Airfix B-17 100 Group
This is my first post in a while, I've been busy building though. This is the Airfix 1:72 B-17 built from the new kit which is a 100 Group RAF Fortress III version. This has all the Eduard sets - yes, every single one, including the brassin engines. It took a long time to build due to the hundreds of photo etch parts. However, not much can be seen unless you get very close! This is in this months edition (July 2017) of Airfix Model world. Hope you enjoy the photos.
Beautiful work, Alan...I like it a lot. 🙂
Three pictures and a master piece. I know its something to wet the whistle and promote another mag. Looks like a winner Alan.
Lovely, a real beauty. Can you post more photos?
Thanks David, these are really a promo for the mag so I cant publish too much. Once the next issue is out I'll shoot some detail shots and post those if there is interest in seeing such pictures.
Very nicely done. I know the RAF flew the Fortress, but it just doesn't look quite right with all that black on it!
thanks Greg, I know what you mean! Took me a while to get used to it!
Fantastic! Nice change to see a Brit B-17.
Allan, looks great, I like the RAF camo for a change of pace. I'm unfamiliar with the chin attachment, what is that ?
Thanks Terry, its a radar on the nose in place of the turret.
Good looking model Alan, and different, well done.
Excellent model, very impressive. Keep my eye out to the July edition of Airfix Model world. This model is on my wishlist since Airfix announced it.
Outstanding!
Wow !
Its really impressive and even without closups one can see the engines are fully detailed they look superb.I'm a little suprised by the turret under the nose it seems different ...
Thanks! That's because its not a turret - its a radar in its Perspex housing. These aircraft were for electronic warfare and carried radar and jamming equipment to jam German night fighters, hence the large aerial on the top (Airborne Cigar) and the tail aerial.
It´s a bit funny really...ones mind is so conditioned to see specific types of aircraft in a particular camouflage and here we have a beautiful B-17 which is not quite matching my inner images on how it should look. But it´s darn fine! Congratulations to a splendid build.
Wow. Very different to see the B-17 in RAF colours and a superb job and finish. Great stuff Alan
Amazing to see that Airfix did a 100 Group aircraft! There were others, as well. Makes for a unique and visually interesting aircraft, not the usual 8th Air Force Fortress. Nicely done!
I just got hold of my July copy of Airfix Modelworld and just had a first peak at the building of your B17. Amazing what a splendid build. I will read the whole article later today, but from what I did see it is absolute inspiring. Cheers!
Great work Alan - please post some more photos as soon as you can.
Nice to see the Fortress in RAF markings as well as the unusual version!
Well done Airfix.
Thanks to everyone for the great comments above, I'll be posting some detailed pictures of this build soon which I'll be shooting over this weekend.
Fantastic build Alan, really nicely done.
I am posting on here as this is the very plane that my Uncle flew. He is still alive and living in North Wales. He was given a present of the commercially available Model this Christmas. I am reliably informed that this plane was also the last B17 in commission after the war with the RAF. He actually flew it back to the USA to reduce our lend Lease Bill and probably to share the technical developments it contained.
John Wynne spent his entire career in the RAF and flew everything from Biplanes to jet powered cold war V Bombers... He has never had his story fully published which reflects on the secrecy of the work he carried out both during and after the War.
This was not the first B17 he flew . There is some knowledge of his previous bird that was badly shot up and which he managed to recover back to England unfortunately after instructing his entire crew to bale..Some were murdered by Hitler Youth supported by Nazis commanders who were later prosecuted for war crimes at Nurenburgh trials.
What a beautiful Model...
Steve
Thanks Steve, that's very interesting. If you send me your email address I'd be only too pleased to send you some high res photos you could print out to give to John if you like? I could also put you in touch with John Mollison in the States, John creates mini documentaries, interviewing old pilots about their aircraft and escapades so we dont loose these important stories for future generation.