1:72 Boeing B-17E/B-17F/B-17G Flying Fortress - machine gun set - Browning M2 aircraft .50 caliber b

The real subject

The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress was an American four-engine heavy bomber of the Second World War. It owed its name to its defensive armament: 12.7 mm machine guns distributed all over the aircraft so as to cover as many directions as possible. The E, F and G versions differed progressively in the placement of the weapons as cover was added for directions still left open, and it is exactly these weapons that are among the most conspicuous details on a model.

What the set contains

Turned metal machine gun barrels for models of the B-17E, B-17F and B-17G in 1:72 scale. Compared with the part from the kit, a metal barrel is thinner, straighter and has a correctly open muzzle, so the set solves a detail that is otherwise hard to refine in a small scale. The number of pieces and the exact make-up of the set are given by the manufacturer on the package.

Building tips

Cut the original barrel off with a sharp blade and sand the face flat. Carefully drill a hole at the mounting point so that the metal part slides in without pressure, and try the fit dry before you reach for the glue. Metal will not hold with cement for polystyrene; use super glue, and in a very small drop. Degrease the parts before painting, otherwise the paint will not hold on smooth metal; if you want to keep a metallic look, it is enough just to darken the surface. Fit the barrels only at the end of the build so that they do not get bent during handling.

Who it is for

For modelers who are building the B-17 bomber in 1:72 scale and want weapons at the level of the rest of the model. Working with small metal parts calls for tweezers and calm, but the result shows at first glance.

The aircraft kit, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.