Hasegawa

1/72 B-17G

Kit Number: 00907

Reviewed by  Mike Kellner, IPMS# 30864

MSRP: $41.90 Kit Supplied by Dragon Models USA: www.dragonmodelsusa.com The B-17, designed in 1935, evolved into the B-17G, this kit's subject---Blood 'n Guts was a Vega-built, Block 60 B-17G and was delivered to Kearney Army Air Base on August 10, 1944. After flying over 60 missions, it returned to the United States from England on June 11, 1945, and was later flown to Kingman, Arizona, on December 4, 1945, to be scrapped. This current issue has new decals, but the same basic moldings which this kit had 35 years ago: lightly raised panel lines, typical fit, and some sink marks, which you expect in an older kit. The props have sink marks near the hubs, and although the flaps have nice rib detail for the down position, I put them up because there were four sink holes in each one. I could have filled them, but it would have been difficult to sand them down with the ribs. The wings and stabilizers fit the fuselage well, but I had trouble with the fit of the two inboard engine cowlings. Therešs no details inside the wheel wells, and the basic cockpit consists of a floor and seats. This block of B-17s went out of the factory unpainted, so I painted the interior silver using Model Master non-buffing Metallizer. The red color trim was Gunze Sangyo acrylic paints. Care must be taken in gluing in the waist windows. They have a large thinned out space into which the clear part fits inward. If you use a little too much glue, it will result in melting around the waist windows. The plane looks like a B-17, but would be more like the original if a small portion on the bottom of the nose was flat, and the fuselage bulkheads in front and back of the bomb bay had a rearward slant. The ball turret is split down the middle so there is a seam where it should have clear glass. I also widened the top front window that's forward of the astrodome. The decals were on register and gave a choice of two aircraft with the option of painting the fin and adding the squadron codes and serial numbers, or putting on a larger decal which included the color, codes and numbers. Thinking it would be easier, I used the large color decal, but got a couple small wrinkles over the top of the fin that I couldnšt remove. Next time, I would paint the red background and add the smaller decals. This kit includes three crewmen, two sitting and one standing. Overall the kit is not what you would expect from a state of the art kit, but turns out to be a good representation of the mighty B-17 Flying Fortress. My thanks to IPMS/USA, Hasegawa, and Dragon Model Imports for the opportunity to review this kit of my favorite airplane!

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