HK Models B-17 Aftermarket

[Guest Nigelr32]

Thanks for the info there Jerry. I think my model will definitely require Metal Undercarriage!!..and steel wing spars!!

 

Sorry I didn't post another update last night, I got side tracked by my new toy... this one!!

 

She's a Boxster S 3.4 litre with toys... she won't go out in the rain, so when it's Sunny, I take her out.. She was my 50th Birthday present, from me to me!!

 

 

Anyway, back on track...

 

Here we have a review of the Eduard Photo etch set for the Exterior of the HK Models 1/32 scale B-17G Flying Fortress. This set, part number 32340 consists of one unplated fret measuring 70mm x 67mm containing some 75 parts. The set covers grilles, fuel fillers and various other small details around the airframe.

 

 

Here's a close up of the (Oil Cooler?)grilles which sit atop the wings inner upper surfaces. They are very prominent and look great when weathered with dirt streaks blown back from them. They are totally absent on the kit so are a welcome extra!!

 

 

More grilles here, this time taking care of the intakes, four of each which are located between the engines on the leading edge of each wing. There are inner and outer grilles which will look great close up when painted.

 

 

In this last close up shot we can see the fuel fillers and FOD guards for the air intakes on the leading edges of the wings.. a nice touch there. The straight parts at the bottom of the shot are the handles for said FOD guards. In my opinion the fuel fillers on the kit are incorrectly moulded as rings rather than the doors as depicted here? At the bottom of the shot we can see the fuel door hinges.

 

 

Here's the first page of the two page instructions.

 

 

And the second...

 

 

All in all a simple but, I believe, necessary little set, available in the UK for around £10.99.

 

In summary, this set covers some incorrect and missing features on the HK Models kit. As already mentioned, the grilles on the upper wing surface are absent on the kit and the fuel filler ports are incorrectly moulded. I just wish Eduard would give us the scribing template as the Flightpath sets do. These templates allow the modeller to scribe out the area where the part goes allowing it to be flush fitted to the model surface.

 

One other point to be considered here is this:- HK models obviously did a great job on this kit, as this Eduard exterior update set must be one of the smallest I have ever seen!

 

Thanks to Eduard for producing this set, and thanks to my wallet for buying it.

Edited September 6, 2013 by Nigelr32

[Guest Nigelr32]

It's time for another Eduard review, so here you go.. as I said before, they are being brought to you in numerical order..

 

This review covers the Eduard Photo etch set, number 32764, consisting of the seatbelts throughout the interior of the HK Models 1/32 B-17G Flying Fortress.

 

The set consists of one beautifully pre-printed etched fret measuring 70 x 60 mm and containing 84 parts. The Pilot and Co-Pilots lap belts are real work of art, taking no less than 15 parts to make up one pair.

 

Here we can see the Fret.. Note there are enough parts to make no less than 5 pairs of lap belts for the Pilot and Co-Pilot seats. More on this later..

 

We can also make up two lap belts for the swivel chair, used by the Radio operator.

 

 

In this close up shot we can see the printed on stitching on each belt. I'm not sure if the loops at the end of each belt should be the same colour as the belt itself??

 

 

Here are the buckles, as I said, pretty comprehensive eh??

 

 

Here are the instructions, two sheets in all..

 

 

 

So, have Eduard done a good job with this set? Yes and no really.. The belts really do look good on the fret, but after all the bending and folding required to get them through the buckles, there might be some bright metal showing through in places??

 

There are enough parts to make no less than five pairs of "main" belts, two for the cockpit, two for the much discussed "extra" seats in the radio room and one spare pair? Or... should the main lap belts be used in the nose for the Navigator and Bomb Aimers swivel chairs? This is how the instructions are laid out.. But, the instructions show the "extra" seats in the radio room??? Then, consider there are no belts for the Tail gunner or Ball Turret??

 

Decisions, Decisions I guess you can just "do it your way"

 

This little set is available in the UK for around £10.99, representing good value, as long as that paints stays on the belts??

