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

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  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Sunday, December 9, 2012 5:50 PM

Buffirn

The D Model still had an optical bombing system.  Apparently, it was a great place to rest your head on those long flights back to Guam.  At least that is what an old Radar of mine told me.

 

Lol, I'll bet!  Thanks, Buffirn! Big Smile.

Russ

 

 

  • Member since
    March 2009
  • From: Middletown, OH
Posted by Buffirn on Sunday, December 9, 2012 2:28 PM

The D Model still had an optical bombing system.  Apparently, it was a great place to rest your head on those long flights back to Guam.  At least that is what an old Radar of mine told me.

 

Jim Williams

 

  • Member since
    November 2010
  • From: Lafayette, Indiana
Posted by Son Of Medicine Man on Sunday, December 9, 2012 9:38 AM

Striker8241

Correction: Doppler Radar Cover

Hi, All,

In a previous post, I had scribed the height finder radar cover as shown below. However, it's actually shaped as shown in the second picture. Sorry for the misinformation.

Russ

 

Thank you Russ!  I have added this to the long list of details you have already pointed out on this build.  You are doing a great job detailing this aircraft and documenting it for everyone's benefit here.  Thank you for spending the time sharing it with us!

Ken

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Saturday, December 8, 2012 8:39 AM

Correction: Doppler Radar Cover

Hi, All,

In a previous post, I had scribed the height finder radar cover as shown in the first picture below. However, it's actually shaped as shown in the second picture. Sorry for the misinformation.

 

 

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Friday, December 7, 2012 3:28 PM

Hello, pampa,

Thanks for the good words! Great to meet a fellow airman from that era! Big Smile. I was stationed at Kadena, Okinawa with the 70th Bomb Wing out of Clinton-Sherman AFB, OK in 68 on an Arc Light deployment. I always admired (and felt sorry for) the munitions folks - no one worked harder or faced greater risks than you guys did.

Hope you'll come back and visit. If you see any mistakes in my work or have any suggestions or comments, I would really appreciate your posting them.

Cheers and thanks for stopping by,

Russ

 

  • Member since
    December 2012
Posted by pampa on Friday, December 7, 2012 12:38 PM

Striker8241,

Stumbled here by accident. I spent a year at U-Tapao 68-69 as a member of a bomb load team - 4258th MMS.  Your work is unbelievable.  Stateside I spent a couple of years loading nukes on the H model and one year with the B-58 right before they were retired. Thanks for the walk down memory lane - so surreal.

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Wednesday, November 28, 2012 8:45 AM

Hi, All,

Here's something that I designed and my wife made for me that may help you save those small parts that fly off the desk. It's a piece of cloth with some elastic along the front that attaches to your worktable with velcro and hooks.

The elastic keeps the material pressed against your waist and the velcro allows you to remove it for cleaning. The elastic sticks out at either end and is tied to two hooks. The adhesive sides of the velcro are stuck up under the edge of the worktable.

I have mine cut at an angle because it fits my work area better but you could use hinged arms with latches if you wanted a more rectangular or square shape.

Cheers,

Russ

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Sunday, November 25, 2012 3:49 AM

Some challenge you have there. Squadron do a B-52 cockpit set, but seems like you have this nailed.

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
    February 2010
  • From: Ontario, Canada
Posted by Bockscar on Friday, November 23, 2012 8:44 PM

Frick-a-Zee Russ!

What a start!

Are you going to line that with thin Styrene or other clear film?

You are now elevated to SenseiRusSan;

I'll see if I can find you a replacement, but

I would be just as happy to see that project finished successfully,

looks ffflipping fantastic just the way it is, "CUT-AWAY-GLASS" effect, right?

-Dom

PS:

This might have the glass you need:

http://www.1001modelkits.com/b-52-superfortress-model-kit/31158-boeing-b-52d-super-fortress-canopy-designed-to-be-assembled-with-model-kits-from-monogram-1-72-squadron-accessories-9196.html

Let me know,

-Dom

"God does not subtract from our time on earth

the hours we spend modeling."

