HK B-17...C 5/4 sweating the metal

[JayW]

Craig - may I ask what contact cement do you use for skinning, and do you have to thin it?  If so with what?  Peter has recommended Evo-Stik, but I am having difficulty getting it (or at least the cleaner/thinner for it).  

[airscale]

that panel work is amazing Craig, just incredible

 

your litho skills have become very well developed - I can't emphasise enough how much harder raised rivet work is compared to my easy way out with nice flush ones

 

Peter

[brahman104]

On 1/8/2022 at 5:20 PM, LSP_Kevin said:

Nice work, Craig!

 

Kev

 

Thanks Kev!

 

On 1/8/2022 at 7:57 PM, Out2gtcha said:

Love it!

 

Thank you very much Brian! I am loving your epic wrestle with the Tigercat too  

 

On 1/8/2022 at 8:15 PM, scvrobeson said:

You are an artisan and a magician Craig.  That's really are there is to it.

 

 

 

Matt 

 

Thanks Matt! Much appreciated.

 

On 1/8/2022 at 11:52 PM, tomprobert said:

This is witchcraft!

 

Shes shaping up so well, Craig - good to see the wind is still in your sails. 
 

Tom

 

Thanks very much Tom! Very much so! There's still a lot of challenges left to keep my interest in this one!  

 

On 1/9/2022 at 5:26 AM, MARU5137 said:

Riveting work  Sir, very riveting !

SUPER progress.

pictures are Neat too !

 

 

Thanks Maru!!! I've started cropping the photos rather than trying to zoom in...... it seems to capture the rivet details a lot better, especially when there's so much light reflecting off it! 

 

20 hours ago, JayW said:

Watching this skinning job!  Looking good Craig!  

 

Thanks very much Jay! I'm far from an expert, but I'm feeling a lot more competent with the process these days. Especially now for the most part I've already done the other side. Just got to keep an eye on the proper shapes of the panels....

 

18 hours ago, TKB said:

Craig.

 

A 1940 Boeing Sheet Metal Journeyman would be giving you a "thumbs up!" on all your skinning, but especially on this last one! As innovative as you can be, sometimes your two hands (but three would be nice) are still the best tool!

 

If the radius isn't exactly right ... you've definitely made it look the part!    

 

Terry

 

That would be the biggest compliment ever! They were true artisans back in the day. Yep, I think the radius has got to be pretty close, but thank you again for the 

 

5 hours ago, JayW said:

Craig - may I ask what contact cement do you use for skinning, and do you have to thin it?  If so with what?  Peter has recommended Evo-Stik, but I am having difficulty getting it (or at least the cleaner/thinner for it).  

 

Hey Jay, I hear you mate! For some reason, when I was in Australia, I found it next to impossible to buy a thinner for contact cement, yet since relocating to NZ, I can buy the below products quite easily..... go figure?

 

 

 

 

I don't know why this sort of thing is only available in some countries and not others.... USA and Australia, really???? Hopefully it might help in your search for any equivalent....

 

 

42 minutes ago, airscale said:

that panel work is amazing Craig, just incredible

 

your litho skills have become very well developed - I can't emphasise enough how much harder raised rivet work is compared to my easy way out with nice flush ones

 

Peter

 

Thank you Peter!!!!! Everything I've learned has been inspired or stolen from you . Rivets are one thing, but trying to get metal to flow around some of the places you've coaxed it, is entirely another level again! . Very much enjoying seeing your P-40 magic come together...... correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it also has raised rivets? At least in some places......

 

Still got to try making some photo etch one day too! 

 

Cheers,

 

Craig

[brahman104]

Panel by panel the underlying structure is disappearing....... not too many more to do before I can finally tackle the cockpit area. As much fun as this process is, I'm looking forward to moving onto another part of the build!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully in the near future she might be completely covered. Well the fuselage anyway........

 

Cheers,

 

Craig

 

 

[LSP_Kevin]

This build is really coming to life now, Craig!

 

Kev

[brahman104]

On 2/9/2022 at 8:29 AM, MARU5137 said:

Craig, 

Looks quite EFFULGENT  on MY screen.

Very impressed  by your  updates/work.

 

 

Hahaha! Thanks Maru. For a second there I thought you said it looked quite EFFLUENT! 

