Xtrakit 1/72nd Canberra PR.9 Completed page 2

Time to wrap this one up. I put on alight panel wash with Flory Wash. I first did it with the light grey wash but this was to stark against the hemp. So i removed that and used their sand wash. After leaving to dry for 24 hours i removed the excess and its left a nice subtle wash in the panel lines. After a matt coat, i masked and painted the exhaust ends and added al the final part. The kit didn't include a pitot but i managed to find one in the spares box.

And then to add it to the base. I did have a slight mishap. I secured the kit to the base and after hoding it down for a minute or so i realised i had not painted in the expansion joints between the concrete panels. So i had to paint them with the kit on, around and under it. OOP's.

The 2 pilot figures are from PJ productions and they seem to be just generic pilots. The ground crewman is from Hasegawa's US ground cew set with uniform modified to the RAF's coveralls. Modern ground crew figures are really thin on the ground.

I also added a ladder from Eduard, ground power unit from Flightpath and some wheel chocks.

This aircraft was based at RAF Marham in the North West of Norfolk and is shown as it was in 2006 when the type was retired from the RAF. Of the 37 military airfields which once covered Norfolk, Marham is the only one that is still an active air base, home to the RAF's Tornado GR.4 and soon to be home to the F-35.

Thanks for looking, all comments welcome as always.

Now, its back to the Stuka's.

Cheers Brandon.

That is really cool. I love the tail art. Very nice.

BK

Well after over a week, the decals are finally done. This was not just down to the number of decals, though there are a lot. But a few things kept me away from the bench, not to mention the seam underneath the fusleage belw the tail spliting half way through which needed fixing bacxk together and then re-painting. But, after all that, its finally done. And if there are one or two missing, to hell with it.

So next up will be a ligt panel line wash, i tend to keep this clean, followed by a flat coat and then add final pieces. So hopfully can wrap this up over the weekend.

Two of those WB-57s are stationed at Ellington air base in Pasadena, Texas.   That picture with the three in formation is over the Astrodome complex in Houston.  When the wind is out of the north, I live under the final approach flightpath to Ellington, and occasionally get the privilege of watching those birds (as well as the 'Guppy' stationed at Ellington) on final. 

I have found only one RB-57 kit, which the WBs are built from, and IIRC, it was a 1/72 vacuum form kit I found about 30 years ago.  I have it somewhere....

Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas

Ye, the 2 are very close in size, just cm's between them in both directions. Just checked hannants and the only kit in that scale is an Airfix B(i).6/B.20. But i am sure there must have been a 48th B-57 at some point.

Hope you can find one and look forward to seeing you build it.

Edit: Airfix did a B-57B in 2009 which came from their new 2008 B 2 kit. Seems to be OOP but you migt be able to find one.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/135948-airfix-a10104-martin-b-57b-canberra

Ah, thanks Bish for the dimensions. That would make the 1/48 version about 16+'' long, about the size of the 1/48 F-14 Tomcat and would fit in my 1/48 collection. I'll at least start the search, I'm several models behind and getting slower! LOL!

Max

Nice photo and info Max. I hope to not keep you to long, i have not touched the decals in a couple of days,partly due to masking and painting the fuel filer points.

If it helps, my 72nd canberra, minus the nose, is 26cm long with a 28 1/2cm wing span. Or, if you prefer it in old money, 10 1/4 x 11 1/4 inch's.

Toshi

Bish, what happened to the nose?  Overspray?  Thank you in advance.

Toshi

 

Probably sprayed to heavy. I used white tac to mask, as i did on the rest, but it only happened here. So i can only think i put to much paint on which built up along the edge of the mask. I have used the same masking method for ages but this is the first time its happened.

Bish, what happened to the nose?  Overspray?  Thank you in advance.

Toshi

A bit more trivia while waiting for your decal report. This WB-57 was pulled from storage for 41 years in 2013 by NASA and refurbished for use bringing the number to three for NASA.

I was Googling to find the length of a B-57 as I'm trying to decide to go with 1/48 or 1/72 and saw this. I still haven't decided on which but I thought I'd better report on the longevity of the design!

And no, I can't find a WB-57 model.

Max

Anytime Has their ever been a kit of the NASA aircraft, looking at those, it would need a bit of a conversion.

Bish, I pulled that off Space.com and there was an article about it.

Now all this talk has me looking at Canberras and which one to build. The B-57 is the one I saw as a kid but the NASA one looks cool. Like I need another project at this moment in time! LOL!

Thanks for reminding about Canberras!

Max

Nice photo Max. And am i right in that it will be 2 of those used in August during the eclipse.

CrashTestDummy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PQ, huh?  Unless they just repainted any old B-57, my Dad may have flown that bird when he was in Viet Nam! 

