UPDATE 08 AUGUST 2021--  DEM BRUDDERS TRIVIA CHALLENGE:  THE CLASSIC REVELL 1/120 B-29 IS SPOTTED IN WHAT POPULAR MOVIE?  READ ON TO FIND THE ANSWER!  ATLANTIS MODELS BRINGS BACK THIS LONG-LOST CLASSIC B-29 IN ITS BEST-EVER FORM WITH THREE DECAL OPTIONS PLUS BOX PHOTOS PROVIDED BY 2Modeler.COM!​

BY BILL ENGAR

EARLY EDITION:  Atlantis' new kit is an old Revell favorite.  It'll be a vintage experience, but you can definitely finish this kit in a weekend!  And, FIFI!

Atlantis has just released its new Boeing B-29 model kit in 1/120 scale.  It has about 50 parts and retails at USD$21.99
 
We’re very happy that Atlantis Models likes our comprehensive review/articles on the model kits we feature.  In early December, 2020, Peter Vetri at Atlantis and I had some email conversations about this kit prior to its release.  Long story short, during kit development, Peter asked me if I had any photos of a built-up model they could use in promotion and box art.  I didn’t at the time but being a huge fan of the kit and having a previous Revell example available unbuilt, I told him I’d see if I could get the kit built in a weekend to have photos ready since Peter needed to get some pictures quickly to the box printer.  Peter's exact words were "Don't go crazy with the buildup."  I wondered if the kit could be built in a hurry yet turn out presentable enough to land on the kit box!  Well, read on--and see for yourself!  What does it look like at Atlantis-Models.com?  See the Atlantis B-29 kit listing here!

Atlantis brings back this gorgeous Revell box art that graced the box of  the first edition of the 1954 kit.  Yup, it's been 2/3 of a century since this one first appeared. We received the actual Atlantis kit, H208, here at DemBrudders.com March 12, 2021.

Instruction sheet graphics will be familiar to those who've built the Revell kit.  Placement for the Dauntless Dotty decal option is provided with the assembly diagrams.  Determining placement for the boxtop version (294106) won't be difficult, either.  "FIFI" is another story - while the markings are included on the decal sheet, which is a huge feature with the kit, there are no instructions provided for placement in the kit.  It's certainly not a complex scheme, though, and we'll include all the pictures you'll need for accurate placement in our Bonus Section for this article.  Another great thing about the FIFI decals is that it is the easiest of the three versions to build.  Why?  Well, you'll just have to keep reading.

Here's the back of the box!  The photo was taken by Yours Truly.  We are thrilled that Atlantis included our website name as well.  There's a photo further in this article that's similar, but not quite identical to the photo of the model seen here.

After inspecting the parts, I can say there is nothing to prevent a modeler from enjoying a nice build experience other than what one would expect to find in any vintage kit.  Parts have a little flash and there are some minor sinkholes to fill.  On one fuselage half, there was a small ejector-pin mark that will need to be trimmed off.  Total time to do this will be literally a few seconds.  With this out of the way, the builder will find that the fuselage halves probably fit together better than the original  Revell version, the build experience of which I'm including further along in this article.  Atlantis' #H208 certainly fits in that category of the model that can be finished in a weekend to a nice standard.

Here are the contents of Atlantis #H208, Boeing B-29 Superfortress.  The plastic is silver for those modelers who don't want to bother with an overall paint-job.  The parts have some raised rivets, but Revell didn't go nuts with them like on some other kits.

We're a little curious about the round "Thunderbird" logo included with the decals.  My key historical consultant (John B) briefed me that this is the insignia of the famed 34th Bomb Squadron, which is still in existence today, and has been since WWI.  Today, it flies B-1's.  During WWII, members of the 34th participated in the Doolittle Raid.  Stay tuned for photos of a B-25 wearing this insignia and of course we'll include photos of each of the real B-29's represented in the Atlantis kit.  We hope they'll be helpful as you build your own model!

The "Atlantising Stand" provides a striking display for the model.  We like the "meatball" on the decal sheet with correct Boeing Stratotype font with B-29 script that fits in the circle on the the stand.

