MAC Forum

Hi, this morning in a market of my city, I have seen on a counter a big aluminum model of a Boeing B-17F had a very lived. I managed to buy it. Despite being a passionate aviation and model, having also different models metal and more, I had never seen a model of its kind.

When I got home I took his measures 435 mm wingspan and 310 mm in length, I calculated the scale that is close to 1/72

The man who sold it to me said it was sawed off from a platform of aeronautics. I do not know establish the origin certain seems a casting of aluminum on a mold of sand bivalves on the basis of a previous wooden model.

I think it isn't an artifact of Italian origin, there is no writing or stamps. I can hypothesize that it is a model made by the Americans stationed in Sardinia after the armistice with Italy or after the second world war.
I think this model is very old and is not an industrial product

more photos

three more photos

Very nice find. Never seen a B-17 like that in 1/72nd scale. The French did similar post war sand cast ids but in smaller sizes and they cast-in reference numbers.
Could well have been a 'trench art' model made in the squadron while the aircraft were out on missions.

After a bit of searching on the internet I came to the conclusion that it is a model for training identification friend or foe of 1941 representing a B-17E. The metal models was abandoned because they are too heavy and fragile, also the metal was most useful for the war needs more strategic, for which the models were made later with other materials such as wood, cellulose etc.
http://reviews.ebay.com/WW-II-METAL-AIR ... 0009539923

not so sure about that, but we will never know. I never heard of an early aluminum id range, and the Bronzarts were made in pot metal. BTW GSX wrote a great summary for ebay. Knows his stuff.
By the end of 1941 all Allied countries id programs dropped metal for wood or acetate or sometimes bakelite, buckram {a plaster and fabric type of material} or vacuum formed plastic, but kept 1/72 as standard.
In the USA, later on, the government issued sets in even smaller 1/432nd in metal or plastic.
Of course Frog in the UK issued some built kits for IDs but I don't know the dates- but suspect it was pre 1941.
I think the Germans had it right back in 1936 with the 1/200 range in plastic. These were supplimented by 1/50 wood and resin like plaster composition models.
I still think your B-17 is a trench art effort.

If it's "Art of Trench" Presumably it is even more rare or perhaps a piece made ​​from cast sand of one of those models. Dimensions and details of windows, etc., match. I weighed the model it weighs 1.600 kg
Wanting to sell than you think it might be?

I think to sell this model.Anyone is interested in this ancient model of B-17E aluminum. Some research has shown that this is a die-cast model of a model ID. It 's very close in form and details of the surface to the American Cruver one, but is made of aluminum alloy, probably it could be a model made in the field by crews B.17 melting scrap aircraft during the war, even belonging own the B-17.
So there may be a period piece, I have not found anything like this on the net.

in Effects and 'very close in form and details of the surface to the American Cruver one, but is made of aluminum alloy, probably it could be a model made in the field by crews B.17 melting scrap aircraft during the war, perhaps their belonging to the B-17, perhaps to know for sure should make a metallographic analysis with a piece of B-17.

I think it isn't possible to make a mold from a sand ID modell in accetato cellulose, are too delicate and the pressure of the sand crush.
So it could be just one piece vintage made ​​in the field, but I have not found anything like this on the net.

Price?

I do know that this was done, sand casting from ID models during the war. I had a B-29 and another done like that

grwebster wrote:Price?

I do know that this was done, sand casting from ID models during the war. I had a B-29 and another done like that

I'm sorry, but yesterday, I could not answer for me time has stopped internet access.
I think maybe it's better if you make me an offer if you see is close to what I think. Considering the particularity of this finding of historical interest I do not think of selling it as a common desktop model or ID model.

It would have been nice to put it in an exhibition on the bombing of February 1943 the city of Cagliari by the 301th and 97th Squadrons of B-17 that I wanted to organize, but part of the municipality do not have any response to that proposal.