B-36 Peacemaker Group Build

Hi Again Chris

That ebay source still has that kit with a qty of 10. It is the only known source out there for it - anywhere, right now. The price is as they say "pricey" - $44.00 BIN & $26.70 Shipping

Hobby Craft 1/144 GRB36 Ficon USAF Bomber New 1273

www.ebay.com/.../330693176385

The B-36 you in Arlington, TX you are alluding too was actually the last B-36 Produced and was retired as a display piece at the old Great Southwest Airport in Ft Worth  which closed due to the opening of DFW-International across the highway, and the plane was removed in the early 1970`s when the airport was destroyed. It is now the B-36 on display at PIMA in Tucson, AZ because the Air Force Museum moved it there due to the multiple failed attempts at opening a museum for it in Ft Worth

Here is a link to the story, and some pictures from the time of your childhood that might bring back some memories

http://www.cowtown.net/proweb/last_one.htm

http://www.airfields-freeman.com/TX/Airfields_TX_FtWorth_NE.htm

You guys are turning out some great work.  If I could have found a good deal on a 1/144 GRB-36D FICON I would have joined up but every kit out there is going for more than I wanted to pay at the time.  Maybe I'll try to trade on the other web forums for one one of these days.

Any of y'all ever get to see the one that was parked on that hill in Arlington, TX?  I remember my dad taking my brother and I to see it a couple time when we were kids.  What a giant!

Chris  

lajntx

Hi Reasoned, are you just going to use two different silver-ish shades of  "rattle cans" on the next go round?

 

PS... and if you need any replacement parts post clean up -- just let me know, and I`ll go pull them from "The Boneyard" LOL

Sorry la, just saw this post.

Yeah, I think I'll give the Alclad a break on round 2 and use MM Metalizers on this go around...... and I hope not to have any "parts" mishaps but glad to know where to turn if I do.

I just remembered  I happened to have purchased a vintage photo taken during the " Open House" when those two optical test B-36`s were introduced to the public..

Hi Spark,

What you need is a full color/paint build. Here is a couple options for you:

Both are theoretical situations btw:

A. Build it as a WWII bomber in either a USAAF or RAF color scheme to hide the repairs to the wings.... Ive seen one built as an RAF bomber assigned to the RAF in exile flying out of  Canada to bomb Europe in a theoretical situation where England was overrun, but not one as a WWII USAAF

B. Build it in a mannor that implies the B-36 was kept in service well into the Vietnam years and paint it in a nice Camo Scheme ala the B-52`s of the Linebacker I & II operations. Ive seen one conversion build of this  where the builder built it as the B-60 implying that the B-60 was selected over the B-52. I have also seen a B-60 conversion where it was built in a mannor that it was in modern day use as the B-52H currently is.

All of those would use ALOT of paint, and for the most part hasnt been done by anyone.

If neither of those work for you, send me a PM with the exact parts you need and I`ll check it against the inventories in my scrap kits.. I should have everything you need. The only parts I wont part with are the greenhouse canopies as those are hardest parts to find.

I thought that would be a cool example to have 'hanging around", but it looks like the colorful paints are on the fuselage, which doesn't help my situation anyway. the fuselage is actually coming along very nice. Im sure all the more rare paint schemes have been done at some point.

Thanks for reminding me on the Ebay tips & tricks. ive only been searching 1/72 B-36. i knew better too, Ive been around ebay for at least 15 years and used to pride myself of the stuff i would find falling through the cracks. seems i forgot how that works.

Spark84

And if i get impatient, I'll put more consideration into doing the paint scheme that's on page 112 of Magnesium overcast. the colorful paint job they did on a couple birds at Kirkland. according to the book they used it to calibrate optical sensors on a missile range. maybe i can hang it from the ceiling in my shop and calibrate my motivation for other projects once its done...

Someone already beat you to that.

Hi Sparks,

Did you read my "How To" on buying/selling these things on ebay thats posted early in this GB? And have you used the RB-36 Peacemaker & RB36H tricks?

RIght now there is an overabundance of 1980 kits because the SEALED pristine ones WERE going for around $100, and now every Tom, ***, and Harry who bought the kit ( and never built it ) thinks that their long opnened, weathered box, with trashed decals kit is worth $100

Which then makes those with a `97 or `08 kit think that theirs is worth $75 because they slso see the `02 kits selling for $70 all day long when they get listed.

If you havent read my ebay FAQ then read it, and hang in there to get a kit that falls through the cracks

I've been watching Ebay for B-36 kits... why is that 90% of them that show up on there are the first issue of the 1/72 kit... and they seemed to go way over my budget...

I got into a hole with my wings and horizontal stabs for my kit, with the heat damage, and the amount of damage inflicted by me scribing the panel lines they are pretty much trash. I've been trying to get a kit from ebay to replace them but I'm on a small budget... but ill keep watching

And if i get impatient, I'll put more consideration into doing the paint scheme that's on page 112 of Magnesium overcast. the colorful paint job they did on a couple birds at Kirkland. according to the book they used it to calibrate optical sensors on a missile range. maybe i can hang it from the ceiling in my shop and calibrate my motivation for other projects once its done...

