1/48 B-36

Hello!

While it's not my kinda subject, I wonder how many of those 100 will actually get built...

Have a nice day

Paweł

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjvV8F26qzM

Imagine that the wingspan of this beast is four times the HpH model wingspan.

Folks do get carried away...

I wouldn't go near it unless a museum had already agreed to take it.  And sponsor the cost.  As for the comparison to the Monogram kit, given the 37 years since it was done, what possible complaint is relevant?  It's still a good canvas. 

I am surprised it is a J or H, and the parts are not included to do earlier versions at that price level. Maybe they will be.

That is a lot of money. However, it would look really nice finished in Bare Metal Foil next to my 1/48 B-29 (finished in BMF) and my 1/48 B-58 (finished in BMF).

Pawel

While it's not my kinda subject, I wonder how many of those 100 will actually get built...

That was my first thought too. Five years from now, how many of them are going to show up on E-bay for $2000 each?

I looked at the instruction manual for the HPH,  1/32 Curtiss Helldiver. I would imagine that the completed model would be spectacular. The instructions are 57 pages (243 assembly steps) !!!! The vacuum formed fuselage panels require a lot of cuttting and sanding. There are four pages and almost 30 steps for assempling the single engine alone. Based upon that, can you imagine how long it would take to complete the six engines of the B-36??? I have been working on my BMF 1/48 Monogram B-29 on and off for about 6 months. I have used 9 sheets of BMF so far. It is almost finished. It would take me years to complete a BMF of the B-36 and dozens of sheets of BMF $$$$$$  However, when finished it would be beyond spectacular.

Last year I purchased a 1/48 scale vacuum formed B-47. Every part needs to be cut and sanded from a backing sheet. It looks like a real nightmare. The kit is still in the box and will remain there. I am a real patient person and I can focus my attention on a task without losing interest. BUT, I am not into scratchbuilding. Building a vacuum formed model does not interest me.

I'm glad HpH has decided to make a decent model of this bird. Monogram did not have the plans available to make a accurate kit when it first produced the 1/72 version I believe. All that was out there was a very small "modelers" plan that came out in the late 50s. In growing up near a SAC base, I was accutely aware that these planes were top secret and even taking a pic of one was a treasonable offense. Convair and the AF tried to make sure no vital info was leaked. 

Ironically the only good plan of this bird is in Russian and may have been lifted from Convair during the 50s! A couple of years ago, I tried to get a set of plans from the archives at Lockeed Martin to scratch build a B-36 but they couldn't seem to locate any. The old bomber must now be part of the little thought of relics of the past.

So glad that as a kid that we saw the whole fleet of at least 200 ships at Carswell every day for 4 years---not to mention them flying over and even buzzing our neighborhood at least once! (See "B-36 Buzz Job" on Youtube) Yes they would rattle the window blinds and knock mom's pictures off the wall! Cool times when you were a kid!!

Somewhere in a box of pictures at my mothers house is a picture of me standing outside the B-36 at Chanute Field in Rantoul IL (late 50s). If I remember correctly she was brought in for training purposes and busted up some of the runway with all her weight. 6 turning and 4 burning says the flighht engineer. I believe that aircraft was dismantled and move out west and once again is on display. Anyone know for sure? Chanute Field (AFB) was closed and turned over to the local government. The USAF aircraft left behind are on display in a museum. Most of the base facilities are in shambles and abandoned. A sad end to a very old and distinguished training facility. Of note is the fact that this base goes back to the early days of military aviation. The base was named after an early aviation pioneer.  

Having seen and heard the real thing fly as a kid and standing by a real one at the USAF Museum has certainly kept the B-36 spark alive in me. I've built the 1/72 Monogram which hangs in my office. I always show visitors our uncle Buck's position in the greenhouse as Flight engineer. Uncle Buck is long gone but I always liked his flying stories of walking out to the inboard engines for inflight tuning and bailing out of a B-50 after a runaway prop cut the craft into pieces.

