1:32 B-17G Flying Fortress interior

The real subject

The B-17G is the last and most numerous version of the American four-engine bomber of the Second World War. Inside it was not a space for passengers but a workplace for ten men divided into several compartments one behind the other, between which they moved through narrow crawlways. It is exactly that compartmentalization that makes the inside of a B-17 model a build within a build.

What photo-etch can do in an interior

Injection-molded plastic has limits that are not set by the laziness of the maker but by the technology: a part has to come out of the mold, so thin sheet metal, brackets, handles, belt buckles or grilles are always thickened in it. Photo-etched metal has the thickness of real sheet, so on a model it looks like sheet metal and not like a model of it. In 1:32 scale that matters practically as well: the model is large, you can see inside through the vision ports, through open entry hatches and through removed covers, and simplified detail cannot be hidden.

How photo-etch is worked

Separate the parts with a sharp blade on a hard surface and sand down the remains of the tabs. Make the bends over a straight edge or in a bending tool, otherwise the edge will come out rounded. Metal is glued with cyanoacrylate glue or epoxy; cement for polystyrene will not hold on it. Follow the instructions for the set and fit as you go, because many parts can no longer be reached once the fuselage is closed. Degrease the metal before painting and go over it with a primer.

Who it is for

For modelers who want the inside of a large bomber thoroughly worked and who accept that work on it will take up a considerable part of the build. The kit, paints, glue and tools are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.