Brian- You guys are doing wonderful work. Thank you for providing great insight into how things worked! Also...Randy Malmstrom offered up more gear bay photos at this website here...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1659466480983634/2322846911312251/?comment_id=2324068184523457&reply_comment_id=2324123627851246¬if_id=1567186487180359¬if_t=group_comment

He is on fb as well. All the best-S

WELL, WELL, WELL


H.G.'s work on the wheel wells continues unabated. I'll take you through it as I discovered the details.

First, a refresher on what the engine oil tank looks like.

And, BTW, don't forget that large landing strut in the foreground cutting diagonally across the tank. I will return to that later.



What are these styrene cut-outs, you might ask? I did.



Why, the "J" shaped brackets to hold the oil tanks in place, of course!



Look to the right.

This picture is also interesting because the upper part of the long retracting strut is unsheathed. Compare it with the preceding real-thing photo.

Earlier I had asked, rhetorically, if this section of the landing gear mechanism was a "ballscrew." Here we can see that the answer is plainly "yes." From the prior real-thing photo, we can see that the ballscrew is covered by a two-part sheath or cover and that the lower part of the retracting strut goes inside the sheath when the gear is raised. (I think, I mean it has to, no??) More on this later.

Let's return to the oil tank. Here you can see the "J" brackets fitted to it -- they are NOT finished or fully shaped yet. This is just to provide "a look."



Here are two shots of the tank seated on the "J" brackets inside the nacelle.





And now back to the landing gear retracting shafts. This diagram is courtesy of Karl (of course):



It took me a while to figure out where the three metal legs that H.G. scratch-built were going to interface with the kit parts.

A picture is worth a thousand words.



Man, oh man!

You see that H.G. is also thinning the plastic piece.



What a great way to start U.S. Labor Day Weekend!

Thanks for the correction, Karl. I guessed wrong on this one. It does make more sense that there would be a direct electric drive to the actuator. I corrected the text with a hat tip to you. I assume the motor drives a ballscrew?

As usual, fantastic work. Just a word about terminology: The gear is driven by an electric motor, period. No hydraulics are involved ! Useless fact for all of you: Each gear (both mains and tail wheel) had their own electric motor. This same motor was used to drive the bomb bay doors. Just in case you ever need a spare gear motor in your B-17...

Brian,
Once again, I'm actually just speechless. This isn't modeling as we know it, but something of a much higher order.

Joel

WHEEL WELL WONDERS

We should start with "the real thing" space HG is working on now.




Remember this part of it:



Let's go to some rough images of the supercharger piping fitting into the oblong opening cut into the side of the nacelle.

First, from the interior:



And from the opposite side:



And here's a step-back look as we see additions where the main landing gear strut will fit.



The green shows me how H.G. integrated the kit part into the overall, custom design.

Here are some exterior shots of the supercharger piping test-fit into the side nacelle opening:





When I mentioned to H.G. that I didn't envy him the finishing work on the rough edges of the opening, he replied with this.



"A good workman praises his tools," I guess.

Here's an interior shot that also shows some rough piping.



However, I have no concerns it will stay that way.




I am told this aluminum foil is not the stuff you buy in the supermarket.

Here's more interior piping extending to the back bulkhead of the wheel bay, and new details:



And what is that at the open end of the pipe?



Hell, it looks like a filter! H.G. is this one of these, "no one will see it but I know it's there" things? It's clear you cut out some black circles and we're not just looking at a hole.




As to that resin/plastic stuff up at the top, I really am saving the best for last. The question is, "How does that relate to these exquisite three-part landing gear legs that pull the main landing gear strut up into the wheel well. SCRATCH BUILT.



[Note: I haven't seen work like this since Chuck W's epic build of the Icaerodesign 1/48 IAR 81C- kit. I wonder what happened to him!? I liked his cheesecake drawings too.]

For the answer, remember the photo I said to look at up at the top of this post. To make the subject clearer, what is the black thing at the top of this other B-17 wheel well photo?



It sure looks like an electro-hydraulic motor/pump electric motor [H/T Karl] that retracts and extends the landing gear strut and wheel into and out of the nacelle.

And here is H.G.'s preliminary scratch-build of this humble but essential component.



Again, I have no words.

I will. Let me just say the biggest compliment HG has paid me in doing this work is that he wants to "do justice" to my efforts on the interior. Coming from someone with his talent, that's rare praise indeed.

I couldn't be happier with how this build is shaping up. He's doing things I could never achieve, even if I had the time.

HG's work is just a constant example proving that he's a certified Alien. There's no other plausible explanation.

I've seen super detailed aircraft many times in the past, but nothing comes close to this.


Joel

Its been a while since I posted here and I must say, Brian, when I saw you were passing the project on I was a little disappointed and worried it wouldn't hold up to the level of detail you've put into it so far. HG has definitely put those worries to bed, amazing work! Keep the updates coming please!

MORE WHEEL WELL & SUPERCHARGER WORK

H.G. has accomplished a lot in the past few days, and rather than offer extended commentary I'll let his work speak for itself (mostly).

Let's start with some extra detail on the superchargers.






He's getting there with these "brass ring" additions.



Here is some landing gear detail from the Verlinden set. Note the wiring.



Moving right along.



Brutal "rip out" work getting the wheel wells ready for what's to come.







