Strategic Air Command GroupBulid

Got the C-47 finished.

The C-46.

Here's the first shots of the C-54.

Set the cut lines out in tape from the "plan"

spray the area for cutting lines. Cut short and will sand to final dimension.

Ouch.

D-Rat. I couldn't tell front from back on the wingtip shot, but the little collision light on the side of that pod is tear shaped and should point forward. Sand down the mold line with a fingertip sand paper or stick, anbd then put a khaki dot on the end like the photos showed and you'll be the boss!!

FMM- I didn't realize how "box" the B-47 cross section is. Look forward to your progress.

AJ- welcome in!! and Yardbird: After this GB want to build a EC-121: all pro knowledge is more than welcome.

Bondoman

Well thanks for the heads up, guys. Between the link and the general consencous, it seems like i have no problems after all! I think i'm just gonna let it ride as is.

But lessoned learned though. I need to pay closer attention to what i'm doing when i'm working on a build. And having better research material on hand would be a good idea too. Thanks guys!

The wing pods are  Litton ALR-46 ( System 27) Digital radar recieving anttenns on both wing tips. Current version being System 27-1. These are usally carried when on a mission.

These were carried on U-2R's and TR-1A's from the late 1970's to the present day. So they are good for the U-2S as well.

They would not be carried on U-2R's in the late 60 / early 70's although some of these aircraft are still flying today and are currently equiped. 

AJ

D-Rat: I'd say first of all, make sure that it's not the right pod. Take a look at this link for photos; the pods in question show up mounted on what seems to be a U-2"R/S". Also check out all of the cute little blade antennas.

http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/u2sdwa_2.htm

Others in the GB probably have better info.

If they must go, and you used plastic cement, you'll probably be able to grab it and pull it off. Otherwise, I reccomend the saw.

BTW here is a tip for sanding the insides of the intakes- always a hassle.

Bondoman

The original small U-2 had only the flat tip plate or skid plate at the end of the wing.  I think the first of the large U-2R or TR-1, whichever you want to call it, had just the flat plate also.  The cylindrical thing is a threat waning receiver that was added a little later in life.

 Darwin, O.F.

Ok guys, i think i botched it here. I've been working a little more with the wings and i had attached the wingtips last night. But today after scrutinizing them and the instruction booklet a little harder, it looks like i've screwed up. Take a look:

Now for some reason, the kit gave me 2 types of tips (the booklet instructs you to throw these ones away). They are supposed to be flat panel tips and not the cylindrical tips mounted that you see here. I guess they might've been meant for a different version. But they sure are glued in there pretty good. Is there something out there that will dissolve the glue without damaging the plastic? I think if i try to pry it or cut it, i'm likely to ruin the wings all together. Or would my best option would be to just let it be? What say y'all?

Nice work so far.  The B-47 has always been one of my favorites.  I really liked it back when I was a kid, before I knew what a B-52 was.  The 47s were all retired before I got into working with the big bombers in SAC.

Darwin, O.F.

Nice work on the Stratojet.  That is going to be a rather LARGE model.  How are you going to do the NMF?

Grandma L

Well I made some more progress today, glueing the wings on.

Impressive. My F-82 will be in 1/72 scale- the old Monogram kit.

I recently joined the Airfix Welcome Back forum- what a dud, no posts in two weeks.

Any one interested in insights into the Testors B-58, Revell/M B-52 or B-36, all at 1/72, just let me know.

Great GB, I hope to make the C-54 into pieces this week.

Bondoman

Ok I have some updates, the scale sizes for all aircraft are now 1/200 up to 1/32. 

Heres a list of what everyones doing, let me know if I mist your aircraft.

NorthAmerican F-82 TwinMustang, Bondoman 1/72 F-82 Twin Mustand

Douglas C-54 Skymaster, Bondoman 1/72 C-54 Skymaster

Lockheed U-2R, DesertRat 1/48 U-2R

Republic F-84 ThunderJet, Yardbird78 1/48 F-84F Thunderstreak

Boeing E-4 A/B Flying Command Post, R-CMan73 1/72 E-3 Heller/ mph34 1/72 E-3A AWACS

Rockwell B-1, Usaf Ssgt 1/48 B-1

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress R-CMan73 1/72 B-52

Convair B-36 Peacmaker Wirraway, 1/72 B-36 Peacmaker

Boeing B-47 Stratojet, FMModel 1/72 B-47E

Lockheed SR-71 BlackBird, FMModel 1/48 Blackbird 

Again if I mist your name of aircraft or scale let me know, and if your finished with yours.