The clear parts in this model are a very nice feature!  I was surprised how good the canopy looked without any paint!

Here's a scrap-view of the side of the box with additional photos.  THREE decal options are included with the kit!  Each of the three were actual B-29's, two that flew during World War II, and one that flies today!  We'll be sure and include photos of the real planes in this article.

You can build "FIFI", one of two still-flying B-29's! Famous Dauntless Dotty is also included and Tail #294106, featured in the box art was also a real B-29.

Instructions include pictures of Atlantis' "Greatest Hits," other models you'll want to add to your collection.

The return of this model kit is a major event here at Dem Brudders.  We'd hoped for years to see it available again, and we're thrilled that Atlantis has done it!  And we're ecstatic with the job they did.  Your biggest problem will be deciding to build "FIFI" or Dauntless Dotty.  Make it easier on yourself and buy two kits.  Dem Brudders give this kit a very enthusiastic Four Thumbs Up and express our gratitude for allowing us to participate with the kit's release and sending us this sample to share with you!
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ATLANTIS MODELS' #H208 IS AVAILABLE NOW!!!  CHECK IT OUT ON AMAZON! 

​Just another bit of warning--never be indecisive about buying an Atlantis kit!  They are hot sellers -- a number have been known to sell out quickly!  Don't wait!

BONUS MATERIAL
TRIVIA CHALLENGE

Revell's 1/120 B-29 kit was dropped into a movie.  The model was released in 1954.

WHAT MOVIE IS IT?  This screen shot is from a classic, beloved movie.  We'd be surprised if some of you wouldn't recognize it immediately; this movie is that popular.  We'll answer the question later in this page (keep reading), giving you an additional chance to think about it if you haven't already figured it out.  Hint:  The movie was a huge hit.  In addition to the model you see here, it has spawned licensed model kits you can buy.

THE WEEKEND BUILD
The following photos show how the actual model featured on the back of the kit box to Atlantis #H208 was built.  It's an old Revell release, but the parts themselves haven't changed so it will be the same experience when you build your Atlantis kit.

Parts from the 1973 version of the classic 1/120 Revell B-29.  Compare to the Atlantis plastic above; it's the same!

Can the new Atlantis B-29 be built in a weekend?  The answer is a resounding yes!   The original kit has some very nice details, and we're sure the Atlantis version will make a nice addition to your other desk-scale models that Atlantis Models has released.  Those of you who want to take your time and build the model to very high standards of workmanship will be happy.  However, those of you looking for a leisure “weekend build” should be very happy too, and I am pleased to present this photo essay on my fast-build.

Decals for Dauntless Dotty first appeared in 1965.

Here's the box art for 1973.  In-house box artists that created legendary paintings were scarce at the model companies by this period.

With the addition of the B-29 to Atlantis' Desktop-Scale aircraft models, we're now 75% capable of building this collection!

First of all, this was an original Revell kit first tooled in 1954.  As one of their most popular, it was re-released many times through about 1979.  After that, the tooling went into storage and it hasn’t seen the light of day until Atlantis acquired it.  Under licensing from Boeing arranged by Atlantis, the vintage kit now reappears.

Holding parts with rubber bands while the glue dries helps prevent "popping seams" and minimizes or prevents "sinking seams" that can happen months after the model is finished.

Prop tips were painted first with white paint as an undercoat so the yellow shows up nice and bright over those black propellers.

Revell boxed four of their vintage “Desk-Scale” model kits in one awesome set, the Strategic Air Command Bombers set of 1954.  It has been some time since modelers could buy each of the four models available.  During the past couple years or so, Atlantis has released the B-52, B-36, and now the B-29.  We hope it’s just a matter of time before they can release the classic 1/115 B-47 so we can once again acquire each of the four bombers that were originally in this awesome, highly collectible set!

I used glossy black as a prep-primer for Alclad II Polished Aluminum finish.  One problem I ran into was that I should have used a better primer under that glossy-black.  You can see where the black paint peeled off the masked wing de-icer boots.  I had to fix it.  My bad.

