Strategic Air Command (SAC) Group Build II

yardbird78 wrote:

I guess that it is about time to make a committment to this GB.  I will be doing the 1/72 Hasegawa SR-71A in markings of one of the 1990 retirement birds.  I have done several SR-71s using the Italeri/Testors and the Monogram/Revell kits, so I want to try one of the Hasegawa offerings. Darwin, O.F.

Now that does sound like an awesome project! I actually didn't know that Hase made a Blackbird kit until ya mentioned it! I'll make sure that the list is updated...

5 days to go!

I guess that it is about time to make a committment to this GB.  I will be doing the 1/72 Hasegawa SR-71A in markings of one of the 1990 retirement birds.  I have done several SR-71s using the Italeri/Testors and the Monogram/Revell kits, so I want to try one of the Hasegawa offerings.

Darwin, O.F. 

Bumped again for interest...

The build starts in one week, and I for one am a little anxious to get started! There's still plenty of time for additional submittions, and of course late entries are always welcomed too (if you find yourself with nothing to do later on this year)

I apoligize that I haven't been posting in the last week or two. Between late hours, shift changes and a "bomb bay" full of overtime, I've hardly had any time to eat/sleep/etc. much less anything else. But rest assured that I'll be there cutting styrene with the rest of all y'all on the 1st!

I'm making slow progress on my rehab of the KC-135A which is being converted to a C-135A...the clear parts are a write off so they are going to get replaced with decals. I have asked Greg at Draw Decal to for some assistance it getting the glass as decals, he says he can...you guys might want to drop him a note to show your interest too. Also with the reissue of the AMT -135 family by Italeri I suggested he look at doing a decal sheet which would give builders the ability to select the tailbands and unit markings for the tanker unit they want to replicate. Being as I served with two...the 301st and 305th AREFWs I am eager for the checkered flag of the 305th and the mountain silleouette of the 301st.

If you've got tailband markings you'd like to see done...email pictures of them to Greg or to me and I'll see that he gets them.

Yep! That'll do it, Bill! Of course the whole package just wouldn't be complete until you spend the afternoon pulling out the cholla cactus out of the sidewalls of your tires! Good times....

I've been pretty good. Since the end of Three Kings Day, it's been pretty busy. Needless to say I'm really racking up on the mileage of these Danners here. But hey, it comes with the job

Been a little touch and go for me here too. Not just because of the hours, but the wireless connection too! Believe me, when you are out on your back patio with your laptop in one hand, coat hanger in the other, and coming up with all sorts of incantations and awkward positions just attempting to get a signal, the neighbors sure look atcha funny!

Spike, I'm there with the F-82. In the meantime a few GBs to finish. How's it going buddy?

Just had new meats put on my four wheel drive, new brakes and a new brush guard, makes me think "Desert rat".

Bumped for interest

30 days until the start date

I just found some more good pics here too:

http://www.cybermodeler.com/aircraft/b-58/b-58_all.shtml

 I wish the FB-111 was so well documented. So far, the only resource I have found is here (although it is a good one):

http://www.fb-111a.net/Site.html

Pavlvs wrote:

Does anybody know of a source for color pictures of the inside of the cockpit and wheel wells of the B-58? That would be most helpful.

 Some good shots here at the USAF Natl. Museum site:

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet_media.asp?fsID=382 

 Some more here, type B-58 in the search box on the right if they don't show up.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/photos/media_search.asp?q=b-58&btnG.x=17&btnG.y=10 

 Here's a pretty good walkaround:

http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/mark_soppet/b-58_walk_1.htm 

  Do some Google Image searching. There's a bunch more out there.

Pavlvs wrote:

Thanks, Desert Rat I finished cleaning off the detail set for the triple cockpit. Does anybody know of a source for color pictures of the inside of the cockpit and wheel wells of the B-58? That would be most helpful. I think I am going to sand off the raised panel lines and inscribe them. I've never done this before. Any tips on guiding the cutter?

here's my favorite cockpit site, in this case a little minimal:

http://uscockpits.com/Jet%20Bombers/Jet%20Bombers.html#B58

And here's a great site for ejection seats, which in the case of the Hustler are a significant feature:

http://www.ejectionsite.com/eb58caps.htm

Pavlvs wrote:

I finished cleaning off the detail set for the triple cockpit. Does anybody know of a source for color pictures of the inside of the cockpit and wheel wells of the B-58? That would be most helpful.

You could do what I always do..........Google!

As far as tangible books, I've got none. But I'm positive that there has to be some good stuff out there. I'll concede to the guys that know better here

Dymo tape...

Found this image on Google..from Hyperscale.

