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Photos of My B-17G Crash Diorama

9K views 41 replies 37 participants last post by  Harold Sage 
#1 ·
I finished this 1/48 scale diorama in May of this year. I tried my best to duplicate the famous diorama Sheperd Paine built for Monogram Models in 1975, which was featured in a four page color brochure included with the B-17G kit. Hand painting the artwork on the nose was one item I was not able to reproduce. Several aftermarket details sets were used on the B-17G. About 75% of the total project time was spent on building and painting the airplane. The ground work is Sculptamold, mixed with water and food coloring. The concrete runway is sand sprinkled over white glue. Only a couple of the crew members had to be modified to match the original diorama. The entire project took me six months to build, which is about five and one-half months longer than it took to build the original! An article on building this diorama will be featured in an upcoming issue of Fine Scale Modeler magazine. I hope you enjoy the photos.

Phillip1
 

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#14 ·
Thanks to everyone for the kind words. I have wanted to build this diorama since I was ten years old (when I bought my first Monogram's 1/48 B-17G kit). Although I build alot of models, I never attempted this project because I never build dioramas, and have no experience with groundwork/figure painting. The reason I did start this is because I planned on getting a local professional modeler friend of mine to help with the groundwork/figure painting. I was halfway finished with the B-17 when I learned that illness would prevent my friend from helping me. After reading and re-reading Sheperd Paine's "How To Build Dioramas" book about a hundred times (and several test tests on small pieces of plywood) I was able to get the ground work to look like I wanted. The entire base/groundwork was finished in one weekend. This part of the project has to go fast because the Sculptamold starts to dry as soon as its poured. Painting the figures was not as bad as I thought it would be, probably because I built up such fear of it. Also having five different article/book soures showing photos of the orignal helped eliminate alot of guessing. Attached are a few final photos. Thanks again.

Phillip1
 

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#22 ·
Medic17,

The bullet/flak holes were made by grinding away the inside of the plastic parts. It's best to use an adjustabe speed Dremel machine, but I used my high speed electric drill with a "tree shaped" grind stone bit I bought at a hobby shop. Grind a little away, then hold the part to a light source to see how thin the plastic is getting. When the thinned areas can be flexed with your fingernail, it is thin enough. I used an Xacto knife with a No. 11 blade to punch (not cut) out the holes. It is good if the bent out plastic doesn't break off on the larger holes. I used the following rules:
>For entry wounds punch the plastic from the outside of the part. For exit wounds punch the plastic from the inside of the part.
>Most large caliber bullet/shell hits go completey through an airplane, so damage needs to be shown on both sides. On many of the photos I referenced the damaged was usually more dramatic on the exit side.
Hope this helps.

Phillip1
 
#24 ·
So great to see this! My B-17 from that era is long gone but I still have the original brochure and you have matched it very well. I don't blame you for changing the name of the plane though as the original "In the Pink" had some insanely detailed hand painted nose art of a blonde in a pink teddy
 
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