B-36 Peacemaker Group Build

lajntx

Reasoned:

As I look at this, I really wish they would have had the figures a little more...... dynamic.

 

 

Nah. Just look at those flight engineers doing the Hokie Pokie!

You put your right arm in..... You take your right arm out....

Anyone know how much weight I have to stuff in this thing to keep it from tail sitting?

Hi Reasoned, my first B-36 was a learning experience. I forgot to add weight while the fuselage was accessible. So what I did was glue a one pound lead ingot in the wing spar, I had to cut off two corners. I don’t recommend this. I think I saw in the beginning of this group build post (maybe not) where some one made a mold and then cast a lead weight that fit in the space forward, to the sides of the front wheel well and below the nose deck. I’m pretty sure that is what I’m going to do this time. Magoo

2" long 1/2' machine bolt, with four or five nuts on it till they don't fit no more. Don't understand why people get fancy....

bondoman

2" long 1/2' machine bolt, with four or five nuts on it till they don't fit no more. Don't understand why people get fancy....

Now THAT I have in my spare nuts/bolts/screws etc. bucket, thanks.

Speaking of the weight issue. Here`s something so few are aware of.

As you know Convair tried to keep the program alive with the all jet B-60 which ultimately lost out to the B-52. The B-60 had such a bad weight ratio due to the deletion of all aft crew compartments which further increased the likelihood of a  " tail tip " In this photo below you can make out the counter weights that were installed on the craft while it was parked while not in use. On the front landing gear you can see the cylinder weights protruding out from the tires very vaughly

Got some more news....

As I stated in an earlier post I am starting a new job this Monday 4/9 which will actually allow me time to "build" again. In a strange quirk of fate, today I recieved another offer for another job in the public sector that would begin May 3 which pays twice the salary, and has full benefits. The only downside is that being a state job it only pays once a month meaning I wouldnt get my first check until June 1, and it does require me to relocate for about 2 months for training.

Just a heads up... I`ll be building what I can when the supplies I have already purchased very soon as start my "new job" on monday, but I am going to save most every extra dime I have to get through the month of May while I start my new-new job , thus my building will again slow down as I go through training for the State job in May/June.

The very good upside to this is on the backside after training is the job has a 4 days on, 4 days off work  ( plus the holidays ) cycle so it will probably be mid summer before I start cranking out work in any great detail.

Never in my life have I started a new job going into the first day knowing I will be quitting in 3 weeks.

Hi Bondoman, you’re correct and I had to laugh at myself, the kiss philosophy works well. Thanks for straightening me out. Magoo

Andrew Magoo

Hi Bondoman, you’re correct and I had to laugh at myself, the kiss philosophy works well. Thanks for straightening me out. Magoo

Unfortunately, when I pick back up on my B-36/B-58 build I will have to get creative as that FWD lower radome is elminated, and the open full bomber version of the bomb bay would expose anything attached to the backside of the radio room bulkhead

Well hey! I guess it's congrats to la!  Good luck on your new job.  Now don't go running off until I get this monster put together.  Got the wheels all painted along w/landing gear.  After further dry fitting, the idea of painting the wings and fuselage apart is not such a good idea.  Since the wings seam flush with fuselage, it leaves NO room for error. So..... i'm going to tackle the canopy masking and affix it to the fuselage (after attempting to fix all seams ), then try and get the wings to fit properly to the fuselage..... and clean them up too.

I`ll still be around... Ive got 3 weeks to do a little work before I go off for training. I`ll still have computer acess, but wont be at home to do anything for most of that 2 months. In other news today, my 1/72 X-15 came in today for my B-36 Mothership build ( whenever I get around to that )... When all is said and done I`ll have 3 "carrier" builds.... B-58 transfer, FICON, and X-15 Mothership

Hi, lajntx, apparently I’m a dullard and can’t get photobucket to upload anything from my computer. I opened an account, labeled an album, and when I go and click on the upload button nothing happens. I’ve tried this several times and even went to their help page. Any ideas? Magoo

Other than making sure you are trying to upload to the correct album, I really wouldnt know.  Just keep trying, if all else fails find a young whipper snapper in your family to show you as kids these days are born knowing how to use computers.

lajntx

Speaking of the weight issue. Here`s something so few are aware of.

As you know Convair tried to keep the program alive with the all jet B-60 which ultimately lost out to the B-52. The B-60 had such a bad weight ratio due to the deletion of all aft crew compartments which further increased the likelihood of a  " tail tip " In this photo below you can make out the counter weights that were installed on the craft while it was parked while not in use. On the front landing gear you can see the cylinder weights protruding out from the tires very vaughly

Loosing weight aft didn't make it a tail dragger,but the swept wings sure did. The -60 had a retractable tail wheel on a long leg, but it could not take a big downward load after rotation and was more of a landing aid.

