PEA GB - PB-1W

[tc2324]

This is my entry, the great grandaddy of AEW.



B-17 kit......, Check!
Conversion kit......, Check!
Masks....., Check!

[paddyboy]

Hi TC

Ahh, now all is revealed

I was correct; you will be 'avin some fun

Cheers

Paddyboy

[FTS]

[tc2324]

So I made a very small start on this tonight by cutting, sanding and glueing the two halves of the radar blister and as you can see it not the best fit. Also there are chips, dinks and bits missing all over it. Mr filler time me thinks...?

[ArabJazzie]

Sure you will have it fillered into shape in no time!
Arabest,
Geoff.

[tc2324]

Have to admit I`m quite enjoying this build. The destructions are very cluttered and there are a lot of bits to it, but I think the reason I`m liking this at the moment is simply because I know I`m not going to be using a vast majority of the bits for this PB-1W as they are not needed.

Anyway, work so far from last night includes making up the bomb bay section which you are not going to see and filling, rebuilding the missing edges and smoothing off the radar bulb.

[tc2324]

Getting there slowly but surely. Gave the interior a bit of a wash and did some basic work on the interior sections. Of course, once it`s sealed up you won`t see any of it. Also completed the radome.

[tc2324]

Been laid up for a couple of days with a nasty tummy bug so only managed to get to the modelling table this afternoon. Not much done, just made an effort with the interior and started to mask some windows off. A few shots before I seal the fuselage together and it all gets hidden away.

[Rotörhead]

Love the detail on that!

[tc2324]

Todays update involves a lesson learned. Once the fuselage went together I then found out that the turret caps on the conversion kit were either too big or too small. This then involved a bit of experimentation on my part to get them fitted. Once stuck in place I have placed a layer of filler over the top of each and now have to wait a good 24 hours before I even attempt to smooth them off. It`s a good job I`m going to Mildenhall/Lakenheath for a bit of spotting tomorrow.

[tc2324]

Today`s update.

[tc2324]

A pleasant surprise when it came to building the wings. There`s a bit more to do than just slapping a couple of flat bits of plastic together.



So now the build is starting to look a bit more like a B-17 than just bits here and there.

[SteveS]

Looking good TC, is this a kit you had off me, I know I had four at one point but can't remember if you had one!

Steve

[tc2324]

Looking good TC, is this a kit you had off me

Yes it is Steve. Added to the stash and glad I got it.

[tc2324]

A couple of pics of the progress to date. Pretty much finished the main part of the build and added a few layers of dark wash to give it a bit of a dirty look and take some of the shine away.





u/c next.

[ArabJazzie]

Not long now and looking superb!
Arabest,
Geoff.

[tc2324]

Cheers Geoff.

Update today, u/c on, engine exhausts on, props on, leading edges of mainplane and tailplane painted black, anti glare black area in front of the cockpit painted on and just have to do the anti glare panels on the inside of the engine cowlings.......,



Also have the fun task of scratch building the antenna usually fitted in front of the cockpit area.

[tc2324]

Had a little scratchbuilding excercise the last couple of days as I needed to create something that looked like the ADF antenna just forward of the cockpit.

After a search of the spares box I found an intake cover from a C-130 kit and the best bit of `glass` I could find was one of the knobbly bits you get from the canopy sprue. This was filed down into a dome shape. I also chopped of a bit as it was a tad too long. It`s not the best but it`s all I could do with what I have.

I cut down and filled the intake cover with putty, waited for it to dry and then sanded it down to shape so it created a nice flat surface.

I also sprayed some masking tape and then cut to shape to cover the holes where the waist guns would poke out.

A few photo`s of the `mod` with a final picture of the build prior to the decals going on.

[paddyboy]

Hi TC

Have been off the dial for best part of 3 weeks, on hols to Northern Jockistan

Back now, and this looks well up to your usual standard

I shall be peeking, now i am back

Best regards

Green-eyed Paddyboy

[tc2324]

Penultimate pic update of the build now. (Sorry about the picture quality).

Most of the decals are now on and need to be sealed prior to one last dark wash.

The `TE` decals on the tail are all `scratch built` as I did not have any in the spares box so I had to cut up other decals to make up the letters. Safe to say that was a long and slightly tedious job, but I`m happy with it all so far.