I recently got the B-29 kit for my birthday and here is what I have done on it so far. I didn’t add anything to the interior because it is already very detailed. I filled many ejector pin marks with putty and sanded them smooth. I want to make the propellers acctually spin with a motor and I have an idea on how to do it but it will take a lot of work. Bring in the pictures!
A few shots of the front end of Fifi
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/waynebaker/maps%20air%20show%202004/9.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/waynebaker/maps%20air%20show%202004/10.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/waynebaker/maps%20air%20show%202004/12.jpg
Thanks for those pics, Wayne!
Do you know, does the padding go back to the original installation, or was it added on post-1945 on those aircraft that were still in service or the derivatives of the B-29?
Best regards,
Brad
Hello Brad!
I hope someone else can chime in on this but, if I’m not mistaken, the padding was, indeed, added to wartime production B-29s as a means of sound insulation.
Can anyone else confirm that?
Thanks!
Eric
I don’t know. Didn’t ask the gentleman on the flight station. He was a WW II crewman.
Here are some more pics:
I cut out the door and then positioned it open.
since I am going to leave the bombay doors open the ejector pin marks needed to be filled.
I have decided to add motors to the propellers so they will actually spin. Hopefully it will work out OK.
Ryan,
That’s certainly an ambitious project! I’m planning on working on the same thing soon. I’m going to make mine into the Soviet TU-4…a nearly exact copy of the B-29. My wife bought me the kit for our anniversary in June.
Given the size of the props and engine nacelles I’d say we’re going to need some pretty big engines.
I haven’t started on mine yet. I’m an armor guy who hasn’t done a plane since I was your age! I’m about to start working on the Tamiya Ki-84 “Frank” prop action kit (comes with a small motor). I’m going to work out the bugs in my technique before moving up to the big boy B-29.
I love the interior you’ve done so far! What color green is that?!
I am usually an armor guy too, but I’ve started building planes again. I have one motor already and it works fine. I can’t wait to get the other motors to see how it works out. The instructions say to paint the interior flat dark green, but US planes are usually zinc chromate inside, so what I did was mix model master acrylic zinc chromate with Tamiya J.A. green.
I’ve been working on an aircraft restoration and we’ve been using alot of the zinc cromate primer, so they come in a few different shades. Besides, for touch up work in the field, they used what ever was around.
I have the same kit, but I plan on making it as my uncle’s B-29 “Were Wolf” which he the navigator.
As for the motors, you can make them in a parallel circuit off a 9V battery for the power supply and have either one switch for each motor or one for all of them. If you want, I can draw up a diagram for you of how to wire this?
I’m going to go with one switch per engine on mine!
Got a couple other things in mind too; but gotta figure out all the mechanics first…[;)]
RESlusher:
Soviet TU-4…a nearly exact copy of the B-29.
Three B-29’s had to land in Russia after a mission in China, USA requested them to be returned. Stalin ordered exact copies made from the planes. The Soviet engineers disassembled one and copied it part for part… the rudder petals even had the cast ‘Boeing’ on them. The technology with the pressurized crew compartments and other advanced features was far beyond the Soviet capabilities and they studied the US B-29’s to advance their own program of high altitude bombers.
7474 I think I have it all planned out how to work. I was originally going to use just one switch, but then I decided having 4 would be more realistic. If you want to send me a diagram of how to do it you can(maybe its better than my idea.)
Very nice work so far. Keep us posted on progress.
Regards, Rick
Nice job on the interior! I remember first seeing this kit when I was around 15, and the detail still impresses as much as it did back in '79. Looking forward to more progress!
Best regards,
Brad
Forum, What kit is this one. I have an Airfix (?) kit if I remember right and it’s not that detailed. It’s 1/72. What is this one? Gonna build with gear up or down? You going to hang it from the ceiling and make the motors come on from your desk? Mmmmm, super cool! Thanks, Paul
I believe that padding was original…
Ray
One suggestion if I may. I dont how you intend to display the finished product, but if you plan on having her sit on her wheels. I would suggest leaving out the rear crew sleeping compartment, I would leave out everything but the nose interior, bombay, and tail turret interior. Mainly for saving weight.
The interior look’s great otherwise, looking forward to seeing more.
Here is a video of the propellers in motion. The motors are not attached to the wings yet because I just wanted to see if my Idea would work.
the video is at : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CR9AWq-LMU
It’s looking good. I like the idea for the engine wiring, nice, neat, and simple. Any bugs will be worked out fairly easily and quickly.
I wouldn’t mind getting back into 1/48 scale bombers. I built the Revell B-25 (before I refined my techniques) and it turned out pretty bad by my standards. Mabe I out to give it another shot, now knowing what I know.
7474,
Thanks for sharing the note. Great to read actual history from those that were there in their own words,