1:72 AIRCRAFT SCALE MODELS
How the Miami Clipper was built
A job inside an experimental journey
Building a scale 1:72 Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress and don’t want to lose too much detail is already quite a challenge. My artistic mind thought creating a cutaway view of the same kit would be a nice idea, it appeared to be a pretentious challenge. Anyway, it is the prelude to building a 1:48 scale B-17 cutaway, but now I want to share a view photos and a short 1-minute video here on Facebook. Instead of the well-known `Memphis Belle` I decided to make the USAF `Miami Clipper` B-17F Buno 42-29815 of the 322 squadron of the 91st bomb group.
The basic of the kit is a Revell 1:72 B-17F Box no. 04279. Build many parts from scratch and decided to cut a fair part of the LH side fuselage and RH upper wing skin. Secondly, the aircraft is shown in two configurations; the RH side is in cruize with main landing gear and flaps in the up position, bomb bay door open and engine #3 the propeller feathered. The top cowling of engine #3 is cut away too and the normally confined main landing gear wheel is partly shown including some ducting and electrical wiring.
The LH side is in landing configuration with the main landing gear tail wheel and flaps in the down position and the bomb bay door closed. All flight control surfaces are fixed in a neutral position.
Of the ten aircrew, ten are mostly in their battle position, which meets the cruize configuration. So all turret positions and tail gunner are manned. Furthermore, on the RH wing, the main fuel tanks are shown including some plumbing and wiring. The six tanks which are visible (three main and three small outer wing tanks) are made of 0.5mm polystyrene, the wing inner construction is made of 0.1mm thick PE-plate. The tail profiles are made of 0.2mm thick polystyrene. The .50 ammo belts are Eduard PE parts, the ammo boxes are wood and scratch-made.
On the navigator desk is a map visible and a scheme at the radio operator desk, the desk lights are scratch built.
Paint: as a primer, the grey AK758 was used. All main areas e.g. wings, fuselage, etc. are airbrushed with MRP paint, all details are painted with a brush and Vallejo Model Paint although the wing, tail, and stabilizer leading edges are yellow painted with Humbrol HAA0268 matt trainer yellow. The red cutting edges are painted with Humbrol HU153 insignia red.
The first layer of varnish is done with Alclad II Aqua Gloss ALC600 on this varnish the decals were applied with Microsol and set. Finally, a Vallejo Ultra Matt Polyurethane Varnish #27653 was applied over the whole aircraft except the clear parts.
Used a 3mm brass rod to put the finalized kit on an oak display plinth.
Disclaimer: This display is not pretended to be technical or historically correct. The goal was to show as accurately as possible the reality but bearing in mind my imperfections and the scale-related issues this is as good as it gets for now and for me. At least I had an awesome joy in creating this display.
Respect for all those young men who flew these aircraft to fight for our freedom in WWII. Many lives were spoiled let it not have been for nothing.
Lest we forget
