Here is an early update on the forward fuselage interior. I first built up the cockpit floor and instrument panel front piece. This had to be finessed and shortened to adapt to the shorter forward fuselage and new bomb bay bulkhead. Then I started adding detail parts to the kit pieces, including the lower bulkhead enclosure and the floorboard that runs down the middle of the belly. The putty on the aft cockpit bulkhead will later be smoothed out and some details added:
Boeing Y1B-17 Project--1/48th Scale
Once that was all fitting as it should I moved on to the bombardier/gunner section. A floorboard was added for the gunner to stand on and the instrument panel/lower bulkhead were fitted to the fuselage halves:
Boeing Y1B-17 Project--1/48th Scale
Since it was decided a long time ago to open the forward entry door I had to add details to the lower fuselage area. I've spent enough time in this part of
Chuckie to be able to build the floorbeams from memory. I hit my head on them enough last summer to leave a lasting impression.
Boeing Y1B-17 Project--1/48th Scale
Here is a shot of the floor supports and right-side frames and stringers. I built the stringers this way so that I can slip them into the main fuselage in one piece. Once all the preliminary fitting and adjusting of the entire fuselage is complete I'll glue the three left and three right fuselage sections together at the joints. Then painting, detailing, and final assembly will go forward much like any kit, left and right halves.
Boeing Y1B-17 Project--1/48th Scale
Scott