Revellogram 1/48 B-17G
This is a build for a friend whose father was initial crew on this aircraft in WW II. An old molding that I'm sure many here are familiar with, it was a decent kit considering it's age and the manufacturing limitations of the seventies. It helped that I got it for around $22 at HobbyLobby during their Christmas sale.
I used Master Model brass machine gun barrels and Quickboost engines to replace the not so good kit parts, and some DEF sagged wheels for the main gear 'cause I lost one of the kit wheels...lost it good as it still has not turned up. The engines were detailed out with .020 styrene for pushrods and .016 electrical solder for oil lines. The model was finshed in Model Masters neutural grey and Mission Models USAAF OD with a upper surface fading pattern that I did not apply enough of, perhaps next time.
In addition to the kit supplied figures I added a set of USAAF personnel from ICM that turned out to rival resin in their detail and crispness. On a whim I tossed in the Tamiya fuel truck which was flawless out of the box, something I needed after working with the 47 year old B-17 kit.
The base is a piece of 1 1/2" pink foam board insulation. I scored the joints with a pencil, painted the base color with some cheap acrylic craft paint that resembled concrete, and sprayed the joint lines with Tamiya XF-20 flat black. Once dry I slowly built up layers of Model Masters acrylic aged concrete until it resembled...well, old concrete.
Overall a fun and satistfying tho tedious at times project
7 additional images. Click to enlarge.
Spiros Pendedekas said on February 13, 2022
Well done Mark!
Excellent job, not only on the old B-17 kit, but also on the Tamiya truck and ICM figures, let alone the superb base!
Your build thread was also great.
Your friend will be very happy.
Congratulations!
Mark P Hartig said on February 13, 2022
Thank you brother, also for your attention while this was underway
John vd Biggelaar said on February 13, 2022
Amazing result, Mark @markh
You turned this Fortress into a very realistic looking one.
The upgraded engines are a great addition to this kit and the diorama is a gem to look at.
It was a pleasure to follow your thread.
Mark P Hartig said on February 13, 2022
Thanks also sir, and doing the build thread was fun also. Somehow this adds a sense of porportion to any project
Ian Foulkes said on February 13, 2022
Fantastic work Mark, you've really gone to town on this kit, which I think is good to begin with. Amazing
Mark P Hartig said on February 13, 2022
It is a good kit especially considering the HK offering (which I'm sure is very nice) seems to go for five times what I paid for this one. And, as luck would have it, my fumblings did not ruin it. Thanks for the nice comments
Stephen W Towle said on February 13, 2022
Doing a 47 year old model of a 80 + year old aircraft ain't bad, ain't bad at all. The Monogram kit was designed with slide rule and paper, wood mock ups and by people who where artisans and craftsman. They where more hands on vs Keys on. Some folks would say that the kit is in a league of it own in the accuracy debt. The dimensions are more accurate than some of the current kits that where designed with computers and 3 D graphics.
Mark, you've filled in the finer details with the engines and provide a back round that helps tells a story or the history of Greatest Generation. For a reasonable price. Monogram kits where designed to be reasonable and provided the ground work for folks to do some modeling skill and either build as is or develop the kit further with more details at the time where made by the modeler.
Two thumbs up, on doing a Old School Model and mixing it with todays tech.
Mark P Hartig said on February 13, 2022
I'd heard some of the development of this model kit story, apparently Boeing gave Monogram a full set of drawings down to the rivets. Monogram did not take full advantage of this for a variety of reasons, the cost of the kit in the end probably loomed up close to reason one. In any event ya can't argue with a model whose dimensions were taken from the people who built the real thing I figure.
As you probably know there's a unique satisfaction to taking one of these vintage kits and detailing it out some, something I feel despite my occasional whining over old manufacturing tech. I do wish my buddy's dad, whom I never knew, was still alive as I'd be proud to give it to him. Not many of the WW II guys left now.
Thank you for your kind assessment sir
Ross Paton said on February 13, 2022
That is fan b****y tastic! What fun!
Mark P Hartig said on February 13, 2022
'Twas fun, and thank you sir
Matt Minnichsoffer said on February 13, 2022
Nice work!
Mark P Hartig said on February 13, 2022
Thank you sir
Keith Z said on February 13, 2022
Really amazing job!
Mark P Hartig said on February 13, 2022
Makes me glad so many of you find this appealing, thanks
Curt Cayemberg said on February 13, 2022
Lovely B-17, Congrats on such a fine showpiece!
Mark P Hartig said on February 13, 2022
Thank you brother there were times I was not sure this one would go to completion
Lis said on February 13, 2022
Looks very very good!
Mark P Hartig said on February 15, 2022
Thank you sir
Robert Knaack said on February 13, 2022
Beautifully done, and good memories of the kit I built as a teen-ager in the late '70s. I remember seeing a B-17 at an airshow take off, then immediately make a banking left turn - what a beautiful aircraft in the air!
Mark P Hartig said on February 15, 2022
For a few years before it was lost 909 would fly into the local airport here. I never did get around to going to see it
more the fool I. Thanks for the look and comments
gary sausmikat said on February 13, 2022
Nice looking display, Mark. Inspiration to get mine off the stash.
Mark P Hartig said on February 15, 2022
Thanks brother methinks you'll enjoy yourself
Jay Mitchell said on February 14, 2022
Very nice project. Looks excellent.
Mark P Hartig said on February 15, 2022
Thank you sir
David Butler said on February 14, 2022
This is fantastic! I've done two of these kits in the past and have never been able to get it to look anywhere as nice as the one that you have produced. The base and figures really bring the whole project together as well. As I sit here and type I'm reminded that there is a hobby lobby just 10 minutes down the road. . . .after seeing your work maybe a 3rd crack at this kit is worth a shot?
Mark P Hartig said on February 15, 2022
I'd say so, by now you know the mousetraps in the box. I just got lucky pulling it off on the first try. Thanks
Greg Kittinger said on February 14, 2022
Looks great - the details and TLC really spruced it up nicely! Well done.
Mark P Hartig said on February 15, 2022
Thanks brother I wonder if further fading coats as I did not do would have looked as good as I thought they would have
Robert Royes said on February 15, 2022
Beautiful work!
Mark P Hartig said on February 15, 2022
Thank you sir