 

Tags: BUFF GLASS

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Friday, November 23, 2012 8:29 PM

Hey All,

Ran into a bit of a problem. I was masking my gunner's canopy when it developed a series of fine cracks. They were so tiny I figured I could take them out with Future. But as I was about to paint it, the thing fell to pieces (see below - I glued it back together for measurements). Heartbreaking Sad.

Anyway, I decided to try and build the canopy from scratch. Not sure how this is going to turn out. So far, I have the frame finished and once it's painted on the inside, I'll start on the clear panels. Wish me luck! Big Smile.

Cheers,

Russ

 

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Friday, November 16, 2012 8:53 AM

Hello, Everyone,

Haven't made a lot of progress lately - been pretty busy. I did manage to finish scribing the horizontal sabilizers (see below). I  cut the trim tabs loose and positioned them at a slight angle. I also thinned out the vortex generators.

Cheers,

Russ

 

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Friday, November 16, 2012 8:34 AM

Bockscar

 
Nice work there Russ!Yes

They never painted those outriggers up in Hawaiian colours,

did they?Smile

I don't think anyone other than the super-geeks will spot they

are from a 1/72 F-4. By the way, nice drilling job there,

yeah, you get a pass for Grade 9 shop pal!!!GeekedCool

Dom

 

Thanks, Dom,

Sorry bud, I thought I already replied to this post.

Lol, I'd like to see those outriggers in Hawaiin colors! That would add some interest! Big Smile.

Thanks for the passing grade! Smile Beer

Russ

 

  • Member since
    February 2010
  • From: Ontario, Canada
Posted by Bockscar on Friday, November 9, 2012 6:02 PM

Striker8241

B-52D outriggers:

I've never been happy with the way they did the outrigger wheels on this model - the wheels are molded together with the strut yokes. I know they did this for strength so the outriggers could support the pressure from the sloped wings. Any type of plastic axel that could support the weight would have to be oversized - anything smaller would break.

Once the glue around the pin is hardened, insert each wheel through the hole in the axel and cut off the excess pin, then glue it in place. I also plan to glue the inside of the wheel to the strut for added strength. You will also need to file down and finish the hub on the outside of the yoke.

 Cheers,

Russ

Nice work there Russ!Yes

They never painted those outriggers up in Hawaiian colours,

did they?Smile

I don't think anyone other than the super-geeks will spot they

are from a 1/72 F-4. By the way, nice drilling job there,

yeah, you get a pass for Grade 9 shop pal!!!GeekedCool

Dom

"God does not subtract from our time on earth

the hours we spend modeling."

 

Edit tags

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Friday, November 9, 2012 10:32 AM

B-52D outriggers:

I didn't care for the way they did the outrigger wheels on this model - the wheels are molded together with the strut yokes. It's possible they did this for strength so the outriggers could support the pressure from the sloped wings.

I decided to remedy the problem. I happened to have the main gear wheels from an old 1/72 F-4 model that were just about the right diameter. They are a little thick, but you can't have everything Smile.

For the axels, I used a common sewing pin. I inserted a pin through each wheel with the head on the outside hub and glued it into the wheel, making sure the pin was perpendicular to the wheel all around.

   

Next, I carefully cut away the wheels from around the yokes. If you use a spru cutter, be careful not to deform the yoke. Then I cleaned out and sanded the yokes. I drilled a hole the size of the pin through each yoke at the axel point.

NOTE: If you plan to flatten your wheels, do not glue them to the struts at this time. Wait until the model is ready to stand on its feet and then attach the wheels so you can match the flat spot to the tilt of the wings.

Once the glue around the pin is hardened, insert each wheel through the hole in the axel and cut off the excess pin, then glue the axel in place.You will also need to file down and finish the hub on the outside of the axel.

