Starting Work on a B-17F. The surfaces have raised seams but only a few tiny sections have any raised rivets. Is there a way to create them easily, such as a rotating wheel with teeth that can dig small indents when rolled along a straightedge? Or is there another way to fake it? Or am I just asking for trouble and the build will look great with a good weathered OD paint job? Thx
The most accurate way would be to use Archer rivet decals. But to do the entire exterior will be costly to get enough. Or you could get some of the various riveting tools out there to make the divits in the plastic
What weathering is needed? “Beats Me!” was a brand new aircraft having arrived at Molesworth by 27 Oct 42. The first mission was flown 17 Nov, and the next was in December. The paint wouldn’t have even started to oxidize. You would only need to just use minor oil and exhaust stains. Confirm this with the 303rd BG video on Youtube in color.
Was “Beats Me!” a replacement aircraft, or had it been an original aircraft when the group formed and trained prior to deploying to England?
“Beats Me!” was an original aircraft that the 303rd BG picked up at Kellog Field Michigan that they flew over the pond by 27 Oct. 42. They left their original E models that they had trained with at Gowen Field, ID in Texas. “Beats Me!” flew 7 missions starting with the 4th 303rd mission, 23 Nov. Not much wear and tear by Jan. 23, 43.
Short service life…
Here is a surviving nose panel from one of the original 303rd aircraft and the story on how it survived:
The wheel you are talking about is a pounce wheel. You can buy them from Micro Mark:
http://www.micromark.com/3-piece-pounce-wheel-set,6668.html
They are somewhat pricey though, so if you don’t think you’ll use them again, the decals may be a better option. Also, a quick google search turned up several that look cheaper. If you opt to get a set get yourself some DYMO tape from Office Depot or Staples, etc. It’s the stuff that old label makers used-where you used colored tape and it pushed the letters up one by one. Use the DYMO tape as your guide (tough to use a straight edge on a curve), and the tape should work for you.
Groot
I see them individually on ebay. but what diameter wheel or # of teeth correspsonds to 1/48 scale b-17 rivets?
A rivet tool is a way better investment than the decals I think. These are dedicated tools for riveting, made to leave a round divot. To find out what size, I’d suggest buying a tool that comes with multiple wheels, and try them out on scrap plastic til you think it looks right. They are Cheaper even to start with, and you can use it forever…There are new threads right now discussing them in the Tools section. Depends on the look you want though. If you want raised rivet heads, you need to use the decals, or make your own, using dots of super glue, or stretched sprue sliced off really thin to represent a small rivet head, and then sand them down til they just barely show.
I simulate rivets with a large sewing needle chucked into a pin vice and the aformentioned Dymo tape as a guide. It takes patience (ok…alot for a B-17), but its cheap and works.
Joe
I cant imagine applying that many decals, handdrilling, dotting that much super glue and especially making, cutting and gluing that much tiny sprue. For the weathering, it would be more for depth and drama than actual wear and tear. For all my builds I try to represent the technology, randomness and/or darkness of war, so a little paint variation will address 2 of those. Let’s not forget that behind it all, humans were (and still are) trying to kill or maim largely unknown humans. I was never in the military, but cant imagine shooting or getting shot at being cool, easy or glamorous. It’s a job, a dirty one. Those who fought were brave and should be acknowledged.
Thats why a rivet wheel is a handy tool if you want rivets. Very fast and clean once you get the hang of it. Good luck with your build.
The decals come in strips and are easy to use, just cut in the length desired and apply in place, then paint over it. Yes, a project like a B-17 requires a lot of work, but anyway you tackle this, it’s gonna be a lot of work. Somebody on here did a 1/48 B-17 using them a year or so ago and it came out gorgeous. But he went all out, inside and out, on his project.