B-36 Peacemaker Group Build

Hello All. I'm back from a 2-day trip to the National Museum of the USAF in Dayton. What a fantastic place. Didn't even come close to seeing everything. I spent a lot of time photographing the B-36J. It turns out it was originally an RB-36J and the museum converted it back to just a B-36J -- well almost. They left in a belly camera window and some ECM antennae at the back. There may be a few other nits too. I took a LOT of photos (I think 700-800). I shoot in RAW, so my RAW and JPEG images are all large (about 26MB each). I'll upload files to my Flickr account soon and post links, probably by the weekend.

What I shot is listed below and includes photo requests from the some of the Group Build folks. The museum uses low lighting, so I tried tripod shots or flash. I shot at very high ISOs (3200, 6400) to capture everything. Some pictures may be grainy because of that. Also, because some areas were so dark, I had to use manual focus, but that was even challenging. Thus, some photos might be out of focus, but hopefully will still show the detail needed.

B-36J

Virtually everything I could see. Top views were very limited, even from the balcony, plus they didn't show any walkway stripes, etc., so the top views were a bust. John, I shot the tail gun, but no nose gunner due to the J configuration.  Lots of main landing gear bay photos, but could see into the nose gear.

Lockheed AC-130A Spectre gunship

This was the only gunship in the collection and it was roped off due to some work going on in the Space Shuttle mock up. I took a lot of photos from the port side and a bit of the rear. Only place I could shoot anything.

McDonnell Douglas RF-4C Phantom II

It served in Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Cuba, and the Middle East during Desert Shield/Desert Storm. It was sent to the museum in 1994. I got every angle I could see (front, port, aft plus some starboard).

McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II sit-in cockpit

Was originally an F-4B forward fuselage section used in the ABC series "Call to Glory." Was then refurbished and marked as an F-4D. I tried to get about every angle of both seats in this cockpit, plus the canopy.

Boeing B-52D

I shot everything I could see, which was just about everything but a top view. Unfortunately, the black gloss underside paint and low lighting made it difficult to pick out all the BUFF's bumps and holes .

McDonnel Douglas F-4C Phantom II

This one is in Vietnam camo colors. Lots of details shots. I also took a lot of photos of the different armaments it could handle including AGM-12C, GBU--8, AGM-62 and BOLT-117.

Aha. Good theory, Reasoned.

I figure if the second paint job goes like the first, there will be plenty of "wrinkles".

Have any of you tried hinting at the wrinkles on the B-36 fuselage? I saw a great model of the B-52 with "wrinkles" at http://hsfeatures.com/b52had_1.htm. However it seems that the B-36 is covered with so many ridges that it is either: 1) insane to attempt; 2) would distract from the model; 3) or would add a level of realism that brings some real detail to an otherwise bland silver model.

I started building the B-36 (at least a little bit). First step: sanding off the RB-36 ECM holes/slots/mounts (whatever they call them), leaving just the three on each side closest to the cockpit. Second step: sanding off the camera doors. Starboard side done. Port side next.

The smallest music wire I have is .015.  I haven't really done any major wiring but for what I have I have used bell wire, stripped strands from electrical wire, or anything else at hand.  I find it really easy to overdo, or not keep things straight and orderly and that bothers me.  As it would when I found such working on airplanes.  Hate finding poorly done wiring and plumbing!

Thanks John. Have you ever used 28 gauge steel wire for lines? Do you find the solder wire to work better?

Sometimes Radio Shack, but more usually electronics stores.  On the net you might try Digikey, they have it down to .015 (26AWG).

http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en/soldering-desoldering-rework-products/solder/1310838

Hey everyone,

Where do you get small diameter soldering wire (0.2mm, 0.3mm size)?

Hello lajntx,

I got an email from Chris at Click2Detail. The implication is that they are working on the drooped landing gear, although it is behind some client-sponsored work. I'll wait a bit to learn if in fact they are moving ahead with that project.

Just ordered five packs of MV Products blue lenses for the formation lights. The guy at the hobby store looked at me when I asked for five sets of blue. He said "we don't ever get that request."  Trying to get as much super detailing product, research, and product details set before unleashing the Xacto knife, sandpaper and filler on this kit.

Click2Detail is now offering the B-36 Featherweight III window plugs for $16.99 (set of 4). They are 3D printed in clear plastic, so no extra transparency is needed for the small rectangular windows. I trying to coax a family member to get a set for me from Santa Claus (along with the closed bomb bay doors).

Maybe Chris will do the wheels down (drooped) during approach landing gear too, although that one is a bit more of a stretch due to complexity.

Will do. Nose and tail cannon it is. I have a good-sized telephoto lens so I should be able to get some decent close ups.

Will do. It looks like the trip is on 100%.

yes please any photos ofNam era Phantoms or of any gun ships like PUFF TH MAGIC DRAGON from the movie The Green Berets

Pictures of the B-36 nose and tail cannon would be great.

Initials plans for the upcoming holidays include a trip to the National Museum of the USAF (85% sure it will happen). Does anybody need any particular photos when I'm there (if I'm there)?

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.

It'd take a heck of a kick!

So, if during flight the landing gear doesn't fully extend does this poor guy get to crawl out onto the strut and kick it down? :) I'm seeing visions of Slim Pickens riding the missile in Dr. Strangelove.

jeaton01

My travels this past weekend made it convenient to stop by the Castle Air Museum and I did a photo essay on their RB-36H with a pretty heavy emphasis on the landing gear.  The pictures are all on my website on the B-36 page:

http://www.yolo.net/~jeaton/Propplanes/b-36/b-36.htm

Excellent pics jeaton, very interesting and helpful, thank you for posting.

jeaton01

 I noticed the wheels are a different style from the kit and the Castle airplane.  Here it is, it clearly shows the extended oleo piston.  The gear doors are not installed and detail is shown well in the gear bay. 

