Merlin B-17

[Bluesteel]

Just working on a What-If B-17 with Merlin Engines.

Revell B-17 F with Merlins from an Airfix Grand Slam Lancaster (which is now a MkII Hercules engined jet engine test bed)





Lots of hacking and filling necessary. I think I might complete it as a Special Duties RAF B-17 M (M for Merlin..)


Bluesteel

[Eddie M.]

I'm kinda partial to B-17s myself. Looking good so far. Keep us posted.
  Eddie

[Brian da Basher]

Wow that's really sweet Bluesteel! Reminds me of the Allison powered variant that was sadly lost to engine fires during a test flight.

Brian da Basher

[John Howling Mouse]

Clever.  This is going to be a fantastic model on the shelf.
What kind of putty do you use?  Looks very effective.

Keep the pics coming, please!

[dogsbody]

Great idea. I wonder what a B-17 with nacelles from a high-altitude Mosquito would look like? You'd probably have to fit a leading edge radiator, as was on the XB-38.

[Sisko]

Hmmm griffon powered with contrarotating props.

[Scooterman]

This one has the 'fool all JMNs' look to it.

Keep it up!

[Alvis 3.1]

It will. The look of the Merlin Lanc is just one of those things that just looks right. The one I did actually had an old duffer claim he'd flown them after the war.
I periodically get emails about it too...usually from very confused B-17 researchers!

Link to the silly article:
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal1...e/gal415vsm.htm


Alvis 3.1

[Tophe]

You'd probably have to fit a leading edge radiator, as was on the XB-38.

Funny: I was just dreaming of an "in-line B-17Z"/XB-38Z three days ago, see http://www.whatifmodelers.com/forum//index...60&#entry144753
I hope this nice Merlin one will be completed to be added to the gallery...

[Bluesteel]

Clever.  This is going to be a fantastic model on the shelf.
What kind of putty do you use?  Looks very effective.

Keep the pics coming, please!

Milliput for the bulk filling - there's quite a bit of nacelle re-building involved.

Then Revell model filler for the final finish.

One slight snag I have found is that Revell filler seems to react sometimes with the Milliput if it isn't completely solid, and forms a somewhat rubbery surface which is hard to sand/file. So now I just leave a couple of days before doing anything to it after the Milliput. Slows the process down, but it's far easier to work.

Bluesteel

[Leigh]

Another  beautiful monster is born  

[gooberliberation]

Well damn, another "why didnt i think of that??" build.

Just looking at the title, I feared that Merlin Models did a B-17  

[Bluesteel]

The B-17 'M' is taking shape.

Upper surfaces primed in medium green. It will then have an RAF Green/Brown camouflage on upper surfaces and black undersides and most of the fuselage sides (a bit like the Stirling).

Bluesteel

[Howard of Effingham]

excellent stuff!

incidentially wasn't  there a variant of the B-17 that was flightested with
liquid cooled engines?

[Bluesteel]

excellent stuff!

incidentially wasn't  there a variant of the B-17 that was flightested with
liquid cooled engines?

Yes there was.

The XB-38 with four Allison V-1710-97 turbosupercharged liquid-cooled V12 engines.

See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XB-38_Flying_Fortress

Bluesteel