You know, its funny about the B-17, I had not noticed that before. These two plus the B-25 way back in the photo belong to the Collings Foundation which has a good website w/info. Very good time going for a ride in the B-24- I guess it is more fun when it is voluntary and peaceful. That particular airframe was ex-Indian airforce; built from bits and pieces chopped up by the Brits when they left India in 1948.

Airman Jim is back in his house but he has become interested in this GB, and promises to keep the shop clean and lit and heated. He built a very nice Memphis Belle in 1/72 last year when his family and mine went to a beach house on Fathers day, his first aircraft model. He actually is a good source of info from his many years in USAF as an electronics guy on BUFFs and then the Tennessee ANG, where he flew in C-124s and C-130s. His plan is to buy the Anigrand C-124 and make me build it, so we will see.

I finished the C-47 this week, the C-46 will be next and then clear the table for the C-54. It involves chopping 3/4" out of the forward fuselage of the DC-6 and 1 1/4" out behind the wings, plus cutting out all of the rectangular windows and replacing them with ovals. I hope to have pictures up by the end of next week. I'm interested in any ideas abt decals and color schemes.

Bondoman

First off Bondoman, i gotta comment on the C-130 ya got on the shelf. That's an impressive build (not to mention size). Despite the markings from a different country, when i look at it, sometimes i can almost see that dreaded green light just a-glowing in the left and right troop doors! Smooth!

    On Airman Jim, awww i think ya let him off too soon, and i think ya blew it! After all, someone has to sweep and mop in and around the bench! Hopefully his loved ones paid a pretty decent ransom. If so, I've got some Arizona Beachfront property i'd like to sell ya!

   And the last picture with you and Dad, i think i've seen those planes before! If they're the two that usually tour the states, i remember seeing then on display out at Brackett Airfield not too far from here. Really great to see restored aircraft. I am a little confused though. The B-17G in the background. Do my eyes decieve me? Or is it in desert tan? And is that even right? Looks like a new paint job from here, as i look at it

Bondoman, sure thing.  A Douglas C-54 Skymaster and a F-82 will be added.

Ajsr71u2, Thanks for the site.  Nice pictures of tail artwork.

FeldMarSchall Model wrote:

Bondoman, Your C-45 looks very good.  And I like the wall of models you got. Im finding more info on the Blackbird #976, she was the first SR-71 to be flown in operational missions on March 21,1968 in Viet Nam.  And she was the last Blackbird to be flown to a museum, she touched down at WPAFB in Dayton Ohio on Wednesday, March 27, 1990.  I just might need to find some good pictures of her (#976) tall artwork, and make some decals.  To put on my Blackbird. http://www.habu.org/sr-71/17976.html

FMSM- as the obersturmbahnfurher or whatever of this GB, I submit to you a C-054, a F-82 , if time permits a C-45 which is in the stash, and an October surprise.

The gathering group of lockheed know its is great-ajsr, yardbird, D-rat, yourselfness and the newest. I put aside any notion of the A-12 for the future. my Loughead collextion is TWA L-749 NC91209, BOAC L-749 G-ALAM "Belfast", IAF C-130 4x-FTB "First into Entebbe" and an unbuilt Lodestar.

She's getting new props from a $ 0.99 bag of bits from eBay.

In the spirit of full disclosure, Airman Jim was released to his people.

Yours truly, with my father

There are two pictures of 976 on this web site.

 http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/tail001.html

I have some Voodoo photos on my web site that are from the McClellan museum, here:

http://yolo.net/~jeaton/century/101/101.htm

Bondoman, Your C-45 looks very good.  And I like the wall of models you got.

Im finding more info on the Blackbird #976, she was the first SR-71 to be flown in operational missions on March 21,1968 in Viet Nam.  And she was the last Blackbird to be flown to a museum, she touched down at WPAFB in Dayton Ohio on Wednesday, March 27, 1990.  I just might need to find some good pictures of her (#976) tall artwork, and make some decals.  To put on my Blackbird.

http://www.habu.org/sr-71/17976.html 

The Kiwi resin conversion sets are pretty nice, but at $35 for the 1/72 and $55 for the 1/48, they are a bit expensive.  I have the smaller one and the top and bottom nose cone are badly warped, barely useable.

Darwin, O.F.

Hi

 KIWI RESIN MODELS do both a 1/48th and 1/72nd scale coversion set for the A-12. OXCART.

I have the 1/48 set

New front with cockpit tub, ejector seat and two peice tail.  Refuelling receptical is also included and in the right location.  The nose profile is a little to flat on the top like the SR-71, where as the A-12 Is a bit humped due to the fusalage was tubular with the chines added after. 

