HKM B-17 Proportion issues

[Juggernut]

Doug is indeed correct.  Thanks for clarifying my intentions Doug.  If I miscommunicated, I apologize.  The B-17F is substantially different than the B-17G in all areas except those I identified in my previous post.  Not being judgmental or thinking that the kit (which isn't even in the test shot phase as far as I know) is fatally flawed, there remains certain facts that HK will have to address (and I'm sure they know it and have acted accordingly) to create a B-17F.  The nose is entirely different than the G, the aft fuselage from bulkhead 6 aft is different in that the waist windows are unstaggered, not enclosed and the tail turret is the original type.  The radio room gun installation is different than what HK have rendered in their B-17G kit.  Knowing this is why I said that the only parts HK can reuse from their B-17G kit are the horizontal and vertical (which I forgot in the original post) stabilizers, wings, engines/props, landing gear and forward fuselage; everything else must be made new.   There is one other tweak that should be done to the forward fuselage to accurately render the F but nothing major and nothing that a small sheet of plastic won't cure.  LOL, if they decide to do a B-17E then there are some more changes that will need to be accomplished to go from the F to the E.

Edited December 24, 2013 by TimC

[ghatherly]

I like 'em with a little meat on the bones.  Oh you mean the B-17?  Nevermind.  

And you are In Kentucky…………

 

 

I don't think anyone is wrong here, I am just of the opinion that when the other models come out you will see the same sort of product "decisions" made here as the decision making process of a company is not an easy thing to change under the most mandatory of circumstances, and this certainly is not that.  Here we have a company that appears to have decided to make the interior to scale as possible , and when the engineering of the materials and other factors are sorted out the girl is a little thicker, but a little taller as well.   Again, only my speculation, and I have been wrong many times and will feel no shame if I am so here.

 

My guess for other models is they modularized the main fuselage with mold plugs that can be exchanged to build the cast the different  waist gunner configurations.  I agree with you on the other parts mentioned and reused.    They will make a "E" or "F" nose that is still round and 3-4mm to long, a new turtle deck with the radio window changes, and additional/changed out interior spurs for the interior differences.  The clear parts will be the same with a plug change for deleting/adding a window, etc.

 

The worst part is I am find myself thinking of this kit like I used to think of work, while I have been building and correcting F-4C pylons and launch rails and bomb releases.  Should have and update on that and the Eagle after Christmas.

 

Now ON with Christmas if you celebrate it!!!!  Gary

[Silver Dollar]

And you are In Kentucky…………

 

Originally I'm from New York City and with what's been going on there over the last few years, I'm almost ashamed to admit it.  

 

I wouldn't even mind seeing a Model 299.  It's way different but it's a beautiful bird when you do it in a NMF especially the shiny side of the foil.  It looks very Art Deco and has the styling of the 1930s.  This is only dreaming.  I doubt one of these would sell.

[Dave 0]

Doug, I guess you have a point, which I might have thought of myself, if I had actually done any. (thinking) IIRC, there was some discussion regarding the waist of the  kit being a little "fat" which may  or may not be true, but still, an F at a good price may tempt me. I have only 289 kits in my wee collection, so may actually NEED one more. I am sure many here will agree.

Come on...MAN UP!!! You know you need an even 300 in your stash!

 

[Ads]

If you have an issue with any model from any company- and if you have some good evidence and want the company to address it - send an email to management in their "contact us " page - they will no doubt look at it

​So if you guys know something that will improve their kit - why dont you email them? You might be surprised and get a response!

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I hope you are all having a nice Christmas guys

[Juggernut]

If you have an issue with any model from any company- and if you have some good evidence and want the company to address it - send an email to management in their "contact us " page - they will no doubt look at it

​So if you guys know something that will improve their kit - why dont you email them? You might be surprised and get a response!

Ads

I hope you are all having a nice Christmas guys

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.

[Brad-M]

Hi TimC, At least you got a t-shirt, I have yet to get anything from a kit maker when I've done that. Anyway, I am always intrigued with the uber B-17 kit discussions. What kind of tweaks at me is if Monogram is the bench mark, why wouldn't HKM use it as a basis? I am sure this question has been asked before, and answered a bazzilion times. Another question that comes to my mind is with all the help and advice they had on this kit, why weren't these critical errors discovered before the kit went into production? Anyway. it's Christmas day, and I am rambling on about B-17s, have a Merry Christmas everyone, and I hope everyone has a happy holiday with family and friends around the world.

 

Cheers

Brad 

[LSP_K2]

Oh I don't know. I e-mailed a prominent injection model manufacturer with a pleading suggestion for something that I thought dovetailed nicely into their existing kits. They sent back a polite response that they'd take it under advisement; I still have not seen the kit though, and perhaps never will (at least from that manufacturer), but at least I did ask.

 

This may be a bit like politics; sit back and do nothing, letting others make the decisions for you, or voice your opinion and know that you at least made yourself heard, regardless of outcome.

 

Not exactly "on point" I admit, but related nonetheless I think.

[wunwinglow]

I gave up trying to understand the thought processes of kit manufacturers a long time ago.....

 

Just rejoice when they do something you do like, treat their mistakes and omissions as a challenge to fix rather than a personal insult, and try to scratchbuild all the other subjects they miss. 

 

Tim

[Silver Dollar]

I gave up trying to understand the thought processes of kit manufacturers a long time ago.....

 

Just rejoice when they do something you do like, treat their mistakes and omissions as a challenge to fix rather than a personal insult, and try to scratchbuild all the other subjects they miss. 

 

Tim

Tim, you couldn't have summed up the essence of true modeling any better.  This is what I tried to say, wrote a huge diatribe and confused everyone.   If there were no challenges to fix and no missing stuff, we'd only be able to build OOB.  

Edited December 26, 2013 by Silver Dollar

[Brad-M]

Hi J,

 

Hope things are getting better for you. I am going to disagree with you. I not saying they had to copy the entire kit, just the dimensions and cross section shapes is all.

 

Cheers

Brad