Boeing B-17F Memphis Belle

You've just got to love the principle of scaling up a highly successful smaller model into a bigger scale, as Revell did with the F-89, the 'Belle here, and probably some others. I can find troublesome challenges easily enough in the hobby, but there weren't any in the 1/48 'Belle. I've built it twice, both for other people. (My resident Fortress is a Monogram G converted to a PB1W.) For its size, this is a fast and easy project, and the results were delightful both times. You can approach this project with serene confidence, and allow for the fact that some people will always complain about nothing.

I'm confused by the favorable reviews on this German Revell kit of the famous bomber. I think thyat there may have been some confusion with the G model of domestic Revell with this kit This kit is crude; perhaps I have a bit too much knowledge about the plane; I have over the last twenty-five years been able to walk(crawl) through B-17's though never able to afford a ride. I have, in the fifties built the 1/72nd scale kit twice, and found it even then a bad build. it was horrible in trying to fit the clear and solid plastic parts in the nose area together then; very bad fit, as bad as I have seen' Now to this kit; I haven't built it yet, and may not for some time to come. Upon pre-assembly t found the he same detail problems are present in this kit as when I was 10 in 1/72nd scale. What is just as bad, the inner detail is almost non existent. Poor cockpit and bombing areas of the ship, no detail at all in the bomb bay, bomb bay door and waste gunner areas. and poor presentation of the turret gunner areas. Lie I said, I may be spoiled by having such detailed knowledge of the aircraft, but Revell had a chance here at a great kit, given the scale The overall parts fit is lousy, and the colors called for in then instructions bear no semblance to any pictures of either the real thing, or its stand-in in the movie.it takes a lot for me not to want to build the kit I have paid for; perhaps later I will build it. But I'm not inclined to build it now. it wasn't expensive, but it wasn't cheap. I get aggravated by some of the older Revell kits, especially when they make nicely priced, first class kits like the B-25, Me410 and P-61 as examples. what a waste of money and time on kits like this.

This is a real good kit of a really famous aircraft. My advise is that before you paint a piece, TEST FIT IT!!!. Especially the windows and the wings. The windows/openings required a tiny bit of trimming before they'd fit flush. And the way the wings mount, while making it easy to install with a very solid joint, care should be taken and pre-fit. Id advise installing them before painting as putty will certainly be needed if you're going for a seamless look. I built this kit quite a few years ago and she's still hanging from my ceiling.