CONTINUATION OF MY 1:20 SCALE SCRATCH BUILT B17G (RADIO ROOM

Military or civil, triplanes, biplanes or monoplanes, props, jets or helicopters...models in here.
Post Reply
User avatar
Fozzy
The Bug Has Well And Truly Bitten
Posts: 291
Joined: July 23rd, 2011, 8:25 am
Location: S.E.Bulgaria..near the Turkish border
Contact:

CONTINUATION OF MY 1:20 SCALE SCRATCH BUILT B17G (RADIO ROOM

Post by Fozzy »

Good afternoon to you all...I hope all is well in the modelling world!

I haven't posted a WIP before of this B17G build ...so I thought I would give it a go and see if any one is interested!

After a break from this build I now think its time I got back to the task in hand ......and that is to continue with this beast!

It was good to put this B17G down for a bit and have a go at something else but there is so much to do with this project that I am now ready and sort of focused to continue!

For those of you that have seen the photos of this build...here is a recap..you know that I started with......

Phase 1.....Nose section back to the top turret

Image

Phase 2.....Bomb bay

Image

So now we have nearly half the Fuselage complete.........

Image

...and so its on with phase 3.....the radio room/ball turret station.

As usual its going to take weeks to finish this phase and I will be using the same building method and materials as before...IE scraps of this and that!. Onto the first photo then..........

Here we have the scaled up 1:20 scale plans pinned to the building board and the red circle shows the area I will be constructing (Radio room) and the blue cross depicts the position of the ball turret......

Image

At first ,my idea was just to build the radio room but for displaying purposes it will be better to tag the ball turret to the rear of the radio room bulk head. I will need to construct "an open top" of the radio room so you can see all the detail...as I did with the cockpit in phase 1...not sure how to do this but will work it out when I get to that point!!

So former's were made for the bulk heads and marked out on a sheet of 5mm balsa wood....only 3 bulk heads for this phase!

Image

Here they are all cut out ready....

Image

I am going to build this section as I did in phase 1 and 2....in two halves.

Starting with the lower half here are the former's and stringers in place....

Image

Image

So that is as far as I have got at the moment.

I do hope that this continued build will give interest to some of you as I do know that its predominately kit builds here;)

Until the next post....of many I fear!

Cheers

Fozzy
FOZZY

Visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/martinfosterss ... uiltmodels


Ready for inspection.....1:24 Scale Cutaway Spifire Mk1...1:24 Scale Cutaway Ju 87B-2......1:30 scale scratch built Westland Lysander...P51D seviced in a Hangar
User avatar
general rocket
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 2774
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 4:42 pm
Location: Telford

Re: CONTINUATION OF MY 1:20 SCALE SCRATCH BUILT B17G (RADIO

Post by general rocket »

If anyone's interested?
I think you know damn well we are.
I wish, that I knew what was doing!
User avatar
MarkyM607
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 9153
Joined: January 5th, 2013, 1:16 pm
Location: Cambs

Re: CONTINUATION OF MY 1:20 SCALE SCRATCH BUILT B17G (RADIO

Post by MarkyM607 »

general rocket wrote:If anyone's interested?
I think you know damn well we are.
Second that. It looks way above what usually happens with my efforts already!! :lol:
Hoping to return to modelling sometime this year!! :lol:
Owner of Marky's Model Emporium since 2013!.
User avatar
Fozzy
The Bug Has Well And Truly Bitten
Posts: 291
Joined: July 23rd, 2011, 8:25 am
Location: S.E.Bulgaria..near the Turkish border
Contact:

Re: CONTINUATION OF MY 1:20 SCALE SCRATCH BUILT B17G (RADIO

Post by Fozzy »

Thanks guys! ;-)
FOZZY

Visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/martinfosterss ... uiltmodels


Ready for inspection.....1:24 Scale Cutaway Spifire Mk1...1:24 Scale Cutaway Ju 87B-2......1:30 scale scratch built Westland Lysander...P51D seviced in a Hangar
User avatar
Kitaholic
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 3765
Joined: November 10th, 2014, 7:53 pm
Location: 5 mins from SMW

Re: CONTINUATION OF MY 1:20 SCALE SCRATCH BUILT B17G (RADIO

Post by Kitaholic »

Another masterclass on the way. Love it. I may be sitting here quietly watching but I am most definitely watching and taking notes.
Regards

Gord

Desperately trying to find his MOJO, don't know where I left it
ShaunW
NOT the sheep
Posts: 26118
Joined: November 26th, 2011, 6:11 pm
Location: Pontefract West Yorkshire

Re: CONTINUATION OF MY 1:20 SCALE SCRATCH BUILT B17G (RADIO

Post by ShaunW »

I think quite a few of us are interested, Fozzy as this is great stuff. Whether one is interested in B-17's as a modelling subject or not (I am), seeing you scratch build this thing is amazing and there is much that can be learnt from watching your methods.

