HK Models 1/32 B-17G Build In Progress

[tmanthegreat]

I bit the bullet and purchased the HK Models 1/32 B-17G kit from my local Hobbytown USA store a couple weeks ago, since the price was too good to pass up. I started the build about a week ago and have been working on it bit by bit. I'm using the Eduard aftermarket kits to add extra details. Working with photo-etched metal parts has been a bit of a learning curve as I do not have much experience working with the material beforehand, and never mind the extremely tiny parts! There are some parts I'm just leaving out as they are really too small and will not be easily noticed in the finished model... Nevertheless, the kit is progressing and I'm happy with the early results

[Axis Nightmare]

That is a fabulous job on the cockpit! You have the satisfaction of knowing how good it is since when you close those two fuselage halves for the last time, it will be real hard to see all your detail work.

[tmanthegreat]

That is a fabulous job on the cockpit! You have the satisfaction of knowing how good it is since when you close those two fuselage halves for the last time, it will be real hard to see all your detail work.

It is all about the satisfaction of knowing the detail is there, even if you can't see it

But it is not a lost cause... The building instructions give the option to leave the top part of the fuselage (which is a separate piece) unglued so it can be removed to view the interior, including the cockpit, bomb bay, radio compartment, and part of the waist section. That is my plan for when I eventually get to that part of the assembly. But given the time it is taking to get the detail into the cockpit, it leaves me wondering just how much more work I should put elsewhere in the plane. Either way, the model is a labor of love for one of my most favorite airplanes of all time

[ketelone]

Interior looks great. Too many models offer detailed interiors or engines that are never seen.
If I may ask, how much did the model cost?

[[CAT]CplSlade]

Some of the Eduard can be left out, like the bomb bay stuff, as once the bombs are in you can't really see it.

Also, if you're going for accuracy there's only a couple hundred airframes you can build with this kit due to the fuselage gun positions and the nose window layout, or so I've heard over at largescaleplanes.com

[tmanthegreat]

Interior looks great. Too many models offer detailed interiors or engines that are never seen.
If I may ask, how much did the model cost?

Thanks ketelone! I paid just over $200 for it at local retail. It was about $100 off the MSRP price and compared to what the kits were going for on ebay, etc I thought it was a good deal.

Some of the Eduard can be left out, like the bomb bay stuff, as once the bombs are in you can't really see it.

Also, if you're going for accuracy there's only a couple hundred airframes you can build with this kit due to the fuselage gun positions and the nose window layout, or so I've heard over at largescaleplanes.com

[CAT]CplSlade, you are absolutely correct. When I bought the model, my buddy at the hobby shop who is a professional model builder (he did some work for 21c among other gigs) was telling me exactly the same thing. The kit is a late-model B-17G with the staggered waist gun positions. I am planning just to use the stock decals at this point. And I agree with you there on leaving some of the Eduard parts out. I'll be getting to the bomb bay this week, so will start choosing what to insert and what to leave out... Should make things go a little faster!

[[CAT]CplSlade]

I'd love to start another big plane after I finish some armor and a Tony I am working on ATM, but I haven't finished my work space and shelving to accommodate one yet.

I only plan on using the Eduard sets for the nose and the cockpit (possibly radio comp. as well), as those are the easiest to see the way I will be displaying my B-17. I got my kit for about $230 shipped two years ago. Glad I got it when I did. While I know there are a tons of great schemes for the new E/F kit, I have built so many "G"'s in various scales over the years, that this kit was the natural successor to the 1/48 Monogram.

BTW, HK Models is planning on releasing a Junkers Ju52 down the road after the Lancaster and Phantoms. Think of the 21st Century fun you could have with a Ju52 diorama!

[USCGMK2]

Man, I want one of these really bad! I'd like to get the new one to do Memphis Belle, but I do like the G model. I hate photo-etch but it does look good when it's all in, of course it might be a little easier than photo-etched parts in 1/72 or 1/48. Look forward to your build. I hope they do a Betty someday.

[[CAT]CplSlade]

I think Zoukei-Mura is planning a Ki-45 if a different twin engine Japanese plane can hold you in the meantime.

[cnq]

Excellent progress. I would love to build one too but could not afford it.
Looking forward to see it finished.

