This thought/ build isn’t going to happen any time soon, but I can’t get the idea out of my head.
I’m wanting to build a 1/48 B-17G, 1/2 complete and 1/2 cut away, but never having done a cut away I’m not really sure how. I’ve seen all the cut away pictures, etc you can pull off the internet, but I was thinking about using something like a set of blueprints to make templates for the framing and ribs. I don’t want to build something with the small cut out shapes in the side of the fuse … I’m talking about a full cut away with all the guts, cables, wiring, etc visible. I know that this project will take close to forever, but I really want to do it.
So, I guess here’s my basic question … What’s the best way to make the templates I want to use? Shrink down R/C plans? Get ahold of Boeing blueprints and scale them down? What???
Let me know what you think and thanks in advance!!!
Well you could just use aftermarket PE and resin detail sets to get the detail material you need.
There are many reference books, photographs and drawings out there. You just have to research and determine what you’re modeling capacity is and how much and of what type of detail you want to reproduce based on the materials and reference found.
Have you considered getting a visible B-17 kit? Someone here posted a question about why a clear fuselage half was included in his kit.
I’d just put frisket paper on the fuselage half and trace the panel lines… Then you can “pick & choose” what parts you want to remove, while keeping the airframe somewhat structurally sound… Those wings put a lot of stress on a fuselage, and you want enough plastic remaing to bear their weight…
But I’m also with Hawkeye… The “Visible B-17” kit is your best bet, as far as keeping the amount of work you’ll have to do (you already got a full plate, ya know) to a minimum, unless this is something you REALLY want to do…
You might even find a guy or two here that has a Visible B-17 kit and doesn’t plan on using the clear half, since it sounds to me as if you already have the kit… The only issue would be the Cheyenne turret on the tail of the clear half…
Thanks guys … over the past day I been able to find MANY reference pictures and drawings and even found someone that had Boeing blueprints, so I think I’m good on that piece.
Hans had a good point about the structural integrity, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. I really want the cutaway half to be as … well, cut away as possible. Just like you peeled the aluminum back and didn’t leave anything. I know that this will take awhile, but I’m not too worried about it. This IS something that I really want to do, I just want to make sure that I do it right the FIRST time around!
This project won’t be getting started anytime soon, most likely not until sometime in 2012, so I’ve got plenty of time to gather parts and pieces. Thanks again for the opinions!!!
Having built the visible B-17 and tried damn hard to make it as accurate as possible, I’m going to tell you one thing - it can’t be done from any kit.
All model manufacturers have taken massive liberties with the design of the plane in the “unseen” areas, such as the storgae area under the cockpit. There’s also a missing bulkhead in the Revell kit, between the waist gunners and the tail gunner. There’s absolutely no detail for the tail wheel section.
And if you’re going to do a skeleton - good luck. Styrene isn’t going to support the weight of the wings. You need to do like that crazy dentist did it with his mustang and corsair http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/Park.htm
In all honesty, I think your best bet, may be to build some combination of what Lancair IV built /forums/t/111149.aspx and what I did /forums/t/120221.aspx?PageIndex=1
Not saying that what you want to do is impossible - anything is possible with time and resources, but there is the “point of diminishing returns” to consider.
-Fred
Hey Modelchasm,
I too have built the clear side 17 not a bad build but I didn’t do as much as I could have, I intend on doing better with the next one, starting soon myself. I too have an extra clear side should you need one, Plus I have VERY detailed photos of Nine O Nine, which I feel is the Best still fling example of a B-17G out there. The Nine O nine unlike the rest Has kept the interior pretty true to life where as the others have modified for passenger flights(tours) The 9O9 has altered little. If you like I can send those photos, taken by a modeler for modelers. I’m including in this post a photo of my clear side and some of the 909 as examples.
From the 909 ball turret mount at top
The ball turret mount at the floor
The over all structure of turret and frame reenforcement, also bulkhead back to radioroom note it’s reenforcement only on the one side
and last the space below the flightdeck is open with no ramp some had more oxy. tanks
these are just a few of the over 400 shots I have of the 909 in detail. Let me know if you would care for any of this.
James
I have the visible B-17 kit and been collecting all the Eduard PE sets…only need the flaps and engine sets and Ill have them all. I think I know what you want to do...I was thinking about doing it too so I wouldnt have to use the clear fuse half and have better visibility into the kit to see all the work that Im planning on doing. Hans point about structural stability is a good point but you could figure out some way around it, maybe using brass tubing or something to support the wings. No matter how clear that fuse half is it`s not as good as looking directly in there!
Len
Thanks again for all the comments guys. It’s good to see all the different ways people look at the same problem.
I’m planning on using the good ol’ Monogram kit w/o the clear fuse half. Literally half the ship will be built with styrene framing and ribbing, possibly inner-mixed with some metal pieces for strength. Like I said, I’m thinking about the actual build just yet as I won’t be starting for awhile, but just a thought I had about the strength part … I might leave something like the de-icing boot on the wing and run a brass/ alum tube in there for strength.
The bottom line here is that I have the basic idea of what I want to do … figuring out the how will come later.
Thanks again everyone for all the comments. It’s good too to see all the awesome work that’s gone into those forts! … Oh, and James … I’ll be MORE than happy to take those pictures off your hands! HAHA!!! PM inbound…
Hey Chasm, I’ll get those sent to you as soon as I get back close to High Speed (I just have Dial-up, can’t get HS where I live) next week or two maybe sooner. No Problem. I 'll try to send High rez if not tooo large a file, there are a lot of pics.
James
Actually, I was talking 'bout using the clear half and doing cutaways in that…
One might consider using a front-reflecting mirror and mounting half the B-17 to it, open side against the mirror… You may have to light the interior in a place or two, but it’d take care of any strength problems, I think… It’s make a really nice in-flight wall-hanging… THere’s a member here who’s done his aircraft that way, on mirrors, and they look awaesome… Also was an article in a recent FSM issue that explained the technique…
Like laying out the framing inside the clear 1/2??? Seems like that might work.
Not having personally seen the visible kit, just how clear is that fuse 1/2 anyway? Would it be better to vacuform it for more clarity?
Options, options, options!!! 
The Visible B-17 is as clear as any other piece of clear styrene, I guess… But it’s not crystal clear by any means… What I was suggesting by using the clear half is to remove the majority of the fuselage area, but keeping the main bulkheads and formers in place, as well as the upper fuselage area, about a 1/4 inch or so, to glue to the other half…
For the mirrored half, whatever you want showing would be on the inside of teh solid half and only reflected back into the mirror… I placed a B-7 fuselgae section up against the mirror on the medicine cabinet t see what would actually be visible… You may wanna try that yourself, just to get a better handle on what’s viewable that way… I can’t take a good picture of it, or I’d post one to show ya what I’m talking about…
I think I saw that article using mirrors. Pretty cool. That idea would definately work for the '17 I’m working/ procrastinating on now. … It’s going to be modeled in-flight using a clear acrylic sheet/ strip as a stand from the bomb bay to the base. I’m planning on attaching “falling” bombs to the stand to help “hide” it and the base if going to be a simple image from WWII (like one taken from an open bomb bay) … Simply titled “on the bomb run”.
Thanks for all the ideas guys…