HK B-17G 5 1/2 yrs on the Shelf of Doom

[aircommando130]

B-17 is probably my favorite bomber! Looking good so far! I have the "F" model to build...as "Knockout Dropper".

There is a resin company that is making all the crew positions for that bomber...can't recall the name at the moment

but they are incredible figures! Are you going to use "Prop-Blur" for the turning blades? I have used them in 48th scale and look real good 

too.

 

Cheers...Ron

[marauderdriver]

16 hours ago, spacewolf said:

Amazing work !! Love this !!

Thank You very much Sir

 

14 hours ago, MARU5137 said:

PHWOAR !

 

I see why you hid this build from us for ages...

It's because it's an INCREDIBLE,PHENOMENAL detailed build which  you figured we'd be jealous of. 

You WERE RIGHT !  I am 

I wish I could model with such PRISTINE and exacting detailing.

The figures,the radio room etc is simply OUTSTANDING  piece of workmanship.

 

So happy you figured out the photo lark.

 

STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL  model... thank you.   

 

 

 

 

 

KUDOS.

 

 

 

MARU  5137.

You are too kind Sir

This was 5 years ago, I hope I can continue with the same quality.

jack

13 hours ago, ScottsGT said:

Amazing skills with your painting techniques.  Very realistic! 

Thank You Sir,

Hope I can remember how I did this.

 

8 hours ago, LSP_Paul said:

Glad to see you back at it Jack =-)  Looking great!

Skeeter

Thanks Skeeter

Good to be doing something I want to work on. Haven't done anything since I finished the KC-10.

 

t

8 hours ago, aircommando130 said:

B-17 is probably my favorite bomber! Looking good so far! I have the "F" model to build...as "Knockout Dropper".

There is a resin company that is making all the crew positions for that bomber...can't recall the name at the moment

but they are incredible figures! Are you going to use "Prop-Blur" for the turning blades? I have used them in 48th scale and look real good 

too.

 

Cheers...Ron

Thank You Ron,

Be interested to see the crew. have a couple of ideas about the spinning props that doesn't  include motors.

I've seen a couple of 48th "Prop Blurs" done and have made some from clear plastic disk chucked in my Dremel.

We'll see

jack

[marauderdriver]

The real fun of this is finding all my references and looking at some of the parts I started...what the Hell was I THINKING.

Going back and reading my original thread helps but the lack of pics from then makes some of it a mystery. 

Will probably be a couple of days getting back in the groove and see were to start.

Stay Tuned

 

jack

 

[josebagasteiz]

 

Thank you for coming back to this interesting project again !!

I will follow

[marauderdriver]

5 hours ago, josebagasteiz said:

 

Thank you for coming back to this interesting project again !!

I will follow

Thank You sir.

I hope to make it worth following

 

jack

[aircommando130]

Here ya go!

 

https://masterdetails.com/

 

Cheers...Ron

[marauderdriver]

4 hours ago, aircommando130 said:

Here ya go!

 

https://masterdetails.com/

 

Cheers...Ron

Thanks Ron,

I saw the bombardier a few years ago, after I put the beast on the shelf, and figured it was easier to modify the

one I did to be over the bombsight. The advantage of doing mine was the legs were separate and the choice 

of arms and heads. I wanted the heads with the oxygen mask on and goggles down to cover any exposed skin.

Most later crews used the A-14 mask that did not have the bladder as thy were less prone to freezing.

I also made a ball turret gunner and will post some more pics of the other guy's soon.

Thanks for the update

 

jack

 

[Bstarr3]

This is a fantastic project.  Very nice work on the figure painting, as well.  Many people shy away from figures - I'm trying to get better at it myself.  I have a long term vision of doing a similar in-flight B-17 using the old Revell 1/48 kit, but keep shying away from it every time I think to start it.  It takes boldness to return to such a huge project after leaving it for awhile, and I look forward to following!

 

Do you plan to do any cutaways, or just to hide all this beautiful detail and figure work inside? 

[marauderdriver]

3 hours ago, Bstarr3 said:

This is a fantastic project.  Very nice work on the figure painting, as well.  Many people shy away from figures - I'm trying to get better at it myself.  I have a long term vision of doing a similar in-flight B-17 using the old Revell 1/48 kit, but keep shying away from it every time I think to start it.  It takes boldness to return to such a huge project after leaving it for awhile, and I look forward to following!

 

Do you plan to do any cutaways, or just to hide all this beautiful detail and figure work inside? 

Thank You Sir.

I found the painting crew figures is actually a fairly easy task in 1/32nd and smaller. The challenge is modifying them to the pose you want.

I built an in-flight 1/48th B-17 back when it first came out in the 70's using various figures from kits in the closet.

Don't shy away from it as working out-side the box is a great teaching tool to give you confidence to do it again if you so desire. Plus you'll

LEARN ALOT!.

The turtle deck is made to be removable if so desired but was not planning too. I will consider doing this if I can get the fit right.

Will be posting more pics of the top turret and crew in the various stages of completion in a day or two.

