Marek Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Wow maaaan! Yuo area born scratchbuilder. Fantastic job again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightnjoe Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Although just a new member I have been following this build since you began. All i can say is wow. Absolutely stunning build. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacewolf Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 "It's enough ta make ya weep"...and give up modeling !...Stunning scratch work, learning a lot just watching. Vaughn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peterpools Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Rich I wouldn't worry about the forth coming release . It won't hold a candle to your build in detail and creativity. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgem37 Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Yeah man! Might fine work, Rich. Sincerely, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richdlc Posted October 6, 2012 Author Share Posted October 6, 2012 *update 06/10/12* Hello everyone! Here's a quick update to the B-17 build... I am still concentrating on the cockpit & upper gun turret area. You may remember a few months back I was working on the top turret - now the build has advanced, I was able to get to work on the support legs / pedestal. Some B-17s show a simple, round footplate, and some have a more complex 'kidney' shaped affair with lots of lightening holes. I chose the latter, basically because they look cooler! Here's some images, as usual strictly for illustrative purposes: round baseplate: 'kidney' shaped baseplate: what I need to make: canvas bags hanging down are to collect spent brass: I made the various parts I needed from plastic sheet, rod and strip: note the fold-down steps on the frame. I realised later I'd positioned them a little too far down - my gunner would have to be about 7 feet tall just to stand on them & stick his head into the turret ! Oh well, I don't think many people will notice (I hope) undercoated: I could now attach the gunsight: and make some canvas bags for shell casings - simple tissue paper glued & painted: there's more detail to add (some wiring etc) but you get the general idea.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richdlc Posted October 6, 2012 Author Share Posted October 6, 2012 (edited) Next up was the top turret - you may recall I gutted one of the kit provided items until just a frame was left. The big problem was going to be replicating the plexiglass. I tried (and failed) several times to cut out individual panes from clear plastic sheet. The problem was getting the pieces to retain their curvature without getting kinks / distortions - a task which was seemingly impossible. I then thought about going down the 'heat and smash' route of using a sheet of clear plastic & performing a crude 'vacform' of the turret - then using the resulting 'panels' & fitting them to the frame. I abandoned that idea because I'd already attached a load of interior details to the frame & there was no way to easily attach individual clear panels. I then thought about ordering a spare top turret from the HK Models B-25 kit - however, this proved easier said than done. I couldn't find any way of purchasing this on its own. Looking at photos, it became apparent that the B-25 turret was too different from the B-17s in any case to risk buying one & potentially ruining it by modifying it. My next idea was to show the glass shattered. This would fit in with the theme of a heavily damaged aircraft, and would also allow me to show off more of the turret's interior details. I did manage to get the front glass panel glued in without any fuss - and the rest were attached in various states of disrepair - some kit parts were used, but as they were generally awful to begin with it didn't matter if they were smashed up & distorted. Here's what I came up with - the turret is just dry-fitted in these shots: I would like to know what you think, whether it looks OK and so on? I'm not 100% convinced - I may even wait for the HK Models kit to come out & somehow scrounge a top turret to replace it....for now though, it stays. The turret is silver - I've already decided to do a two tone machine (in other words, a natural metal machine that has been repaired with bits from an OD coloured machine) - that way I can experiment with both natural metal & OD finishes, plus it will make the model a bit more interesting. I initially covered the frame in bare metal foil (my first time using this medium) - however I quickly decided against it. The foil has a nasty tendency to lift at the corners, rips very easily & doesn't like complex curves. I ripped it all off & just used Humbrol metalcote instead. I will decide how to tackle the rest of the aircraft's natural metal areas once I get to the painting stage. Anyway - like I said, I would love to know what you think of it, whether the turret/glass looks OK to you... Next up - I was sick of taking apart the fuselage halves every time I wanted to access the cockpit are - so I removed the roof! The hole for the top turret was also a mess because I had botched its location about 3 times - I simply threw that part away & made a new panel from plastic sheet, then attached it to the forward cockpit roof. Now I can access the cockpit are easily, and assemble the top turret & roof as one module which will simply drop into place - as I mentioned, the big square hole behind the cockpit is where a battle damaged area will be, exposing the interior. It won't be square on the finished model of course! Finally, for now, here's some shots of the radio room. I've applied the basic colours & weathered it all a little. There's plenty more to add, such as wiring, but it's 90% done. Note that the loose bundle of wires that run across the roof will be attached to the side of the fuselage interior on the finished model. Interspersed are some shots of the real thing. My version is a composite of many different aircraft - the details / colours seem to change from aircraft to aircraft: Edited October 6, 2012 by richdlc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgem37 Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 Outrageous. Fantastic work, Rich. Sincerely, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richdlc Posted October 6, 2012 Author Share Posted October 6, 2012 that's about it for now - feedback & comments welcomed as usual! Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dekenba Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 Beautiful work - not just a purveyor of fine, rare OOP books, but also a skilled modeller! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richdlc Posted October 6, 2012 Author Share Posted October 6, 2012 thanks guys - if only I could stick that on my resume Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dekenba Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 thanks guys - if only I could stick that on my resume What line of work you looking for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peterpools Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 Rich Just keeps getting better and better with each update. On my end of the screen, the turret looks right on the money and is a keeper. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richdlc Posted October 6, 2012 Author Share Posted October 6, 2012 thanks very much for the positive comments! I'm glad the turret looks OK. I'm sure in situ, on the finished model, it'll look a little better. Dekenba - I am looking for a job that takes into account my passions - being creative, twentieth century military & social history, literature etc. I am seriously considering expanding the eBay book thing as I make some good money. I wouldn't mind museum/conservation work, fixing warbirds, looking after old aircraft and so on! But that's a pipe dream. I've been out of work 3 years now & things aren't looking up. Meanwhile - plenty of time to build models! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dekenba Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 thanks very much for the positive comments! I'm glad the turret looks OK. I'm sure in situ, on the finished model, it'll look a little better. Dekenba - I am looking for a job that takes into account my passions - being creative, twentieth century military & social history, literature etc. I am seriously considering expanding the eBay book thing as I make some good money. I wouldn't mind museum/conservation work, fixing warbirds, looking after old aircraft and so on! But that's a pipe dream. I've been out of work 3 years now & things aren't looking up. Meanwhile - plenty of time to build models! You should seriously think about ramping up the book stuff - you obviously know what you are doing & it's that knowledge that makes you money.Being self-employed also has a lot of great advantages - although the one bid disadvantage is the absence of a regular, monthly, set amount hitting your bank account every month on the same day! Good luck, I've a feeling that you will do really well if you decide to make a real living out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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