@Mysticpuma and Tbag:
I do 3D modelling myself and there is no visual improvement between the SoW models that have been shown and that B-17, at all. At least from a polycount point of view. Every poly more than the SoW models have is a waste and pretty much inefficient.
As for the textures, take a look at this shot of the B-17:
http://www.a2asimulations.com/wingso...eenshots/4.jpg
Without the polished finished it actually looks rather dreary compared to the SoW models.
Besides, why would you want to absolve a combat simulator from its very purpose, simulating combat, just to look at a plane model, which you could do better in an environment like FSX? That doesn't makesense to me at all.