B-17F Flying Fortress

 What to do while the filler on my Airfix B-17G dries … yes, of course, make a start on my Academy B-17F 🤷‍♂️

This is a much simpler build than the new Airfix kit but then again it cost me less than half the price. As with all Academy kits, it still looks to be a good kit for a 24 year old release. 

I’m not, however,  going to finish this one as Memphis Bell but Piccadilly Lily as based at Thorpe Abbotts and as an older sister aircraft to my B-17G. 

Had a bit of time today to catch up on the Academy B-17 which I’m attempting to get to the same pre painting stage as my Airfix kit.

Interior completed, epic masking session done and first layer of primer applied

 

Yey! it's 27th March and finally my B-17s are in sync 

Academy’s 1/72 B-17F Flying Fortress. 

Inspired by one of ‘The Bloody Hundredths’ most famous aircraft, flown by 1st Lt Thomas E Murphy, “Piccadilly Lily” EP-A 351st BS 100th BG based at Thorpe Abbotts in 1943. 

This Academy kit is a far cry from the quality of Airfix’s B-17G which I’m also close to completing but being a 20+ year old moulding it’s good enough to join my B-24s hung from my workshop ceiling. One major issue pointed out to me before I started, is the exaggerated dihedral wing which would probably have only been overcome by adding plastic shims or a bucket of filler.