tomprobert Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 On 10/22/2019 at 5:01 PM, Dennis7423 said: Did the YB-40 have a retractable ball turret? The one in the photo sure is tucked up into the belly pretty far. It doesn't appear to be a remote turret, either. I also noticed that the tail gunner's position seems to have some additional armor, or improved field of vision going on. Pretty neat stuff! - Dennis S. Thornton, CO USA The picture Greg posted is actually an XB-40. The ball turret was indeed partially retractable which was designed to help reduce drag and help the heavier aircraft keep up with the rest of the formation when the ball wasn’t in use. Notice too the longer turtle deck over the radio room which was typical of the XB-40 as well as the unstaggered waist guns - the YB-40 introduce staggered waist gun windows which were later incorporated into the G-model. Tom Dennis7423 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 23 hours ago, patricksparks said: I don't think you need 2 kits, the YB-40s were base on "F" airframes and most photos I have seen show no "Cheek guns" with the "G" fairings and the chin turret on the YB-40 is not the same shape as the production chin turrets. Hope this might help. This is an XB-40 with the three window arrangement - the YB-40 retained the F-style cheek window set up. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seiran01 Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 7 minutes ago, tomprobert said: That’s not a YB-40. It is in fact a standard B-17G named ‘West End’ of the 384th BG with an experimental fixed battery of 6 x .50cals and was installed at Wright field. It was flown operationally from Grafton Underwood on a few occasions in July ‘44. The guns were actually fired by the pilot! Sadly it was badly damaged and written off after a crash landing on July 7th ‘44. In regard to a YB-40 conversion - the E/F would definitely be an easier starting point in regard to nose window arrangements, but as others have said a chin turret would need to be sourced - although this is different to the standard G model turret and has a small sighting window between the guns. The YB-40 retained a similar cheek gun window arrangement to the standard F model, whereas the earlier XB-40 retained the early three small nose windows on either side. YB-40s actually had staggered waist guns, so it does complicate things a little if you plan to use the F-kit. The earlier XB-40 retained the opposite waist window arrangement, but had a longer turtle deck which reduced the Martin turret’s range of motion. The YB-40 has the turtle deck reduced in length, enabling a full traverse for the turret. It’s a bit of a minefield doing a conversion like this! The B-17 is never an easy subject! Tom What I'm getting from this is that you could buy an E/F and a G to do a YB40, and could use all the leftover parts to build an early G with opposite waist guns. You'd just need to source a second stinger tail. Would that be correct, Tom? Or grab the staggered waist sprues off ebay to go with the E/F kit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 1 hour ago, seiran01 said: What I'm getting from this is that you could buy an E/F and a G to do a YB40, and could use all the leftover parts to build an early G with opposite waist guns. You'd just need to source a second stinger tail. Would that be correct, Tom? Or grab the staggered waist sprues off ebay to go with the E/F kit... Theoretically, that’d work, but you’d need to source the second chin turret, too. Although the XB-40/YB-40 tail turret is very similar to the standard stinger tail, there are subtle differences with the window framing due to armoured glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
32scalelover Posted October 26, 2019 Author Share Posted October 26, 2019 (edited) Would it be easier to take a G kit and buy the nose section of a E/F to get the waist window stagger correct? I see some of those on Ebay but no fuselage parts for the G. Or does HK sell parts trees? Greg Edited October 26, 2019 by 32scalelover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seiran01 Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 They don’t sell sprues at all unfortunately. If you buy the G kit you need to source the stinger tail unless HK ever decides to take in the money by releasing an early G model Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thierry laurent Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 Finding spare B-17 sprues is alas a nightmare. I tried contacting HK and also discussed with a guy who sells sprues on ebay but in spite of all my efforts I never succeeded in finding the top turret sprue of the Z/F kit. I should add I'm trying to get it for the last 18 months... ☹️ I guess it will finally be easier to scratchbuild the parts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
32scalelover Posted October 27, 2019 Author Share Posted October 27, 2019 (edited) https://www.ebay.com/itm/HK-MODELS-B-17E-F-01E05-PARTS-SPRUE-Ee2-NOSE-SECTION-F-VERSION-1-32/293280230846?hash=item4448dd2dbe:g:zycAAOSwdOlcYKHr Here is what I was thinking. Can I use this nose on a G fuselage? Not sure how to fix the stinger tail yet. I guess i could cast the stinger tail from my F/G and graft it onto the G tail. One problem at a time. Greg Edited October 27, 2019 by 32scalelover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
32scalelover Posted October 31, 2019 Author Share Posted October 31, 2019 Any thoughts on whether using a E/F nose on the G fuselage would be workable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seiran01 Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 Yes, other than the tail gun setup. There are sprues on eBay now for the stinger tail but between the two gray and the clear sprue, it’d be nearly a hundred dollar purchase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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