Hello model lovers 
Read posts about b-29 and a visible b-17 and really set heart on purchasing a b-29 superfortress. Althoug I’m amateur, I want this project to be great. I’ve done a lot of models some 6-7 years ago just for fun with no paint only glueing Now I want to make something serious. Give me a go-head with some advice. First of all I have decided to purchase the b-29 superfortress and I want to make the Enola Gay 1/48 scale plane for well known reason:) But I surfed the internet and found out that there are NO decals for that plane. Or are there ? And what kit to choose ? Revell or Monogram? Or they are one and the same? (or maybe something else?) And what about the aftermarket? I want to make really detailed plane despite my low experience in it Are there some higghly detailed cockpits or engine compartments available? How wide is the aftermarket for this plane? Or maybe it’l be reasonable to make a 1/72 scale model? Thanks in advice
Hi Amateur, and welcome!
If I might suggest,if you haven’t made a model for six or seven years, and didn’t paint your models when you did, a 1/48 natural metal finish B-29 might not be the best place to resume the hobby. Certainly if you intend to add aftermarket interior detail.
You want your project to be great. I can’t help thinking that this is unlikey to be the case unless and until you gain some experince first. In making your B-29, you will experince problems in the following areas:
- basic assembly and filling seams;
- the use of an airbrush;
- producing natural metal finishes;
- the use of resin and etch aftermarket detail sets;
- applying decals;
- doing conversions (you can’t build Enola Gay directly from the Monogram/ Revell 1/48 kit (yes, they are both the same);
and probably more besides.
In any event, I’m fairly certain that no 1/48 decals for Enola Gay are currently available - though one version of the Academy 1/72 kit does come with these markings (and IIRC, a Little Boy bomb), and can be built as Enola Gay directly from the box:
http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=AC2154
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal4/3801-3900/gal3819_B-29_Chong/00.shtm
In the classic phrase:
Patience, Grasshopper!
Cheers,
Chris.
If you can find it, the Monogram B-29 Thumper comes with 3 aircraft’s markings, Thumper, Enola Gay, and Bock’s Car… The Revell and Monogram kits are the same planes, like Chris pointed out, but the Revell is limited to a Korean War bird, and a WW2 one, although all the parts to make the conversion to either Sweeny’s or Tibbett’s planes are in it, as well as the Fat Man and Little Boy bombs… You might be able to find the decal sheet for the 509th on Ebay too…
The kit has a “quick & dirty” conversion for the two 509th planes, a set of four turret-opening covers that fit with no cutting, as well as the parts for converting it the “hard way”, ie. cutting out the turret races and adding the full-size covers.
Amateur-great to have you here. I hate to tell you to wait on the B-29 project, but that would be my advise. I would suggest starting with the Revell P-51D or Spitfire, both 1/48th scale & inexpensive. Both go together well (still need some seam filling, but practice makes perfect, right?). I built both early after my return to the hobby a few years ago-before I had an airbrush. Both were painted with spray cans.
Welcome to the board. As others have suggested I would recommend you start with a smaller kit and work your way up to the B-17 and B-29. If you start with the larger model you might get discouraged because of the work involved.
Why do you recommend to choose the smaller kits? You say I will be discouraged by the amount of work need to be done assembling the biger kit, well I am discouraged to start assembling the small kits cause they lack details Or am I wrong? I think that it’ll be better to have all models in one scale so to compare. Assembling the 1/48 fighter would also be a lot of work? YES! I know the answer:) But maybe a little less than big bomber?
Question about painting. Do these models are painted with brush anyway? As far as I see on the pictures of another topics the fuselage and the outer body is painted using the airbrush or brushcan. And what about the details of the cocpit and some small details? How to apply shadows on the edes of cocpit interior?
About purchasing? What online shops would you recommend? I am student and live in a small students town in Estonia called Tartu if you know We have only one shop that sells models and paint but the variety of choise is realrealrealrealrealy small!!! Almost nothing to purchase!
If I do decide to start my kit. What will I need to purchase among the kit? The green scale plate is necessay?
Give me some info about assemblyng 1/72 scale kit.
(don’t be offended by what I say cause I’m not a native english speaker thus smoe phrases may seem offensive:) )
Huge thanks ! ! ! Hope my enthusiasm wont end
You may be confusing overall size of the finished model with detail. Buy a couple of the Monogram 1/48th kits and take a look.
[:)]
Sounds like some very good advice provided here. A 1/48 B-29 is an awesome kit to see finished, and I hope you are able to keep your enthusiasm for one while practicing the skills you will require to see a project like that to the end. [tup]
I mean the smaller the kit the less it is detailed. (comparing 1/48 and 1/72 scales)