This bomber is big. As with most big models this one is done very well with every detail painstakingly reproduced. From the bomb sight to the moveable ball turret, the details are amazing. In the bomber's compartment there is a table with wood grain details. There are bullets in belts around the ball turret. These little extra details may go unnoticed by some but the fact that they went through the trouble to include them says a lot about the manufacturer. As with most models there is good and bad, but in the case of this B-17 the bad isn't really that bad. The only complaint I have is with how the ball turret just barely hangs in its two prong housing. But other than that this kit is awesome and this bomber gets 5 stars for being the BOMB.

I have built this kit about two or three times in the past and it’s absolutely one of my favorites. Without doing any after-market bashing, this kit is still a great addition to any modeler’s collection. As stated in other reviews the plastic is molded in dull aluminum, the instructions are pretty clear, although I chose to go in a different order a couple of times, and the overall fit is good. More experienced modelers will probably want to eliminate the gaps where the wings connect to the fuselage. Assembly went without a hitch but…be prepared for a tricky effort connecting the fuselage halves together with all the interior parts. I highly encourage dry-fitting two or three times as I had some small issues with the radio room which is also connected to the belly turret. I did not remember the locking tabs for the wings but this is a great feature for support the weight. My only other issue was putting the windows in. I have used regular glue but decided to try Elmer’s white glue to avoid any marring of the clear plastic. Well, Elmer’s did okay but didn’t secure one of the windows (one the left side of the fuselage near the front of the aircraft) and it came out after everything was put together. This was quite a problem to fix so…make sure the windows are secure. The decals are okay, but the selection HobbyLinc has will allow you to model many different G model aircraft used during the war. Even though you might not be able to see your work (I didn’t glue the windscreen or radio operators window in which allows me to show the detail and painting) the finished product is superb. I highly encourage you to build this kit, at almost any level of modeling skill, and you will be impressed. Have fun!!!

This was the first of (then) Monogram's series of 1/48 WW-II multi-engine bomber series. It is molded in a dull aluminum, which works as the late-war no paint color scheme, as well as black sprues which make for a nice contrast and makes an attractive and reasonably accurate color scheme right out of the box. The clear window parts complete the kit, and they are molded thin enough that they do not give a clunky feel when the interior is studied. It has a very detailed interior, so good that there is also a version of this kit with a clear half-fuselage to fully display the interior. The plane is big enough that you will want to paint the interior -- the cockpit, the bombadier's nose position, the waist gunners' positions, and the turrets are all big enough to justify a lot of attention to the interior. It is also a decent deal price-wise -- it costs about as much as a typical 1/35 tank (which I build far more frequently) and you get a lot more for your money.