 

 

On 2/9/2022 at 10:44 AM, LSP_Kevin said:

This build is really coming to life now, Craig!

 

Kev

 

Thanks Kev, definitely starting to look a little more B-17 like now!

 

Well, I always said the windscreen would be the key to defining "the face" and "the face" would be the key to the success of this whole little () endeavour. This week I am very pleased to share with you what in my opinion is "the look."

 

All the panelling so far wouldn't be worth anything if it didn't look good around the cockpit, but that had to wait until the end due to the application sequence. This a very tricky area to find good photos for, but the gentleman that has made the entire cockpit section in 1:1 scale's facebook page provided some very useful hints at the construction.....

 

Here's the pics:

 

 

The trim parts under the windscreen were pretty straightforward once I established the shapes. The cockpit roof however, was quite the challenge. It took me two goes; I started with quite an oversized piece to develop the crimping to "shrink" the corners where the direction changes happened. I was hoping that if I did that, I could work the kinks out and not have to cut or overlap the remaining panel too much (not sure if any of that made sense!!!)

 

The panel was definitely the biggest challenge I've faced so far, but there was no shortcuts as it was critical to achieve "the look."

 

Still working, then onto sanding....

 

 

Quite amazing what a 320 grit sanding sponge will do!

 

 

Then lastly, here's the result....very happy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I then had to do the remaining window frames and joining pieces....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quite a few little details to add on to the exterior in the near future too, like the football antenna underneath and the pitot probes etc, but I probably need to take the leap of faith soon and stick the nose on for good so I limit the amount of dust (and spiders) that make their way into the nose area. Not entirely sure what the next update will look like, but I'm very happy with this one!

 

Cheers,

 

Craig

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 6, 2022 by brahman104

[tomprobert]

What an amazing accomplishment. You have indeed captured “the look” and she’s looking mighty fine!

 

Is the whole fuselage skinned now? It would be great to see a picture of the overall effect. 
 

Tom

[monthebiff]

Amazing work, your skinning around the cockpit is just superb.

 

Regards. Andy 

[dodgem37]

Finest kind.

 

Sincerely,

Mark

[JayW]

INPIRATIONAL skinning effort around that windshield Craig!  having seen Peter's tutorials, I could follow the steps you took to get there.  Well done!  Kudos.  I know I have some complicated skinning ahead of me on my project too.  And this is inspirational indeed. 

[easixpedro]

That's looking amazeballs! Concur with Tom...pics of the whole fuselage would be inspirational for certain. 

[scvrobeson]

Just utterly amazing. That's really all there is to be said about it.

 

I'm guessing that you make the piece, sand it all down to fit, then remove it, add the rivets, and finally glue it in place?

 

 

 

Matt 

[TKB]

Craig,

 

My, haven't you come a long way from when you posted your very first picture along with your "C/D plan of attack,"  back on December 22, 2014!

 

The "buttons should be popping off your vest" with what you've accomplished! There are some nice B-17 builds (all scales) out there, but even though she's not completed yet, you've got the "best of the best" setting on your workbench. Once you've finish her, she's going to be the "watershed" of B-17 modeling and the "hallmark standard"  by which other B-17 models will be measure.

 

It's going to be a long time (if ever) that another B-17 comes along that can even come close to attaining "the look," as well as the accurate detail that you've pulled off here!  Everything you've done has shown superb workmanship, but part of getting "Bulkhead #4 forward" to look right was getting all of the "widow areas" to actually look like "B-17 windows."  All the "major" work was important, but all the smaller "nuances" you picked up on are just as important to "getting it right." And some of those "smaller" things, like the outer nacelles turned into "major" projects to correct.

 

You most assuredly deserve all the laurels you get for your talented workmanship, but as I've said before your dedication, patience and tenacity to the project need to be recognized just as well!

 

Terry

 

[P_Aybara]

Craig,

I hope you can appreciate the dilemma you're putting many modelers in.  They've spent years learning how to remove raised surface details from "classic" kits and here you are putting it back on! Looks great though. 

[brahman104]

On 3/6/2022 at 9:34 PM, tomprobert said:

What an amazing accomplishment. You have indeed captured “the look” and she’s looking mighty fine!

 

Is the whole fuselage skinned now? It would be great to see a picture of the overall effect. 
 