A hometown formation is just 3 B-36`s... I could do a whole bombardment wing doing a "Max Effort" take off..... The B-36`s version of a MITO with several minutes between takeoffs-- unlike the B-52`s which could do them in 15 second intervals.

I picked up a couple of "junk kits" for a song & a dance on ebay after that picture was taken.

Other model builders have called my storage closet the " Island of Misfit Toys" alluding to the fact that the 1/72 B-36  kit is one that is often found unwanted by many builders initially attracted to the kit, but soon find out it`s not for the weak at heart.

Aint that right Reasoned? LOL jk

Lajntx- awesome stash!  You could do a 'Hometown' formation!

Hi Reasoned, are you just going to use two different silver-ish shades of  "rattle cans" on the next go round?

PS... and if you need any replacement parts post clean up -- just let me know, and I`ll go pull them from "The Boneyard" LOL

So I wanted to begin the process of stripping the messed up Alclad from earlier, tried the least "hot" option first "Simple Green", it sure doesn't melt it off but I will keep coating it and rubbing so as to keep as much of the surface detail as possible.  Don't think i'm ready to give in to oven cleaner next but if this don't "get'er done" I will.

erco- This forum has become strange to a lot of folks around here...post "upgrade"...I personally wish it hadn`t changed but ever forward.....

You need to put it in you signature, community settings.

Maybe this will work...

EDIT: It worked!  Now how do I make it permanent...?

Hi All!  Having a little trouble figuring out how to post photos, and how to add the BG signature etc.  Anyone care to enlighten me?

Many thanks!

lajntx

Hey Reasond,

How`s your build coming along these days?

Howdy la, well it's not, at least the B-36.  I was going to try and strip the messed up metalizer in order to have it ready for later.  May try that this weekend.......... it's hot enough to burn up anything here.

Hey Reasond,

How`s your build coming along these days?

Hope everyone is doing fine... Ive taken a needed break, and am now in the process of getting back to work on my builds. I found a gem on ebay for one of my proposed builds---- The RB-36 Mothership for the X-15 program that was never done due to the B-36 being retired in favor of the B-52. I found an old decal sheet of the early B-52 test fleet which I can use on the RB-36 Mothership. Here is a picture of about what it will look like when/if I ever build it:

Hi Erco, and welcome to the build... Right now most of us are on summer recess or on a mental break. lol

When doing a D with this kit be sure to build it with only 1 flight engineer station and build it with the correct rear APG radome as what is portrayed on the kit is only found on the H`s & J`s

See the book B-36 in Action in the references for help on that

Cool!   I'm doing mine gear-up, and trying to figure out how interested I am in making the various modifications to make the kit more accurate for a D model out of Loring AFB using the Warbird decals.   I've got the wings closed up, horizontal stabs done, and getting ready to do the cockpit.  Fit, so far, has been decent, though one of the gear doors required a tone of putty.  It's been fun reading about everyone else's progress and tribulations.  

LOL!!! nice. I parked mine for a while, working on my Two Mustangs from the 361st fighter squadron. one is going on my desk at work so im a little more motivated to finish them.

erco

Just joined the forum, and have the Monogram -36 on the bench.  Is it too late to join the build?

Are you kidding, anybody up for that punishment is welcome anytime.

Just joined the forum, and have the Monogram -36 on the bench.  Is it too late to join the build?

This is strange I'll try to post the picture again. Magoo

Yea!

Howdy Spark84, hey no problem i did appreciate the help. As promised a better photo of the nose cone before I remove it from the lathe. I actually will be filling some small depressions and then sanding them down before i install the nose. Magoo

Right when you get used to things they change them... i should have know better magoo... i member seeing all your pictures now, i responded in haste this morning. glad it got straightened out.

Howdy Everybody, Thanks for the tips guys. As mentioned above here is the nose piece getting a pilot hole for the live center. Grrrr..sorry for the focus. I then wrapp

ed some adhesive backed foil to the live center

I used the nose cone to cut two 0.080 inch thick plastic discs for spacing the nose cone out to the proper distance.

Once the live center was used the nose cone stayed put. I made a template to gauge how much Milliput to use.

I think my Milliput is gettring to old, although I really gave it a work out mixing it the epoxy took for ev er to cure. I rolled the Milliput into a rope about the size of a large earth worm. I then wrapped the epoxy around the nose and live center. I gently worked the rope of epoxy doen firmly onto the end of the nose.

Here is the template.

I then added epoxy onto the rest of the nose.

The body of the nose took a couple of hits so the build uo was to correct the damaged surface and restore the rounded look to the noise.

I used sanding sticks on the main body and aluminum/brass tubing at the end of the nose. I/ll try to get a better pictur of the nose before I unchuck it from the lathe. The lathe did saved lot of sanding time.

Again I find myself with for 35mm manual focus.