If memory serves me right that picture is one of the first production B-36A`s with the "new" roller skate type that was used for internal "non classified" purposes to illustrate the difference between that and the old tri-cycle to Convair and DoD personell. It must have been passed on to NG when they did a story.

You are correct that there were two types of this gear. This is discussed briefly in the Wachsmuth book on p.48. The type illustrated was used on every B-36 up to 44-92098, delivered in August 1950 ( The first 100 ordered by th US Army Air Corps in 1944 to help the project meet allocation criteria for funding ) , and the late design which is portrayed in the kit was on every B-36 starting with 49-2647, also delivered in Aug 1950, until the production ended with 52-2827.

If you look at the two free online books on the resources at the begining of this GB you can see the differences on the early and late B-36`s

Thanks for the ID on the chaff dispensers, Toot.  The spider webs are still intact, sorry. 

I rescanned the period picture of the landing gear, it is from a 40's National Geographic.  It is the best shot I have found of a an operational main gear.  I noticed the wheels are a different style from the kit and the Castle airplane.  Here it is, it clearly shows the extended oleo piston.  The gear doors are not installed and detail is shown well in the gear bay. 

What, you aren't going to replicate every detail of the gear?

lajntx. Crew members and landing gear received, but boy were they upset. The first thing I heard when they popped out of their capsule was that they were pilots, not astronauts. They knew how to actually fly an aircraft and didn't appreciate being cooped up in a pod for days. They are all out drinking and carousing now. MPs will probably be called in a few hours to break up the fights. Thanks for sending.

Hello John,

Wow! Thanks a lot for the landing gear photos. Now I can spend the next two years super detailing them -- NOT. I did plan to add brake lines and some other details. This helps a lot. This type of support is what a group build is all about. Much appreciated.

The ducts at the bottom rear of the fuselage that you couldn't identify are chaff dispensers. They were part of the production B-36Fs and onwards and retrofitted to all other variants.

Have you or any of the group tried carving treads into the tires? Any best way. Most of the B-36 tires seem to be the standard rain tires (i.e. just straight grooves cut around the circumference).

Do you or any of the group know if the B-36 had static wicks?

Last question for John: when you were down there taking the landing gear photos, did you clean off the cobwebs too? :)

My travels this past weekend made it convenient to stop by the Castle Air Museum and I did a photo essay on their RB-36H with a pretty heavy emphasis on the landing gear.  The pictures are all on my website on the B-36 page:

http://www.yolo.net/~jeaton/Propplanes/b-36/b-36.htm

I still haven't quite figured out how the brake lines run, but there is enough detail on the gear itself to see how it all works.

Teutonic222

Hello lajntx. I didn't forget about the white painted canopy, but thanks for the reminder. I was wondering if the interior colors changed for what I'll call ergonomic reasons. Locomotive cabs, old steamers and modern diesel electrics, have interior cab colors similar to what is shown in my photo (slightly bluish green). I think it is easier on the eyes than OD green. I don't know of any reason why landing gear bays would be any color other than Zinc Chromate green. It's just a protective coating for aluminum. There is a good write up on zinc chromate here: www.colorserver.net/.../history-zinc-chromate.htm

Yes, I worked for a major aerospace and defense subcontractor. I was working on the leading edge flight control system for the F-16 as well as some GD/FW projects that will remain nameless. I didn't realize they had a company historian. I'll see if I can track him or her down. At the time, I would drive past the B-36 parked on the side of the entrance road and marvel at it. I also used to marvel at the quality of the BBQ at the joint near the entrance to GD/FW. Don't know if it's still there, but they had great pulled pork. I swear the wood cords stacked up along the back of the building was what held the building up. The parking lot looked like the Ho Chi Minh trail -- all cratered. I used to also have dinner with one of the GD/FW flight control engineers at the Black-eyed Pea in Fort Worth.

Egads, who would have thought this model would have turned into this level of research and detail?

Nothing new to report on my end on my build. With my painting area confined to a back porch work bench... Wet wintery weather has shuttered my operations the last few days.

Something you might consider in your research is getting a low cost CD/DVD copy off ebay of a B-36 flight manual to get more info on that gear. An original book set goes for $1000++

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.Xb-36+flight+manual&_nkw=b-36+flight+manual&_sacat=0&_from=R40

Teutonic222

Hey troublemaker. Strategic Air Command was put on order a couple of weeks ago. My DVD copy should be arriving soon.

Hey troublemaker. Strategic Air Command was put on order a couple of weeks ago. My DVD copy should be arriving soon.

I was flipping through channels on the cable box and found "Strategic Command"...or something like that...with Jimmy Stewart flying a B36. Lots of take-offs and landings and some good shots of the gear right before touchdown. Lots of interior shots too, may be worth a look.

John, thanks for the link to the Castle B-36 photos. I hope they made some money selling those gauges. I don't know if you saw any of my earlier posts, but I'm trying to identify all of the special placards and notices that are on the exterior of the aircraft. Most of those are not included in the Monogram model decal sheet. More of them are in the German Revell kit. lajntx is sending me that sheet so I can duplicate them. Ultimately I'm trying to create inkjet printable versions. If you have any photos that show some of those missing notices, post away.