MONOGRAM PRO MODELER B-17G STARTED

Gary
This is going to be my next build after I finnish the B-26. It's just one of those models I need to build. I built one way back in 1975 with no seam filling. Gary

Wim van der Luijt
Count me in!

Hunter Cummins
How much for it

Wim van der Luijt
now your selling it?...do want! but shipping from US will probably kill the deal for me...

Hunter Cummins
Wim it says for sale lol and idont thinks it will 🙂

Wim van der Luijt
Did you read the first post and check the date Hunter? That's why I was surprised...

Hunter Cummins
Ahhhh I seee lol
Sorr about that 😳

Wim van der Luijt
👍

Gary
I am gradualy getting started. Right now I have 2 Typhoon kits in progress that is almost completed. One by Monogram with the bubble top ond one by Hasagawa with the car door. Both 1/48th scale. The Monogram kit is gear up. The wheel doors fit perfectly. I've started working on the B-17's crew. It will be gear up as well. Parts for the bomb bay are included with this kit, but the bulkheads are blank on the bombbay side. Will have some scratching to do. The bombay will be opened up. Gary

Choppa Nutta
I've just bought this kit, identical to the Pro Modeler version except no flight crew, no PE and different decals (and box 😄 )
but you can get a very nice Eduard PE set for the cockpit for £5 as well all the other Eduard PE sets for this.

Wim, it is probably cheaper to get the normal kit and buy the PE set for it 🙂
some links for you, I bought mine from Creative models because they are good on postage and its free on orders over £25 (UK)

Anyhow Gary I am looking forward to this build, hope it goes well for you 🙂

Ebay.co.uk Item - Revell Monogram 1 48 B 17G Flying Fortress

creativemodels.co.uk.._revell-p-18426.html
creativemodels.co.uk..ged_box-p-33944.html

Gary
Thanks Choppa, I'm just going to use the photo etch that came with the kit. The kit also comes with a cheyenne tail turret. The rest will be scratched. I don't do buying on the computer. I know i'm an old fashioned ol' fart. Any how, hope yours come out well. I still have one built from way back in the mid 70's when the kit first came out. I has a little cat and son damage though. It's probably older than you.
Gary

Choppa Nutta
I was born in the late 60's so not quite 😄

I know what you mean I too was reluctant to do online shopping, & now that I have it's handy but it is dangerous to your wallet, I can't resist a bargain !! 😄

Anyhow, links were for everyone especially Wim coz you can't this kit other than the states, not that I can see. Anyhow the PE that comes with the kit looks to be ok and covers a little bit of everything 🙂

Choppa Nutta
some inspiration 🙂
Youtube Video

Gary
Thanks Choppa, Great video!! Gives me more to go on as far as interior colors go. I'm thinking about leaving the Nordin bomb sight out since they were only used in the lead aircraft. Plus it makes the interior of the nose more visable. Gary

Choppa Nutta
it;s a monumental scratch build isn't it !!
The detail is breath taking ! 🙂

Gary
Except for the cockpit and maybey the radio room, I plan to do the interior in alum. Have you seen the other aircraft this guy builds? Way to much time on his hands. Gary

Choppa Nutta
yes I have and they are all awesome, especially to say he does them by hand !!
They deserve to fly, unreal !!
or should I say, very real 😄

Gary
How's yours coming along? I'm still getting the crew together. Gary

Choppa Nutta
got a few projects on the table at the moment which need doing first 🙂
I have a 1:72nd B-17 arriving any day now with a Legend Resin Crew set and I will probably do that one first before the big boy 🙂

Gary
Hi Choppa, A long time ago, back in toearly 60's, I built the 1/72nd scale B-17 by Airafix. It had the "Bit of Lace" markings. When I saw the Monogram kit with those marking, I just had to have it. The smaller scale will be good practice toward building the 1/48th scale kit. Can't imagine buying or building the 1/32nd scale kit. Over $200. bucks. and a lotta room. Good Luck Gary

Choppa Nutta
cheers and yes I figured that was the way to go, My plan is the Cheapo Airfix Catalina, then the Dambuster and then the rather nice Revell 1:72 B-17 and then the big boy 😄
as for the 1:32 B-17, yeah a bit too deep for my pockets also though $200 is the cheapest I've heard for this kit 🙂

Gary
I wasn't sure how much it is. I just picked out a high number. I built the Tamiya 1/48th Dambuster kit a long time ago. That was one of my favorite movies growing up. We watched "12 O Clock High" the other day. Now it's time to drag out the VHS tape of "Memphis Belle". Gary

Choppa Nutta
Can't remember the name of the Mosquito film, 232 Squadron or something, I liked that but my favorite war and aircraft movie has to be Apocalypse Now, the flying in that is just awesome ! But let us not forget the Blue Max with George Peppard in it where he actually did some of the flying 🙂
Modern movies just cannot compare to these as they all to often resort to CG for the flying sequences and it just doesn't look real to me, they way the move etc. plus having work in CG it becomes obvious whats what etc. Also I wanna watch MASH again the TV series 😄

Choppa Nutta
guess what I am watching 😄

Gary
I think the Mosquito movie your talking about is called "Squadron 633". Another less known great movie starring Spencer Tracy is "A Guy Named Joe". Some good P-38F footage. Then there's "Saharh", with Humprie Bogart. Gary

Gary
Apocalypse Now, is just to a little wierd for me. I have my own VN flying movies I took as a Cobra Crewchief and Huey doorgunner. Blue Max is good also. Especially Ursula. Gary

Choppa Nutta
you were Huey door gunner and a cobra crew chief ? for real ? cool
are you able to upload your movies to youtube ?