You do realise that at this rate we will encourage you to end up building a full 1/20th B-17G don't you? :ha:
Doing - Tamiya 1/35th Universal Carrier.

Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
User avatar
Gregers
Forum founder
Posts: 8182
Joined: April 10th, 2011, 6:13 pm

Re: CONTINUATION OF MY 1:20 SCALE SCRATCH BUILT B17G (RADIO

Post by Gregers »

AWESOME. I am going to enjoy this. And it may give me tips and impetus to do a couple of scratch projects of my own. Not as big as your B17 though but still vintage American types.

All the best.

Greg
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe.
The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.
Albert Einstein
User avatar
Fozzy
The Bug Has Well And Truly Bitten
Posts: 291
Joined: July 23rd, 2011, 8:25 am
Location: S.E.Bulgaria..near the Turkish border
Contact:

Re: CONTINUATION OF MY 1:20 SCALE SCRATCH BUILT B17G (RADIO

Post by Fozzy »

Hi there

Thanks for your comments guys....Here is the next up date!

I have spent the last few days getting the fuselage structure built...I started with the lower half and then moved on to the upper half...almost symmetrical or but a few millimeters here and there!.

Here are the two halves........

Image

Placing them on top of each other gives us the definite shape of the fuselage area....

Image

Image

Image

So to try and explain what the plan is for this phase of the B17 build I have tried to put a few arrows here and there.......

Image

The blue arrow at the rear shows you where I am intending to detail the radio room...including the camera bay that is under the floor of the radio room. There will be doors on each bulk head as in the real B17. The Red arrow indicates the Ball turret position and I have done a rather naff diagram of the turret in red using a computer mouse!!:rolleyes: The bulk head just after the turret will be as it is...open ....and as it is in the real B17...which is handy as you will be able to view the turret easily.

Ball turret!...aaaggghhh:shrug:!....not looking forward to trying to replicate that...I have some ideas but I'm sure I will change my mind when it comes to doing it!

I will be starting with the bottom half first which means it's time to get out the yogurt pot supplies!!...some of you know what I mean...will explain in my next post!;)

Thanks for dropping by

Fozzy
FOZZY

Visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/martinfosterss ... uiltmodels


Ready for inspection.....1:24 Scale Cutaway Spifire Mk1...1:24 Scale Cutaway Ju 87B-2......1:30 scale scratch built Westland Lysander...P51D seviced in a Hangar
User avatar
Clashcityrocker
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 10781
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 12:31 am
Location: Adelaide. South Australia

Re: CONTINUATION OF MY 1:20 SCALE SCRATCH BUILT B17G (RADIO

Post by Clashcityrocker »

Ball turret - Ping pong ball?

Nigel
User avatar
Fozzy
The Bug Has Well And Truly Bitten
Posts: 291
Joined: July 23rd, 2011, 8:25 am
Location: S.E.Bulgaria..near the Turkish border
Contact:

Re: CONTINUATION OF MY 1:20 SCALE SCRATCH BUILT B17G (RADIO

Post by Fozzy »

Clashcityrocker wrote:Ball turret - Ping pong ball?

Nigel
Yes Nigel...cheers mate... some body has suggested that ...so I checked out the size of a ping Pong ball and it's circumference is 40 mm....my turret needs to be is 65 mm!....so I will definitely look out for some sort of ball on my travels! ;-)
FOZZY

Visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/martinfosterss ... uiltmodels


Ready for inspection.....1:24 Scale Cutaway Spifire Mk1...1:24 Scale Cutaway Ju 87B-2......1:30 scale scratch built Westland Lysander...P51D seviced in a Hangar
ShaunW
NOT the sheep
Posts: 26118
Joined: November 26th, 2011, 6:11 pm
Location: Pontefract West Yorkshire

Re: CONTINUATION OF MY 1:20 SCALE SCRATCH BUILT B17G (RADIO

Post by ShaunW »

Wow, that is a great bit of construction, Fozzy. The ball turret is indeed a bit of a tough one. Using some kind of ball seems reasonable enough but I wonder how difficult it will be to cut out the turret windows from one - someone of your modelling calibre will sort that out I'm sure! :grin:
Doing - Tamiya 1/35th Universal Carrier.

Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
User avatar
Fozzy
The Bug Has Well And Truly Bitten
Posts: 291
Joined: July 23rd, 2011, 8:25 am
Location: S.E.Bulgaria..near the Turkish border
Contact:

Re: CONTINUATION OF MY 1:20 SCALE SCRATCH BUILT B17G (RADIO

Post by Fozzy »

ShaunW wrote:Wow, that is a great bit of construction, Fozzy. The ball turret is indeed a bit of a tough one. Using some kind of ball seems reasonable enough but I wonder how difficult it will be to cut out the turret windows from one - someone of your modelling calibre will sort that out I'm sure! :grin:
Cheers Shaun.....I have a few ideas up my sleeve ...which ones I will use I not sure yet! :sad:

Hi....its me again!

