The wire bundle will run all the way to the aft bulkhead. Actually goes through the bulkhead and on aft. See if I can drum up a diagram. Think I have seen one someplace.

OK. Will be starting this soon, after I get the RR seat done.

Thx.

It looks like I will get a set of those Paragon doors. Do you have any pics that would show the view looking up from the ground into the open hatch forward?

You are opening up a can of worms if you want to do the area under the cockpit. The photo here is looking aft from the navigators station. Under the copilot are the autopilot components as well as a wooden door that protects part of the emergency bomb release. The components for the AP are in the accompanying illustration. You also have the box for the voltage regulators (right of photo, left of airplane) and then all of the oxygen bottles. The doors to the cockpit were generally removed from combat aircraft. I can provide detailed information if you want. And in case someone brings up the engine fire extinguisher bottles: Most of the flying airplanes have fire extinguisher bottles mounted in this area. Those were repositioned there in the later G models. In the F, those bottles were in the right wing root, out of sight.

I think the answer is, "I don't." It was never in the original build plan precisely because of this mess. But, when I learned that I might get my hands on the door set the thought did occur to me. If you look over at Matt Swan's site http://www.swannysmodels.com/ you will see his YB-40 build where he did "the View".

I was thinking aloud whether that was worth trying to replicate. I think the answer is definitely "no," at least in this build. Perhaps if I do a G model later where everything is buttoned up at the gun stations and radio room, and where I close the bomb bay, it would be fun to take a shot at that area as the only really scratchbuilt space in the build. (If I do a G it's NOT going to be to this level.)

A G, however, is a pipe dream for another day. I think I have plenty on my plate right now with this F.

Of course, you could open the hatch and have someone standing in the opening, climbing aboard and forget all that stuff...

I will discuss the option of opening the door and putting something in there with my NC modeling friend. He is a great scratch builder who makes his own kits from nothing. Will also help me retrofit a driftmeter for the nose.

There really are some great, evocative pics of 17s with the door open during pre-mission preps or maintenance. I always thought this one of "Vicious Virgin" was super cool:



I like these of "Hell's Angels" and "Knockout Dropper" as well:

Brian,
Your reference pictures are truly amazing. Opening up that hatch would really be the way to go. Just add enough detail inside to fool the viewers eye.
Joel

Those open doors really do say "do it!" don't they? I will confer with my NC friend about this, and wait for the door set that may make it possible.

If it isn't obvious, I really view my build as a collective effort, and genuinely appreciate all comments and contributions. I also think that's the real reason this build blog is popular. I'm no big fan of elitism, and note that the most popular build blog on Kitmaker uses the same collective approach.

Brian,
I guess that's what a modeling community like Aeroscale is all about. It's why modelers like me post our builds as blogs rather then just a series of pictures at the end of the build.

I've gotten some great input over the years that has often made a huge difference in the what and how I go about a creating details or correcting errors, or that I just plain screwed up.

Joel

PARAGON DOORS AND RADIO ROOM

Through the kindness of Matt Swan I have a set of the Paragon doors to replicate and use in the build.





All will be put to use.

I put the seatbelts on the RR seat tonight and will start on the seat stand tomorrow. Then it's on to the RR right bulkhead.

Karl, any luck locating that diagram of the stbd bulkhead in the RR?

Hey there Brian.
WOW!!!Every visit to your build just blows me away.

You & Chukw,take things to an unbelievable level,with additional level of extras you add.

Is this the only build on the go or do you have others?


Chris👍👍👍

Thanks for the kind words but I don't hold a candle to Chuk: I'm entitled to my opinion.

Do I have others in progress now?! No. This is all-consuming. Maybe if this old man was retired (not gonna happen) I would but with my day job this is plenty.

As for the level of detail, this is a once-in-a-lifetime build of my favorite aircraft. I put off doing this for years because I knew it was going to be a multi-year project. (There's a real opportunity cost involved). What I can say about having gotten into it is that it's the best work I've ever done. Maybe I cut my teeth for this a bit with the semi-scratchbuilt cockpit I did on a resin CW-21B that was a kitbash with the old Sierra vacuform kit cockpit. But most of this build is really new territory for me, and I've surprised myself with some of it, especially the bomb-bay. At this point I'm just going to have to "Press on Regardless" till it's done.

Brian,
Those resin doors are very impressive. Just one question. In the larger door there is a off color square like where a window goes. Is that what it is for?

As for retirement, eventually you'll get there. I'm close to 70, and that's my full retirement point. I'm really struggling at work now as it a very physical job running a CVS drug store, especially a 24 hr. high volume unit.

Joel

Exactly. It is a door with a window. Kit glass goes there.

Brian, what a humble fellow you are! My hat''s off to you for this most impressive and exhaustive build- cheers! You have risen to every challenge and have full faith in the outcome of this extraordinary undertaking.

Hi Brian, I guess I missed that request. Here is the aft right side of the F radio compartment, again with another of those pesky seats.

Works for me! And that pesky seat is relevant to what follows!

SEAT BASE START



Pretty much self explanatory, with another view below.



I do hope to get the seat installed today.

[quoteMaybe I cut my teeth for this a bit with the semi-scratchbuilt cockpit I did on a resin CW-21B that was a kitbash with the old Sierra vacuform kit cockpit.
[/quote]

Hi Brian

It may be old territory for you, but do you have sufficient material to do a Feature article? The combination of scratch-building and vacuform ticks so many boxes for me - not least because my very first kit review was for a Sierra Scale kit (P-30/PB-2A).

All the best

Rowan

I'll see what I can pull together Rowan. I took many pics during construction, which is a good thing, because ultimately I had to build it with the cockpit closed! The vac canopy wouldn't cooperate any other way!

Let me see what I can find.

To be clear, I built the WSW resin kit, not the Sierra vac one. I modified the resin kit using the Sierra cockpit side walls and instrument panel. It had low quality but serviceable styrene side walls and instrument panel.

It's a respectable build of a very rare aircraft, but no contest winner.

Hi Brian

The combination sounds like a winner for a Feature! It's just the sort of "beyond the box" type of modelling that makes for inspirational reading.

All the best

Rowan

OK, I'll work something up then!

Thanks for the suggestion.

RR SEAT INSTALLED

Finally!



I may tone down the burnt umber weathering a bit with a Q-tip and water but this subassembly is basically done.

Here is a view of how it looks with the floor (temporarily) positioned in the right fuselage.



Next I will be doing the wiring and oxygen stations in the right bulkhead and the stand for the radio room hatch. Then it will be on to the rear bulkhead and open door to the waist, followed by the port bulkhead and ceiling.

Looking very nice Brian. Onward, ever onward! Um, "stand for radio room hatch"? What stand?

I am thinking of taking a bit of poetic license here. We know that the upper radio room hatch in F's was removed from the fuselage and laid on the floor during flight. It's a very large piece of plexiglas and framing. I wonder if it was ever laid on its side up against the stbd. bulkhead? I was thinking of putting a couple of U channels on the floor to serve as attachment points near the bulkhead, and then leaning it against the stbd. bulkhead with some kind of upper tie down.

Do you know where/how they stored the damn thing during flight? It surely didn't get left back at the base, and HAD to go somewhere, no?