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XB-70 what if (Completed)

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  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Coldwater, Mich
XB-70 what if (Completed)
Posted by MKelley on Thursday, November 19, 2015 1:56 PM

Ok folks I am working on Italeri's XB-70. I was thinking instead of the traditional all white scheme, what about a what if one. Right now I am leaning toward a SIOP type camo finish. I have thought about the black one like the U-2, SR-71. Any thoughts.

  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Scotland
Posted by Milairjunkie on Thursday, November 19, 2015 3:51 PM

SIOP doesnt seem suited - buy hey, it's a what if....

A black or very dark blue along the lines of the SR-71 would be interesting.

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Thursday, November 19, 2015 3:54 PM
I think I would go with the camo. I have seen builds of the TSR2 done in Brit camo What If scheme, I think the 70 would look nice that way as well. But I hope you have plenty of paint.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Thursday, November 19, 2015 4:05 PM

I think FS 36118 Gunship Gray would look pretty good.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Coldwater, Mich
Posted by MKelley on Thursday, November 19, 2015 4:17 PM

You know GMorrison you may be on to something. A finish something like the F-4G used to carry couple shades of gray, split somewhere along fuselage.

  • Member since
    October 2008
Posted by eatthis on Thursday, November 19, 2015 4:31 PM
im fairly sure only white or black are suitable for mach 3 flight for thermal reasons but what if means anything goes

 

snow + 4wd + escessive hp = :)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7egUIS70YM

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Thursday, November 19, 2015 4:37 PM

There's a thought... Mach 3 intruder mission! What'd my avatar say?

"..if the pilot's good, see, I mean, if he's really... sharp, he can barrel that baby in so low, you oughtta see it sometime, it's a sight. A big plane like a '(70). VRROOM! There's jet exhaust, fryin' chickens in the barnyard."

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    January 2012
  • From: Barrie, Ontario
Posted by Cdn Colin on Thursday, November 19, 2015 4:48 PM

I think they were white to reflect nuclear blast radiation.  B-52's from the time were NMF with white undersides.

But gunship grey looks cool.

I build 1/48 scale WW2 fighters.

Have fun.

  • Member since
    October 2014
Posted by TomZ on Thursday, November 19, 2015 5:30 PM
If you look up pics of the B-70 after extended high speed flight, much of the white paint has come off, revealing the stainless steel skin. What an amazing airplane. I believe that the intake plenum before the engines was eight feet tall. TomZ
  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: From the Mit, but live in Mason, O high ho
Posted by hogfanfs on Thursday, November 19, 2015 5:34 PM

Lizard camo would be cool!

 Bruce

 

 On the bench:  1/48 Eduard MiG-21MF

                        1/35 Takom Merkava Mk.I

 

  • Member since
    November 2015
Posted by cdr6 on Thursday, November 19, 2015 11:10 PM
Sounds cool... Having worked for NASA I tell ya overall white scheme was generaly used on prototype/experimental aircraft by the boys down at Edwards. Regards, Chuck
  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Scotland
Posted by Milairjunkie on Friday, November 20, 2015 4:07 AM

If you want to go completley what if - Splinter camo (Viggen style) in black / grey / silverPropeller

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by PaulBoyer on Friday, November 20, 2015 9:23 AM

One of these days, I want to accomplish a whif project that I've had in mind for decades:

Imagine a B-70 in SIOP camo at Mach 1.5 refueling from a Concorde tanker. I call it

 

(wait for it)

 

SAC's Fantasy

 

I've got the Concorde from the review I did of the Airfix 1/72 kit. I just need to pull the landing gear, scratch a multi-sonic refueling boom, build the AMT B-70, and get creative with a display stand for it all. Someday. Maybe.

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Coldwater, Mich
Posted by MKelley on Friday, November 20, 2015 3:19 PM

Ok folks I just hit the big time. I have PaulBoyer throwing in his 2 cents worth on a thread that I started. Propeller By the way the Concorde as a refueler would be very interesting. I actually saw the Concorde flying one time. For some reason that escapes me now it was at the airport in Battle Creek Michigan. I had heard it was going to be there so I went and watched as it was buzzing the field. I do not remember if it landed or not.  

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: 29° 58' N 95° 21' W
Posted by seasick on Friday, November 20, 2015 8:53 PM

The B-70 was intended for high altitude penetration of enemy air space. Lets say however that the B-70 is being used for conventional bombing. The bomber is a B-70B. Drop 51 Mk83 bombs on Hanoi during operation linebacker. Paint it like a B-52D/F/G in the early 1970s.

