1:72 B-17G Flyiong Fortress

Late Fortresses in the care of associations

The last production series of the Flying Fortress left the assembly halls at a moment when the outcome of the war had already been decided, and many of them never reached combat. Thanks to that more of them survived than from older series, and American associations caring for historic equipment turned them into flying memorials. Both subjects of this sheet belong to them: the first machine has serial number 44-83872, the code VP-X and the name Texas Raiders, the second the number 44-85829, the code GD-Y and the name Yankee Lady.

The finish of both aircraft is a postwar reconstruction of a combat appearance, not the original paint from the war. For a modeler that is rather an advantage. Whereas with wartime machines we often argue over a shade from a black and white photograph, here color images from recent times exist and every detail can be checked.

The late form of the Fortress differs from older ones in small things that are visible on a model: the turret under the nose is a matter of course, the waist gun windows are staggered relative to each other and the tail position has a lower outline with more glazing. Before starting, compare these features with what your kit has, because not every box deals with the late series.

Long codes across the whole side

The letters of the unit and of the individual machine are placed on a Fortress over a large area interrupted by panel joints, doors and windows. At 1:72 such characters are only a few millimeters, so it is necessary to work with a sharp knife and flat tweezers and to watch the vertical. Find the horizontal axis by the lower edge of the windows, not by the edge of the fuselage, which narrows at the rear. Once the letters are in place, go over them with a decal softener and let them sink into the relief.