Variable Geometry: the Swing Wing GB

the tail IS huge on the tornado they shouldve named it the thesher (shark)

Yikes, I've been absent from this for way way too long. My apologies! I come bearing a small update. I am ready to paint!

Looking at that photo, boy, the tail sure looks huge on a Tornado. I should be able to start spraying tonight...thanks for the patience, I should be on top of this now for the final stretch!

pics would be easier mate lol

eatthis

help im stuck with the 1/48 b1

how do i fit the main gear doors? the instructions are hopeless

They were a bit difficult.  There are no locating tabs so you must attach them along the recessed rims on the fuselage.  I set the model upside down and made sure it was level, then glued the small gear doors first (closest to the intakes).  I used plastic stock of the appropriate thickness between the engines and gear door to ensure the the doors were vertical.  The let set overnight.  The large doors were then glued along the recessed rim on the inside.  A spacer between the two gear doors kept them vertical until dry.  As a last step, I added a small amount of CA along the seams on both sets of doors to strengthen them.

Hope that this makes sense.

Don

GAP Patrol huh? Hmmmm.....that stands for Group Air Patrol!!

F-14 Tomcats providing aircover for the B-1's. Sounds good to me.

help im stuck with the 1/48 b1

how do i fit the main gear doors? the instructions are hopeless

Medicman71

Got some work done on the Tomcat. Whoever designed the build of this kit has serious mental issues.

Hey, I had nothing to do with it... 

Medicman71

There's gonna be gaps that I have no idea how i'm gonna get to and fix. That'll teach me to get the cheapest kit out there. Gotta order a gun vent from Steel Beach to make it the correct one. A little rescribing done as well.

Hhmmm.  Seems like all the F-14 builds had some issues with fit and gaps.  Hang in there though; the completed Tomcats in this GB have looked very nice.  Since Kevin is also in progress with a tomcat, maybe you and he can be our current Gap Patrol. 

Don

vetteman42

... finally got to starting the base for my Tomcat, the wood work other than the trim is finished and at this point I am looking for grass matt for it. I did print the background picture I got from the library but hate the way a picture looks behind the model so I don't think I will be using it. Will have to see what it looks like once the grass is laid down on the base.

Good to hear from you again Vetteman.  I would think that any of the grass mats that are available for model railroaders would work fine here.  I think that finding a way to have a photo of the real thing on display with your model would be a great idea.  Maybe once we see the model and base together, we can offer display suggestions that might be better than the option that you've tried so far.

Don

eatthis

right i reckon this will be a let down but hey ho heres a colour pic the bone as it is now

  

 

it may well look boring to you but i think itl suit it and a good what if :)

Hey, mine was all gray, except for the radome!  At least you have some color on the leading edges and intakes, so how could I call it boring??   Looking good; and this was a really quick build given the pace that Kevin and I built ours.  So let's see, you've got two 1/72 Bones and a single 1/48?  Keep this up and we'll have more B-1s in this GB than Tomcats!

Don

Got some work done on the Tomcat. Whoever designed the build of this kit has serious mental issues. There's gonna be gaps that I have no idea how i'm gonna get to and fix. That'll teach me to get the cheapest kit out there. Gotta order a gun vent from Steel Beach to make it the correct one. A little rescribing done as well.

Eatthis man you are a building machine man wow ! Nice looking bone you have going there bud

Lots of great stuff still going on here adding my worth you cant have too many Mustangs or Tomcats, and dem Bones are way cool too. In fact not being a jet guy I feel the itch coming on to build one of my own sometime soon.

Pordoi I finally got to starting the base for my Tomcat, the wood work other than the trim is finished and at this point I am looking for grass matt for it. I did print the background picture I got from the library but hate the way a picture looks behind the model so I don't think I will be using it. Will have to see what it looks like once the grass is laid down on the base.

right i reckon this will be a let down but hey ho heres a colour pic the bone as it is now

it may well look boring to you but i think itl suit it and a good what if :)

It looks like you had a few cats in the bag there eatthis.

Here is a list of units in the USAF that I was able to find. 

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/systems/b-1b-unit.htm

Early B-1B's were in the SAC camo.  Later Bones had overall gunship gray.  B-1A was in overall white and a desert camo I believe.

what b1b squadran had 3 colour camo? and what paints (pref tamiya) do i need?

iv started 2 1/72 b1s today :)

iv got 2 beauties in my head atm im trying (really really badly lol) to draw 1 of them using ms paint

eatthis

so what your saying is im so full of crap that 1 more wont make a difference? ;)

Haha.  Nope.  Just saying you have some pretty good "what-if" ideas. 

so what your saying is im so full of crap that 1 more wont make a difference? ;)

macattack80

Medicman, glad to have you back.  That is one extensive decal sheet.  I have their "Bad Cats" sheet.  Lots of decals there too.  If it were my build I would choose BuNo 158979 if only because of the radome being painted Radome Tan. 

 

Thanks Kevin. Sooooo happy to be back. I also got thier S-3B Viking VX-30 Bloodhounds sheet with the Centennial markings on it. They're all very nice with a done of decals. Anyone remember the paint color for the radome tan in acrylic? That'll be fun to mask off too.

pordoi

 

 

Well, did they mount missile pylons like this?    

 

I say go for it...

 

Good point Don!

Medicman, glad to have you back.  That is one extensive decal sheet.  I have their "Bad Cats" sheet.  Lots of decals there too.  If it were my build I would choose BuNo 158979 if only because of the radome being painted Radome Tan. 

eatthis

its a very good idea about the 3 colur agressor scheme for a the bone BUT would they be that colour?

Well, did they mount missile pylons like this?    

I say go for it...

Don

Medicman71

Now I gotta pick one. There's like 5-6 different paint jobs and marking variations to do. Hmmmmm.

You betcha.  There are more names and numbers on that decal sheet than are in a phone book!  Doesn't look to me that you could go wrong with any choice that you make.

Don

Now I gotta pick one. There's like 5-6 different paint jobs and marking variations to do. Hmmmmm.

Welcome back Medicman!  Good to have you back at the bench again.  Looks to be an awesome sheet of decals.  Should be a colorful bird when completed. 

Don

its a very good idea about the 3 colur agressor scheme for a the bone BUT would they be that colour? arnt russian bombers basically gray/silver?

YES!!! Back at it!!

As I promised, pics of the decals. I also picked up a resin replacment nose.

pordoi

Well fooled me.     In your defense, the photo did look rather convincing. 

 It was awkward to handle when painting due to its size.    Yes sir!

pordoi

Nice job re-doing the pink F-111.  I'll get a photo on the front page shortly.  And who am I to stop you from contributing additional builds to the GB.  Go for it!   

  Eatthis, you are a GB machine!

I am still tinkering with the PE parts.  Almost done with them.  Should be headed to the paint shop soon.

eatthis

lol about the pulleys it really does look like it doesnt it. i used a camera setting that gives more depth of field which means things further away are kept in focus more and the line of filler lines up perfectly with a ladder and the garage door haha

iv got 3 more possible entries after this is finished too :)

Well fooled me.    I thought that you were some kind of super-engineer and rigged up a mechanical sling to hold the B1.  It was awkward to handle when painting due to its size. 

Nice job re-doing the pink F-111.  I'll get a photo on the front page shortly.  And who am I to stop you from contributing additional builds to the GB.  Go for it!

Don