1:72 B-17F Flying Fortress rear interior

The rear fuselage section of the B-17F in photo-etch, 1:72 scale

An Eduard photo-etched set devoted to the rear fuselage section of the Boeing B-17F in 1:72 scale. It fills in the spaces that a kit in this scale usually leaves bare, because it is assumed that they will not be seen.

The space behind the bomb bay

Behind the bomb bay the Fortress continued with the radio operator's station and then with the section holding the waist gun positions, where the floor was interrupted and the walls were full of stringers. It was the least comfortable part of the aircraft and at the same time the one with the greatest potential on a model, as soon as a hatch or a side window is opened.

How to open the rear section up to view

• Decide in advance which opening the viewer will look in through.
• Try the lighting of the scene before you close the fuselage.
• Raise the contrast between the floor and the walls with a dark shade at the transitions.
• Glue the metal stringers dry-fitted; straightening them afterwards is almost impossible.

A choice for modelers who like opening things up

The set makes sense above all where the model will not be closed. If you plan to build the aircraft completely closed, most of the work done will stay hidden and it is more sensible to choose the fittings for the front section, which can be seen through the glazing. On a model in a diorama, on the other hand, where the crew is boarding or ammunition is being loaded, it is precisely the rear section that becomes the main scene of the whole setting. So plan the view of the model before you reach for the first part.