Thanks for looking in

 

jack

[aircommando130]

11 hours ago, Bstarr3 said:

This is a fantastic project.  Very nice work on the figure painting, as well.  Many people shy away from figures - I'm trying to get better at it myself.  I have a long term vision of doing a similar in-flight B-17 using the old Revell 1/48 kit, but keep shying away from it every time I think to start it.  It takes boldness to return to such a huge project after leaving it for awhile, and I look forward to following!

 

Do you plan to do any cutaways, or just to hide all this beautiful detail and figure work inside? 

 

I have the 32nd B-17F(Knockout Dropper) I want to build on the ground in a hardstand at Molesworth with some maintenance guys looking at number 2 engine...a couple guys up under the bomb bay with the bomb doors open and a couple smoking by the line shack off to the side talking to an MP and his Harley motorcycle parked off the nose. Some smoke coming out the chimney of the line shack to give the impression of a cool day in England. Maintenance worked long hours to keep them flying. I also have a 48th F model to do the same airplane inflight going to the target...Prop Blur for the turning props and the gunners in the waist windows scanning for Bandits. I just can't imagine flying that high and that long in the waist of an F model with open windows being exposed to the cold like that. 

I airdropped jumpers from 24,000 feet several times and the airplane was open for probably 20 minutes or so and even with ramp air deflectors and the heat blasting it was still really cold. 

 

Cheers...Ron

[marauderdriver]

14 hours ago, aircommando130 said:

 

I have the 32nd B-17F(Knockout Dropper) I want to build on the ground in a hardstand at Molesworth with some maintenance guys looking at number 2 engine...a couple guys up under the bomb bay with the bomb doors open and a couple smoking by the line shack off to the side talking to an MP and his Harley motorcycle parked off the nose. Some smoke coming out the chimney of the line shack to give the impression of a cool day in England. Maintenance worked long hours to keep them flying. I also have a 48th F model to do the same airplane inflight going to the target...Prop Blur for the turning props and the gunners in the waist windows scanning for Bandits. I just can't imagine flying that high and that long in the waist of an F model with open windows being exposed to the cold like that. 

I airdropped jumpers from 24,000 feet several times and the airplane was open for probably 20 minutes or so and even with ramp air deflectors and the heat blasting it was still really cold. 

 

Cheers...Ron

Sounds like a really cool diorama ,and LARGE! The possibilities are endless with this kit providing you have the space.

My wife prefers I hang mine from the ceiling and she has a spot picked out for mine when it is off the stand (only on the stand for shows).

I wonder what the poor tail gunner went through with the waist being open to the wind, even with deflectors. Maybe not as bad as I think.

 

jack

[aircommando130]

I met a guy at the VA hospital several years back. He walked with a limp and was wearing an 8th AF baseball hat...had WWII gunners wings on it with a purple heart...air medal and a silver star on it. I asked what airplane he crewed...he was a B-17 waist gunner in 1942-43. His airplane had an 88mm round go off under it and the blast shredded the fuselage and the wooden catwalk he was standing on. Had shrapnel and wood in his legs and was bleeding out pretty good. The other gunner gave him a morphine shot for pain and they continued the mission to target. They were high enough that the blood froze the wounds and that kept him from bleeding to death. I was like..."yeah...I've got nothing to complain about now" 

 

Cheers...Ron

[marauderdriver]

8 hours ago, aircommando130 said:

I met a guy at the VA hospital several years back. He walked with a limp and was wearing an 8th AF baseball hat...had WWII gunners wings on it with a purple heart...air medal and a silver star on it. I asked what airplane he crewed...he was a B-17 waist gunner in 1942-43. His airplane had an 88mm round go off under it and the blast shredded the fuselage and the wooden catwalk he was standing on. Had shrapnel and wood in his legs and was bleeding out pretty good. The other gunner gave him a morphine shot for pain and they continued the mission to target. They were high enough that the blood froze the wounds and that kept him from bleeding to death. I was like..."yeah...I've got nothing to complain about now" 

 

Cheers...Ron

I work in the gift shop at the Barksdale Global Power Museum at Barksdale AFB in Louisiana and have  had the privilege to meet several WWII veterans.

Some were aircrew and some ground guy's who have shared some of their experiences. What a humbling experience to listen to their stories. My dad flew 

65 missions as a pilot in B-26 Marauders in 44-45 from England and France. They all one thing in common, they said they  were just doing their job. 

What an incredible group of men they were.

 

jack

[marauderdriver]

Top turret with gunner, radio operator ( will change head), ball turret and waist gunners. 

Tail gunner is the only one left to be modified. Flak vest are made from lead tape.

[aircommando130]

Wow! B-26 pilot...that was a cool airplane too! Hats off to your dad! Your crew is looking really good. The gunner with the goggles down and mask without the O2 hose yet (lead head) looks kinda like the Gorn in the old Star Trek episode! Have you figured out how to model the high altitude contrails off the engines yet?? LOL! 

 

Cheers...Ron