ChuckD Posted May 8, 2019 Author Share Posted May 8, 2019 Thanks, everyone. I've been trying to pick away at this for about 30-60 mins per day and have made some decent progress since my last post. I should have an update soon as I've passed the point of no return in that I've opened up the lower gunner windows on each side of the fuselage. No turning back now. LSP_Ray and Out2gtcha 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckD Posted May 9, 2019 Author Share Posted May 9, 2019 Ugh, this project has turned my usually fairly neat workbench into a disaster area. Tools of the trade... tape, scribers, saws, glue, cutters, files, scissors, and scotch. The paint side is a mess too... Anyway, here is a quick update. I've opened the holes for the belly gunner's observation windows. This photo illustrates the amount of seam work I'm going to have to do. Nearly every inch of the fuselage seam has that ridge on both halves. There will be much sanding, scraping, scribing, and riveting work in my future. Speaking of riveting work, this will have to go. No doubt an artifact of the original staggered-window B-17G kit, this is a pretty ugly recess that will have to be dealt with. Since taking this, I've already sanded the lines out and will have to re-rivet the area later. Kind of a pain the in butt, but I understand the decision to use a removable plug in the mold from a business perspective. This is turning out to be an interesting bit. In an earlier post, you saw that I'd added a piece to the side catwalks because they needed to be more parallel than the kit parts allowed for. Turns out, the kit has you place them much higher on the fuselage side wall than needed on the -17E. If I'd placed the two catwalks where the instructions call for them to be, the two side windows would have been under the catwalks. So, I had to cut and shape the catwalk supports, cut a couple of stringers, and generally finagle the catwalks to where they needed to be. Once I did that, I realized that they lined up nearly parallel, so the part I added was no longer necessary. So, I popped it off and cleaned the area up. Currently, I'm working on the mount for the sight and the sighting blister. I think the astrodome left over from the -17G parts is going to be a perfect fit. I'm struggling a bit with what to use to fill the actual windows. I have some clear acrylic sheeting that I think might fit the bill and is easy enough to work with. I'm also trying to come up with a good way to build the platform for where the gunner lays. Plastic card stock will work, but there has to be something easier. USMC Herc, Trak-Tor, LSP_Ray and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brahman104 Posted May 12, 2019 Share Posted May 12, 2019 Looking really nice! I didn't realise the E/F kit had such horrible marks where the staggered windows were filled! The interior work is really good, I'd say styrene is the way to go for your gunner's platform. I'd agree with acrylic for the windows, if you're familiar with Paul Budzik's work he uses the stuff to great effect.... especially if you cut it a bit oversize so you don't see the joins. That's how I'm planning on doing the nose ones for my C model. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckD Posted May 17, 2019 Author Share Posted May 17, 2019 (edited) More movement on the Ghost. First, I've gotten the sighting blister more or less squared away. I carefully cut and sanded a ring from cardstock and then, holding a piece of sandpaper (grit side up) against the belly of the fortress, sanded the ring. The idea was that doing so would shape the base of the ring to match the curvature of the aircraft's belly. This allows the ring to sit flush with both the curve of the aircraft's belly and the flat of the base of the blister. I think it turned out pretty well. The plan is to dip the blister in future, paint the ring, superglue the two together, then add them after I've done all the belly seamwork. I also spent a considerable amount of time sanding and shaping clear pieces to fit the cutouts for the gunner's windows. I ended up cutting the needed pieces from cheek windows that would only be used on the -17F version of this kit and are thus unneeded on the E version. As a bonus, they already had a slight curve that matched the curve of the belly. I filled any gaps around the windows with apoxiesculpt and they all turned out pretty well. They're not absolutely razor-straight, but they're as good as I'll ever get them. An application or two of Future will clear up those scratches just fine. I also sanded and re-riveted the staggered waist window. Nevermind that bowed rivet line at the top... the fuselage slipped while I was running the riveter, so I had to fill it. <facepalm> I'll hit it with some primer later to see how it looks. The majority of my time the last few nights has been working on the turret. I'm making good progress, though I feel like some of the general geometry is different from what I have found in pictures. So, I'm sort of winging it a bit with panel lines, etc. I started here by installing all the glass, filling the gaps with dissolved sprue, filling the gun openings with cardstock, and adding barrel collars cut from the kit's .50s that were allocated for the ball turret. I then sanded everything smooth. After cutting out the holes for the case and belt link ejection chutes, I couldn't resist mocking everything up. Externally, she's nearing completion. I need to redo the fairing collar around the turret as it didn't cut evenly, but that's fairly easy. There's still more to be done on the turret in terms of putty cleanup, panel scribing and riveting, but she's getting closer. Someday I'll even paint parts of it! Edited May 17, 2019 by Gewehr 43 LSP_Kevin, Trak-Tor, Azgaron and 9 others 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrish Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 beautiful work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardchapman5 Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 Looking very nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckD Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 Hate to say it, guys, but this one's probably on hiatus for now. I made the mistake of mocking everything up with tape after assembling the left wing a couple days ago and the shape of the nose just kills it for me. I'm also absolutely dreading fitting the fuse and the upper deck together as neither looks to be a smooth fit. Sanding and re-riveting are going to be a hell of a task on this one and I was just dreading coming to the bench. This is a hobby that's supposed to be fun, so as much as it pains me to say it, I'm setting the Ghost aside for a while. Thanks for following along up to here! Kagemusha, nmayhew, kkarlsen and 2 others 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkis Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 ...sometimes we need to just step back once in a while... Clark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 I can understand that........certain kits, no matter the passion had for them can really sap your modeling will. I've got two of those on my SOD right now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckD Posted November 5, 2019 Author Share Posted November 5, 2019 She's back on the bench, gents. Can I finish her before the deadline? Updates to come! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azgaron Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 Very nice build so far! Håkan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckD Posted November 5, 2019 Author Share Posted November 5, 2019 Thanks! Not much in the way of photos yet, but the interior construction is complete and base coated. Both horizontal stabs and the right wing are primed. Next comes some light weathering/washes on the interior, then I button her up for the arduous process of sanding, rescribing, and re-riveting. Here we go! brahman104 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckD Posted November 8, 2019 Author Share Posted November 8, 2019 (edited) I took the day off today and decided it spend it at the model bench. This weekend is pretty light, so I'm hoping to get some good time at the bench most of the weekend. If all goes to plan, I just may be able to pull this off by the end of the year. I've still got a long way to go, but we're moving and I feel motivated. After shelving this one in June, I worked on a T-34 and something completely different for me, a derelict CCKW truck. This is what it looked like when I pulled it from the Shelf of Doom the other day. Today, was a milestone as I was able to seal up the fuselage. The sanding work will probably begin tonight and last through the weekend. The seams on this are kinda gross. Lots of cement, superglue, and tape in this one. As an aside, I cracked the box on this on February 19th, 2017. It has taken me 994 days to reach this point. I also have the left wing and props built. I'll be cleaning all of that up this weekend too. The turtle deck is dry fit here (most everything is, really), but my goal for the weekend is to have all wing, fuselage, and turtle deck seams filled, cleaned, and sanded. After that, there's really not much left to build... then it's on to the gallons of paint. :| Here is the current status: Bring on the sandpaper! Edited November 8, 2019 by Gewehr 43 Lothar, Smokey, LSP_Kevin and 6 others 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azgaron Posted November 8, 2019 Share Posted November 8, 2019 Looking good! Håkan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckD Posted November 9, 2019 Author Share Posted November 9, 2019 Thanks! Getting there. I have everything built and all sub-assemblies ready to go, so I'll be pushing forward on it this weekend. Lothar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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