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

Hey Russ,

Aint worked on the AMARC dio for a while, getting a little burned out on B-52s. Workin on 3 1/32 F-105s at the moment. Probably wont do too much to it til the snow starts gettin up to the windows....

Majer Kong

Buffirn

Well Russ, I finally got them done.  They weren't as difficult as I thought they might be.  Getting the blank forms to work from was the hard part.  I built them in Excell and did some fancy stuff after that.

I did square up the one in the upper right.  Now, I need to pack them up and send them to you.  I'll send you the originals also.

somehow missed all of that,

very cool minnies of the documents......

do you do currencies?......lol

Dom

Jim,

Did you send them? I haven't received them yet.

Russ

I sent them out on the 9th.  USPS tells me that they were not deliverable and that they are being sent back to me.  I guess I'll get them sometime and ship them out again.

Bummer! Did they say why they couldn't deliver them? You sent those magnets and there was no problem. Sheesh - no wonder they're going down the tube!

Hi, All,

Several people have asked me about building a B-4 maintenance stand so I've put together a set of instructions. If you would like a copy, please PM me.

Cheers,

Russ

Jim,

The 781s came today! Great timing! I've entered the diorama in the IPMS Modelpalooza show in Orlando this coming weekend. I'll be sure to have one of your sets resting proudly on the MD-3!

Many thanks for taking the time to do this!

Russ

That is just wierd.  They had told me they didn't know where they were.  I sent the PO a complaint via email Friday.  It must have awakened the slumbering slugs.  Glad you finally got them and that you like them.  I found a company that makes the double ended pencils too.  I am no the proud owner of a few for my own enjoyment.  Good luck with the show!

Thanks, Jim! Here's one of your books in it's proper place on the MD-3, ready for the show. Looks good!

Russ

Jim, that manual looks great!

Good luck with the show Russ, your diorama

may cause a bit of traffic congestion around the table....

Lol, thanks Dom!  I sure hope so

Russ

Russ,

Did you win it all?  Cleaned up in all the real categories?  Tell us!

Hi, Guys,

Just got back from Orlando. No, Jim, didn't even come close , but I had a lot of fun anyway. I did win a silver medal in the Dioramas category and since there were no gold winners in that category, I guess silver isn't so bad. I think if I had been able to use my air brush and do a better paint job, I would have scored higher. The show was kind of small and not all the tables were filled.

NOTE:  I decided (regretfully) not to allow people to use the mirror trailer to view the underbody because there was just too much detail that could be damaged by a careless hand.

Below are some pictures of the show. The first one is my diorama with my Commander in Chief standing guard .

The next is a shot of the display area. My model is behind the guy on the far right in the yellow shirt and funny hat. I was kind of located out in the boonies...

Here's the vendor area...82 vendors - lots and lots of stuff!

I managed to pick up an Italeri B-57B Canberra and a Monogram RB-66A, both for around $10 each. The Monogram kit is a really old kit -1967.

Cheers,

Russ

You can't be unhappy with a silver.  I am glad you had fun.  Afterall, that is the point, isn't it?

Right you are, bud. It was great to meet other modelers and trade lies .

Russ

Russ:

If Silver is the highest award in Dioramas category, then you won the category

CONGRATULATIONS!!!  

Those are great little kits you picked up, Monogram and Revel both cheated on the

scales back then. (yeah, I got 'em....)

If you won the top prize at that show, I would suggest to keep going,

if you're interested in showing, great work.

Dom

Thanks, Dom. Mine was one of about 4 silvers  in that category, and I don't think anyone won the top prize, but unfortunately, we had to leave before the awards were finished. It was nice to win but the prize doesn't matter -  I just wanted to participate.

BTW, here's a picture of the medal - It's really very nice, and kinda neat since it has a B-52 on it .

Cheers,

Russ

Congratulations, Russ! Now how about a few overall shots of the diorama for our viewing pleasure? Thanks in advance and have a nice day!

Paweł

Thanks, Pawel!

I didn't take any detailed shots of the diorama at the show since I've already posted a series in the Arc Light thread. They start on Page 26.

Cheers, my friend,

Russ

I looked on their website and they were using open scoring.  That means there isn't the standard 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.  The medals are given out based upon a scoring standard.  So you get so many points for seams and paint and decals, etc.  A silver means you did pretty darned good, but had some flaws.  Since you built it, you know what you would change or improve.  Still, a silver is really good.  Congratulations and what's next?

Russ,

I don't think I have said this but thank you for sharing this journey with us.  It has been exciting to see the final project come together.  I think it is fair to say that you have inspired some of us to build even if we  don't go to the lengths that you did.  Once again thank you for sharing this with all of us on the sidelines.

Jim

Buffirn

I looked on their website and they were using open scoring.  That means there isn't the standard 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.  The medals are given out based upon a scoring standard.  So you get so many points for seams and paint and decals, etc.  A silver means you did pretty darned good, but had some flaws.  Since you built it, you know what you would change or improve.  Still, a silver is really good.  Congratulations and what's next?

Thanks, Jim!

There are a number of things I would improve. I made the mistake of joining the two halves of the fuselage with super glue, which later cracked on me after I had painted it. I managed to repair some spots but there were visible seams on the belly and on top. Next time I'll use epoxy. Also, the paint job was mediocre but I hope to correct that in future. I feel like the judging was very fair and I'm happy to have achieved the score I did.

As for what's next - I'm going to hit my Combat Talon model hard and try to have it ready by May. That'll be pretty ambitious since I'm doing a lot of detail. Then, models of the other planes I worked on. I'm also getting the urge to do another B-52 diorama - this time a C model  being loaded with nukes like we discussed. If I have time, I'll cut the grass and take my wife out to dinner .

Cheers,

Russ

Buffirn

Russ,

I don't think I have said this but thank you for sharing this journey with us.  It has been exciting to see the final project come together.  I think it is fair to say that you have inspired some of us to build even if we  don't go to the lengths that you did.  Once again thank you for sharing this with all of us on the sidelines.

Jim

Wow, thanks for that, Jim! Thank you, and everyone else who inspired me with comments and encouragement. It wasn't a journey alone, you were all with me and you all contributed to that medal.

Thanks to all of you for coming along!

Russ 

Striker8241

Thanks, Dom. Mine was one of about 4 silvers  in that category, and I don't think anyone won the top prize, but unfortunately, we had to leave before the awards were finished. It was nice to win but the prize doesn't matter -  I just wanted to participate.

BTW, here's a picture of the medal - It's really very nice, and kinda neat since it has a B-52 on it .

 

There's a regional IPMS show next May somewhere around here so I might attend that one.

Cheers,

Russ

Big time congratulations Russ!!!         That is just too cool!      Your very first contest and you bring home a silver medal!  How awesome is that!! 

Ken

Thanks, Ken!  It is awesome - I probably don't appreciate how awesome it is, this being my first contest. I should be glad I got any prize at all now that I see all the mistakes I made  .

Russ

It was the 781 that did it! 

I have no doubt, Jim!  Everybody thought that was way cool!

Russ

Russ,  That build and diorama are absolutely, unspeakably incredible.  I have never seen better.  Thank you for sharing all of the details and the in process shots along the way.  WOW!

John

You're welcome, John, and many thanks for the good words!

Russ

Russ, well done on the medal, more than well deserved. That dio is stunning. If mine comes out half that nice I will be well pleased. You have certainly given me a lot of ideas and I am so glad I didn't do this 20 years ago.

I was just looking at Hannants and just saw that someone has released a 72nd B-4 stand, I thought that about typical.