Today was decal day #1. Even though this plane has very simple markings compared to the ones in the bombing groups, it still took some work to get them in-place. I wasn't happy with the camo on one side of the tail, so I did some touch-up using my portable airbrush. To get the tail ready for decals, I also had to reapply the gloss coat. So, I applied the decals to everything except the left side of the tail. I am really liking this portable airbrush. It is great for minor painting and touch-ups, it is easy to get it ready, and easy to clean. It will never replace the Paasche, but it is useful.

The large insignia on the wings and fuselage went on without drama. Each prop blade had 2 small decals to place, so 12 prop blades took a while to do. There were a bunch of small stencils to place on the wings, fuselage, and engine covers. I think it was probably wasted time since you can't see most of them. I left off the decals for the stencils that would be under the black camo. The black stripes were applied in the field, so I don't think the maintenance people in the field repainted the stencils that they covered with the black paint.

I had to piece together the tail number from 3 different tail numbers in 2 sets of decals. Luckily the size and color of the various numbers all matched. It was tedious to place one number at a time and then make sure everything lined up. The right side of the rudder is done, and the left side will get its number tomorrow after the clear coat dries.

Getting close to the end. I am working on how I will manufacture the various antennas that were added to these ferrets. More tomorrow.

Cheers.

2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Very nice progress indeed, George @gblair
Your positive experience on the portable airbrush makes me eager to try one as well.

Thanks, Spiros (@fiveten), John (@johnb), and Bernard (@lis). I just got the last of the decals done, so they will dry for 24 hours and then the flat coat. Getting close.

Interior colors are an interesting question. Colors depend on the version, for instance, a B-17C might have different interior colors than your B-17G. Your best bet is to search online for "B-17 interiors". Click on the button for Images and you will get a million beautiful pictures, all showing different colors. Be careful, because some of the photos are from restored or museum aircraft that may not have original colors. I have always thought that B-17s had the interior chromate green on most surfaces. I think the floors were painted plywood, but the paint wore off quickly. You often see the floors in a natural wood color.

Here are some photos and an article from the National Air and Space Museum that you might find interesting":
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/inside-a-flying-fortress-179599046/

2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Made some progress today. I applied the tail number to the left side of the tail and let the decals dry for a while. I wanted to use the panel liner from Flory Models on this plane. If you haven't used it before, this is a clay material suspended in a liquid that is probably water or something similar. You simply smear this stuff on the panel lines, wait for it to dry, and then wipe it off using a damp paper towel, leaving the clay in the panel lines. This stuff comes in a variety of colors, but I wanted to use black for this model.

The instructions on the side of the bottle says that you can apply this panel liner to any surface, but I found out the hard way that it works best on a glossy surface. On a previous model, I applied this panel liner to a surface that I had coated with clear flat, only to discover that it wouldn't completely wipe off the surface. I think the clay absorbed into the rough surface of the flat paint and refused to come back out. So, on this model, I wanted to apply the Flory panel liner over the glossy surface I used as a base for the decals. I was taking a chance here because I wasn't sure how the clay would work on unprotected decals. As it turned out, it worked fine and didn't damage the decals at all.

All in all, I like the effect. I plan to let the Flory wash dry overnight, then apply a clear flat to seal everything in. More hurry up and wait, but getting closer to the end.

Cheers.

5 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Great result on the panel lines, that Flory definitely worked well, George @gblair

Thanks for stopping by, Spiros (@fiveten), John (@johnb), and Bernard (@lis). I like the effect from the Flory Panel Wash, but I think the secret is using it on a gloss surface. We will be away from the house today, but I still hope to get the clear flat sprayed on the plane. Cheers.

Looks like "Looks Like Glass" has its own idiosyncrasies, my friend @gblair! Clearly, it does not like close encounters of the "tape" type! All is good now, though.
Your B-17 looks wonderful and I am looking forward to see it done.

Thanks, Spiros (@fiveten) and John (@johnb). Should be done today. I'm a little frustrated with the Looks Like Glass. I plan to work with it some more to see if there is a way to prevent these problems. Cheers.