Yep Squadron 633 was the one I was thinking of and lets not forget the all time greatest, the Battle of Britain 😄

another classic is Catch 22, although a little weird too still a good movie 🙂

Gary
My main job was a Cobra crewchief. I flew as a door gunner to get my flight pay. The Huey crew chief who I flew with mostley was killed in Cambodia when I went home on leave after extending my tour of duty. I'm not going to put my movies on u tube. I can take some stills and post. Check out my album here for some Cobra picts. Also my gallery for pics of my Cobra model.

Choppa Nutta
yeah cool album and fair enough on the videos, must be quite a personal collection. I asked without thinking, sorry 🙂

Gary
Not a problem. The "video's" were origionaly super 8 movie film that I spliced together and recorded on VHS with rock music of that time. Came out pretty good actually. Gary

Choppa Nutta
ok now I really want to see it 🙂
I take it you've read Chicken Hawk ?

anyhow I enjoyed 12 O'clock High, not seen it before so cheers for the suggestion 🙂

Gary
Yes, I have the book. There's 2 other books you might like, "Snake Pilot" and "Centaur Flights". "Centaur Flights", was written by one of the warrent officers in my unit at the time I was there. He change the names of the personel. He also referred to us crewchiefs as "ground personel", which really pissed me off. Gary

Choppa Nutta
artistic license can be a bitch hey, how long were you in Nam for then ?

Gary
I was there from July 69 till Sept 71. After my first 1 yr. tour I extended my tour of duty for twice for 6 months at a time, each time I got a 30 day special leave. My first yr was at Cu Chi, Then while I was home on leave my unit moved to a small airfield out side of Long Bien. Then on my second leave the moved to Lai Kae. Every time I came back from leave I had to figure out where the hell my unit went. Being a Cobra crew chief I was mostley a "base camp warrior". When I first arrived at Cu Chi I saw that our Cobra's had shark teeth on them. Being a WWII nut I thought I "had arrived" with the AVG Flying Tigers. Gary

Gary
Back to the B-17. I finally got the crew assembled. Including the ball turret gunner. They still need painting. Gary

Choppa Nutta
thanks for sharing though, anyhow look forward to your B17 progress 🙂

Gary
Hi Choppa, I see you changed your avitar. Work is progressing. Currently working on bomb bay.The bomb bay doors were cut out. The opening is a little bit larger than the bomb rack included in the kit. The inside faces of the bomb bay bulkhead need some detail. Needs a lot of work and I'm just doing the basics. Made a chair for the bombadier and added throttles to the center control panel in the" balls to the wall position". Need to take some pics. Gary

Choppa Nutta
hey not bad 🙂
liking the damaged prop detail 🙂

Gary
That damage was caused by a cat that has since passed. No, I didn't do her in. The teeth marks look like bullet holes. Gary

Gary
Co'mon in and meet the crew.The kit came with 5 crew members and I recriuted the rest from my spares box. Including the ball turret gunner. BTW My heart skipped a few beats while driving home frow work yesterday.I was driving by Brisco Field in Lawrenceville,GA I saw a B-17 sitting on the ramp. I'll be going by there on my way home with my camera today. Gary

Gary
I'm also thinking of opening up holes in the rt side to show the interior since it's difficult to see anything after it's closed up. Gary

Peter Mollenhauer
Nice paint job of the crew and interior! Keep going Gary!

Gary
Thanks Peter, I only wish it was visable after closing up. That's why I took before pics . Gary

Gary
Just an update. Almost ready for decals. Gary

Gary
Alclad aluminum was used for the silver finish. Gary

Kerry COX
Lucky you. I have been trying to get my hands on an other Revell 1/48 B-17G for a while now and I have one coming from Hobbylink. Japan.

I built one some few years back and it was heavily battle damaged.

I am really impressed with what you have done to the interior, and especially the crew.
KC 🙂

Gary
Thanks Jerry and Michael. This is the kit I had to build. I've only had it for 15-20 yrs and finally decided to do it. The Alclad paint was specially bought for this kit a long time ago too. Gary

Gary
What's great about it is that I can rinse out my spray jar with lacquer thinner and pour it back into the origional bottle. Gary

Gary
Really slow going with all the finish redo's and crappy decals. Repainted the "Bit O Lace" decal to a more red and highlighted the flesh tones. The black square and white K was painted on as the decal would not lie down well. The wing V decals were removed and repainted dark blue as per other resorces, They didnt stick too well either. Tail numbers were retouched too. Auuggg!!!. Gary

Clifford Keesler
Great job,looks awesome. "A Bit of Lace has always been my favorite B-17.

Peter Mollenhauer
Looks great, especially the engines and the chipped paint on the wing! Looking forward to the finished job! Keep going!

John Young
Looks top notch. Keep pressing!

Kerry COX
I am picking up some fantastic tips from your stunning build Gary. You certainly have done some amazing work and I really do like your attention to the finer detail. Really well done. (And thanks for the tips LOL)
Kezza🙂

Gary
Thanks!! I'm still plugging away at it. Currently putting some extrea detail into the top turret like charging handles and cables.Then onto the oil streaks!! Where'd that rag go? Gary