Dan Paxton Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 I've been kicking an Idea around for quite some time. I want to do a scratch built 1/24 scale B-25J under restoration. I will leave the tail section off and the outer wing panels off. It wont have any engines and will have some skin removed as if repairing support structure. I have done quite a bit of research on B-25's under restoration, tons of pictures and have looked at AVIALOGS website to collect information. What I cant find are the diagrams and blueprints, schematics that I see the masters here using. Where does one get that kind of reference material? I have been paying close attention to the experts here scratch building masterpiece works of art and want to give it a try. I like the way Fozzy has been building his GIANT B-17G from scratch and am leaning to that approach.... here is the inspiration from War bird News June 5 of 2015 Well, am I crazy???? Dan Gazzas, Out2gtcha, kkarlsen and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Nope, you're not crazy, you'll fit in very nicely with all us other "nutcases", hope you'll have fun constructing, and i'm sure you also will have a learning proces and eventually a showpiece, go for it!!!! Jack. Dan Paxton 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Barry Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 So good to hear! Love the idea. I'm sure you'll get the advice you are looking for. Dan Paxton 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunwinglow Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Just as crazy, so perfect match.... Frankly, finding useful data is probably the most challenging aspect of any such project. If you have good gen, actually making stuff is a breeze. If you don't know, have to make assumptions, guess, the whole thing becomes so much more difficult. I must have 20 projects stalled for lack of decent drawings, conflicting info, pics from one side but not the other, modern rebuilds done to modern standards, and repeated 'truths' that when you go back to first principles have been 'alt truths' for decades. Gazzas and Dan Paxton 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzas Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 You are crazy...but my kind of crazy. But yeah, a lack of resources has ruined many a project. Dan Paxton 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brahman104 Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 (edited) Hi Dan, Sounds like quite a challenge. From my personal experience, unless you're looking to do a very popular (like a mustang) subject where someone has already gone to the trouble of drawing highly detailed plans, you may just have to take the best of everything you can and make your own interpretation, including measuring of smaller scale models. For example, I can find thousands of drawings of almost every component fitted to a B-17G, but I can't get decent drawings of a lot of the stringers/longerons and skin shapes that you really need to make a convincing model. Even more frustrating is that almost nothing exists for the early model B-17's save for a precious few photos and some recreated general arrangement drawings I have been lucky enough to obtain. I even wrote to the NMUSAF for information and some specific requests for photos of the one and only B-17D, but all I got was a CD of some very random and mostly unusable grainy and out of focus snaps that some volunteer had taken. I've had to make quite a few assumptions and interpretations myself of my subject, but in the end I know a) it's a model I'm building for me and b, if I can't find the information then who else can, so who can really doubt me? At the end of the day it's up to you. I wish there was some magic blueprint shop where you could obtain perfect scaled drawings but there simply isn't for most planes. If you really want to do it, you'll find a way I hope this helps and good luck! Craig Edited June 16, 2017 by brahman104 Dan Paxton 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Paxton Posted June 20, 2017 Author Share Posted June 20, 2017 I've been pouring over a ton of reference material, and looking at what the RC guys and gals are doing....found some RC scale plans that I think I will work from and some station diagrams from Avialogs website. I really like how Fozzy built his 1/20 scale B-17 nose (and now hes working on the bomb bay!) By working in two halves (top and bottom), building the frame with balsa (or RC Birch) then skinning it with card stock.....ultimately with aluminium. Details and substructures with multi media (paper, aluminium tape, brass, copper, steel, plastic....etc) and reading a lot about scratch building from the masters here.... Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBlueHenry Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 Hi Dan As a first contact Id start by contacting Ester Aube estera@aircorpsaviation.com and ask her if AircorpsAviation have much on the B-25. I have a feeling she will be able to help. There will be a billion drawings but she may be able to narrow down a search to what you may want Dan Paxton 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Paxton Posted June 21, 2017 Author Share Posted June 21, 2017 Sir Henry, Thank you for the information, I sent her an e-mail this morning! Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kkarlsen Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 This looks very promising, maybe you should try it... https://aircorpslibrary.com/ Regards: Kent Dan Paxton 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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