preview Preview: HK Models 1/32 B-17E/F

[LSP_Kevin]

Howdy folks,

 

As promised, I've put together a brief preview of the forthcoming 1/32 B-17E/F from HK Models. This is based on a test shot that I received late last week, and as such, is most assuredly not a review. It arrived without decals, photo-etched parts, or instructions. I've tried to focus on those elements that might differ from the earlier 'G' release, but a couple of important caveats.

 

Firstly, I'm no B-17 expert, so I've refrained from making any commentary about accuracy or applicability of the new parts. Secondly, I'm not familiar with the earlier 'G' kit, so an A/B comparison is not really possible, even from memory. However, there are a group of new sprues included that haven't yet had their numbers tooled, so these are clearly intended for the 'E' and 'F' versions.

 

Anyway, here's the link:

 

http://www.largescaleplanes.com/news/news.php?nid=169

 

If you have any comments about what you see, please post them here, but don't be a jackass about it. I'll be directing Neil to this thread as a source of informed feedback, so filling it with hysterical tantrums does nobody any good. If you don't like something you see, try to articulate why, and politely. Some things can (and will) be changed, and some things can't, and we all need to accept that.

 

OK, sermon over!

 

Kev

[Thunda]

Wow! As you say, Kevin, enourmous! Difficult to have much input, other than to say, what is there looks to be well made and of high quality. Will have to wait until one is either built, or compared to scale plans before we can talk about accuracy, but judging by the 'G', I cant see this one being miles out.

[tomprobert]

If the G nose parts and Cheyenne tail turret are included in the soon to be released E/F kit, we now have the early and mid-block G options covered in the box, too.

 

I can see HK selling lots of these - I myself can see at least three of this boxing coming my way as I'd love to add an E, F and early G to the two late Gs I've already built!

 

EDIT: After having a good look at the pictures in the article (which is a great review by the way, Kev!) HK have also made the forward nose windows slightly smaller on the E and F noses which makes them accurate, too.

 

We can also do an early E model with the three small nose windows, a later E using the F nose with the enlarged cheek windows, and if we wanted to get a little creative we could even produce a chin turreted late model F or very early G with the three small nose windows on either side, using the chin turret and fairing from the G nose.

 

It's hard to see the bombardier's nose blisters in detail but the F nose piece looks more like a restored modern day warbird piece as seen on 'The Movie Memphis Belle' which is a back-dated G and is currently operated by the Liberty Foundation, and I'm not convinced it captures the look of a wartime F... but knowing the very different gun layouts and field mods that would be an impossible task for HK anyway.

 

The only limitation that I can currently see is the F nose has the early batch flat cheek windows - to do the later bulged type would take a bit of work, but barring that HK have almost all of the 'big tailed birds' covered in this release. Brilliant stuff!

Edited March 6, 2016 by tomprobert

[Darren Howie]

Looks like a Memphis Belle, is heading my way from the look at that front end...

[dennismcc]

Impressive looking piece of kit, but I would definately need a bigger house for it.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Tony T]

Looks delightful. Wish I had the time and space for it.

 

Thanks for the excellent photo essay preview.

 

Tony

[Michael Satin]

I'm no expert, but weren't the waist windows on the F smaller top to bottom than the G?

 

Michael

[petrov27]

Very much wondering if those "G" only parts will be in the final release? It would certainly make the kit more appealing (to me at least) if more versions are possible outta the box....

[pennausamike]

Given the price of the kit, I think it would help sales of this boxing if the G parts are included.

There are decals out there for "Little Miss Mischief" and G nose parts would mean she could be built

without combining two kits costing nearly $400 each.

Including the G nose parts opens up the market for all manner of markings

and I can't help but feel the increase in sales would offset the price of including the parts.

 

Mike

[tomprobert]

Are there different types of props, Kev? The E had narrower chord blades and slightly longer cowlings. Couldn't see any extra props or cowlings in the pictures. The ones I can see in your images are ok for an F or G, but would be incorrect for an E version.

[RNoAF]

Release date?

[Guest Smitty44]

A very bold move by HK amid the nose controversy to release a kit with three different noses in it!!      Sorry I couldn't resist. The Belle will look great in the hobby room!

[Juggernut]

Nice preview Kev.   The kit does look impressive and in respect to what Tom offered above regarding the nose blister, I wonder how HK is going to address the armament configuration in the F nose?  The F nose does resemble the backdated G on that restoration aircraft.  I guess the aftermarket community will have to come to the rescue for the enclosed waist positions in the early G's as I do not see any enclosed waist windows on the sprues except those that came with the late G.  It remains to be seen whether those will fit into the waist windows on the new fuselage or not....  They shouldn't as I believe the waist windows were different sizes between the F and G (larger).  Note:  The some of the early G's came with waist windows like the F's (sliding) but at some point there was a modification done to them to enclose them (3 pane plexi w/K-5/6 gun mount).   However, it seems as though Douglas built 17G's had the single plexi window installed at the factory but I do not know if that was the case from Douglas G #1 or whether that was a production line mod somewhere afterward.  Where's Karl H when I need him?  I also have questions regarding the alternate radio room gun installation...Yes, there's more than one. 

 

I'll have to wait until the final production version arrives and I get to see what's what but it looks nice.  I still have issues with the kit (not to be discussed further) but the kit does look like a decent build for those that are willing to take on such a project (in scope and size). 

[Juggernut]

I'm no expert, but weren't the waist windows on the F smaller top to bottom than the G?

 

Michael

 

I believe so, yes.

[Guest Smitty44]

I don't think that's going to be the case.  This is a test shot.  As far as I'm aware the kit will be released as an E and separately as an F.

Oh makes sense, but I think that's the vibe people were beginning to get. I was just joking around anyways.