1/72 B-52D with Big Belly Mod, Operation Arc Light

Russ,

If you were a pinnacle of geeks the world over, you would use super magnets instead of simple brackets/clamps.

Hi, All,

Today, I remembered why I hated woodworking shop so much...

I have the base pretty much complete. I still need to add some trim around the sides that will also act as a support base for the clear Plexiglas or glass cover (haven't decided which yet. I built the base in two halves that will be held together with removable brackets. The separation of the two halves is side to side instead of front to back so it will be less obvious from the front.

Again, thank you Bish for the idea of building the base in two halves!

Below are a few pictures of the base, one with the model sitting on it to give you an idea of the size of the base (38 x 40 in).

Cheers,

Russ

sub revolution isn't that at the Colorado springs AFB/ Air-force academy?

Bockscar

 

PS: i found a way to sharpen the tungsten point, i had some old 600 grit diamond paper lying around, and after a few hundred tedious swipes, it turned that 3 thou bevel back into a point, phew.....

maybe now I can make some better panel lines....

That's great, Dom! Glad you were able to salvage that scriber.

Russ

wynder

The guy standing next to the trailer thinks it's an AWESOME idea!

Lol he better - I pay his salary!

Striker8241

Bockscar

~

I shoulda' cut you a mirror you could just pop on top when ever you wanted, and take it off when ever you want too,

that is to say, you just put the mirror on top if you want to show some detail, but keep it handy if you don't.

Dom

 

Dom, you're a genius!!

I've been wondering how to keep the mirror clean while the trailer sits idle. Your comment gave me the idea of making a cover to put on it! Duh!  Why didn't I think of that before... ?

Anyway, here are a couple of shots of the cover. Nothing fancy, just a piece of styrene.

Thanks, and cheers!

Russ

My "genius" and $1.50 will buy you a cup of coffee!

Great cover, yeah, Wynder, that little guy is shouting "Eureka!!!!"

-Thanks.......

PS: i found a way to sharpen the tungsten point, i had some old 600 grit diamond paper lying around, and after a few hundred tedious swipes, it turned that 3 thou bevel back into a point, phew.....

maybe now I can make some better panel lines....

The guy standing next to the trailer thinks it's an AWESOME idea!

Pretty cool idea Russ!   

Ken

Bockscar

~

I shoulda' cut you a mirror you could just pop on top when ever you wanted, and take it off when ever you want too,

that is to say, you just put the mirror on top if you want to show some detail, but keep it handy if you don't.

Dom

 

Dom, you're a genius!!

I've been wondering how to keep the mirror clean while the trailer sits idle. Your comment gave me the idea of making a cover to put on it! Duh!  Why didn't I think of that before... ?

Anyway, here are a couple of shots of the cover. Nothing fancy, just a piece of styrene.

Thanks, and cheers!

Russ

Buffrin

[~ Dad said something about it having 4 little wire type antennae in it.  So, the dome would protect the antennae. 

 

Hey Jim, it just occurred to me - with that kind of antenna, that could have been part of the ILS system, like maybe the marker beacon receiving antenna...

Russ

Thanks, Ken!  

Good question about the weight. Each MK82 bomb weighed on average about 540 lbs x 28 = 15,120 lbs total. Figure the clip assembly weighed around 1500 lbs and the total weight of the loaded bomb clip was probably around 16,500 lbs - over 8 tons.

Cheers,

Russ

Striker8241

Hi, All,

Here's the transporter with the cradle installed, and the clip in place. I didn't add the chains because they will not be on the model in the diorama - I plan to show the transporter being backed into the loader and at that time the chains would have already been removed.

 

That is just awesome detail work Russ!  Very nice!!     

So how many tons is that trailer hauling?

Ken

Striker8241

Bockscar

PS:

I hate that little probe on the nose of the Revell kit.....

I know it may be a crime to knowingly eliminate an accurate detail,

but I think I am going to saw the dang thing off.....

"SAM got it, sir......"

Dom

Lol, chop away, Dom! I don't think anyone will notice . BTW, does that mean the AMT kit doesn't have the antenna on it?

Russ

I have not seen one of those domes on a G or an H.  It must have been phased out when repalced by newer equipment.

Also, that's a big roger on the RHAW gear.  I do know that the B-47 had one fore and one aft that looked alot like the one on the D model.  Dad said something about it having 4 little wire type antennae in it.  So, the dome would protect the antennae. 

I'll keep looking and mabybe I'll find someone who knows for sure.

Jim

Hi, All,

Here's the transporter with the cradle installed, and the clip in place. I didn't add the chains because they will not be on the model in the diorama - I plan to show the transporter being backed into the loader and at that time the chains would have already been removed.

Buffirn

While I was looking for stuff on the optical bombing system, I found these.

http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/AirborneArmament/Volume_I.htm

 

http://books.google.com/books?id=vqOILHWao0wC&pg=PA74&lpg=PA74&dq=b-52d+optical+bombing+system&source=bl&ots=cc3hRqayPT&sig=bEvPUH0gM5qbrYvnG7p6JrQRmhg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ur19UYDiOJWs4APL7IDQBw&ved=0CEoQ6AEwBTgU#v=onepage&q&f=true

 

http://www.usaf-nav-history.com

 I hope you like them.

Fascinating reading, Jim, and some great links. Nice to see things from the navigator's perspective for a change. Yours was a truly complicated and important job.

Thanks!

Russ

Bockscar

PS:

I hate that little probe on the nose of the Revell kit.....

I know it may be a crime to knowingly eliminate an accurate detail,

but I think I am going to saw the dang thing off.....

"SAM got it, sir......"

Dom

Lol, chop away, Dom! I don't think anyone will notice . BTW, does that mean the AMT kit doesn't have the antenna on it?

