All-new Revell 1/72 B-17G

Didn't get the Revell as none of the shops in or around Bury have it, but did get the Academy version B17F Fort Alamo II.

The back page of the current Aeroplane Monthly has an advert. for the Revell model. The artist's painting and the photo. of the kit both show the "high" top turret - it looks quite wrong. With so much literature on the B17 available it beggars belief that Revell can make such a mistake.

My "local" shop is due their next delivery of Revell kits toward the end of the month, I've got one reserved.

I've had a look at the instructions and a fair number of photos of the new kit both built and unbuilt, and the "tall turret syndrome" should be relatively simple to correct.
The wide upper ring of the turret basket is unprototypical, and the lower frame of the turret dome is about twice as deep as it should be.
Removing the former and reducing the latter to the correct height should bring things back into proportion.

It's almost as if two people were tasked with making the turret sub-assembly, one the dome and one the basket, and they have both made the piece below the glazing and above the fuselage.

I'll be intrigued to see what the aftermarket kit from an un-named manufacturer being rumoured as due for release later this month will contain.

All the best,
PB

Top turret fix: just remove the lip from part 171. It leaves just enough plastic to attach the turret dome:

Excellent!
It looks like at least one of the issues noted in the early photo releases has been resolved prior to general release.

Compare the thickness of the framework at the lower edge of the turret glazing in Karl's photo above with the one seen in the pre-release build:



PB

After a tip-off that a single Revell kit was tucked behind a shelf in Kettering I now have one on the workbench.

Now comes the decision as to which of my shortlist of 401BG PFF Forts to actually model (see upthread for photos)

B-17G-20-VE 42-97600
Ex-94CBW PFF aircraft.
Allocated 401BG 614BS IW-Y 20th August 1944.
Lost in Action 21st November 1944.

Pros: Bog-standard G-20-VE, barring the basic Pathfinder mods.
Cons: Only a single photo, of the underside.

B-17G-25-VE 42-97636
Ex-94CBW PFF aircraft.
Allocated 401BG 615BS IY-H 26th August 1944.
Transferred to 305BG in May 1945 for Project Casey Jones.

Pros: Good photo coverage, standard G-25-VE with basic Pathfinder mods.
Cons: None really.

B-17G-40-VE 42-97947
Ex-94CBW PFF aircraft.
Allocated 401BG 612BS SC-U 7th August 1944.
Presumably transferred to 615BS IY-? Spring 1945.
Transferred to 305BG in August (May?) 1945 for Project Casey Jones.
Possibly the identity of "Snooper".

Pros: A bit more of an interesting subject, retaining the "barred" unstaggered waist windows but upgraded with the Cheyenne tail position. Good photo coverage, both in-flight and on the ground.
Cons: A few extra PFF modifications need adding, nothing too major though. Not 100% certain of matching the name to the serial number, and the nose art would need to be made from scratch.

Choices, choices...

PB

Markings test for '947:





Playing with foiling techniques:



All the best,
PB

Well, I got one and I immediatly started on it as it seemed to fit together so well. It has its flaws but it is well engineered. It is a fun build so far.

P wrote:

Playing with foiling techniques:

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I notice more people are doing this, what is the reason when the interior will be painted green?

Because tht interior was NOT painted green... Here is a battle damaged Fort and the interior is not painted. Numerous wartime photos show the interior of B-17's were not painted. The exception may be Douglas built birds but good evidence is hard to come by.



Here is another wartime photo and in it you can see how the formers reflect on the unpainted skin.