Now you can see my infatuation with said craft. Hmm, where would it fit in my collection? A quick spin of the proportion wheel with my present 1/72 version at 38" wingspan reveals that the 1/48 model would have a 56.5" wingspan. Hard to get through doors and/or find ceiling space.

Ah, it never hurts to dream. I did breifly explore the possibilities but for naught. I probabably have enough memories stored of Uncle Buck and the amazing craft.

My report 

Max

If anyone needs an idea for building this very big kit, tomorrow (Veterans Day), TCM is airing Strategic Air Command with Jimmy Stewart at 9:00 am EST.

https://youtu.be/9FJVxtTNjJk Six turning, four burning. I get chills everytime I see this clip. I think the aircraft is launching out of MacDill AFB.

That is a cool kit, nice WOW factor, but my rule is, anything with a wingspan over 12" generally will have a radio stuck in it and will fly.

Thanks for the You Tube clip!

Actually the plane is taking off from Carswell AFB in Ft Worth. The road in front of the long tan building is the one we drove in on to get my dad every afternoon. Some of those planes were parked 30 ft from the fence. 

At the time of the movie Jimmy Stewart was a Brigader General in the AF and was checked out in the B-36.

Look for the scene towards the end where they deploy to Japan. There's a C-124 taxiing out to the runway with a scanner standing up in the open nav dome to watch the wingtips.

Also with the movie---in looking over Carswell field with those B-36s, see the different types of AF aircraft that are there. Twin Beech, B-45s, C-47s, C-54, and others. The big tan building in the background is Convair's mile long production plant where the B-36s were made. Also the 2 B-25s parked there were used to film the flying scenes.

Vac forms require different techniques and are more work but they are buildable 

I made  contrail  HP, -42 and it came out great as well as a Rareplanes KC97 and the results were good. Just have to know how to build them

For those modelers that are not familiar with a vacuum formed model I have included some photos of the vacuum formed B-47 that I purchased last year.

As you can see, every part needs to be cut from a backing sheet and then sanded and fitted together. If the B-36 is engineered like the B-47 it would take years, maybe generations, to build  I have no intention of building the B-47.

Hunt down the old Hasegawa kit. In fact, Sprue Bros. lists two on Amazon for $ 33.00 each.

The problem is that the Hasegawa kits are 1/72 scale. I am looking for a 1/48 scale B-47. The vacuum kit that I bought is 1/48 scale.

PM sent to Johnny K

Yay! I just watched Strategic Air Command for the umpteenth time. The saw the first release in grade school in the '50s. My uncle was then flying B-47s for SAC which made the movie even more special. Wow! What a movie for the time. I liked all the '50s vehicles  like the Buick staff car and Chevy pick-ups with really hi-tech for the time aircraft in the background. A classic for sure.

I'm now in my office dusting off the 1/72 B-36 and B-47!

Reporting,

Max

We need pics Hoda!

Hey philo426, A couple of ceiling shots of  1/72 SAC stuff. I also Nukerized them with the proper scratch built weapons. I have more but this is Andy's post. 

Max

Oh man! Cool pics!! Any pic of a B-36 is welcome here!!

Nice B-47!!! 

Very cool indeed!

Hey thanks guys! Here's another couple of views. Both of these were built over a couple of decades ago. Hopefully my skills have improved since then as I do see some seams and such. Live and learn!

Max

PS--The building of the scale nukes was discussed extensively under the heading Scratchbuilding/Nuclear Weapons which was fun.

Now you all have me digging through B-36 pictures from Dayton. Here's a shot showing the single wheel main landing gear that didn't work well as it kept falling through concrete runways and was replaced with four wheels per side. We could get a better view if they would move that darn SAC B-58 Hustler!

Max

Hodakamax

Now you all have me digging through B-36 pictures from Dayton. Here's a shot showing the single wheel main landing gear that didn't work well as it kept falling through concrete runways and was replaced with four wheels per side. We could get a better view if they would move that darn SAC B-58 Hustler!

Max

 

Here, let me help you move that B-58 while I'm here...