The kit figures appear to have many features seen in this vintage, colorized WWII photo.  I used it as a paint-guide:  leather jackets and boots are brown, sheepskin collars are cream, and pants are khaki.  I goofed on the parachute straps; those should have been off-white (cream would work) instead of black!  Early B-29 missions would have been flown at high-altitude, requiring the fur-lined jackets depicted.

There has been some confusion about which “Box Scale” the classic B-29 actually is!  Over the years, different numbers have been cited such as 1/130 or 1/135, which would be closer in size to the 1/144 scale Minicraft B-29 kit.  I knew that the Atlantis nee Revell B-29 kit was a fair bit bigger than the Minicraft kit.

Drilling a hole in the "bottom" of a figure for a toothpick or suitable holder makes it a lot easier to do the detail painting required on a small, seated figure.  As far as increasing accuracy--I ain't going there.

My painting here was quick-and-dirty to meet a deadline and I noticed a lot of errors that I didn't have time to fix from this closeup photo!  I consider it a concession to fitting my build inside one weekend.  I'm sure you could do it better.

This is a slightly different view from the photo I submitted to Atlantis.  The pose on that bombardier was so well done!  Another detail I wish I had painted was the silver parachute harness D-ring that you can see mid-torso on the figures.  This level of detail is phenomenal for a fit-the-box 1/120 scale kit!

When Atlantis Models and I had our conversation about the kit, they had not yet been able to evaluate test-shots to get these important dimensions, and so I was able to measure my kit, which was the Revell 1973 release.  The wingspan measured 14” and length was 10-1/8”.  I simply taped the kit together to get the measurements before beginning construction.  These numbers were just slightly larger than what was cited on the 1973 kit box.

Calculating those dimensions out provides 1/121 scale for the wing about 1/117 scale or so for the fuselage.  1/120 scale is much closer, not 1/130 or 1/135 as cited in old sources. It’s actually not too far off from the Revell B-47.

The 1/120 B-29 appears “in-flight;” that means it comes with a stand.  Atlantis has released it with their swiveling “Atlantising Stand.”  One of the original perks of the kit is a detailed cockpit with three figures including a bombardier looking through his Norden bombsight.  It was this detail that enticed me to purchase and build the kit as a teenager.  You'll need a magnifying glass to tell that the bombardier figure has headphones and the tops of his boots have fur cuffs!
 

I'm normally a lot pickier than most modelers about my wing seams.  I'll usually glue them on before final-paint.  However, the wing-to-fuselage fit is pretty good here, better than you'd expect for a 1950's model kit, so I opted to finish the model in subassemblies which simplified handling.

Parts fit is pretty good for the most part.  A few items need some trimming, and the best recommendation for this kit is to test-fit the parts before painting or gluing.  The gunner's sighting bubbles and the guns were a tad big for the holes they go in.  Pay special attention to these before final painting.  That's really the only minor fit bugaboo I experienced and I recall the same issue when I built this kit as a kid.  Fixing it is no big deal if you do it before final painting.  I used a little putty as well on a few minor sinkholes.  That front cockpit transparency fit in place like a piece in a Swiss watch and I didn't even bother gluing it in since it was precise and snug.

While I would have spent a little more time with painting to come up with a contest-quality model, I enjoyed my “weekend build” and can definitely recommend this kit to anyone who wishes to put either a little or a lot of effort into it—modelers who embrace either building philosophy will be happy.

This is a cool picture.  But I forgot to put the tail transparency in place for the photo!  That stand is vintage-Revell.  Atlantis includes their clear "Atlantising Stand."  If you want, you can build the model like this and save the swanky Atlantising Stand for another model!

Those who may have previous releases of the kit will want to buy the new Atlantis version anyway.  Quality of their decals is always first rate—the decals on my nearly 50-year-old kit broke in pieces when I tried to apply them, so you’ll want to leave those old collector-kit releases of yours in their boxes and build the new Atlantis kit instead!  We're sure that this Atlantis version will be a collector-kit some day.  Better buy an extra.

Another thing I'll do on my next build is to mask off some panels to provide a little differentiation in metal-grain variances.  I would also have masked off the control surfaces and hit them with a flatter clear finish to simulate silver-doped fabric.  However, thanks to the fragility of my glossy-black base coat and my build-in-a-weekend mandate, I had to cast those enhancements aside. 