I'll also use flexible steel rulers, draftsmen eraser guides anything that I can hold securely to the surface either by itself or with the assistance of masking tape. There are also templates available from aftermarket sources for many aircraft for the more complex shapes. But be prepare to spend a few bucks.

The FB-111 served SAC as a medium range bomber, which is the same role that the B-47 filled. As with any medium range airframe air to air refueling was a must. SACs doctrine was changed to a long range only mission. The FB-111 was retired as the AF acquired the B-52s replacement, the B-1. The AF also found that high altitude supersonic approach to a target was not going to be as successful as once thought, so the low and slow avenue was the tactic of choice. Bombers and special electronics warfare aircraft or systems onboard selected bombers would allow penetration of the enemy's defenses to strike targets deep inside its borders.

The B-1s design and mission roles changed...the B-1 was found not as successful as its predecessor the B-52, hence the B-2 was introduced. Capacity and stealth were designed to allow it to strike deep as it approached low and unnoticed. It costs its major detractor.

Thought the B-52 has been rebuilt numerous times as well as upgraded with the lates technology it still remains strong...though its days are numbered. The B-52 will no doubt out live its replacements...both the B-1 and B-2. 

HawkeyeHobbies wrote:

I mentioned the SAC GB in my blog post this morning...including a third possible build I might get done for it. ;-) Linky at bottom under signature.

That's awesome! Free publicity is a wonderful thing!

Pavlvs wrote:

To remove all confusion, I acquired a 1/48 B-58 Hustler and a cockpit detail set. It is back to plan A with the Hustler. Sorry about all of the bouncing around. I am going to build the F-111 at the same time.

Pavlvs wrote:

Mr. Rat (or may I call you Desert) My Aardvark kit is the Academy F-111E, Is there a major difference between that and the FB-111? Does the 'E still count for this GB?

Actually, Roger will do just fine

   He is correct. That particular variant of the F-111 was not used in SAC. It looks like it was used in TAC (and late AMC). But the FB varient was the one used in SAC. After a quick search, it looks like Academy does make that varient in kit form (though I don't know the scale offhand)

Pavlvs wrote:

Mr. Rat (or may I call you Desert) My Aardvark kit is the Academy F-111E, Is there a major difference between that and the FB-111? Does the 'E still count for this GB?

 I'm not too sure of all the external differences. I do know that the FB has longer wings and a longer fuselage. It is quite a different bird actually.

 The FB-111A is the only F-111 varient to serve with SAC and they didn't even have too many of those.  The other USAF F-111s served with Tactical Air Command (TAC). Australia also had some F-111C and F-111G aircraft. They may still have them.

 Here's some info on the FB-111:

http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/f111_9.html

And the whole F-111 series:

http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/f111.html

Now that's quite a refurbishing, Hawkeye!

I don't understand why, but part of me is sad to see the wild camo scheme go though

HawkeyeHobbies wrote:

Someone wants me to covert it into the prototype version...giving that some thought.

Oooooo! That's a neat idea - would that be like the 367-80 prototype with short fin, snub nose and what I like to call the 'Hot Dog' paint scheme (you know the yellow and red Boeing scheme), or as 55-3118 with "City of Renton" and photo-shoot markings.  Either way, pretty cool.

HawkeyeHobbies wrote:

I had a KC-135A in the spares stash...so I decided to pull it out and breath new life into it. I'll have to pick through the spares to see if I can find the missing parts...doors and a few other odds and ends.

So, if it's going to be an early A model, are you going to shorten the vertical fin and the horizantal stabs too?  I've done this to several.  It's a lot of work to make it look right, but I find that the wing antennae from the EC-135C, which closely, if not exactly replicate the fin cap on the early A's make a good basis for modifying the bird.  Of course, you have to trim the tall tail, and splce the fin cap after cutting the cap to wing fillet from it.

That was a wild color scheme.

How are the ribs going to be recreated? semi circular scraping? What primer and color do you use for the nmf, which I would assume is Talon? I'd like to see the correct boom arrangement.

Reminds me of the title sequence for "Dr. Strangelove", which is a good source for a close in downward view on a B-52 front end.

I had a KC-135A in the spares stash...so I decided to pull it out and breath new life into it. I'll have to pick through the spares to see if I can find the missing parts...doors and a few other odds and ends.

It has a wild camo pattern on it, but my plans are to scrub her down and repaint it in a NMF. I start by wet sanding...I use Windex as a solution to suspend the sanding dust.

I'm going to back date this some to an early A before the reenforcement ribbing was added...primarily since I have to sand it down to repaint and the ribbing is going to see some wear and tear in the process.

I'll also rework the refueling boom/pod some to make it a pure C-135A. I'm using my micro razor saw to fillet the aft end of the boom fairing.