HK B-17...C 28/12 Running the (wire) gauntlet

[Gazzas]

1 hour ago, brahman104 said:

 

G'day Gaz,

 

Thanks for the suggestions to make my life easier, unfortunately the early model B-17 cowls were significantly different from the eventual G model. The C/Ds had a ring around the front, with 3-4 panels around the circumference behind that.

 

 

 

 

I'll see how I go with the litho plate, otherwise it might be the pewter. 

 

I appreciate the suggestion though!

 

 

 

At one time I wanted to make the front end of a B-29 fuselage for the 1/48 Monogram kit.  I didn't have any idea to how get the shape.  And in the end, I wasn't happy with the result.  But, I got close thanks to the following video.  You may find it interesting, and maybe even useful.  He's working with brass, while I worked with aluminium.  But the principals are the same.

 

 

Edited October 13, 2025 by Gazzas

[brahman104]

Thanks for the video Gaz!

 

That's beyond impressive that he could make that out of a single disc of brass, but it does show you what could be achieved!

 

Cheers,

 

Craig

[brahman104]

So it took me 3 attempts but I got there in the end!

 

I remember Peter (Airscale) having similar issues on his tigercat years ago and switched to Pewter for something as challenging as this. The one on the right is traditional Aluminium litho plate, the one on the left is pewter. Both in the WIP phase, although you can see the Aluminium one has broken through the material while I was sanding it near the bottom rear edge, so sadly unrecoverable.

 

The pewter faired a lot better as it's softer to begin with, BUUUUUT don't try and anneal it, like I did....... In case you were wondering, it just melts..... 

 

 

 

Here it is looking a bit closer...

 

 

And with litho side panels added. Very different design to the G model. I think Terry would be proud! He and I had many an email about cowling shapes.....

 

 

And with rivet details....

 

 

I reckon that took me about 5 hours.

 

 

 

One down, three to go! Just needs to be painted yellow.

 

Cheers,

 

Craig

 

[JayW]

Great Craig!  Always amazing to watch the transition from a flat piece of thin sheet to a heavily formed item like a cowl nose or a fillet fairing.  In the hands of a talented craftsman.  That pewter - where can one get it, and how thick is it?  The alum I use is about .005 inch thick.  

[scvrobeson]

Wow, that looks great. The pewter seems to have really gotten the job done for you.

 

 

Matt 

[Gazzas]

That does look mighty fine!

[Jim Barry]

Still so impressive. I had not checked in here in a bit. Keep at it! 

[brahman104]

Thanks guys!

 

Merry Christmas to you all, I hope Santa found you well and gifted you some modelling goodness. It just occurred to me that I never actually posted my last major-ish progress so I thought I'd better get it up.

 

A while ago you may remember the fun I had drilling through and then inserting a brass tube down the inside of the main landing gear leg....

 

Well with the wing pretty much finished I couldn't put off the wiring any longer and so had to turn my head to how to run two wires down the leg and out through the tyre, all without the wires hopefully being visible. Why both down one leg? a) I didn't fancy my luck of drilling through a second leg and b) I'd already run the wires from the fuselage lights out the left side of the fuselage so I was more or less committed to the plan.

 

In a build full of heart stopping moments, this was just another! Somehow, the two wires had to travel down the gear leg, make 90 degree turn at the axle which I hadn't drilled out either yet, run the length of the axle, then make another 90 degree turn into the tyre (which was already assembled and painted), where two female sockets would have to be fixed flush with the bottom of said tyre........ easy? sure wasn't, and again, purely my own lack of forward planning got me into this mess.......

 

 

In the above pic you can just see the small loop of one of the wires. These are super delicate and I didn't want to push the chance of breaking one to get it to sit at a perfect 90 degree bend inside the join of two shafts. I won't tell if you don't.

 

I then had to cut enough out of the bottom of the tyre to solder the two sockets onto the wires I'd finally (it took about 4 hours to do it) managed to thread through without (hopefully melting the tyre).

 

 

After testing continuity about 35,000 times I then secured the sockets to be flush with the tyre bottom and sanded everything smooth again.

