Kit Photos |
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| The Revell kit instructions are in a fold-out style. This is more preferable than booklets but is a challenge to handle in a small space. | The main center spread showing the assembly stages. It is clearer and better detailed than the equivalent Monogram instructions. | Sprue one showing the underside of the left wing with horizontal tail, wheels and guns. | The reverse side of the of the same sprue. |
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| The clear parts sprue. | The top part of the right wing with horizontal tail, tail wheel, turret items, undercarriage struts and instrument panel. | Reverse side of the same sprue. | Third sprue showing the underside of the right wing also showing components for bombs and other small parts. |
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| Reverse of the third sprue. | Top of the left wing with components for tail, undercarriage, cockpit and propellers. | Reverse of the same fourth sprue. | The fifth sprue showing the left hand fuselage side with components for bulkheads and undercarriage. |
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| The flip-side showing the lack of any fuselage ribbing internally. | The final sprue showing the right-hand fuselage side and engine parts. | Reverse of the last sprue showing equal lack of internal framing detail. | |
Aftermarket Extras |
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| The Aeroclub Wright Cyclone Engine in White Metal. Aeroclub were early pioneers but these old metal efforts are nothing like the quality of the modern resin equivalents from CMK & Aires. | The Aires equivalent of the Wright R-1820 Cyclone engine for the B-17. Beautiful but very expensive for four... | The CMK equivalent of the Aires and Aeroclub Wright 1820 Cyclone engine for the B-17. Another beautiful effort. Again - expensive if you want four. Consider Quickboost instead. | Cutting Edge .50 Cal Ammo Chutes suitable for the B-17. They appear to be in white metal but are probably not as good as photoetched equivalent. They would be easier to use however. |
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| A few reference photo's from my own collection. | The Cutting Edge Oxygen Hose in flexible resin. Nice but extremely expensive for two short lengths. | The three original Eduard Photoetch sets I purchased before buying the BIG ED Set (below) include: Armament 48209, Exterior 48208 and interior 48207. | The Armament set 48209 features perforated gun barrels. Quite how you bend the photoetch into this tiny barrel is anyone's guess but I will use a paperclip as a guide. |
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| The Eduard Armament set 48209 also include a lovely set of Bomb Bay Doors. Very useful. | Eduard's Exterior set 48208 for B-17F/G. Numerous small details including canopy frames. | Other details include wing intake blanks, supercharger details and other small fuselage plates. | Eduard's Interior set 48207 shows numerous components for the Bombardiers' position and cockpit. |
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| The set continues with alternate Instrument Panels for F and G models. The set 49337 (see below) is in colour but has only the G model panel. | A couple of Eduard's Express Masks XF166 for B-17G. | The FlightPath set FHP48013 shows numerous interesting components including engine ignition harness's and canopy frames. | The Instructions show canopy frames, top turret frames, nose details, gun mounts and other small details. |
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| The second Instruction sheet shows the brass gun barrels, undercarriage details, chocks, supercharger details, ball turret fames, etc. | Paragon set 4852 B-17 Crew access doors in resin. | Another Paragon set supplies the Wing Intake blanks (like you really need them?) and prop governors. | Reverse of the Paragon pack with Prop Governors and Wing Intake Blanks. |
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| Paragon set 48103 B-17 Landing Flaps. These are in resin. The Photoetch equivalent by Eduard are shown below. | Another view of those Paragon Resin Landing Flaps. | Paragon set 48104 the B-17 Open Bomb Bay set includes the Bomb Bay doors but these are best discarded in favour of their Photoetch equivalents. | Pro Mods set PMC1120 USAAF Aircrew Equipment. |
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| Squadron Vac-canopy sets 9551 and 9552 supply cockpit, ball turret, nose Perspex, upper turret, radio room hatch, astrodome and tail turret for B-17G - some might fit the B-17F. | True Details set 48010 wheel set with diamond tread. | Verlinden photoetch set 1267 with .50 & .30 cal ammo and ammo chutes. This includes gun sights. This was picked up cheap off EBay hence the lack of packaging. | Verlinden Update Set 718 for B-17G and the Monogram kit. Poor old Revell. Nobody loves the B-17F. |
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| An overall view of the Verlinden set. I am not always impressed by Verlinden... The last few sets I used have been terrible. | A bag of resin bits for the Verlinden set. | The Verlinden photoetch set shows the Bomb Bay doors. | The Instructions show superchargers, crew doors, tail & main undercarriage leg additions as well as canopy framing and cockpit details |
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| The rest of the Verlinden Instructions showing gun details, nose Perspex details and tail turret additions. | Eduard's Kabuki Tape flexible mask EX106 for B-17G. | That Big Ed set 4873 for B-17G includes all the sets listed right. | This list is taken directly from the packaging. The contents actually was missing the EX 106 paint masks. |
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| Included in the set is this Coloured Photoetch set for B-17 Seatbelts. | The Cockpit set 49337 showing its colours. | A close up of the coloured etch from this set. | Set 48528 Landing Flaps are not (obviously) in colour. |
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| Just out of interest - the other side of the Landing Flaps set showing and interesting variation of Eduard Packaging. | Exterior set 48533 is different from the set shown earlier as 48208. | Eduard set 48534 - again, not in colour - shows engine cowling flaps and engine ignition harnesses. | At first sight Eduard's set 49360 does not appear to be in colour but referral to Eduard's web site shows otherwise. Click here. |
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| Eduard's set 49361 is for the B-17 mid-section. It does also appear to have a colour fret if you care to open the bag. Click here for Eduard's Instructions. | Eduard's set 49362 Rear Section also doesn't appear to be coloured until you look at Eduard's web site here. | True Details resin detail set for the B-17G's Bombardier Section. Set number 48508. Purchased from Squadron.com in the USA because these are not sold in Europe (why?). | True Detail resin detail set for the B-17G's Cockpit. The quality of the resin is not as good as other releases. It is not as crisp or smooth. In fact it is quite rough and feathery. |
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| True Detail resin detail set for the B-17G's Waist Gunner section. There is no reason to believe that this could not be adapted for the Revell B-17F as that has no interior detail. | Scale Aircraft Conversions white metal undercarriage purchased in March 2010. A dissappointing copy of the kit undercarriage with no obvious improvement other than strength. | | |