My Dad was one of the pilots involved in certification/verification of the B-57, and became quite fond of those.  He flew them a lot.  Nice plane.  And even the tandem cockpit arrangement had a fair amount of space. 

Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas

 

Gene, there's probably more info on that individual aircraft at the USAF Museum website.

And while we are waiting for Bish's next report, here's NASAs WB-57s. The Canberra has quite the history and lifetime. A classic for sure!

Max

Hodakamax

Ah, a bit of digging through my files and I did come up a few examples on of which also shows my A-37 at the USAF museum. 

Anyway, a classic aircraft, even NASA has a high altitude research WB-57. Quite an evolution from the original.

Good choice, still watching.

Max

 What a place!

 

PQ, huh?  Unless they just repainted any old B-57, my Dad may have flown that bird when he was in Viet Nam! 

My Dad was one of the pilots involved in certification/verification of the B-57, and became quite fond of those.  He flew them a lot.  Nice plane.  And even the tandem cockpit arrangement had a fair amount of space. 

Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas

Its nice to see they are still being put to good use. I know its not front line service like the B-52, but nearly 70 years old and still going strong.

After a couple of days i got the canberra all painted up. The grey tail is not normal for this type, from what i can tell it was only on this aircraft with its special markings. I used Xtracolr as usual, so no need for a gloss coat.

The nose did not come out to well. I have had to sand that down and have just re-pained so will leave that until tomorrow.

But for now, i can start on the decals. And there are enough to keep me busy with loads of stencils.

While we're talking Canberras, I just saw on the news this morning that two NASA WB-57s will study the August 21 total eclipse that will cross the United States coast to coast. 

Max

Max,what a place indeed. I thought the USAF museum at Duxford was packed. Thanks for posting those.

Chris, ye, it does look cramped in there. The cockpit looks more like somthing you would see in a WW2 singleengine fighter. And i can see what he means about those windows.

Thanks for looking in, should have more soon.

Looking good Bish,

Those cockpits look very cramped.  (I thought economy class was bad)

A friend of mine in the local modeling club recently built a Canberra.  He told me that in his research he found that the little windows on either side of the navigator compartment were affectionately referred to as day/night indicators, as this was just about the only thing that they were good for.

Looking forward to seeing more of this one.

Chris

Ah, a bit of digging through my files and I did come up a few examples on of which also shows my A-37 at the USAF museum. 

Anyway, a classic aircraft, even NASA has a high altitude research WB-57. Quite an evolution from the original.

Good choice, still watching.

Max

 What a place!

Thanks Max, glad its got you interested. Italeri are to re-release there 72nd B-57B next month if that takes your fancy. There don't seem to be that many kits out there of the subject.

Hey Bish, I just checked in on your Canberra project and it's looking good. They were present as the B-57 version in the '50s and one would occasionally buzz our home town. Ever since that  experience as a kid, I've followed the progression of the long lived design. A few years ago I did see several versions at the USAF museum. There's a B-57 on-a-stick at a Kansas Air Force base that is a beauty and lit at night. You are getting me enthused! lol! It's a model that I've always considered building.

So carry on and I'll be watching!

Max 

Thanks Johnny. Just got the painting stared today with the underside and tail.

Thanks Toshi.

An amazing start as always Bish.  You do some really high quality builds.  I'll be following this build for sure!

Toshi

Thanks for the info Phil, much appreciated.

Been plugging away at the Canberra and am rather enjoying this. Its needed quite a bit of work with every major part needing sanding before fitting and then filling and sanding after. My testors silver enamel pen has had a really good outing on this build, certainly proved its worth. Before adding the wing the main wheel wells were fitted to the side of the fuselage.

But before the wings could be fitted, the mateing edge had to be thinned to fit in a slight gap above the wheel wells. In hindsite, both wings should have been thinned before they were put together as the fit over the wells was very tigt, i was surprised the seams did not burst.

But with a bit of encouragment they did go on. And after the horizontal tail, the front and rear of the engines, canopy and the few small portrusions were fitted. O, and not forgetting the clear piece which includes the camera window, and its all ready to hit the paint booth.

All being well, i will get her primed and painted over the weekend and can star the decals Mon/Tues.

Thanks for looking, all comments welcome.

Bish

I had thought the nav's position was behind the pilot and he climb in through the pit.

This is true for earlier versions. The bomb aimer & navigator's seats were in a  compartment behind the pilot. Even in the original "goldfish bowl" versions, the pilot's seat was offset to the left.  

PS: The B-57A retained the "goldfish bowl" canopy. The elogated "fighter style" tandem canopy was introduced with the B-57B