Boeing B-29 Superfortress Bomber Model Airplane – Model Kit Restoration and Paint Project

This blog post was first written on April 23rd, 2023.
I update this blog post as work on the project progresses (slowly) in my spare time.

In 2023 I originally wrote this about this project:

I was given this B-29 Superfortress Model when I was a kid (which was many years ago — I am currently 44 years old.) At some point, it has been assembled and partly painted. When I was given it though it was badly broken and had many missing parts:

• Most of the propellers were missing
• The wheels/ landing gear were missing
• Various other parts were missing

It also wasn’t fully painted and there were join-gaps, etc.

I found this model in storage last year.

My plan is to restore this model.

Update 20/03/24: I have done some more work on this model:

• I measured the length of the wings. I then Googled to find out the wingspan of the actual aircraft. Turns out the model kit is 1:100 scale
• I was then able to do some Googling to find the actual model kit name. It is the ‘B-29 Super Fortress 1/100 scale Entex Kit # 8502 1973‘
• Removed any flashing and any glue from the parts
• Amongst things, I learned that it cost over $3 billion to design and produce (equivalent to $49 billion in 2022) the B-29 aircraft. This far exceeded the $1.9 billion cost of the Manhattan Project. This made the B-29 program the most expensive of WW2
• The decals: I am going to have to make new decals for this model.
• The Cockpit Windscreens: They are broken. I don’t think I can repair them. If I can’t find replacements, I’m going to have to make something — I have a few ideas involving carving the shapes out of timber (or Green Stuff) and then vacuum-forming the new parts.
• I started making part of one of the Engine Props from styrene. Took a bit of time to do. I am yet to decide if I’ll make all four Props by hand (like I have made this one) or if I’ll buy a resin mold kit.
• I’ve re-made one of the missing Gun Turrets. I used Blue Tack to make the mold and Araldite as the resin.  It worked well. I am yet to clean up the part.
• I haven’t checked that I own all the paints to airbrush this model yet. I use Tamiya Acrylic Paint
• I’ve been watching lots of videos on YouTube about the B-29 bomber and also B-29 model kit projects
• I have photographed the decals
• I found some excellent reference photos of a real B-29 here (including inside the Cockpit).
• The Atlantis Models 1/120 Boeing B-29 Superfortress model kit arrived. I refer to it in the below blog post. I am building it as I re-build/restore this 1/100 vintage model.

The next jobs to do:

• Clean all the parts in soapy water
• Remove the decals
• Paint the inside of the Cockpit
• Re-glue the Fuselage, then putty the seam lines and do sanding, then fix up panel lines
• Decide if I’m going to make this model into Dina Might or Enola Gay or some other B-29.
• Then go from there

I found some great images on Google. Some of them are here:

Part of my plan is to scratch build, or resin mold, and/ or 3D Print the missing parts and then fully restore the model and repaint it. So far I have pulled some of it apart in order to start work. I won’t take the front wings off it though as there is no need. They’re also glued on very well (securely) so it would be very hard to remove them from the Fuselage halves.

I’ll update this blog post as the project continues. This project will take a while because I have other projects to work on atm, including the MiG-25PD Foxbat.

I have though started collecting reference materials for this B-29 project and have also started watching many videos on YouTube. This is one of them (below).

From my bit of research, I have a feeling the B-29 model I have (that I plan to restore) is this vintage ‘Atlantis’ kit (see the below video).

Update 15/05/23: The Atlantis model kit is still available to purchase. I am thinking it may be smarter (and cheaper) for me to simply buy 1 or 2 of these kits. I could then:

• Build one of the kits as a nice and simple (relaxing/ fast) project.
• Take parts from the 2nd kit that I buy and either use them to cast molds (to create duplicate resin parts), or reference them to model them in 3D (using Blender or similar software) to then 3D Print them. Then use these parts to restore my old model.
• Keep the 2nd model kit for a future ‘rainy-day project’ OR build it and give it away to someone as a gift.
• If I do this, I’ll essentially end up making 3 versions of the same model. Could be a bit of fun 🙂

I can buy the B-29 Atlantis kits on eBay. << they are out of stock.

Update 21/06/23: I have now ordered the Atlantis model kit from Hobby City.

 

Update 21/06/23: I found some nice photos of this kit here:

 

Update 11/04/24: I’ve been watching these videos lately: