Army_Air_Force Posted January 27, 2019 Author Share Posted January 27, 2019 The next stage was to try and replicate the torn metal from the 5,100 pound steel blade used to cut up the aircraft. The plastic was softened with a soldering iron, then pushed and twisted with a paint brush handle and scalpel. I tried to distort the plastic in a direction it was most likely to take, depending on where on the fuselage the cut was. So on the top of the fuselage, the metal was bent downwards, sheared down and wrinkled at the sides, bent down on the lower areas and flat where the fuselage was crushed against the ground as the blade stopped. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Army_Air_Force Posted January 27, 2019 Author Share Posted January 27, 2019 After the melting, further shaping was done with a scalpel and needle files, trying to create sharper edges where they had been rounded from the heat of the iron. I may do a little test painting on the area to see how it would look complete. So far, it doesn't look too bad. The tail was weighted down and an old knife handle used to press the tailwheel housing down to the fuselage side it wasn't yet glued to. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Army_Air_Force Posted January 27, 2019 Author Share Posted January 27, 2019 So this was where I was up to by the end of today. I'm not sure when I'll next work on it, hopefully not after another two years, but this isn't going to be an every evening project. I may even complete each section up to the painted stage to keep the variety and interest going. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aircommando130 Posted February 3, 2019 Share Posted February 3, 2019 I like it so far! Cheers...Ron Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 (edited) Indeed! A very nice project. I like how you planned it out from the start and then proceeded to scratch build those areas that will be seen. Very convincing. Keep up the great work! R/ Dutch Edited May 9, 2019 by Dutch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
coneheadff Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 This is really something special...Wow! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Army_Air_Force Posted May 9, 2019 Author Share Posted May 9, 2019 Hi guys, no progress of late. Now that we're into the military vehicle season, I'm away almost every weekend at shows and that leaves me with very little time for modelling. It's not forgotten however, just a slow burning fuse on this one! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jor-el Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Great work! What I appreciate the most is the detail shots of how you did these mods. Also the jigs you used for soldering the brass etc are really helpful. Hoping you feel inspired to get this going again. My daughter worked in the offices at the Depot in the nineties, and we got to tour the place. Truly impressive, and sad. Carl Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Army_Air_Force Posted October 26, 2019 Author Share Posted October 26, 2019 I did a little tinkering on the B-17 today. Some parts of the fuselage had already been scribed, but nothing had been sanded and neither of the horizontal stabilisers had been scribed. So the first job today was scribing the stabs, followed by wet sanding. The two fuselage sections had already been scribed, but both pieces needed the scribing slots sanding and cleaning out. The fuselage seams also needed sanding and there were some areas of filler to be sanded too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Army_Air_Force Posted October 26, 2019 Author Share Posted October 26, 2019 The elevator halves were glued together today, but still need a new leading edge fitting and the hinge slots cutting out. The false trailing edge of the stabiliser had previously been filled with styrene, but needed some sanding. It would also need a little filler here and there. A piece of scrap styrene was fitted into the top of the fuselage, under where the rudder sits. After a time to dry, it was trimmed and sanded flush with the top of the fairing that leads into the tail gunner's glazing. The vertical stab false trailing edge was then sanded. After a bit of trimming and sanding of the stab root, the port stab was glued in place and left a while to harden up before moving. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Army_Air_Force Posted October 26, 2019 Author Share Posted October 26, 2019 The second stabiliser was glued in place and thick tube glue used to do a little gap filling on the underside. I then applied some filler, thinned with a strong acrylic solvent that I normally use for assembling parts. The parts were taped in place to hold it all still while the glue hardens up over night. Here you can see the vertical stab false trailing edge with filler applied and also the fairing leading into the tail gunner's glazing. I'll probably get primer on and check the look of everything before I consider fitting the tail glazing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Army_Air_Force Posted October 27, 2019 Author Share Posted October 27, 2019 It was very cold out in the workshop this morning, but I did a little sanding of the filler applied late last night and got some primer on the tail and waist. The wooden floor in the waist still needs the ends snapping/tearing from the guillotine, but they won't go in until the fuselage is painted. I'm tempted to paint,decal and weather both of these sections before moving on to the rest of the airframe. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Army_Air_Force Posted October 27, 2019 Author Share Posted October 27, 2019 I felt the need for a couple of inspirational photos! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Army_Air_Force Posted October 27, 2019 Author Share Posted October 27, 2019 After a bit of a sanding here and there, I glued the tail gunner's glazing in place. It would require a bit of filling around the fairing joint, which was left until the glazing joint had hardened up. The next step was to add some styrene into the leading edge of the elevators. Both elevators were clamped between some scrap wood to hold everything straight. They also required a little filler. Once dry, the edge will be sanded flat and a new piece of styrene added which will be sanded into the leading edge radius. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Army_Air_Force Posted October 27, 2019 Author Share Posted October 27, 2019 The rudder leading edge also needed a little filler. It had previously had styrene added to the leading edge. I also gave the ragged sheared metal, where the aircraft was cut, a coat of silver paint. I'll probably use some form of masking fluid randomly along this joint before spraying the top coats. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Army_Air_Force Posted October 27, 2019 Author Share Posted October 27, 2019 Silver was sprayed on the tail section too. After that had a little time to dry, I filled around the tail glazing joints and also on the fairing at the inner end of the elevator which had a bit of a sink hole. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 It just keeps getting better and better! Great work so far! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lizard Racing Posted January 9, 2020 Share Posted January 9, 2020 You show good work and attention to detail. Being a former aerospace engineer, I can't watch films of aircraft destruction. I know it's necessary, but I can hear them shriek when the blade hits. Interesting project. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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