Here's a ??? For you 36 fans, that I don't know the answer to. Once a while ago I read a piece about one time use airfields in New England and Canada for the big attack. Must have been pre Internet as I cannot find that info now.Any ideas?

bondoman

Here's a ??? For you 36 fans, that I don't know the answer to. Once a while ago I read a piece about one time use airfields in New England and Canada for the big attack. Must have been pre Internet as I cannot find that info now.Any ideas?

I`m not aware of anything that was cold war era. I always thought that the runs to Alaska & Greenland to refuel and back was meant to demonstrate to the Soviets that the bombers could just as easily turn towards the USSR to hit targets and return to Alaska/Greenland before returning to their homebase

Now I have read this, but it was WWII strategy should the 36 be brought into production:

They would be based from Virginia to New England - Fly to Newfoundland for refueling & spark plug changing....fly east & bomb Europe and return back the same route with Iceland being an emergency landing place.

If you want I can pose the question to a few of the authors of some of the B-36 books out there?

lajntx

Speaking of the weight issue. Here`s something so few are aware of.

As you know Convair tried to keep the program alive with the all jet B-60 which ultimately lost out to the B-52. The B-60 had such a bad weight ratio due to the deletion of all aft crew compartments which further increased the likelihood of a  " tail tip " In this photo below you can make out the counter weights that were installed on the craft while it was parked while not in use. On the front landing gear you can see the cylinder weights protruding out from the tires very vaughly

Loosing weight aft didn't make it a tail dragger,but the swept wings sure did. The -60 had a retractable tail wheel on a long leg, but it could not take a big downward load after rotation and was more of a landing aid.

Here's a ??? For you 36 fans, that I don't know the answer to. Once a while ago I read a piece about one time use airfields in New England and Canada for the big attack. Must have been pre Internet as I cannot find that info now.Any ideas?

Howdy Ya'll, I have decided to build the YB-60 first. I wanred to send you pictures of the sacrificial RB-36 and the conversion kit. I'm taking pictures and when I figure out what I'm doing wrong on Photobucket I'll post pictures. Magoo

Okay, I've stuck four big sinker weights (from my tackle box) on a big ole washer, then glued it to the bulkhead aft of the cockpit.  That should hopefully keep her off the tail.  Going to close her up tomorrow and start working on all those seams............. woo hoo

EDIT: yippie, the Alclad Alumn is in!

Oh my flippin goodness! The seams on this thing, why didn''t anybody warn me????

They don't match and they go in and out and wave around arrgh!  I bet I have a dozen tape strips plus a vise on this bird, it's going to take a week of filling and sanding.

Okay, done whining.

Hi Reasoned, don't loose hope, the harder you work on something the more pride you take in your work when done. I agree that you would think it shouldn't have such a bad fit but when you see how model molds are made I'm amazed that anything fits as well as it does. Magoo

Everything about that model requires endurance. Why I would never build it again. Somewhere out there John Eaton is making wing roots...

BTW the RB-36 had only one flight engineer...

bondoman

Everything about that model requires endurance. Why I would never build it again. Somewhere out there John Eaton is making wing roots...

BTW the RB-36 had only one flight engineer...

 

Well, funny thing is in all the contortion of seaming this thing, one of the FE's fell out.   Sves me gluing him back in, thanks.

A B-36 GB!? Hahahaha!!

I was seconds away from buying this very kit a few weeks ago at the IPMS!

I ended up buying a 1/72 B-737-500.. hehe

Well, not for me. Hope ya'll enjoy it!

You have NO idea the fun you're missing!

"bump" Hope to post some pics tonight of the current progress (or lack thereof).  The ENTIRE seam along the fuselage has been treated with a technique from Swanny's site, not sure I did it correct but.... 

On another note, if you should decide to get an inch to build a B-36............... go to the Dr. instead.

Here's pics as promised before I begin sanding........ and sanding........... and sanding.  I'm trying Swanny's tip for seams.  Since there were large gaps or uneaven seams which I used a flat blade and sliced down to a "scarred" flatter seam.

Congrats, when you get done with the 36, You will be ready to graduate to some of the harder 1/72 cold war bomber models 

I`ve started the job with the state that is requiring me to travel for training the next couple of months, so I`ll be limited in what I can do on mine.

In case you were wondering what those "Harder" cold war bombers are:

TU-95 Bear in 1/72

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84vkdWeFCdQ&feature=related

And the most obnoxious one to build that requires nerves of steel:

Hasegawa 1/72 B-47E Stratojet

http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/korean/us/kol47.htm

Thanks but I think once this bird is done, I'm done with bombers for a while and except for this one, I build only WWII stuff.  Think a steady supply of Tamiya "shake and bakes"...... after my Revell 109G that is.

Reasonable!

Hasegawa B-47 is the only other one, and that's a legacy type model.

Seams, meh, they're good on that one because it means you found the right two parts.

Academy B-50 is good.

Reasoned

Thanks but I think once this bird is done, I'm done with bombers for a while and except for this one, I build only WWII stuff.  Think a steady supply of Tamiya "shake and bakes"...... after my Revell 109G that is.

Len