Cheers,

Russ

 

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Thursday, November 8, 2012 9:01 PM

Bockscar

By the way Russ, for the upward Flex shot, see how the wing root up to the inboards has very little flex.

That's one of the pics I used to base my wing flex on for my build.

Dom

I see that. Pretty extreme eh? Must have been a pretty turbulent approach.

Russ

 

  • Member since
    February 2010
  • From: Ontario, Canada
Posted by Bockscar on Thursday, November 8, 2012 8:55 PM

By the way Russ, for the upward Flex shot, see how the wing root up to the inboards has very little flex.

That's one of the pics I used to base my wing flex on for my build.

Dom

  • Member since
    February 2010
  • From: Ontario, Canada
Posted by Bockscar on Thursday, November 8, 2012 8:49 PM
  • Hey Russ, I've been looking at that spoiler shot you provided:

     What I am seeing is that the top of each feather on the spoiler has a re-enforcement, like a small bubble ridge that goes from the back edge up past the feather root and a few inches back from that. Maybe to stop those feathers from ripping off?

    you can see the arch and shadows of those ridges if you blow up the photo.

    Am I seeing things?

    Dom

    "God does not subtract from our time on earth

    the hours we spend modeling."

     

    Edit
  • Bockscar

    Hey Russ, I've been looking at that spoiler shot you provided:

     What I am seeing is that the top of each feather on the spoiler has a re-enforcement, like a small bubble ridge that goes from the back edge up past the feather root and a few inches back from that. Maybe to stop those feathers from ripping off?

    you can see the arch and shadows of those ridges if you blow up the photo.

    Am I seeing things?

    Dom

    No, no, no.  I think you are way off base there Dom.  I think they are back scratchers!  Big Smile 

    Ken

  • Son Of Medicine Man
    Bockscar

    Hey Russ, I've been looking at that spoiler shot you provided:

     What I am seeing is that the top of each feather on the spoiler has a re-enforcement, like a small bubble ridge that goes from the back edge up past the feather root and a few inches back from that. Maybe to stop those feathers from ripping off?

    you can see the arch and shadows of those ridges if you blow up the photo.

    Am I seeing things?

    Dom

    No, no, no.  I think you are way off base there Dom.  I think they are back scratchers!  Big Smile 

    Ken

    Errrr, that's very embarrassing Ken;

    I thought I was the only one who used 'em fer that!Big Smile

    See Themza' onez' bent up an' all like that?

    they'za the wons' wot hit warts.....Ick!Big Smile

    Hey:

    There's a great shot of the upward wing flex:

    Dom

    "God does not subtract from our time on earth

    the hours we spend modeling."

     

    Edit
  • Walter Boyne:

    air-boyne.com/b-52s-60th-birthday-coming-up

    Dom

    "God does not subtract from our time on earth

    the hours we spend modeling."

     

    Edit
  • Big Brother:

    http://rbogash.com/B47.html

    Dom

    "God does not subtract from our time on earth

    the hours we spend modeling."

     

    Edit

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Wednesday, November 7, 2012 8:31 PM

Bockscar

Great looking work there Russ,

those spoiler feathers in the photo almost look like dentils, are they actually flat or raised up a bit like teeth?

Dom

 
Thanks, Dom. They were actually flat, as you can see in the photo below, just like they were rendered in the kit. On the other hand, the spoiler body was really tapered but the kit rendered it flat. To compensate and keep the spoiler even with the top of the wing, you end up tapering the feathers.
 
(Photo courtesy The Boeing Company)

I further thinned the feathers so it's hard now to see that they are slightly tapered. You have to be careful not to get them too thin or they'll break off. Being tapered slightly makes them a little stronger.

 
 
 
Tags: B-52 , spoilers

 

  • Member since
    February 2010
  • From: Ontario, Canada
Posted by Bockscar on Wednesday, November 7, 2012 7:45 PM

Great looking work there Russ,

those spoiler feathers in the photo almost look like dentils, are they actually flat or raised up a bit like teeth?