 

Thanks to Eduard for producing this set and thanks to my wallet for buying it..

Edited September 6, 2013 by Nigelr32

[pzcreations]

any word on whether GFactors doin any gear?

[superfly]

any word on whether GFactors doin any gear?

Profimodeller has metal Main gears..with a bit of photo-etch and resin parts...

[Guest Nigelr32]

any word on whether GFactors doin any gear?

I would bet a large amount of money they will make a set for the B-17G, and that they will be the best set out there for this model.

 

Rest assured you'll get a review here as soon as they're available in the UK.

[LSP_Kevin]

Nige, here are the two latest reviews:

• Eduard #32340: B-17G Exterior
• Eduard #32764: B-17G Seatbelts

Kev

[Guest Nigelr32]

Thanks Kevin, only 6 more to go!! For now at least.

[Guest Peterpools]

NIge

What a 50th birthday present. enjoy your sunny day adventures together.\Incredible reviews on the Eduard PE sets and the more I read your reviews, the more I'm convinced, it's a major commitment to build the B-17, unless is a nearly straight OOB project.

Keep the reviews coming

[Dennis7423]

I think I'll be putting that "extra" set of lap belts in the ball turret, as I have been working at adding some additional detail in the mostly void turret (small armor plate, seat pad, etc.). I intend on only putting the one chair in the radio room.

 

Thanks for the reviews Nigel, they are fantastic!

 

- Dennis S.

Westminster, CO USA

[Guest Nigelr32]

NIge

What a 50th birthday present. enjoy your sunny day adventures together.

 

Yeah Peter, quite a present eh!! Sometimes you just have to go the extra mile and say "I want it, I'm having it"!!

 

I think you could build a beautiful model OOB, but some of this will just add that little extra, but be warned, the landing flaps will affect your mental state!!

[Guest Nigelr32]

I think I'll be putting that "extra" set of lap belts in the ball turret, as I have been working at adding some additional detail in the mostly void turret (small armor plate, seat pad, etc.). I intend on only putting the one chair in the radio room.

 

Thanks for the reviews Nigel, they are fantastic!

 

- Dennis S.

Westminster, CO USA

 

That's what I was thinking Dennis, and the simple little lap belt "loop" could go in the tail gunners position? Please get some pics of your Ball turret mods up in one of the many B-17 threads.

 

Thank you so much for your compliment Dennis, comments like that make it all worthwhile.

[Dennis7423]

Nigel-

 

I'll be sure to do that. Still in progress, but once I make a little more headway I will get some stuff posted. Not much to look at at this point! I am only picking at it too while I finish a Hasegawa 1/32 P-47.

 

- Dennis S.

Westminster, CO USA

[Youngtiger1]

Thanks for the info there Jerry. I think my model will definitely require Metal Undercarriage!!..and steel wing spars!! Sorry I didn't post another update last night, I got side tracked by my new toy... this one!! She's a Boxster S 3.4 litre with toys... she won't go out in the rain, so when it's Sunny, I take her out.. She was my 50th Birthday present, from me to me!!

Well, will you look at that. I guess, getting older and wiser *cough cough* sure has it's charms. Next time my flight stops over at London I'll look you up...on sunny day of course

[Guest Nigelr32]

I thought I'd change the manufacturer for one review, just get rid of the monotony of all the Eduard sets.. We don't want you getting bored now do we!!

 

As has been said on many posts here on LSP, it would appear that the only options open to us all for an accurate wartime model will have to be Natural Metal Finish, often referred to as "NMF". If you want to build your model as an Olive Drab model, you will need to either build a fictitious aircraft, restoration bird or do some mods to the kit.

 

One of the simplest aircraft to build will be "Little Miss Mischief" as the only major surgery that will be required is the repositioning of the starboard waist gun window. Luckily, Kits World decals have added Little Miss Mischief to their growing list of decal sheets for the HK Models 1/32 B-17G and forthcoming F. Little Miss Mischief has been well documented due to it's incredible colour scheme. She suffered some serious damage during a bombing run over Cologne on October 15th 1944, where the fuselage was nearly ripped in two. She made it home, and was rebuilt using parts from no less than 13 other b-17's. Sometime later she was retrofitted with a Cheyenne turret on her tail.

