Gary,
You made the perfect decision to close the flaps. I tend to follow that exact direction most of the time as there is as you said little to no detailing kit wise, and you just end up with another void to deal with. Just separating the cowl flaps is my preferred method.

I also noticed that odd spot on the one prop, but at the magnification of these pictures, it could be next to nothing, or something that does indeed your attention. With everything times four engine wise, missing something is certainly a easy thing to do. I'm working with just two engines and am having that problem from time to time.

Joel

Brian and Joel,
Thank you for your thoughts and kind words. I noticed the blob, too. I was in the process of enjoying an ice-cold cold beer while taking the photos, so it may have just been some condensation transferred by my fingers to the propeller blade.

At any rate, the props aren't done yet. They still have to be sanded and buffed to a high sheen before I apply the decals and stencils.

Now I can modify the two untouched engines to a 'closed-flaps' state and convert the one where I ruined the flaps likewise.

Gaz

mmm, shiny!

Most excellent work, Gary

Regarding the soda can cowl flap attachment, use the existing plastic , sand off the thickness of the soda can aluminum. You now have a flat surface to attach the new flaps to. This will eliminate the trouble some edge gluing method , and ensure your new flaps follow the cowling radius properly.

You're blowing my mind with every update Gaz, those cowl/flap/prop assemblies are stunning! That cold beer is well deserved mate, best have another!

Cheers, D

Damian,
Thanks for the motivating words. There are certainly more updates and changes then planned. Part of dealing with older molds, I suspect.

When is Tamiya gonna release one??

Gaz

What? A B-29 in quarterscale from Tamiya? No one of us can afford that kit, Gary ....
Or do you mean a beer can?

But it's nice to imagine just how cool it would be to build.

Hi everyone,
It's been a while since my last update. I've been doing little things here and there as well as that thing that steals our lives: A full-time job.


As issued, the original B-29's tail gunner was armed with two fifty cal's and a 20mm cannon.


However, in the field the cannon was removed since it's different trajectory from the fifty cal's made aiming it difficult. The holes for the kit fifties are off killter and have to be filled and drilled elsewhere.















Again, Thank you for looking!

Gaz

Man it is scary seeing that cut up cowling before you put the soft styrene band on. I'm impressed at what a feel you have for differing materials. This is soooo much more than just assembling a model kit!

Awesome work Gaz, next level stuff!

Cheers, D

Great stuff Gary, those foiled cowlings look the business!

Guys,
Thank you for the kind praises.

Brian, though learning many things with this build, some kinds of fun pass into teduim. After my post yesterday I spent most of the day on that white band. The softer plastic didn't sand like kit styrene, or scribe like it. Today I'll try to foil it...hopefully it'll foil like kit styrene.

Cheers,

Gaz

Gary,
you're certainly fearless in trying out new ideas, materials, and concepts. That's something that I really need to work on, as I tend to model strictly within my comfort zones.

Those rebuilt cowls look fantastic.

I'm personally looking forward to actually being able to spend a few hours modeling today. Over the last several weeks, I've spent more time at work, dealt with a very sick wife in the hospital who now needs spinal surgery on top of everything else, and a son @ 28 who also was in the same hospital this week for several days.

Joel

Joel,
Thank you.

I'm sorry to hear about your family's medical woes. I hope that both are well, soon.

It's good to hear from you, I noticed you've been quiet for the last week.

Gary

Gary, awesome engineering going on there.

watch out for the 'white styrene' you're using though: could be polypropylene, which is why it's so soft...?

Joel, best wishes to your family for speedy recoveries.

Hi everyone!
Thanks Russell... I think it was polypropylene. I had to use a bit of CA on it, after all.

Anyway, another update, mostly dealing with structural stuff. Today's nightmare come true: Kitty using one of my hollowed out landing gear legs as a toy! Saved it just in time.



















This is the only model I have ever had where I have to have the camera 6-feet away from the model to get all of it in the frame.

Thanks for looking!

Gaz

Wow. This model will weigh a ton by the time you're done!

I used some simple plastic tabs glued to the tops of the nacelles and somehow covered by the cowl flaps (I forget how) to fix my cowlings on. This part of the kit does have a "What were they thinking?" factor when it comes to the engineering, doesn't it?

Looking forward to the next exciting chapter.

Brian

Hey Brian,
Glad you're enjoying this build!

I agree, this part of the model definitely makes you scratch your head. Unfortunately for me, it has given me a fear that the moment I start taking final photos I'll realize that one of the engines is at an odd angle.

Challenges...

Gaz

That is a really interesting solution to the problem of attaching the cowling. I think I would have stuck some sort of plastic "block" inside to keep the cowling edges free all the way around but this way does allow a better option for storage if for whatever reason you have to pack away the model. Having the three points of attachment should give you plenty of bond if that is the correct term for magnetic attraction !
If weight is getting to be a worry I'd definitely cut those screws and remove the excess.

I like your wife's description of the wiper blade look. I agree !
Also I hope your wife isn't a practical joker (and not to give her ideas ) but you could easily find your model one day with upside down cowlings

Great work mate, keep it up!

Gary,
I'm really impressed to how you've attached the engine/nacelle assemblies to the wing with those magnets. If it works for the 1/32 Tamiya kits, it will work just fine for you.

All that brass your using for wing support and straightening is really going to add a lot of additional weight, that the landing gear will have to support for the life of the model. That could be a real area of concern down the road.

Joel

Gary, I'm really really impressed how you deal with all those different materials. What do you do for living that you know about all this stuff?
I only hope that in the end it won't have too much weight in the wrong areas so that it would become a tailsitter. But as far as I remember, you want to hang the B-29 on the wall anyway, so it would make no difference.
I follow with interest!

Torsten

Hi guys,
Thank you for your responses. Certainly weight is a concern. Trying to juggle appearance concerns with weight concerns isn't easy. I could drop weight by removing the spars and accept warped wings....I suppose. But I really want to keep these big wings straight.

Foil wraps around the cooling flaps reducing the area inside to glue plastic, further complicating matters.

So I really have to gamble that the brass rod will bear the burden. So far, it seems up to the task.

Torsten, I am a bit of a tinker. I will often find myself wandering through a hardware store looking for non-model things that I can use for modelling. Since I re-started building models I've learned about brass, resin, various putties, many glues. Often, tools that I use in renovating my house often find their way into modelling. I've always been a bit of am improvisor.

Best Wishes,

Gaz

Tinker: Such a charming, antique English word! Well, you're good at it!

Hi Gary,

Awesome work mate! Real ingenuity and some serious skills.

Looking forward to the next update.

Regards,
Kobus