Russ

Bockscar

Wow, not bad for slacking off Russ....

the weathering looks great, very convincing work.

I shoulda' cut you a mirror you could just pop on top when ever you wanted, and take it off when ever you want too,

that is to say, you just put the mirror on top if you want to show some detail, but keep it handy if you don't.

Dom

Thanks, Dom!   I could have done that with the trailer I used but with my fumble fingers, I would probably drop it and break it. This trailer is the transporter for the bomb clip I'm going to display. I just built one that looks like the actual trailer.

Cheers,

Russ

Son Of Medicine Man

Striker8241

Well, work on the diorama base got pushed back to next weekend, so I built a new transporter trailer with wheels closer to scale. This one ooks a whole lot better . A couple of photos are shown below. The cradle is just about finished so I should have it installed in a day or so.

Cheers,

Russ

 

 

 

Wow Russ, once again great work!  Very impressive!     

Ken

Thanks, Ken!  

PS:

I hate that little probe on the nose of the Revell kit.....

I know it may be a crime to knowingly eliminate an accurate detail,

but I think I am going to saw the dang thing off.....

"SAM got it, sir......"

Dom

Buffirn

I talked with my Dad tonight and asked about the nub on the D-model nose.  He thinks it was a RHAW antenna.  It is very similar to one on the nose of the B-47.  It might have been abandoned by the time you worked on them Russ. 

While I was looking for stuff on the optical bombing system, I found these.

http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/AirborneArmament/Volume_I.htm

 

http://books.google.com/books?id=vqOILHWao0wC&pg=PA74&lpg=PA74&dq=b-52d+optical+bombing+system&source=bl&ots=cc3hRqayPT&sig=bEvPUH0gM5qbrYvnG7p6JrQRmhg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ur19UYDiOJWs4APL7IDQBw&ved=0CEoQ6AEwBTgU#v=onepage&q&f=true

 

http://www.usaf-nav-history.com

 I hope you like them.

Very cool info. That's for next Sunday and a beer

Dom

Could be, Jim, although I've never seen a e RHAW antenna on one of the major aircraft axes. They're usually in pairs or groups of 4 and angled 45 degrees or so for better coverage.

It is about the size of a RHAW antenna, but it could also have been used with the radar as part of its defensive capabilities. It could also have been used with the EWO's panoramic indicator system. 

Cheers,

Russ

Striker8241

Well, work on the diorama base got pushed back to next weekend, so I built a new transporter trailer with wheels closer to scale. This one ooks a whole lot better . A couple of photos are shown below. The cradle is just about finished so I should have it installed in a day or so.

Cheers,

Russ

 

 

 

Wow Russ, once again great work!  Very impressive!     

Ken

I talked with my Dad tonight and asked about the nub on the D-model nose.  He thinks it was a RHAW antenna.  It is very similar to one on the nose of the B-47.  It might have been abandoned by the time you worked on them Russ. 

While I was looking for stuff on the optical bombing system, I found these.

http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/AirborneArmament/Volume_I.htm

http://books.google.com/books?id=vqOILHWao0wC&pg=PA74&lpg=PA74&dq=b-52d+optical+bombing+system&source=bl&ots=cc3hRqayPT&sig=bEvPUH0gM5qbrYvnG7p6JrQRmhg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ur19UYDiOJWs4APL7IDQBw&ved=0CEoQ6AEwBTgU#v=onepage&q&f=true

http://www.usaf-nav-history.com

 I hope you like them.

Wow, not bad for slacking off Russ....

the weathering looks great, very convincing work.

I shoulda' cut you a mirror you could just pop on top when ever you wanted, and take it off when ever you want too,

that is to say, you just put the mirror on top if you want to show some detail, but keep it handy if you don't.

Dom

Well, work on the diorama base got pushed back to next weekend, so I built a new transporter trailer with wheels closer to scale. This one looks a whole lot better . A couple of photos are shown below. The cradle is just about finished so I should have it installed in a day or so.

Cheers,

Russ

Yeah Russ;

I gotta say, the 3M sticky material seems to last, i have stuff taped or post-its from

back in '87, and it still is like new.

Well set contact cement does not remain gummy for 15 years, that is all i know.

Russ, I think there is also a spray on 3M-type tacky material that isn't supposed to dry out.

I haven't got it handy, but I used to use it for stenciling on uneven surfaces way back when.

Dom

Thanks, Dom. I considered double sided tape but I'm concerned it would dry out and allow edges of the tarmac to lift. There's still a while before I'm ready to commit so I will experiment with both.

Thanks again!

Russ

Nice looking deck Russ:

i did a preliminary search, and supposedly 3M has double-sided Post-It

material....may be just some one using post-it as wrap-around stickys.

I did find some Scotch double-sided removable tape:

www.amazon.com/.../B001390CK0

i don't know if that would work at all, but I do know that it would probably peel off a lot

easier than contact cement.....just a thought.

Dom

Hi, All,

Below is a partial printout of the tarmac for my diorama - partial because it was taking too much printer ink, even in low res mode. It looks a little funky because it's printed on plain paper, but it gives an idea how the final version will look. Mainly, I wanted to test the feasibility of applying effects like oil spills and general grime on such a large scale. Once the various layers are in place in Photoshop, or any other image software that can access a layered TIF file, it's a snap to change or update the tarmac file.

I plan to print out the slices on heavy matt paper and glue them down with rubber cement. That way, if something should spill on the tarmac it or it gets dinged, I can always pry up the offending slice and replace it. And it's fairly easy to add or change something to the entire tarmac compared to doing it by hand.

I'll be adding the decorative trim around the diorama base this weekend so I hope to have some preliminary pictures.

Cheers,

Russ

Thanks, Duke . I definitely will be trying out those weathering powders, particularly on the ground equipment.

Cheers,

Russ