1:72 AN/AM Browning for B-17F

The real subject

The Boeing B-17F was a four-engine bomber with which the US Army Air Forces flew daylight raids over Europe. It relied on its own defensive fire, and so it had 12.7 mm Browning machine guns spread all over the aircraft, from the nose through the dorsal and ventral turrets and the waist windows to the tail position. The barrels are clearly visible on the model and their execution markedly affects the overall impression.

What the set contains

The set brings replacement machine guns for the model of the B-17F in 1:72 scale. They take the place of the kit parts, which tend to be thicker and less finely shaped because of the limits of production. The number of pieces in the package and their placement on the model are given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Building and painting tips

The parts are small and fragile, so work over a tray or a light-colored surface and pick them up with tweezers with fine jaws. Cut the surplus material away with a sharp blade a little way from the part and sand the remainder back carefully. Before painting, wash the parts, degrease them and spray a base coat. For gluing, super glue applied with the tip of a pin works well. Fit the barrels only at the end of the build, after varnishing and after the decals are on, or you will bend them during further handling.

Who it is for

For modelers who build American bombers in 1:72 scale and want the defensive gun positions to look fine and convincing even close up. Working with tweezers is a condition here.

The kit, the paints and the glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.