Measuring the top of #2 engine wheel well.



Can you guess what this is? Hint: Not wing filler.



The beginnings of an engine oil tank.



It's shaping up nicely.



In situ.



With straps shown for appearance's sake: not the final positioning.



Compare to the real thing.




Wiring details. I haven't a clue.



A plan begins to emerge out of the chaos.



Holy crow!


And this! The first time I have ever seen a cut clear through the nacelle to make room for supercharger piping "in the round."




I just drop the mike on this one.



It's exquisite, even from the exterior. I just love the engineering and thought put into this impossible-to-model space.

Amazing work! Most impressive detail. I wanted to ask if you are following Eric Lewis' photos of the rebuild of Champaign Lady's as they are showing landing gear work now. Restoration link here''
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2214546772006673&set=pcb.2214547242006626&type=3&theater&ifg=1

Thanks Karl. Another question from HG:




Here's the picture.



Thanks again, Karl!

Cad plated steel. So the gear had a dull silver finish.

MORE PROGRESS ON THE WHEEL WELL

This is fantastic.



Karl:

HG asks what color the landing gear struts should be. I would say aluminum, but what were they really made of? Part of me wants to say stainless steel because I have a hard time imagining aluminum as a metal strong enough to support the weight of this A/C, especially when fully loaded.

Thanks.

Brian

WOW. I mean WOW!!!

Brain & HG,
Amazing, simply amazing

Joel

NO. 3 ENGINE WHEEL WELL AND A WAR STORY

Let me begin with the war story.

Forty-five years ago, at the end of July, I left active duty as a reserve officer in the US Navy. I spent two and a half years as the gunnery officer on a WWII era Naval Reserve training destroyer -- USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779) -- based at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard (PNSY).

Then I was stashed for the remaining six months of my active duty commitment at PNSY itself, where this liberal arts major became a "Ship Superintendent" assigned to the overhaul and modernization of the USS Macdonough (DLG-8).

There were two Lt. Commanders already assigned to the ship (which was decommissioned at the time) and I wondered what job I would get with them. They made me the "compartment closeout" officer, which meant that I was responsible for keeping the shipyard military hierarchy up to date on the progress of the work in all the 300+ compartments in the ship. It proved to be one of the most fascinating work experiences I have ever had!

After a full morning's briefing and orientation on my duties, they said, "Let's go down and show you the ship."

Here's a picture of it in drydock from the very time I worked there.



What does this have to do with this blog? Well, I'll never forget my reaction to being taken into the ship's interior. I was stunned at what a shambles it was. So great was my shock that I said to myself, "They don't know what they are doing! Can't they see they will never get this put back together? It's too far gone."


That was kind of my reaction to seeing this prep work on the wheel well to No. # 3 engine nacelle.



But as with the ship, it appears I am wrong.

Let me start with the restored wheel well to the #2 engine nacelle (photo kindly provided and posted here earlier by Karl).



Now remember, the image is reversed for #3 engine nacelle.

















I stand corrected.

Brian,
Yep. I can see just glimmers of what's below the turbos.

HG must stay up at night thinking about all of this.

Joel

I am told it's a work in progress, and that H.G. is still adjusting the nacelle openings to assure the most accurate placement of the supercharger piping and components.



Here are some other, later views showing more details underneath.





There really is a three-and-a-half dimensional quality to this compared to the molded-in turbos on the original kit lower wings!

Too early to tell Joel, but I'm not complaining!

Brian,
HG's turbo charger detailing is really quite amazing. The only issue I have is that from your pictures you can barely see any of it once the turbo is installed, and almost none of it towards the front. Does a change in viewing angle make any difference?

Joel

WHEEL WELLS AND SUPERCHARGERS - EXCAVATING, TRIMMING AND FITTING

After a brief pause while he waited for wheelwell "raw materials" (not sure what aside from tubing, styrene strips for ribs, etc.) H.G. is back at it, using these materials and pieces from the Verlinden aftermarket set. I'm not sure exactly what the sequence of work is, but these photos show definite progress!

This is perhaps my favorite because you can see an outboard engine used for positioning.



But don't think what goes under the supercharger is being ignored.



What is it? In part an impression of the compressor blades above the turbine disk, even if it is practically invisible.



I like it. Note the part extends all the way to the back of the Nacelle so there isn't just empty space where the opened turbine cooling air exhaust slot is.

Let's move on to some other work on the nacelles where the exhaust and supercharger piping goes.



The outer nacelle piping and the white styrene base insert is impressive when one considers that these items will only be partially seen in the small area between the supercharger opening and the supercharger parts themselves. See the first photo!

It is also instructive to see how H.G. is fitting out the inner nacelle, even though I still don't have "the big picture." (But, that's OK!)

The fit-up work on the inner nacelle of the supercharge parts is a joy to behold. Here we see that H.G. has no hesitancy in modifying the Verlinden resin where he feels he can achieve a more realistic appearance.


It's pure pleasure for me to watch this coming together after soooo many years!

Got it!

A word of caution as always: You must always use caution when using a restoration for reference. The late airplanes had the rubber bladder type oil tank but the earlier airplanes had the metal tank which had a bladder inside it.

Stuart:


I looked at these and they are really good. I'll tell H.G. to review them. He's beginning work on the wheel wells now.

Thanks again.

Brian