[Axis Nightmare]

It's all fun stuff. Challenging yet entertaining. Going that little bit extra is the personal satisfaction. My He-111 is still unstarted. I want to be 100% ready and commited before I remove the first part from the sprue. I had enough half started/finished projects before I got it to last a lifetime from 1/48 to 1/6 scale items. We take advantage of impulse items at a good price. The big Heinkel was $43. Compare that tot he slightly smaller B-25 at nearly $200. I have two monsters I picked up for bargains lately, a 1/48 B1-B and a AC-130 Gunship. Both because of the impressive size for the price. They are way down the line. I may be retired before I get to them

[USCGMK2]

I'll have to checking on that KI-45, I wouldn't mind one.

[tmanthegreat]

Another week and a little more progress... The cockpit is starting to look more like a cockpit and I am very happy with the way the bombs have turned out





I left some small details out of the cockpit - namely the straps that would secure the O2 tanks. The pieces to make them were just too tiny and awkward to assemble to warrant inclusion... But I'm really happy with the bombs! Yeah, some of the stripes may be a little too thick, but I got the overall result I wanted... They were made by painting the yellow on first after assembly, wrapping pinstriping around the bomb casing in the desired pattern, painting the bomb OD green, then carefully removing the pinstriping. The method worked perfectly! I then gave the bombs a wash in some very diluted Flat Earth paint to simulate mud/dust. These bombs would have most likely sat outside at an ordinance depot, so they would have some heavy weathering from all that rainy English weather.

[[CAT]CplSlade]

Don't go crazy with the chromate green; are you using pic references? From the builds at largescaleplanes.com I learned the old Monogram kit was in error to have you paint the entire interior as apparently most of the insides were bare metal or deep bronze green.

[tmanthegreat]

Yeah, even the HK Models directions indicate the whole interior being the green color. But I've seen differing opinions on what was green and what wasn't. The growing consensus in my findings seems to be that with late-war aircraft, pretty much everything aft of the cockpit (and often the nose compartment as well) were left the bare aluminum and did not the get the green primer coat. Then I've seen where the bulkheads were still green but the sides were not, and so on.

I think I'm OK with what I have in the cockpit but trying to decide on what to do with the rear of that bulkhead and then going aft into the bomb bay. I've already got the catwalk and racks assembled - and painted green - but trying to decide now if I should just repaint. I may leave the racks themselves green, but paint everything else the silver color...

[tmanthegreat]

While I don't have much to show in terms of building progress at the moment, I did decide on my final paint job for this model and made some progress in that regard. Originally I was going to go with the stock decals/markings for the model (replicating the B-17 "Milk Wagon" from the 447th Bombardment Group) and while I like the scheme, I really want this plane to be something special, since I am going all out on building the kit, etc.

Then it dawned on me... I had a friend, Joe Sarina, who was a flight engineer/top turret gunner on a B-17 in the latter months of WWII. The model could be sort of a way to memorialize Joe's service, especially since he passed away earlier this year at age 93 after a long battle with Alzheimer's.

Joe and his crew flew with the 493rd Bomb Group, 863 Bomb Squadron, of the 8th Air Force. The 493rd BG was the last group to become operational in the 8th Air Force in January 1944. Initially they flew in B-24s until the group converted to B-17s in September 1944. From the group's historian, I was able to get a log of all the missions Joe flew on, including the specific aircraft. After converting to B-17s, Joe and his crew flew the most missions in B-17 called "Flak Flirter" which was a B-17G-85-BO, Serial No. 43-38366. This was a late-model B-17G and so would work for the HK Models kit. Even better I had a picture of the plane in flight showing all the primary ID markings (see below).

The B-17s of the 493rd Bomb Group had a pretty basic look to them - they were mostly the bare aluminum with red bands on the wings and stabilizers and a red band on the lower tail. The fuselage usually contained a large squadron letter code with the individual aircraft letter and serial number on the tail:

Look of typical 493rd BG B-17G:


B-17 "Flak Flirter" Serial No. 43-38366 (upper center):


The period photograph of "Flak Flirter" above was sufficient enough to see the major aircraft markings, but not really how the nose art looked... I was sort of at a impasse at this point as I could just make out the nose art in the above photo, see that there were some pictures along with the "Flak Flirter" wording, but couldn't make out the pictures.

