This side project has nothing to do with the train layout so I decided it deserved a new thread. When I was younger, living in a town house, I had no basement so all the model work was done in the garage. In the Summer it was with the door open and all the kids in the neighborhood used to come in a watch (and learn). One of these kids is now 50 and an accountant with Grandt Thornton. For his 50th, he got a ride in Yankee Lady, one of the several extant flying B-17Gs. It was a bucket list item. As a result, and since he was an inspired modeler and a protege, he went out and bought the Monogram B-17 kit with all intents to build it. Then reality set in and he realized that it would sit in his basement for years. He turned to me to build it for him and so he'd have a real Myles "original".
I don't live in Pennsy any longer so instead of him shipping the model to me, I re-bought it at my LHS and some added goodies. This was the same model that my #1 grandson built as his first model. It was a real challenge AND he wanted to cover it with aluminum foil. He struggled mightily and did finish it. While somewhat crude, he was very proud of it (as am I). Since Yankee Lady is an natural finish aircraft, it needs to be metallic. I'm not going the foil route, it's just too problematic. I'm going with Vallejo Metal finishes which are water-based. I can't spray solvents in the house so that means, no Metalizer. I also bought some buffing aluminum to do some various panels. It should be okay.
While I was forbidden to get a builder's commission, he is paying for all the materials. Speaking of materials. I bought the Verlinden super-detail kit which includes key photo-etched stuff like window frames, parts for the turbos, new scale-thickness bomb-bay doors, new frames for later version of the Cheyenne canopy at the tail gunner's position, etc. It has ample resin parts including turbos, new main landing gear struts, and lots of gribblies for the interior—which is invisible except for the bombardiers position.
Here's pic from the Verlinden instructions.
Then I bought an Eduard four engine radial set which includes beautifully cast R-1800 resin radials, new cowl and cooling fin ring, and PE ignition harnesses. They're going to be great!
And then I was able to order custom decals for the Yankee Clipper.
I'm going to be building this during railroad work like today when the plaster's still curing. So today I started with what could be a challenging part. Removing the cast in engine turbo-chargers and then add the new resin assemblies. The new turbos consist of 5 separate parts: 3 resin and 2 PE. I used the Dremel Flexi-shaft with a carbide cutter to rough out the opening and then cleaned it up with an #11 blade and rat tail diamond-coated file. I figured if I can get this right I can do the rest of this mod.
Here's a sequence with the turbo installation in one wing.
Unlike some of the train projects, this one will probably proceed a little more slowly. That is unless I get hooked and work on it more steadily. I do have to get the mountain built since I can't run any trains until it's finished. It's in the middle of all the main lines.
I don't live in Pennsy any longer so instead of him shipping the model to me, I re-bought it at my LHS and some added goodies. This was the same model that my #1 grandson built as his first model. It was a real challenge AND he wanted to cover it with aluminum foil. He struggled mightily and did finish it. While somewhat crude, he was very proud of it (as am I). Since Yankee Lady is an natural finish aircraft, it needs to be metallic. I'm not going the foil route, it's just too problematic. I'm going with Vallejo Metal finishes which are water-based. I can't spray solvents in the house so that means, no Metalizer. I also bought some buffing aluminum to do some various panels. It should be okay.
While I was forbidden to get a builder's commission, he is paying for all the materials. Speaking of materials. I bought the Verlinden super-detail kit which includes key photo-etched stuff like window frames, parts for the turbos, new scale-thickness bomb-bay doors, new frames for later version of the Cheyenne canopy at the tail gunner's position, etc. It has ample resin parts including turbos, new main landing gear struts, and lots of gribblies for the interior—which is invisible except for the bombardiers position.
Here's pic from the Verlinden instructions.
Then I bought an Eduard four engine radial set which includes beautifully cast R-1800 resin radials, new cowl and cooling fin ring, and PE ignition harnesses. They're going to be great!
And then I was able to order custom decals for the Yankee Clipper.
I'm going to be building this during railroad work like today when the plaster's still curing. So today I started with what could be a challenging part. Removing the cast in engine turbo-chargers and then add the new resin assemblies. The new turbos consist of 5 separate parts: 3 resin and 2 PE. I used the Dremel Flexi-shaft with a carbide cutter to rough out the opening and then cleaned it up with an #11 blade and rat tail diamond-coated file. I figured if I can get this right I can do the rest of this mod.
Here's a sequence with the turbo installation in one wing.
Unlike some of the train projects, this one will probably proceed a little more slowly. That is unless I get hooked and work on it more steadily. I do have to get the mountain built since I can't run any trains until it's finished. It's in the middle of all the main lines.
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