Dom

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Wednesday, November 7, 2012 7:36 PM

I'm close to finishing the wings and right now I'm tackling the spoilers. The kit has a slot for the spoiler but the whole spoiler assembly (including the "feathers") fits into the slot when actually, the feathers overlapped the wing as shown below:

I filled in the lower part of the slot with a 7 mm strip of plastic.

 

I then had to sand the strip, the wing along the edge of the strip, and the back side of the spoiler behind the feathers to get the spoiler to lay flat. I also sanded the feathers from the top to make them thinner (the spoiler is just tacked on in the picture below to see how it fits).

Cheers,

Russ

Tags: B-52D , wings

 

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Sunday, November 4, 2012 7:20 AM

Thanks, Bish Big Smile.

The re-scribing wasn't actually that hard - I spent more time correcting my mistakes Big Smile. I couldn't seem to find two panel diagrams that were the same, and these disagreed with actual photos so it was difficult to decide which lines should be included. I went by the photographs wherever possible, but there are few that show the top wing panels and even fewer that show them clearly.

The hardest part was smoothing and thinning the trailing edges, and cleaning up the leading edges. They're pretty ragged and needed a lot of filling. And the plastic for the wings was harder than for the fuselage, probably because the plane was intended to be suspended from the ceiling.

Russ

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Sunday, November 4, 2012 3:13 AM

Russ, your a braver man than me re scriding those huge wings. This is looking good.

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
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Saturday, November 3, 2012 9:48 AM

Hi, All,

Sorry I haven't posted any updates in a while. I've been struggling with these wings. And I thought the fuselage was difficult!  At any rate, I finally got the wings scribed (I decided not to scribe the undersides since they won't be seen anyway, so that saves a lot of work).

Updated 7/9/19.

When I tried the wings on the fuselage I discovered that they don't have the necessary droop for the outrigger gear to touch properly. I read previously of one modeller's solution to this, but he cut slots in the top wing to insert strips of styrene. I didn't want to mess up the top so instead, I removed a 1 mm  strip on the underside of the wing. If you want to try this, follow the steps below.

NOTE: You will need to have the fuselage assembled with the main wheels attached to test the wing droop.

1.) Assemble the top and bottom wing sections according to the kit instructions and glue them together. Do not glue the flaps in! Once the wing is dry, pull the flaps all the way out, or remove them.

2.) Lay each wing with the bottom side up.

3.) Measure 135mm from the wing root along the leading edge of the wing and make a mark.

4.) Starting from the mark, draw a line parallel with the inboard slot for the nacelle strut, to the trailing edge of the wing.

5.)  Using a sharp #11 Xacto blade, carefully make a 1 mm wide cut along the line (see first photo below). Remove the cut material.

6.) Place objects under the wing on either side of the cut so that when a weight is placed over the cut, the walls of the cut will close together.

7.) Remove the weight and apply a strong glue to the cut, then reapply the central weight.

8.) Perform the same procedure on the second wing. Allow the wings to dry for at least 24 hours.

9.) Sand and finish the cut areas.

10.) To verify the wing droop, cut two wooden toothpicks to the length of the outriggers from the bottom of the tires to the tips of the mounting pins at the top of the gear.  

11.) Insert the toothpicks into the mounting holes for the outrigger gear.

12.) Place the model on a flat surface and temporarily install the modified wings in the fuselage. NOTE: If you've already flattened your main gear tires, you will need to flatten the outrigger tires to match the length of the toothpicks. Keep in mind that the outriggers slant slightly backwards with the wing installed so flatten the tires accordingly.

13.) Verify that the wing roots are flat against the fuselage with the tips of the toothpicks resting on the surface. If the the toothpicks are too long, you can compensate by flattening the outrigger tires accordingly. If the toothpicks are too short, You can lengthen the pin at the top of the outrigger assembly.