I did an exhaustive internet search and luckily came across a photo of the nose section of a B-17G with matching name. The photograph turned not out to not be of Joe and his crew, but it WAS the right plane. The resolution in the photo was good enough to read the ID stenciling under the window on the nose section - and the serial numbers matched the plane flying in the first picture!

B-17G-85-BO, Serial No. 43-38366, "Flak Flirter"


So with excellent photos of the exact plane I wanted to replicate, I now had to find someone that made professional waterslide decals. Normally I would have gone with fellow board member Jackson, but he is largely out of the decal business now...

After more internet searching, I found a couple places that could make custom decals and settled on the store Diecast and Decals: http://www.diecastanddecals.com/. This operation, run by Joseph Schulte, specializes in making custom decals for diecast cars, but also does military aircraft and armor. Over several days, Mr. Schulte and I went back and forth until we got the custom decals. He delivered and they look good! So when I finally have this model completed, I will be able to accurately display it in the markings of the plane my friend once flew in

[cnq]

Very very nice progress so far. Any update yet ?

I would love to get one for my collection but my lhs wants ~$320 for it

[A-10LOADER]

Fantastic job so far on this project, keep up the great work !

" The resolution in the photo was good enough to read the ID stenciling under the window on the nose section - and the serial numbers matched the plane flying in the first picture!"

That's an awesome photo and a great find. The resolution is so good because the photographer used a medium format camera that was probably loaded with Kodachrome.

Steve

[tmanthegreat]

Here is the latest update on my HK B-17 build...

Work kind of stalled for a few weeks, but recently things have picked back up. The bomb bay is complete and the radio compartment now well under way with the forward bulkhead, radio equipment, and seats installed. The seatbelts were a pain! Next step is to complete that compartment's rear bulkhead, which presents its own challenges given the way that part is tooled. Then onto the waist section. Still lots of smaller refinements and detailing to do.

I've included a few photos below to highlight some of the details in the bomb bay and radio compartment... Enjoy

[[CAT]CplSlade]

I see you chose not to eliminate that step in front of the radio room door that allows the wing spar to fit. I'm not going to myself as I am not ready to cut into a $230 kit if I don't have to, plus I don't know how visible it will be once the plane is buttoned up.

[cnq]

I like your progress so far. The wood floor looks very real. How did you do it ? Was it painted on or photo etched parts ?

[tmanthegreat]

Thanks CNQ

Creating the wood effect for the floors and doors is pretty straightforward: I painted the floor with Tamiya Acrylic Wooden Deck Tan (XF-78) using my airbrush for the base. I then dry-brushed Tamiya Linoleum Deck Brown (XF-79) that had been heavily thinned to get the streak pattern. Tamiya Red Brown (XF-64) would also work well for the streaking.

[ketelone]

Looking great!

[tmanthegreat]

I see you chose not to eliminate that step in front of the radio room door that allows the wing spar to fit. I'm not going to myself as I am not ready to cut into a $230 kit if I don't have to, plus I don't know how visible it will be once the plane is buttoned up.

Yeah, I chose to leave that step. I've seen a couple step-by-step builds online where they cut that part out, but the process is really more work than I want to do for a mod that won't be terribly visible and which could compromise the structural integrity of the model... The other issue is the radio compartment's rear bulkhead that has the ammunition boxes for the ball turret moulded on its reverse side. I thought about cutting those off at first, but have now decided against it as I also don't want to risk wrecking the part. The Edward aftermarket kit for the waist section even comes with parts to cover the indentations on the reverse side of the bulkhead that are designed to fit around the ammo boxes, so I will just leave them in place too.

[Axis Nightmare]

That is some outstanding work.

I watched a You Tube video about the kit some time back. It started with unboxing and showing all the bags of sprues with hundreds of tiny pieces. Before he was half way finished pulling the bags out I said "No Way".

Kudos to anyone who is willing to tackle such a project but it just isn't for me. Especially when after all that detail they still won't mold canopy framing separate from the perplex. Based on the delicate tiny pieces in a kit like this, you can't tell me they can't do it. Imagine a model car where the entire roof, windshield, back window, upper halves of the doors and their windows with all the framing was one big clear piece. It's stupid.

I guess for some, it's as much about the experience as the result. Based on what I'm seeing, a majority of that work will not be seen once the model is assembled. There are expensive resin and photo etched upgrades too that likely will never be seen. I guess there is satisfaction in knowing it's there