Vac 1/32 B-17G

By Larry Hawkins

For the list of what into making this vac kit a B-17G of the MOUSE. But first the pics of the fuselage I cut into three sections. I wanted the detailing to be right as to the intel I got from George.

1. Revell Norden bombsight is from the Revell P-38 Droop Snoot. Oxygen bottles are from the 24th scale P-51 and since there none in 32nd. They looked about right for where they ended up in the bottom of the flight deck.

2.Ammo boxes are from some tank items l had laying around for along time.

3. Bombardier's chair is from the parts box and from parts other guys had sent me.

4. Chin turret sight was scratched and 1 used the Monogram 48th scale kit as a reference guide to make it and same for the sight that is just above the head of the bombardier.

5. Pane1 for the bombardier and switches and etc. were gotten from the stash and the Hasegawa P-51 kit. Navigator table and other items were made from sheet and balsa wood and painted to the pics I have in several books on the 17.

6. All three sections had the frame work as to the pic's l have and painted as well.

7. Radio compartment was detailed and added various hems that l had lying around.

8. Waist gun positions were build and added as to the pics of the Mouse and the guns all around are from the Hasegawa 86 and 51 kits.

9. Flight deck has scratchbuilt seats and harnesses. And the instrument panel has the dials and etc. as to the pics in my books.

10.Detailed the top turret as to the pics I have.

11. I cut out and dropped the flaps. It looks better with the flaps dropped. And did the same for the elevators as well.

12. Used four Hasegawa F6F props and painted them to the intel that George sent me.

13. Had to scratchbuild the rudder and add some length to the fln. The plans as usual were not to the right scaling - that wasn't a problem.

14. The kit cowlings were not as well to the plans. had to add a little to the die. Of the cowlings so they would look right attached to the nacelles.

15. Added Jerry Rutman wheels and tires from his detail set that l got from another guy.

16. Tail wheel and tire are from a 48th scale P-40 kit.

17. The ball turret from the kit was faded real bad and cracked when I was cutting it out so I replaced it with a toy gun that shout plastic colored balls. That was easy but it was a big problem at first.

18. A11 the triangles were masked off and painted with a bomb can of flat white paint and same for the red areas of the 17.

l9. Cut out the crew door aft of the starboard side of the fuselage. This would help for those who want to see inside the waist gunner positions.

20. Antennas are made from parts tree and heated and stretched to the right die. And glued into place.

21. Stars and Bars are from the first B-17 kit I did. The kit was the 32nd scale B-17 that was to use gas engines. Had them laying around and they fit the plans .

22. Again to Ray Peterson for making the decal sheet for me and getting the art done right and on the money. If these weren't done then it would never have gotten finished. The fuselage codes and the serial numbers were the right deal.

23. Added the nav lights to the bottom of the fuselage as to the Monogram kit and kits plans.

24. C1ear sheet was used for all of the window locations and then some and masked off before priming and painting.

25. Main gear struts are aluminum tubing and brass and the brass parts were soldered

26. Paint scheme was as to the pic's George sent me and this paint had to match the Mouse's paint scheme to the max.

27. Crew members names of girl friends or a wife were hand painted to the locations of the pic's that George sent me.

28. Flack patches were placed as to the pic's I got from George. This 17 hardly had vary much flack damage from what the pic's showed.

29. Added brake lines to the mains.

30. Added the super chargers from the B-24 detail set that JR makes.

31. A11 the deicer boots were masked oil-then painted silver as to the pic's I have.

32. The rudder and the elevators were painted silver as to the pic's

33. The bead sight that sits in front of the toal gunner was made from scratch and with the help from the Revell P-40 kit.

34. A11 panel lines are done with a fine black marker and black acrylic wash.

35. And finally the whip antenna was added to this type of l 7 late in the war.All in all it was a build that took six months to do and she turned OK. Now for sending the pic's of here to George. I hope you like and this is my last bomber in vac for sure.

© Larry Hawkins 2005

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This article was published on Wednesday, July 20 2011; Last modified on Saturday, May 14 2016