Weathering and flak damage was the next step and included a mixture
of plastic thinning, dry brushing, chalks, and paint washes to achieve a
natural, realistic appearance. Antennas, lights, turbo chargers, and landing
gear were added to complete the aircraft.
The
diorama:
Constructed from an old kitchen, this solid oak display base measures
32” x 34” and is self-supporting if necessary by adding legs which mount
under display base. Woodland Scenics provides excellent
artificial surfaces such as grasses, dirt, rock, trees, and bushes. With these
products I was able to re-create the hardstand of Little Patches to the actual
scale and likeness as the actual area around Bassingbourn, England in 1944/45.
This diorama is an exact replica
(re-created from actual photos) of “Little Patches” hardstand as it was
during the war. Line shack (utility shed) is scratch built from balsa wood and
weathered. Also includes fully detailed interior which includes, bunk beds, work
bench, old metal stove, grinder, vise, broom, shovel, coffee pot, wood floor,
and a tin roof also weathered for accurate appearance. I also added a switched
6-volt light inside the shack to illuminate interior, with a glass ½ roof to
see inside. The fence is also scratch built as well as the horse drawn dump
rake, constructed from spare parts, wire, and thread (harnesses). Information
for this horse drawn dump rake was sent to me from a fellow in England, who went
to his local museum and gathered info and photos for my project and sent them to
me. All 1/48-scale figures of farmer, ground crew, and crewman are originally
Verlinden figures with some modifications for proper poses. As a final addition
to the diorama a 1/48 scale Bandai Jeep was used as well as a generator cart
from Monograms 1/48 WWII airfield accessories. The generators were used as soon
as the bombers landed to keep the batteries and electronics fully charged for
the next mission.
I
had previously obtained a photo of Little Patches parked in its hardstand, and
was my goal to recreate it exactly like the photo taken in 1944. Also added was
a fence and wheat field adjacent to her hardstand. This also raised a challenge
of building farm machinery common to the area. A gentle man in England sent me
some photos of machinery, one of which included an old horse drawn dump rake,
which I created from balsa, spare parts, wire, and some thread. This was added
to the wheat field as well as wheat bundles for realism.
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Bernie Rogers, a former
ground crewman with little patches sent me a scaled detailed drawing of the line
shack (maintenance shed) inside and exterior, as well as photos. This enabled me
to scale an exact replica of the line shack from balsa wood. Detail also
included a fully stocked interior, complete with bunk beds, workbench, wood
burning stove & chimney, vise, table grinder, fire extinguisher, broom,
shovels, and toolbox. Actual scale tin was used for part of the roof; glass was
used for viewing purposes on opposite side. A 6-volt battery operated light
allows you to see details in the line shack. After shack was completed it was
weathered to conditions standard and attached to diorama.
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The aircraft was then
attached to the base, including a Bandai 1/48 scale jeep and a total of 15 scale
figures painted and positioned to bring this diorama to a life-like setting. A
full B-17 crew is present, including ground crewman, a farmer and his dog, and
photographer.
A generator cart is also present along with flak helmets, vests,
bags, oil drums, and general equipment. With these final additions, my project
was complete.
Little Patches has
captured a very special time in our world’s history, as well as the young men
who flew in these aircraft to preserve and protect our great nation at a time of
turmoil…this is dedicated to them.
I would like to thank the
91st bomb group veterans, as well as everyone else that have contributed to this
project. Without them, the accuracy and specific details of this diorama would
not be possible.
Conclusion:
I really enjoyed this kit a lot and found it very challenging by
researching and studying photos and prints of this B-17G and incorporating them
into extra detail and accuracy for this plane I was depicting. Also would
recommend for anyone (even children) looking for their first big aircraft, as an
“out of box” kit it is very well presented and construction is rather simple
and well drawn out in the instruction sheets, but for others, such as myself who
were after a little more detail, it offers countless areas and items that can
easily be re-worked and updated! Skill rating on this kit is a two or three
which can easily turn into a more experienced level four or five with the help
of detail sets and a lot of scratch building, it all depends on what your after
in the finished product. This has been one of my favorite kits to build and even
has inspired me to begin looking at another B-17 in the near future!
References:
Squadron/signal publications (#16) Walk Around B-17 Flying fortress,
Squadron/signal publications (#63) B-17 In Action, Squadron/signal publications
(#6561) Fighting Colors “B-17 Flying Fortress” in color, Plane Names &
Fancy Noses (The 91st Bomb Group (HEAVY) by: Ray Bowden. A lot of extra research
was done on the web and web sites covering this aircraft and the 91st BG.
A Special Thanks To:
B.L. Deyerle(flew first mission in Little Patches), Ray
Bowden, Paul Henritzy (navigator/ Little Patches), Sue & George Shook, Ken
Rowley (father was co-pilot/ Little Patches), Wally Foreman, Joe Harlick, Ken
Ingignoli , Mike Banta, Paul Chryst, Sam Harris(radio operator /Little
Patches), Leonard Contreras, George Parks(original crewman/Little Patches), Jack
Paget, George Fredrickson (bombardier /Little Patches), Harold “Hal”
Johnson(co-pilot /Little Patches), Sam Newton ( crew /Little Patches),Bernie
Rogers (ground crewman/ Little Patches), Steve & Allison Pena
(Curators/Tower Museum, England, and to many others, who’s help and dedication
to this project made it possible.
