Warbird Information Exchange

Hey everyone, I am building the classic Monogram "Visible B-17". I am going to post updates as I go along in the model section, but for this part I need some info and ideas on the real deal. From what I have studied the B-17 was basically painted zing or interior green on the inside for the later models, and left NMF for the earlier ones. But I was wondering what kind of cool ideas and photos might be out there to help me. I want to put spent casings on the floor, and such. I really would love to throw a pin up girl on a bulkhead or two. So throw any ideas at me, and eny photos you think are cool, as I try to make this thing. Thanks in advance. Like I said, all of the updates will be in the model section, but I thought it was still fitting to post this section here.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

looking forward to this project. I was thinking about getting one or two of those kits

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Kind Regards,
Gary Lewis
J.A.F.O.

Did the "F's" have the upholstered radio compartment and cockpit? I know some or all of the E's did. That would be an interesting feature to model.

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-Bill
B-17E 41-2595 "Desert Rat" Restoration Team

chris, try pencil graphite lead from a retractable pencil cut into even pieces, spray painted brass & strewn on the deck at gun positions to replicate spent .50 caliber ammo shells, the graphite refills can be found at any office supply store. i would think the graphite pieces should be damned close to scale. you'll probably need elmers glue to secure them to the deck as it dries clear & goofs are easily paintable. looking forward to progress updates too. when you take a break from the 17 dig out the freakin p-80 windscreen!!!! nag nag nag!!!

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Most B-17s actually were painted "Dull Dark Green" or "Bronze Green" in the cockpit, nose, and radio room. It's a very dark bluish-green..check out cockpit photos of "Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby" or "Yankee Lady." Testor's Model Master "Euro I Green" is a reasonable match. As mentioned above, many also had Olive Drab padding on the sides, although this was often removed in service.

Almost every wartime shot I've seen of a B-17 interior shows bare metal in the waist section and bombay, although the bombays may have been painted nuetral gray on camoflaged aircraft.

Here's a link to a fantastic article on US interior colors on the IPMS Stockholm website..Be sure to read page two, it details B-17s: http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2004/01/stuff_eng_interior_colours_us.htm


SN

The back end seems to be bare and the reason for that would be FIRE.I guess from the aft bulkhead of the radio room right through to the tailgun.

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Hang The Expense

That is a great idea. I am going to try that. I really am working on getting to that windscreen. I now have a canopy too!

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Ur Uh if you paint the interior it won't be very "visible" any more

I have built literally dozens of the Monogram/Revell 1/48 Scale B-17G models for fun and for money. They lend themselves well to super detailing and scratchbuilding.

Instead of Pencil lead for spent shells, stretched sprue works well and costs nothing. For pin-up art on the bulk head, I would suggest using photos that have a female form way in the back ground that is small enough for scale. From a real photo you can just peel off the backing of the photo and then cut out the image off of the real photo. Or take a photo of the real thing from a distance or photograph a poster of your choice--shoot the photo of the poster from the other side of the basement (experiment a little) and you can get the cheese cake shot you need in the little size that you want. Believe me this works. You can also shoot Life Magazines from a distance and reduce them to scale for an added extra touch.

There are many B-17 Detail kits on the market that can help you really go to town on this awesome model. I would suggest that you purchase the books by Master Modeler Shep Paine. All kinds of great ideas. Test them out before trying them on the real model. A lot of great model building comes from experience and is difficult to pull off on the first try. Then again, some stuff is easy to pull off and looks great. You have to experiment a little.

Good Luck

Building B-17s since 1975.

TonyM.
Owner of ten 1/48 Scale B-17s

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"Welcome back Mr. Lasky."

These two sites might provide some inspiration

http://www.swannysmodels.com/B17G.html



http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/G ... on/00.shtm

the only problem with stretched sprue is that you can't get the same consistency in ammo length with every stretch, with graphite it's all uniform.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

as a matter of fact ....fine wire the same size or gauge as pencil graphite my even be easier to work with, graphite can be fragile.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

That depends on who is stretching that sprue. With practice, consistency can be achieved.

The fine wire idea is good too, but the graphite pencil lead is easier to cut.

TonyM.

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"Welcome back Mr. Lasky."

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Thats my Belle' at the bottom of the page.

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