standard sized rolls of tape are the right size! Next up, I make a start on the turrets. For the front turret, Airfix include a two piece moulding with rear glazing, into which two guns and mount are attached. Having masked the glazing ahead of installing, it was soon apparent that once the cowling was fitted the glazing would not be visible. I'm starting to get a feeling of déjà vu here! The rear turret is comprised of three pieces of glazing, a large part of which the instructions suggest needs painting both internally and externally. So internal and external masks applied, and the interior is base coated in black and then given its silver interior colour. I am loving this kit. It’s quite epic and it’s challenging me to really think about how I construct and paint it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tour de Airfix Posted March 13 Author Share Posted March 13 So glad to be back working on the Airfix B-17 Flying Fortress for a therapeutic afternoon of window masking. There is so much glass in this kit and rather than mount each piece of glazing straight into the grey plastic, Airfix provide walls of glass for one to paint, leaving unpainted areas to form the windows. I am thinking, I may invest in a pre-cut set of masks for my next B-17 😂 Then I apply a light dusting of primer to provide a good base layer on which I can apply the final colours and to highlight any minor bits of gap smoothing required for when I get back to the bench at the weekend. Following on from my trials and tribulations with the Me410, this has so far been a real pleasure to work on. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailorman Posted March 19 Share Posted March 19 Looking good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tour de Airfix Posted March 27 Author Share Posted March 27 On 19/03/2024 at 22:58, Sailorman said: Looking good! Thank you 🙏 I’ve paused a bit at the moment, as while I was waiting for a little bit of filler to dry, I went and made a start on the Academy B-17F and now have this idea in my head of getting them both to the same level 🤷♂️ The quality of the Academy kit isn’t a patch on Chris Joy’s design work, but then again the latter is based on a 1980s mould. I should have these two at the same level soon and will then be able to share updates 😊 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tour de Airfix Posted March 27 Author Share Posted March 27 Finally, as I've built the Academy B-17F to the same stage as my Airfix B-17G, its time to paint! I'm happy that the multiple layers of grey primer I've used will be more than suitable for the underside of this pre natural metalled finished Fortress that 'all' I need to add is the olive drab to the upper surfaces. It's just amazing, however, just how much masking these aircraft need and how long it takes. I've still yet to fit the wings as I've found masking and painting the fuselage so much easier with them out of the way. I'll probably fit them next so that I can get on adding all the fiddly bits. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailorman Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 Looking good! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tour de Airfix Posted April 2 Author Share Posted April 2 (edited) Following my visit to Thorpe Abbotts in Suffolk last year ... yes, long before I learned from Steven and Tom of their "Masters of the Air" Apple TV series ... I had planned to build a B-17 in the colours of a 'B****y Hundred' squadron. So, my Airfix Fortress is receiving not just an olive drab scheme, but also an after market set of decals .... Edited April 2 by Sailorman Masked word picked up by software with asterisks 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tour de Airfix Posted April 2 Author Share Posted April 2 (edited) My favourite bit .. a little weathering and the removal of masking to reveal, hopefully, shiny clear glazing! Next, it's time to add all those fiddly bits! Edited April 2 by Tour de Airfix 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailorman Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 Very nice! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain.Glumbo Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 I've just started to watch Masters of the Air and it got me wanting to shove a Flying Fortress into the Stash. They also did a documentary on the bl**dy 100 (https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/the-bloody-hundredth), which I hope I can use for reference too when I get the kit (in theory Airfix but who knows when I get to it what will be available) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tour de Airfix Posted April 3 Author Share Posted April 3 The Airfix kit is truly excellent, I can’t recommend it enough. I may also have seen that I’ve also built the Academy B-17F which was OK but showing it’s age. If you enjoy “Masters of the Air” I also recommend Donald Miller’s book of the same name. It will really fill in many of the gaps left by the series which obviously had to race through the story. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominic Thomas Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 The Academy ‘F’ looks really good. Can’t wait to see the Airfix version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SD45elect2000 Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 (edited) I just counted my B-17 stash. I have 43 of them ranging from the B-17C to the later G models from three different kit makers. All that's stopping me from building them is a lack of storage space for the completed models. Randall Edited April 3 by SD45elect2000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 Where will you put them all, Randall? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SD45elect2000 Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 3 minutes ago, Ratch said: Where will you put them all, Randall? I wish I knew Ratch, I have some criteria for model storage that includes a relatively dust free cabinet. Over the years I have lost or damaged models by attempting to clean them. Added is the dilemma of protecting them from curious felines that tend to bust them up or knock them off open shelves. I do have a store display case that needs some work to add LED lighting, new doors and new glass shelving. I am going to need the case for the larger planes so no big planes are being built until the display case is ready for them, I also want to add castors to the case so I can move it easily to vacuum and clean around it. In any case my job has been taking up most of my time recently and not a lot of modeling time is available. Randall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailorman Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 An amazing amount of dust still gets into my model showcases glass doors and all. Sometimes I wish that the April Fool's joke article in Scale Models Magazine some 20 years ago was true. They said you could buy little boxes full of dust mites that you would let loose in your showcase and they would eat up all the dust on your models leaving them looking pristine.😄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tour de Airfix Posted April 4 Author Share Posted April 4 What a dilemma! Airfix have created undercarriage for this B-17 which look absolutely superb on paper but have provided me with half of the struts not fully extruded. Just look at parts G27 & G28 😢 So, while these are also used in the wheels up configuration they are in this case neither structural nor really visible, so wheels up we go! 🤷♂️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailorman Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 Try using stretched sprue to rebuild them. If they ae only struts and not loadbearing it should not be a problem. Challenge yourself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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