 

So, what do we get in this upgrade for the kit decal option....

 

Two beautifully printed A5 sheets with diagrams on Decal location and some notes on the Aircrafts history.

 

 

 

The instructions include painting guides with colour call outs for the NMF front and OD rear. Some research will be required to make the ultimate model as I have seen discussion and built models showing a port wing panel in OD, these instructions make no mention of it? There is also an interesting mish mash of colours to be used on the spinners and hubs, making for a very eye pleasing model that will "Stand out in a crowd"

 

The decal sheet itself measures 155mm x 110mm and covers only the Decals required over and above what is in the box.

 

 

To take your model to the next step, why not add the Kits World Stencil set, reviewed here http://www.largescaleplanes.com/reviews/review.php?rid=1115

 

Here's a close up of the lady herself, note how sharp and in register the Decals are.

 

 

This decal sheet comes highly recommended by me. It is beautifully printed and at only £10.20 in the UK, worth every penny in my opinion.

 

Thanks to Kits World for the sheet and my Wallet for buying it.

[Guest Nigelr32]

Hi Guys, we're back onto the Eduard reviews now, and things are starting to get a little more interesting with some Juicy Pre painted stuff!!

 

This is Eduard's Cockpit set for the HK Models 1/32 B-17G, part number 32774. The set consists of three frets, two are pre-painted and one is natural unplated brass. I'm really pleased Eduard have moved away from plating their brass frets, as this makes Soldering so much easier.

 

Fret One covers the Instrument panel, centre console and some other gauge / switch panels. All the printing appears to be in register, and something they have finally got right, the green parts are a very good match for Gunze H58, US Interior Green. I think we have all grumbled at least once about the colours of Eduard's pre painted interiors. No such grumbling required here!!

 

This Fret measures 70mm x 60mm and contains 26 parts, most of which are self adhesive.

 

 

The second fret is also pre-painted and self adhesive. It contains parts for the overhead console, various switch gear and the Yellow Dinghy's for the seats. Quite how one can make these flat brass items look accurate is beyond me?? No doubt HGW will come to the rescue with a belt and dinghy set?

 

This Fret measures 70mm x 68mm and contains some 54 parts. Note the brush painted Gunze H58 at the top right and bottom left of the Fret.

 

 

The third and final Fret is in natural Brass and covers the floor and various other structural elements of the cockpit.

 

This fret measures 116mm x 70 mm and contains 133 parts.

 

 

So, now we've seen what we get, let's look at these parts in a little more detail...

 

The instrument panel appears pretty accurate according to my limited references, even though it's been made to fit the HK models part, rather than have the correct "flattened" top portion. If you wish to correct your kit instrument panel, it will be a simple job of filing this part to suit. Once the front panel has been stuck over the gauge panel, some Tamiya Clear Gloss should be dropped into the gauge faces to depict the glass, this will really bring this lovely panel to life!!

 

 

The centre console will be very visible through the windscreen and side windows, and Eduard have made sure you have the opportunity to provide some Eye candy here. With some careful assembly, this area will be absolutely stunning with all the stencilling and levers depicted in pre painted etch, brass structures and separate levers.

 

Just look at this detail..

 

 

The Overhead console is also beautifully depicted in this set. A lot of folding and the addition of some plastic rod is required in this area, but it will look stunning if done well.

 

More amazing detail here...

 

 

The cockpit floor was a flat (Unpainted?) section of Aluminium and this has been rendered well by Eduard with all the framework and rivet detail depicted as raised detail.

 

 

Other parts of the cockpit structure are depicted on this fret, these are the parts used for supporting the centre console and dressing the sides of it. With some careful painting, weathering and highlighting, these parts will turn your cockpit into a masterpiece.

 

 

The next post is a continuation of this one as I am limited on the number of images available per post.