My project now having
been completed… I am spending more time involved in finishing “Little
Patches” research, and contacting new leads that might provide additional
information on her as well as finding new veterans that once served among her
thin walls! New photos of little patches are still coming in occasionally, and a
lot more hopefully will be found that have not been shared since the war. This
is extremely important area to me, as this is what keeps the memories and
stories alive and available for future generation to enjoy, as we enter an era
that soon will be lost of our entire serviceman and woman who protected and
fought for our freedom. These men and woman need to be remembered and their
legacy embraced!
Little Patches has been
to three model shows since the beginning of March 2002. The first one was an
IPMS/LOCON(Fort Crook chapter) show in La Vista, Nebraska, held on March 2ND
2002. It was awarded 1st place in diorama category, and also won the “Most
Popular Model” chosen by the visitors/judges and contestants. Hobbytown USA in
Lincoln, Nebraska held a show on march 30th 2002, in which Little patches was
awarded the “Best of Show” plaque. On April 20th, Hobbytown USA in Grand
Island, Nebraska held their spring model show, and Little Patches was awarded
the “Best of Show” plaque.
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These awards are very
special to me, as I have long awaited the achievement of “Best of
Show” plaque at many shows. This is a very difficult award to obtain for
modelers and one that is cherished once received. A lot of hard work went into
this project, and now having won these 3 awards in just a short time leads me to
believe I have finally created something special that I want to share with the
public, and they would like to see. During the past few months I
have received numerous complements on my achievement, and also many modelers
that insist I take “little patches” to the IPMS Nationals show in Virginia
beach this year to get some exposure and to share with such large attendance to
this event. Modelers dream of having something special to show at the IPMS
National Show, and now with the research and time spent on this project, I among
others…believe I have a model that would have a good chance of placing at
Nationals. Fine Scale Modeler, and also Modeling Madness have also inquired to
me for reviews and photos of Little Patches for their magazine and website.
The IPMS National Show
would be a dream come true for me as I have thought about it many times, and
hoped one day that I could attend and compete along with the worlds best
modelers. Little patches has opened a whole new level of model building to me,
and a finished diorama that I would be proud to be able to show at such a
prestigious event. My goal is to be able to take Little Patches to Virginia
Beach, Virginia and compete in this years IPMS Nationals on July 31 through
August 3rd, 2002.
Todd
To finish Part 2 of this article, I thought you'd
enjoy hearing about my recent meeting with George Fredrickson, the bombardier on
"Little Patches" in 1944.
May 25, 2002 was a very exciting day for me, as a
few years earlier George Fredrickson(WW2 Veteran/crewman: assigned to little
patches in 1944 as Bombardier) invited me to see him at his ranch in
Concordia, Kansas when I completed my "LITTLE PATCHES" diorama
(explained more in part 1)...well the day finally came ...and we arrived
around noon.
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George autographing my crew photo (of the crew he
was with)....signed above his photo for me) |
George was very excited to meet me and see my
long awaited project. We were warmly welcomed and treated like
family! We all introduced ourselves and George and I began going
through my photo album/scrapbook of the B-17G "Llittle Patches"
Ser#42-31678. I had started compiling my scrapbook a few years earlier
and kept up to date throughout my project whenever something new came my
way! George was astonished by the amount of actual photo's and
information about his aircraft ,many of which he had never seen before!
We talked for an hour or so and then George and
his wife Wanda insisted they take us out for a late lunch in town.
To our surprise George had arranged a meeting at
the Concordia, Kansas museum...so everyone could meet us and see the model
of "Little Patches" that George had been assigned to in the
war. It was a very special time, as we got to meet the museum curator
as well as alot of George's friends, as well as a few new people who
were in town to look through the museum and also received a bit of an old
history report on a very special man and his plane!
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George and I going through details of mission/crew
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George Fredrickson and his wife Wanda,and
myself (Photo taken in Concordia,KS museum) |
Another
photo taken at the museum as George closely inspects his old station
in nose of "Little Patches" the bombardier. |
George also autographed my personal crew photo
and then we picked out photo's that George wanted copies for himself as a
few he had were very bad copies, and the high quality photos really pleased
him! It also was a deeply moving day as there were many times
throughout the day George got a little emotional by photos, the model
and sharing memories with me. This also upset me in a way as I was not
there to stir up bad memories, but help share with others what men just like
George Fredrickson went through to keep freedom alive. I also
presented George with a very special plaque which included actual photos of
the diorama as well as actual photos and group insignia and also a squadron
patch....one of which he did not have yet.
Our meeting was special and George hated to
see us go, but I promised George and his wife, I would return and visit
more with them during this summer (2002), which I plan to do again in the
next few weeks in July 2002 as he only lives about 2 1/2 hours from my
house.
This was what this project was all
about.......for George and all the other men who were there and fought
through horrible conditions at times, but yet always went back when
called.....they are what inspired this diorama of a B-17G named "Little
Patches"
Thanks George & Wanda Fredrickson
sincerely,
Todd