Chasing the ultimate build.

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Friday, November 20, 2015 9:14 PM

Yep SS, but SAC doctrine changed to low kevel penetration before the idea of aircraft carried weapons was abandoned entirely. The Brits reconfigured their Vulcans, and TSR-2 was foreseen as a low level penetrator from the beginning.

Remember there was a rumor for a while about a B-58 in SEA camo. Turned out to have originated in an Italeri sheet.

 

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Coldwater, Mich
Posted by MKelley on Friday, November 20, 2015 9:33 PM

I found one called the Ferris Heater for the F-16XL. It is 5 different shades of gray in a diagonal pattern across the aircraft. We may have found a winner. Thanks to Cyber Modeler Websight. I look at this way the B-52 had several different camo patterns, this could be the same for the B-70. Let me know what you think. 

F-16

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by PaulBoyer on Friday, November 20, 2015 11:13 PM
Heater/Ferris, actually. It was applied to one unit of Navy F-4S types in the 80s, I think, and some test birds. That would look pretty cool on the "Valk."
  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Saturday, November 21, 2015 12:03 AM

Seen from above as a giant chunk of Russian Highway. I like it.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Saturday, November 21, 2015 1:34 AM
Not seen that before, I rather like it.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Naples, FL
Posted by tempestjohnny on Saturday, November 21, 2015 5:21 AM

MKelley

I found one called the Ferris Heater for the F-16XL. It is 5 different shades of gray in a diagonal pattern across the aircraft. We may have found a winner. Thanks to Cyber Modeler Websight. I look at this way the B-52 had several different camo patterns, this could be the same for the B-70. Let me know what you think. 

F-16

 

Just great. Now I'm going to have to look for another XL kit. Nice

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Coldwater, Mich
Posted by MKelley on Sunday, January 3, 2016 11:01 AM

Ok, ladies and gents I have finished this beast. It is in the Ferris/Heator or Heater/Ferris camo (depends on the reference source) It has so much filler in it I think I could work in an auto body shop now. Sorry for the quality of the photos, new camera and I have not figured everything out.

I found decals in the spares that I thought would work. I added nose art because I wanted to. The nose art is a combination of decals from Mongram's 1/48th P-61. I used the pin up from the Husslin Hussy and the times a wasting text from the Snuffy Smith. Comments and critique welcome.

  • Member since
    August 2013
Posted by Jay Jay on Sunday, January 3, 2016 11:09 AM

OH MY that's  a beauty !   Flawless paint job and loving it.

 

 

 

 

 

 I'm finally retired. Now time I got, money I don't.

  • Member since
    January 2012
  • From: Barrie, Ontario
Posted by Cdn Colin on Sunday, January 3, 2016 11:28 AM

Very nice!

I build 1/48 scale WW2 fighters.

Have fun.

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Sunday, January 3, 2016 11:36 AM

I really like that, the scheme looks right on this. Nice looking build.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Coldwater, Mich
Posted by MKelley on Sunday, January 3, 2016 12:32 PM

Jay Jay, Cdn Collins and Bish thanks for the comments. 

GAF
  • Member since
    June 2012
  • From: Anniston, AL
Posted by GAF on Sunday, January 3, 2016 5:13 PM

A beautiful scheme and finish!

Considering the expansion and contraction of the fuselage at high speeds, I doubt that paint would last long.  However, I always assumed that the B-70 (if operational) would rarely go much above mach 1 in peace-time.  When it came time to use the B-70, paint would not be a problem as it would be used only once!

Gary

  • Member since
    December 2009
  • From: West Chester,Ohio
Posted by roger_wilco on Sunday, January 3, 2016 5:39 PM

Very nice! I am a fan of what-if schemes and that is one of the coolest I've ever seen.

"Build what YOU want, the way YOU want, and above all have fun!" - RIP Modeler Al. 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Coldwater, Mich
Posted by MKelley on Sunday, January 3, 2016 6:27 PM

GAF, I did some research on the XB-70 and the paint. I found out that it peeled off because they put it on too thick. When they figured that out and sprayed the paint thinner most of the paint issues went away. Plus the USAF was considering using a opaque silver for for the production aircraft. That would have been something to see.  

  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Cavite, Philippines
Posted by allan on Sunday, January 3, 2016 7:47 PM
That is a beautiful build. Be careful. As I recall, Keith Ferris sued the Navy for using the Heatley Ferris scheme.

No bucks, no Buck Rogers

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