Another area I didn't have time to paint was cockpit framing!  The underside engraving that came with the kit canopy passes as petite silver lines, so I had to let this suffice for my weekend build.  The de-icer boots and props have a tad too much sheen for my liking as well, but that shiny-black had to double as an undercoat for the silver finish.  Perhaps with an extra day or so, I could have taken it up a level.  Regardless, this kit is an easy-build and one you'll be happy to add to your collection of great Atlantis models!

BONUS:  REFERENCE MATERIAL FOR THE DECALS IN ATLANTIS' H208 B-29 SUPERFORTRESS 1/120

Atlantis' 1/120 B-29 is a vintage Revell model that originated in 1954.  Never has it been offered with three building options, but for the first time Atlantis does!  The first version is Tail# 294106.  This aircraft is featured on the box art and was the first version of the model to appear--2/3 of a century ago!

Here's photos of the B-29 with Tail #294106.  Note that insignia placement matches that found on the boxtop.  We noticed that in the picture on the left, (an old Boeing company photo according to our expert), the aircraft has no de-icer boots, like FIFI, described below.  So here's another easy option if you want an accurate B-29 without the fuss of masking and painting them.

Dauntless Dotty is a famous B-29.  It even has its own Wikipedia page.

This Wikipedia picture shows its pilot, Robert Morgan.  You'll recognize his name as the pilot of Memphis Belle, one of the most well-known B-17's that flew in Europe during WWII.  Dauntless Dotty was the first plane to bomb Tokyo since the Doolittle Raid, which occurred 2-1/2 years earlier.

Atlantis Models included decals for Dauntless Dotty; placement instructions are shown in the instructions.

This photo from AOPA shows "FIFI", another famous B-29 that you can build from the Atlantis model kit.  FIFI is known for being one of two B-29's still in flying condition.  The B-29 was a complex aircraft, and maintaining four Wright R-3350 engines with 18 cylinders each plus turbosuperchargers in flying condition is no easy task.  The Commemorative Air Force keeps her flying out of Fort Worth, TX.  Note that FIFI does not have de-icer boots on wings or stabs!

This shot of FIFI's right side shows all the placement information you'll need for that decal option! 

Of note is that FIFI does not have de-icer boots on wing or stab leading edges!  De-icer boots are inflatable black rubber strips that break up ice that can form on the wing during flight.  They were very important for high-altitude or all-weather  missions.  Being an airshow and demonstration aircraft, FIFI doesn't need them.  Building FIFI with your Atlantis B-29 eliminates the need to mask and paint them!

While we can't find a B-29 that wore the 34th Bomb Group's "Thunderbird" insignia, here's a couple shots of their B-25's with nose art similar to what you'll find on your Atlantis B-29 decal sheet.  That decal will look fantastic on Atlantis' B-25 kit.  If you haven't yet picked up one of those, heres's your excuse!  Of course there's nothing stopping you from decorating your B-29 with the Thunderbird if you want.  It's your model!

TRIVIA CHALLENGE ANSWER

Perhaps you didn't know that George McFly is a model builder!  Yes, that image of an opening shot in the "Darth Vader from Planet Vulcan" scene is from Back to the Future (1985).  This beloved movie is known for its attention to detail.   The Revell model kit placed in the shot establishes young George McFly's bedroom prior to its invasion by a would-be extraterrestrial.   The model is certainly correct for the period portrayed, specifically October, 1955.  It's very reasonable to assume that a youth of 1955 would have this model on his nightstand along with his favorite science fiction magazines!  Its placement demonstrates that the set dressers knew what they were doing to date the scene.

While that original 1954 version of the Revell B-29 is hard to find, Atlantis' version uses the exact same box art and the correct plastic is in the box.  So you rabid fans of BTTF who are trying to collect any obscure pieces relating to the movie have another easy-to-find collectible in the form of Atlantis' B-29 Superfortress that has a connection to your favorite film.

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Atlantis Models' new B-29 Superfortress on Amazon.com! (sponsor link)

Atlantis Models' B-25 is a nicely detailed 1/64 model that will look great displayed with your B-29 (sponsor link).