14.) Carefully re-install the flaps. You may have to shorten the length of the flap assemblies slightly and institute a slight curve to match the wing's new curve.

 

 

Cheers,

Russ

Tags: B-52D , wings

 

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Saturday, October 27, 2012 11:14 AM

I discovered that the easiest way to cut out the ailerons and keep them straight on the B-52 model is to cut from the bottom of the wing following the edges of the flaps. The aileron outline on the bottom seems to be more correct that those on top. There may be some ragged edges on the top wing, flaps and top of the aileron, but you can fill and sand these.

Cheers,

Russ

 

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Friday, October 26, 2012 9:21 AM

The ram air intake port at the left wing root is not rendered correctly, at least on my model. The model has it extending into the upper wing, similiar to the input port near the pylon. However, the port should only be on the lower wing root, as shown below. To correct this, you'll need to fill in the upper section.

Tags: B-52D , wings

 

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 11:10 PM

Bockscar

In the meantime, here she is, flaps up:

Dom

 
Nice! Big Smile

 

  • Member since
    February 2010
  • From: Ontario, Canada
Posted by Bockscar on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 9:00 PM

Russ,

thanks for that reminder,

I'll have to go back and find a D-model to have a closer look.

You brought up a good point, I remember hearing someone on a show on

the Military Channel say the BUFF had no ailerons, only spoilers.

I wish I could have heard the conversations a Boeing about

getting rid of that feature!Smile

In the meantime, here she is, flaps up:

Dom

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 8:50 PM

Bockscar

Flaps down, yeh, pretty close to the ground:

Hey Dom,

That bird is riding pretty high. Likely it's not been refueled or bombed up. With a full fuel load + bombs, the wings will be much closer to the ground and the inner flap corners (on either sides of the ailerons) will be right about head level.

Bockscar

So Russ, is that gap in the flaps for the engine blast, is that where the aileron you've cut is positioned?

Yup.. Remember though - the D-models were the last to use ailerons [Correction - the F models were actually the last with ailerons]. Your pictues are of G or H models. 

The ailerons are pretty well outlined on the model, including the two trim tabs at the bottom. Just check that the aileron edges match up top and bottom.

And thanks for the good words on the lift trailer Big Smile.

Cheers,

Russ

 

  • Member since
    February 2010
  • From: Ontario, Canada
Posted by Bockscar on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 8:27 PM
Striker8241
Bockscar

Russ:

What did you use to saw that flap out?...and what did you fill it with? -Thanks

Dom

 
Hi, Dom,
 
I assume you mean the aileron since I didn't do any cutting on the flaps. I used a sharp #11 blade and a flexible straight edge and just kept cutting until I was through. Check the alignment of the edges of the aileron top and bottom with the flap openings - mine was off a bit on the bottom of the left wing and I had to cut at a slight angle. The pieces are so thick that I didn't need to use any fill.
 
Russ
 

Thanks Russ:

After what you mentioned about flap assemblies not being very accurately detailed, I wasn't sure what I was looking at there, I haven't been around enough BUFFS to know. That sounds like a good cutting strategy, I'm guessing it kept the cut gap to a minimum tolerance.

Err, I do know what those spoilers look like though....that one would be hard for Monogram to mess up....Tx again

Flaps down, yeh, pretty close to the ground:

So Russ, is that gap in the flaps for the engine blast, is that where the aileron you've cut is positioned?

Dom

"God does not subtract from our time on earth

the hours we spend modeling."

 Russ: Thought I should post those BUFF snaps here.

That lift assembly looks great!Yes

Dom

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: USA
Posted by Striker8241 on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 7:19 PM

Thanks, Ken! Big Smile   There's a color mismatch between the two - I want the colors more like the lift trailer so I'll touch up the bomb trailer later. Hopefully I can also find slightly larger wheels so I can make the trailer look more like the real ones.

Thanks again, bud, for the good words!

Russ

 

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