I’m preparing for a future build…B-17F. I’ve obtained the kit (1998 Monogram/Revell) and the decals (pyn-up “Cincinnati Queen”), but I’ve noticed the interior is pretty bare.
I see Eduard offers an “interior kit”, but I can’t gauge from the small picture what it entails. Has anyone out there used the interior kit? How is it?
Any other options…especially behind the cockkpit?
Thanks,
mucker
Unless you are working with a clear fuselage half detailing the interior, for the most part, is a waste of time - you’ll never be able to see it. I went to great lengths on one of mine but once it was closed up all you had any chance of seeing was stuff through the side gunners windows and not much at that.
Waldron makes a set of radio fronts and other parts to construct a radio room for a 1/48 B-17. It’s not for the beginner, and requires some scratchbuilding, but the instructions are quite thorough. It’s made for the Monogram B-17G, but will fit the F as well.
I have the Zotz decal set for this kit, and when I saw the retail price, $35, I nearly fainted. But it’s made up of about ten sheets and makes something like 16 different machines. And the color booklet with all the painting and markings diagrams is worth having by itself. Too bad we don’t have a better 1/48 B-17F kit to work with, but the Zotz decals come in 1/72 as well. They really are beautiful.
I just saw Swanny’s reply. He’s right. As usual. It’s a lot of work for something that will be virtually invisible, though you can see a little into the radion room through the dorsal window on the F models, where the gun protrudes. But not much.
TOM
Toms right, if I was doing another right now the radio room would be my main concern for detailing. You might want to consider the Aires 50 cal guns for the side windows also - very nice.
I’ll second that (or third? [:)]). I’ve built 2, gonna build a 3rd soon (for my Dad) and you can’t see bumpkus inside them except the radio room and a little bit of the nose area where the bombadier and navigator sat. On my first I used all 3 Eduard kits and felt like I’d wasted my money. Now if you’re working on a really super-detailed version for public display, I’d consider it. But for yourself, it might not be worth the expense to you.
Swanny’s suggestion of the guns, though, is a really good idea. The guns that come with the -F kit are junk and the ones that come with the -G aren’t much better.
THanks, guys. I guess you’re right…you can see much once it’s all sewn up. Swanny, I do like your suggestion about the guns, although I’d intimidated about the 13 pcs! I have large, clumsy fingers!
It sounds like I’d be better off dressing up the outside of the plane rather than the interior.