Got to keep at this else I might run out of life! :roll: ....

The last two days were taken up by constructing with Balsa wood the area for the camera hatch and the ball turret.

I mapped out where each hole had to cut and then made a frame in said area!...for want of a better description!...here is the hole for the ball turret.

Image

...and you can just see the frame work for the camera hatch on this next photo...

Image

After it was all sanded down and checked this is what we have....

Image

Here is a view from the underneath of the radio room and turret location...the red arrow denotes the camera hatch aperture and the blue arrow the turret aperture....

Image

I have started to look round for a sphere shape that is the same size as the ball turret which I can use for a kind of template for the turret...I thought it would be a tall order ...but this morning I went into a Lev shop (pound/dollar shop...depending where you come from!!) and found this kids rubber ball.....and it is just shy of 3mm in circumference.....which I am going to live with!

Image

I checked for fit even though the ball wasn't up for it judging the expression on its face!!! :lol:

Image

Image

Ok so that's it.....should have the initial skin on the inside and outside of the fuselage in preparation for some detailing this week end....

until then

Thanks for looking in

Fozzy
FOZZY

Visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/martinfosterss ... uiltmodels


Ready for inspection.....1:24 Scale Cutaway Spifire Mk1...1:24 Scale Cutaway Ju 87B-2......1:30 scale scratch built Westland Lysander...P51D seviced in a Hangar
User avatar
Clashcityrocker
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 10781
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 12:31 am
Location: Adelaide. South Australia

Re: CONTINUATION OF MY 1:20 SCALE SCRATCH BUILT B17G (RADIO

Post by Clashcityrocker »

Leave it in the opening. It'll scare the enemy fighters away :grin:

Nigel
User avatar
Fozzy
The Bug Has Well And Truly Bitten
Posts: 291
Joined: July 23rd, 2011, 8:25 am
Location: S.E.Bulgaria..near the Turkish border
Contact:

Re: CONTINUATION OF MY 1:20 SCALE SCRATCH BUILT B17G (RADIO

Post by Fozzy »

Hi chaps



Here is a quick up date on the problem that shall be named......."The bl#@$y Sperry Ball Turret" :sad:

I wasn't going to start this part yet because I knew that I would have problems with it!....just kept putting it on the back burner!....I thought that if I cant manage to scratch build the ball turret then the whole B17G project would come to a grinding halt!...so I started trying to think of ways how I can replicate it with the least amount of fuss and specialized tools...that I don't own!!

That little yellow kids ball kept staring at me!...taunting me!...because it knew that it would be useless if I tried to use it for a mold for vac forming....not solid you see....rubbery little thing....but I just had to give it a go!

I made a do it your self vac forming kit a few years back and I dusted it down ready for a trial run on the yellow ball.

Image

The Henry hoover was got out of storage....(I hate hoovering!! ;-) )...and was put to good use for once!!....all connected up and ready for the off....

Image

I started on the first attempt to use some plastic food packaging......it was pinned to the frame and popped into the oven for a few seconds....hoover on for suction and.....................failure!...the little ball stood up to having very hot plastic wrapped around it but I reckon the plastic was too thick. So next attempt I used a sheet of plastic card.......no.....too thin!.....so in the end I tried a sheet of 0.5mm and hey presto a result!..........

Image

Then I thought that the plastic would get stuck to the soft ball ,but I didn't have any problems extracting the ball!....so I re loaded another 0.5 mm sheet of plastic on the frame and popped it in the oven (making me feel hungry all this talk of ovens! :roll: )...

So now I had the two halves ready for a trim up......but I decided that I needed to cut the ball horizontally as it would be easier for me to do all the detail inside the ball.....

Image

The next 2 photos show the two halves together......roughly!!

Image

Image

So....so far I think so good.....the test will be later when I try to marry up the two halves......but first its down to a load of detailing...starting with the lower half of the ball....blue ink marks the spot!

Image

I am going to start trying to cut out all the glazing first....then on with all the detail....so I will be back when I have managed to do that!

Cheers for looking in

Fozzy
FOZZY

Visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/martinfosterss ... uiltmodels


Ready for inspection.....1:24 Scale Cutaway Spifire Mk1...1:24 Scale Cutaway Ju 87B-2......1:30 scale scratch built Westland Lysander...P51D seviced in a Hangar
ShaunW
NOT the sheep
Posts: 26118
Joined: November 26th, 2011, 6:11 pm
Location: Pontefract West Yorkshire

Re: CONTINUATION OF MY 1:20 SCALE SCRATCH BUILT B17G (RADIO

Post by ShaunW »

A marvellously ingenious solution to a difficult problem, Fozzy and with a bit of luck thrown in for good measure in that the ball managed to stand up to all that abuse with the hot plastic :grin: This is top class scratch building in my book!
Doing - Tamiya 1/35th Universal Carrier.

Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
Post Reply

Return to “Aviation Modelling”