Stealth GB

Did anyone start their projects yet?
I think I'll look inside the box today. I haven't built an AC in years, so this will be interesting.
By the way, what is an appropriate colour to use for the 'black' radar-absorbing paint? Flat black seems a little too dark for me.

You stay safe and dry down there Will

Thanks for letting me into the build

Hey all, been a while since I've looked at this thread. Sorry.. :-X

But it's day two of the GB! SWEET! I wonder if anybody has started yet. Personally, I have not - there's a huge hurricane that is sort of keeping people busy around here, and I'm waiting for a PE detail kit to come in the mail, but I don't expect it to come anytime soon because the hurricane has paused the postal service. Has anybody indeed begun their project already? Keep us updated, it's half the fun of a GB!

In regard to the whole 'definition of stealth' issue ... it really depends on what era you're talking about as to whether or not your target plane would be considered stealthy.

aaronw - Radar wasn't developed until later in the war ... so things like the P-61 Black Widow, the Mosquito, and those other night fighters would all be legitimate projects for this group build. They were made to be less detectable than other planes, which is in essence stealth, so yeah they're acceptable to me. Gotta ask my coboss (_ROOSTA_)! lol. I'm unfamiliar with the Hw219 Uhu and the PBY Black Cat, so I don't know how to make those calls.....

Maybe we should try to compile a list of aircraft that would be acceptable projects? That would be difficult, and we'd end up questioning new ones anyway on whether or not they're stealthy ... I'm willing to go for it though.

caine, ddayomaha, balta1 - I will be adding you to the beginning post of this thread on the list of participants after I finish typing this. Good luck with your build, and have fun!

uilleann - The U2. The U2. The U2. Personally, I'd give it the thumbs-up on stealthiness and project legitimacy. But ask _ROOSTA_ for confirmation on that, he's coboss.... I have no idea exactly how they were painted, but I do know that the paint does effect a plane's RCS. But I'm pretty sure that in its glory days, during the Cold War, they were close to undetectable when they were that ridiculously high up in the atmosphere.

I have a book on the U2, I should look that up .. also a book on the F-117, I should look up its paint for comparison as well.

Hope everybody's projects are going well, or that you're at least finishing up whatever is on your workbench so that you can at last tackle your kit for the GB! I'll be doing my best to keep things updated and what not, but theres a huge storm right overhead and I'll be needing to keep the phone lines open.

Happy building!

Over n out
Will

The U2 was designed to fly over Russia's SAMs, but it couldn't fly high enough to evade their radar. RCS, or Radar Cross Section, wasn't a factor in it's design. In fact, the Iron Ball paint came on later U2s and TR-1s. The SR-71, however, was the first aircraft to have RCS considerations in it's design parameters. Eisenhower didn't only want an aircraft that the Russian's couldn't shoot down, he wanted a plane that they couldn't even detect.

Just another point of consideration on the U2: It was designed to fly at very high altitudes right? Something like 60-70,000 feet plus? Wasn't this design parameter directly linked to it's ability to hide from enemy eyes and SAMs etc.? Again, I know it didn't work all the time, but it seemed to get the job done for the most part didn't it?

Lets say that the definition of stealth then is 1. painted in "stealthy radar evading" paint and/or 2. has a "stealthy radar evading" airframe.

OK I'm in but I'm not sure with what yet...

Hi all,
I would like to join to GB as well. Put me down for the 1/144 Revell B-2 and the 1/48th Monogram F-117.

Good info Caine, though again, I was under the impression that the U2 was painted in the "Iron Ball" black paint, not just your off the shelf Krylon ya know? It was the paint as much as the aircraft's shape etc. that helped it with stealth. And even an F-117A has been shot down now so I'm not sure that's as great a defining characteristic as it used to be. :)

Still curious to learn from all who know more than I do - like everyone else! :)

Best!

Brian~

Well, true it was designed to penatrate enemy airspace and it was (still is) painted black. But black paint doesn't make a plane "Stealth". Stealth (in the aircraft world) usually refers to an aircraft's ability to go undetected by radar, or at least have a significantly reduced radar cross section.

Technically, the U-2 was far from stealth. After all, several got shot down by enemy missiles during the 60s. In fact, the SR-71 is only boarder-line stealthy. It had a lower cross-section than probably any aircraft when it was built, but it doesn't compare to the RCS of the F-117 or later aircraft.

But I'm not putting this GB together, so I'm certainly not going to dictate the technicalities of this project.

Wasn't the U2 designed for stealthy/high altitude penetration of hostile airspace? I was under the impression that it was painted in the same black 'iron ball' paint as the SR-71 etc. Maybe I'd heard wrong...

It's black, but not exaxtly stealth... but we might be able to let that one slide.

I am supprised no one's really mentioned doing a U2 (just saw the post over on the main A/C board)...that would surely count towards stealth wouldn't it??

May I join this build with a 1/72 F-117?

I think I'll join in with a 1/48 Academy F-117... I happend to pick it up at Hobby Lobby during their half off models sale a few weeks ago. Kind of conveniant that this GB poped up about the same time.

I'll ask again now that this is stickied, how are you defining stealth? Would pre-"stealth" night fighters or bombers be considered stealth? I'm thinking about aircraft like P61 Black Widow, PBY Black cat, He219 Uhu, Mosquito etc.

In Case anyone's interested, there are several auctions up on ebay right now that might interest those working on a Nighthawk kit:

Superscale Decales in 1:48
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2587&item=5915705019&rd=1

Tamiya kit in 1:48 for $20.00 (a heck of a good price for this kit):
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=50302&item=5915182434&rd=1

Same kit starting at $3.00, but has been opened and has a reserve:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1189&item=5916152132&rd=1

Just some options for folks interested in this GB and stuff..... :)

Brian~

Hey Will, Just checking to see if you got my email on the PE parts and all?

Brian~

Holy cow... that's AWESOME.

That is awsome mate looks fantasitic.

_ROOSTA_ requested a Stealth GB badge for you guys so I threw one together.

Here's the full size.


And here's the 80 x 80 badge to be used in signiatures.


Hope You like it!

Yeah I didn't think so. SOL makes a set of resin AIM-9Xs and AIM-120s. Flightpath and Cutting Edge Modelworks also makes resin AMRAAMs. You would just need to cut off the tips of the fins to make the C models that the F-22 uses.

I don't know of one ..... but if you find something let me know please? Thanks!!

Anyone know of any aftermarket accessories for a 1/48 F-22? I know Eduard makes a PE set but is there any resin sets for weapons bays, landing gear, etc.?

You might try contacting Lawrence Hanson about this personally,I think he is the only one that can post on that page.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Audiophile121 QUOTE: Originally posted by zokissima Hey all. Been away for the weekend. Is there a thread for this in the GB forum? I tried putting a thread on the aircraft GB section but it didn't work. Must have tried at least five times. *shrug* May as well try again.....

Not sure which one your talking about. Have you tried the GB section outside of the Aircraft one, the GB thread in this section is locked I think.

Appeal to the powers that be!!!! We need help getting this thread on the GB forum.

fictional I know but what about testors Mig -37 Ferret?

QUOTE: Originally posted by zokissima Hey all. Been away for the weekend. Is there a thread for this in the GB forum?

I tried putting a thread on the aircraft GB section but it didn't work. Must have tried at least five times.
*shrug* May as well try again.....

Hey all. Been away for the weekend. Is there a thread for this in the GB forum?