Spoke to Dave at KIWI and the 1/72nd version was to far down the develpment line to correct this.9 I have not seen this set)

Dont know if you have seen the ROADRUNNERS INTERNATIONALE web site. This is a web site by the people who were at Groom Lake testing the U-2 / A-12 / YF12.

ALAN

Member ROADRUNNERS INTERNATIONALE, DRAGON LADY ASSOCIATION. 4080th SRW.

lol! Well, i'm glad he's ok. I suppose his family might have a problem with you if he didn't survive his "apprenticeship"!

   That is an ingenious idea, i have to say. Like i said, i've never heard of any one doing it this way at all! I may have to remember that with some of my larger builds....

    Living in an apartment, space is kinda a premium for me. Now with my re entering the hobby after a loooooooooong break, i put some glass shelves up in my home office where i can stash my builds. Shelf space isn't really the problem for me, but rather the size of the models. My preference has always been 1/48. But with some of the bigger planes i have, i really doubt some would even fit up on the shelves.

   Now look at what ya got me doing!!!!!!!! You made me think! (Ouch! This hurts!)

ajsr71u2 wrote:

Plenty of SR-71 Tail art at this web site   http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/tail001.html   ALAN. A-12/ U-2/SR-71

Outstanding! I'd welcome any knowledge about building an A-12. I've got a couple of articles, and a 1/72 Hasegawa SR-71 salted away but haven't gotten started yet, and won't for this GB.

It's a really nice collection of aircraft ya got mounted in your workshop! Really digging it! I've never in my life see anyone mount them to the walls like that though. Is there something unique you do to mount them on the hooks without causing damage?

Glad you checked it out, its worked really well for me with those monsters you see up there. I take a 2 foot or so piece of 15 lb test and tie the ends together with a NON slipping knot. Then I loop it over the rear of the aircraft and pull it back under the tail planes. leaves about a 9" or so loop that the plane can hang from, which I put over the hook in the pegboard. Or under, and up over the planes if there is a radio antenna up top. So when I want to get one down and run around the back yard making BLPpppppp-ing noises I can. I had to drill a little hole in the base of the fins of the Hustler and the Vulcan and add a little hook to the loop of line, but no big deal to me compared to I would never have the space for these to sit flat.

It also puts no weight on the landing gear, which is really a good deal. After this GB I'm going to have to move things around.

I did a bunch of research today trying to track down SAC C-54's. It seems as though of the 1000 or so built, SAC themselves only had about 10. They were assigned to Air Transport Unit wing, but I believe not a part of MATS and its various cousins, so not those markings. Sounds like another plain silver bird, with minimal markings from the scrap box. Any further info or contradiction is welcome.

Thanks again, D-Rat. I checked on the Airman and he's getting enough air to stay alive through the holes in that peg board. 

Bondoman

bondoman wrote:

Thanks to DesertRat, I've got a chance here to post a little intelligent thinking, rare for me...

I'm glad i could help! Now that ya got the pictures up and the badges, you are definately good to go!

It's a really nice collection of aircraft ya got mounted in your workshop! Really digging it! I've never in my life see anyone mount them to the walls like that though. Is there something unique you do to mount them on the hooks without causing damage?

ajsr71u2 wrote:

Plenty of SR-71 Tail art at this web site http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/tail001.html ALAN.

Alan,

Thanks for posting that site about the SR tail art.  I did not about that one and it is fantastic.

Darwin, O.F. 

Plenty of SR-71 Tail art at this web site

http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/tail001.html

ALAN.

A-12/ U-2/SR-71

yardbird78 wrote:

Bondoman, You have been sniffing too much glue and paint lately.  You are almost as mixed up and spaced out as I am.  SAC supposedly played around with the F-82 as a long range escort for their bombers back in the early days of the command, (when Curt LeMay thought that he ran the entire Air Force from Offutt).  BTW, nice bunch of SAC airplanes on the back wall of your shop. Darwin, O.F.

Thanks, I managed to turn the B-58 right side up, too. Research about SAC F-82s brought up the 27th Fighter Escort Wing at Bergstrom AFB and the 27th Fighter Wing at Kearney AFB, at least according to Wikipedia. I don't pretend to understand the organizational chart for all of this, but it sounds as though the F-82H's sent up to Alaska were not part of SAC? Also, does anyone have or have an idea how I could get Microscale sheet 72-0183?

Bondoman

Bondoman,

You have been sniffing too much glue and paint lately.  You are almost as mixed up and spaced out as I am.  SAC supposedly played around with the F-82 as a long range escort for their bombers back in the early days of the command, (when Curt LeMay thought that he ran the entire Air Force from Offutt).  BTW, nice bunch of SAC airplanes on the back wall of your shop.

Darwin, O.F.