 

 

And with the male sockets inserted, continuity checked again! If it didn't work at this point I'm not really sure what I would have done, but happily it did! 

 

 

I'd also had a chance to get some paint on the nacelles and use the kit decals for the national insignia. Pretty happy with how they came out!

 

 

Also, now that I could finally mount the gear leg in permanently, I could dress up the retracting screw with some real threaded rod. This also had to be adjusted due to the shortening of the oleo strut from ages ago to make the fort sit right. 

 

 

I'd also been checking the continuity between the wing and fuselage joint, so while it was all out I thought I'd remind myself of just how huge this is. I also probably need to start thinking about how exactly I'm going to display it!!

 

 

 

 

 

Also a timely reminder of just how much more work is yet to be done to cover the right wing. Oh well, back to the grind!!!

 

Cheers,

 

Craig

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[brahman104]

On 10/18/2025 at 9:58 PM, JayW said:

Great Craig!  Always amazing to watch the transition from a flat piece of thin sheet to a heavily formed item like a cowl nose or a fillet fairing.  In the hands of a talented craftsman.  That pewter - where can one get it, and how thick is it?  The alum I use is about .005 inch thick.  

 

Hi Jay, I forgot to reply to your question. I think we're using the same aluminium. As for the pewter, it was a while ago but I think I actually got it from the UK. An ebay purchase from a craft place - sorry I can't remember. If you do use it though, word of warning - it doesn't anneal like the aluminium!!!!!!! 

 

Cheers, 

 

Craig

[Jim Barry]

Oh, Man! 

[Greif8]

Master level metal working Craig, just wonderful all around!

 

Ernest

[airscale]

i need a new laptop...

 

this one has drool all over it now...

 

stunning work Craig, just breathtaking

 

Peter

[JayW]

She is a big girl Guy.  And beautiful.  My gawd.  "Heart-stopping moments" - oh I know exactly what you mean by that.  When so much has been invested into a project like yours (or mine), knowing you cannot just go buy another part or kit if you flub it up, well yes there are heart stopping moments.  Especially since if you are like me - on occasion I put off challenging tasks earlier in a build until later, hoping I will figure something out in the mean time.  Then the time comes, and.....heart stopping moments. 

[Rowdy Rat]

Craig,

 

Absolutely fantastic work!

 

You know, I have become so used to seeing the E, F, and G models that I had almost forgotten how sleek and clean the early model B-17s were.  You’ve really captured that “look” with your model…  Exceptional job!

 

Regards,

 

Stan Falenski

[brahman104]

16 hours ago, Greif8 said:

Master level metal working Craig, just wonderful all around!

 

Ernest

 

Thank you so much Ernest! I need to check back on your stunning Avenger build  

 

15 hours ago, airscale said:

i need a new laptop...

 

this one has drool all over it now...

 

stunning work Craig, just breathtaking

 

Peter

 

Hahaha! Are you sure it's not because it's been burnt out designing epic stuff? Thanks Peter!!! Always a high compliment coming from you  

 

10 hours ago, JayW said:

She is a big girl Guy.  And beautiful.  My gawd.  "Heart-stopping moments" - oh I know exactly what you mean by that.  When so much has been invested into a project like yours (or mine), knowing you cannot just go buy another part or kit if you flub it up, well yes there are heart stopping moments.  Especially since if you are like me - on occasion I put off challenging tasks earlier in a build until later, hoping I will figure something out in the mean time.  Then the time comes, and.....heart stopping moments. 

 

Thanks Jay! You absolutely nailed it, but then again, we do this for fun and relaxation don't we? 

 

10 hours ago, Rowdy Rat said:

Craig,

 

Absolutely fantastic work!

 

You know, I have become so used to seeing the E, F, and G models that I had almost forgotten how sleek and clean the early model B-17s were.  You’ve really captured that “look” with your model…  Exceptional job!

 

Regards,

 

Stan Falenski

 

Hi Stan. Thank you so much for your kind words! It's comments such as this that keep me true to the goal of finishing this beast, much appreciated!