1:48 Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress radio compartment

The real subject

The Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress was an American four-engined heavy bomber of the Second World War. The whole crew had their stations inside the long fuselage, and one of them was the radio compartment - the radio operator's post, which kept contact with the other machines in the formation and with the ground. On a model it is a space that usually stays bare, even though it can be seen into.

What the set contains

The Eduard photo-etched set in 1:48 scale concentrates on the radio compartment of the B-17F model. The metal parts come much closer to the real thickness than injection-molded plastic, so the equipment in the compartment does not look oversized. The manufacturer's instructions enclosed with the set describe the range of parts and where each one goes; it is worth comparing them with the kit you are building.

Building and painting tips

Seat and paint the internal equipment before you glue the fuselage halves together; once they are joined there is no getting inside. Separate the parts with a sharp knife on a hard surface rather than by twisting, and make the bends along the marked grooves in a bender or between two blades. They are glued with a tiny amount of cyanoacrylate glue (super glue) applied on the tip of a toothpick. Degrease the surfaces before painting and pick out the edges lightly, or the detail will disappear in the shadow of the fuselage.

Who it is for

The set is for modelers building a large bomber with an open or lit interior who want something to look at inside. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.