Joe's 1/72 Academy B-17F Memphis Belle

monica

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looking good Joe,and how have i missed this one,nice work on the inside, ;)
 
L

Laurie

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\ said:
to install the mounts permanently
Best way I have found Joe. also stops itchy grubby fingers playing war games. How do I know this.


I have found as you have here so many problems at the roof cockpit intersection. Made worse by the fact that this part of aircraft is the most visible part of a model.


Interesting bomb arrangement. Just hope the bottom one got out first and the others in order..


Wow you are flying tonight Joe ? :rolleyes:


Laurie
 

flyjoe180

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Thanks for the kind comments. Laurie yes, work has to pay the bills.


Fitted the cockpit and radio operator glazing and experimented with the wings on a dry fit. They do indeed have excessive dihedral, the most common of complaints about Academy's otherwise good looking B-17 kits. Using some plastic card you can get the angle you need (4.5 degrees). Bit of a pain to adjust, but a good guide is the outboard engines should be no higher than the radio compartment windows.


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I also put some plastic card into that ugly step over head the cockpit/flight deck, and proceeded to clean up the seams and fill the wings with plastic card and Tamiya filler:


View attachment 109194



About to go and have a look to see if it's dry and then it's out with the sandpaper and files for some sculpting fun.

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colin m

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Wow, that's some work Joe. Hyper speed, but still looking good.
 

flyjoe180

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We're getting there, just a light rub of wet and dry to smooth it off. It's been raining hard here for three days, so haven't had much else to do other than a bit of work last night. I'm enjoying this build, so glad I decided to get on with it.


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I've also now fitted the tail planes. No problem there whatsoever.

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eddiesolo

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Cracking looking Belle Joe, you are cracking on with it.


Si:smiling3:
 
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Caledonia

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Well done Joe, it's given you a few challenges, but you have overcome they very well. Derek
 

flyjoe180

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Thanks for the comments everyone, much appreciated.


Final sanding has been completed. Wing roots mostly, but other areas to receive attention included the tail cone, and a few minor fuselage seams. The engines were masked off with tac in preparation for priming.


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And a coat of primer has been applied:


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Nice and smooth wing roots:


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Just realised I left the pitot tubes and RDF aerial dome off, will rectify that prior to painting.

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flyjoe180

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Pitot tubes and RDF aerial dome fitted under the nose area; some final surface improvements made, and pre-shading applied.


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Spent the rest of the day elbow deep in Hyundai. I know which I'd prefer to be working on, but SWMBO's car developed a boot leak. And that meant one of these had priority...

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flyjoe180

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Nothing exciting to report really; neutral grey went on the underside yesterday, masking for the Olive drab today. Picture will follow when I have substantial progress to show.
 
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Just caught up with this.Youve got a lot done since I last looked.Nice work on the wing Dihedral problem.
 
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