Tom

 

Many thanks Tom! Always humbled to get your tick of approval! . I still haven't done the bathtub, life raft doors or a few other bits and pieces like the wing and tail fairings yet. I find it challenging to take an overall picture as I don't have a good backdrop to give some contrast, but I'll look to include an "overall" pic soon .

 

On 3/6/2022 at 10:15 PM, monthebiff said:

Amazing work, your skinning around the cockpit is just superb.

 

Regards. Andy 

 

Thank you so much Andy! I had no idea how it was all going to go, but it seems the modelling gods have smiled on me this time!

 

On 3/6/2022 at 11:43 PM, dodgem37 said:

Finest kind.

 

Sincerely,

Mark

 

Thanks Mark!  

 

On 3/7/2022 at 12:16 AM, MARU5137 said:

Craig, 

never effluent! 

your build just gets better and better and is very Inspirational. 

Most  RESPLENDENT!!

 

 

Hahahaha! Thanks as always Maru!

 

On 3/7/2022 at 3:42 AM, JayW said:

INPIRATIONAL skinning effort around that windshield Craig!  having seen Peter's tutorials, I could follow the steps you took to get there.  Well done!  Kudos.  I know I have some complicated skinning ahead of me on my project too.  And this is inspirational indeed. 

 

Thanks so much Jay! Yep it's really just a case of giving it a go, like you are now. I found all the trim parts of the frames actually pretty easy; the only real challenging part was that roof section..... I reckon that panel alone took about 5-6 hours to get right. You definitely develop a feel for how the metal wants to flow, then it becomes a familiar process. Still more challenges ahead yet..... I'm dreading the cowlings I think most of all!

 

On 3/7/2022 at 4:05 AM, easixpedro said:

That's looking amazeballs! Concur with Tom...pics of the whole fuselage would be inspirational for certain. 

 

Thanks mate  I'll definitely try and get some decent ones for you soon.....

 

On 3/7/2022 at 6:21 AM, scvrobeson said:

Just utterly amazing. That's really all there is to be said about it.

 

I'm guessing that you make the piece, sand it all down to fit, then remove it, add the rivets, and finally glue it in place?

 

 

 

Matt 

 

Hey Matt, thank you! Yep pretty much. The sanding is to get rid of a lot of the hammer marks. I make the panel oversized as I don't know where it will shrink. Once I'm getting close, then I pick a reference edge and trim everything back to that point. Rivets are added pretty much at the last point prior to gluing the panel on. My biggest advice is go slowly, the panels can "move" of their own accord and you can't put back on what you've just removed!  

 

23 hours ago, TKB said:

Craig,

 

My, haven't you come a long way from when you posted your very first picture along with your "C/D plan of attack,"  back on December 22, 2014!

 

The "buttons should be popping off your vest" with what you've accomplished! There are some nice B-17 builds (all scales) out there, but even though she's not completed yet, you've got the "best of the best" setting on your workbench. Once you've finish her, she's going to be the "watershed" of B-17 modeling and the "hallmark standard"  by which other B-17 models will be measure.

 

It's going to be a long time (if ever) that another B-17 comes along that can even come close to attaining "the look," as well as the accurate detail that you've pulled off here!  Everything you've done has shown superb workmanship, but part of getting "Bulkhead #4 forward" to look right was getting all of the "widow areas" to actually look like "B-17 windows."  All the "major" work was important, but all the smaller "nuances" you picked up on are just as important to "getting it right." And some of those "smaller" things, like the outer nacelles turned into "major" projects to correct.

 

You most assuredly deserve all the laurels you get for your talented workmanship, but as I've said before your dedication, patience and tenacity to the project need to be recognized just as well!

 

Terry

 

 

Thank you so much Terry! I can only build using the information I have and it must be remembered that the turning point in this whole build was obtaining that full fuselage side view that you sent me. This build is just as much a credit to your unwavering support and assistance as it is to me! Can't thank you enough! 

 

But yes, who've thought all those years ago that this is how it would turn out  

 

14 hours ago, P_Aybara said:

Craig,

I hope you can appreciate the dilemma you're putting many modelers in.  They've spent years learning how to remove raised surface details from "classic" kits and here you are putting it back on! Looks great though. 

 

Hahahaha, man I am the worst!  But yes the amount of times I wish everything was recessed, perhaps I would have finished years ago!