greetings from the philippines!!!
anybody know where i can order outside my country for a memphis belle b-17??
its a little bit rare here in my country. i have an existing old monogram hand me down from my uncle whos in philadelphia already. the model is a bit old(1965) and i want to build my own.
hey Jearbizo! Kumusta? (ang asawa ko Pinay)
what Scale are you looking for?
are you looking for a kit with the Memphis Belle’s decals, or just that particular model of the B-17?
I cant help you with were to find one, but this might help others help you.
hey thanks,
im looking for a 1/72 scale cause im gonna have difficulty fitting 1/48 ww2 bombers in my display cabinet, plus i only got 1/72 bombers all in all so i dont wanna divert from that. i found an academy issue but i didnt buy it at that time, now i couldnt find any. if i do find a b-17 with a different noseart and marking, where can i find decals for memphis belle??
james
Check out http://squadron.com they’ve got alot of stuff there. I have the R/M 1/48 scale B-17G that I’m working on & I’ve come across alot of AM parts for the 1/72 there. Also a few books on the -17 as well…
Hope this helps!
Keep the razors sharp!!
For 1/72 scale I understand Academy kits are the way to go. Don’t think they have a Memphis Belle option but I’m sure there are some after market deacals around. I am currently building Hasegawa’s offering of the memphis belle in 1/72 but it too is an old kit and hard to find. I would recommend the newer Academy B-17 F kit with aftermarket decals. Try Squadron as mentioned above or www.greatmodels.com. Good luck and if you can’t find the decals give me a shout on the email as I may not use the ones I have.
Hi, jearbizo;
The Academy B-17F is not the correct model for Memphis Belle; it is a mid production F with an astrodome installed. The Belle did not have the astrodome. The most accurate version is the Hasegawa version, which features the four windows on the top of the nose. Last night I saw that Hasegawa is reissuing their 17’s between now and March–it might be worth the wait.
For decals, you can’t beat “Heavenly Bodies: B-17F at War.” This set is available from Squadron.com, and are the most accurate I’ve seen; much better than any kit decals. It’s pricey, but you get decals from all kinds of “F” model fortresses–including “Hell’s Angels” and “Knockout Dropper,” two other milestone Flying Forts. I just finished the Hasegawa B-17F as “Memphis Belle,” and if I can get the camera to unload, I will post a picture. Good luck.
Here are a couple of shots of my version of the “Memphis Belle” and one of “Hell’s Angels.”
I used the decals from “Heavenly Bodies” on each one. Sorry if the pictures aren’t too sharp; I don’t have a really good camera. But maybe this will give you some idea of what’s possible. Good luck.
Hey Checkmateking, dem 17s look good! thanks for sharing the pics!!
Thank YOU, Ed, for your compliments. On the “Belle,” I used a mixture of old Aeromaster OD 41, lightened with Floquil’s old military color “Middlestone.” The medium green camouflage is old Aeromaster stuff. On the “Angels,” I used straight Model Master Olive Drab, with MM’s medium green. Undersurfaces on both planes are old Aeromaster “Neutral Gray.” I can’t rave enough over that “Heavenly Bodies” sheet of decals for B-17F’s. They go on like a charm with the microscale system, and are far more complete and detailed than anything I’ve ever seen before. The one drawback is that they don’t give you enough national markings to build all the planes in the set.
Thanks again.
the Academy kit of the belle is nice, recessed panel lines and a beautiful fit, just ditch the dome and fill the hole.
The best source in your part of the world is www.hobbyeasy.com
It only takes 5 - 6 days to ship to Europe from Hong Kong and you will not beat them for price.
Yer very welcome CheckmateKing! Keep up the good work!! You got talent[:D][^] I’m working on a B-17G “Chowhound” R/M 1/48 scale & am taking my time with it. Using the Verlinden update set, some Koster parts too. Am looking to display it with open bombbay doors but, can’t find any A/M for the bomb bay! any ideas??
holy flying fortresses!!!
now that gives me more reasons to build another. remember the old monogram belle kit?i dont even know if its still in production, well, thats what i have now and i only did repainting and a couple of tinkering but now i guess the models age is starting to take its toll.thanks for the info guys!!really appreciate it!!
Jearbizo, I remember the old Monogram kit in shops, but I’ve never had one since I only build in 1/72. I started out with the old Revell kit–loaded with oversize rivets and clunky parts. Hasegawa’s kit is old, on the order of twenty-plus years, but still very serviceable. Academy kits are also excellent. Each has it’s problems and advantages, so I build both types, depending on the particular plane I’m making, and which kit makes it easier to build that version. With the Academy B-17G kit, you have optional positions for the starboard waistgun–but you have to cut through the fuselage yourself. Hasegawa only offers the staggered waist configuration for a later model “G.” Airfix even released the Academy “G” version a few years ago, and included both the Boeing and the Cheyenne tail turrets in one kit. THese days, you can only find the Airfix “G” on ebay. But still, it you’re doing the “Memphis Belle,” I’d still recommend using the Hasegawa it. You won’t have to modify it.
Oggy, that is an option (removing the astrodome from an Academy kit). But then, you’d have to cut three additional windows on the top of the fuselage. The “Belle” was a B-17F-10-B0, and carried a configuration of four windows over the nose compartment. “Hell’s Angels” was a B-17F-25-BO “Knockout Dropper” was a still later B-17F-27-BO and they still carried that same window set up. For me, that was too much work–so I used Hasegawa.
Ed, I don’t know much about 1/48 Fortresses; I work exclusively in 1/72. But if you try Meteor Productions, they have a lot of after-market Fortress items in 1/48; they may have what you need. I have built “Chowhound” in 1/72 using the Hasegawa kit. I’ll take some photos and post in a new thread.
Great Checkmateking, I look foreward to the pics as that may help me in my endeavour [:)] This is why I come in here, Someone’s Always got a bright idea!![:D] “Chowhound” has an interesting history & of course, I’m partial to Pluto anyways[#dots][tup]
Peace, Hippy-Ed
Hi, Ed:
I just posted a new thread with “Chow Hound.” I hope you find it helpful.
King02