Strategic Air Command GroupBulid

All right now the E-3 is complete.I hope that you all like and enjoy the final result.

And all comments are welcome good and BAD. Please.

I love when Japanese translations go bad !  This is from the Hasegawa B-47 instructions

"Pilot seats in front and back were not reputable"  "Dwelling was bad and degree of fatigue was big."  "Even then, it was the first class jet bomber in the period of 1940-1950 and must leave its big name in the history of air"       Sayonara !

bondoman wrote:

I've got a couple of ?? How do you include model shots in a post? How do you include the message to which you reply? How do you add the GB logo to the signature block? A spyplane story: when I was a kid, circa early 60's we Boy Scouts camped out at the nethers of a famous Naval Air Station near where I live. Couldn't get much sleep w/blue pickups roaring by all night, but at least the P-3s weren't landing. In the morning when we were hiking out, I sensed a presence over my shoulder, turned to see what looked like a powered glider/sort of a low wing SILENT Beechcraft kind of deal maybe 50' over us coming along? Must be USAF, Yardbird probably knows the tail #. I don't know a thing abt U2 so look forward to your posts.

Ok, lesse if we can get ya squared away here, shall we?

To make a post with a quote in the text, look at the upper right hand corner of the post. You have reply, and quote. Instead of hitting reply, hit quote, and it'll pop up like a normal reply- but with the quote text already inserted. (try it on this post here for practice)

For pictures. First the avatar on the left of the post. Go to the top of the page where it says update profile. It'll give you some blocks of personal information to put down. One of those is listed Avatar. You click on browse, and it'll upload any picture file on your computer.

Also for the GB badge, You will also go to update profile. First, go to page 5 on this GB thread. You'll see my post where it has the badge in the post. Right click on that to save it. Next, you'll need to get an account with a web based photosharing account (most use photobucket, i use onfinite). Most of them are free for basic service, which should suffice, methinks. Upload your badges and other build pictures on there. Copy the link it gives you for the badge. When you are in the update your profile block under your signature, type in just like this- [img*]yourbadgelinkhere[/img*]. (NOTE-don't include in * when you do it. I added those just so you could see it. Otherwise, this post woulda been screwed up). Once you add that, don't forget to click on update. Then check out any post you already left to see if it worked.

Posting pictures on the board is the same as adding the badge. Only difference is that you add the [img]s directly into the body of the post you are typing instead of the profile update.

Hopefully i didn't lose ya in any of this. I had to wait a few weeks before i was able to really get started in this group build. So in the meantime, i just sat down and played with the forum until i figured it out. Give em a shot, and while you're at it, also scan through the community assistance forum at the bottom of the main list. It'll give you some directions others had posted to new members there. A good reference that helped me out. If you still have problems with the badge, let me know. I've got it in my hard drive here. Good luck, Bondo

I've got a couple of ?? How do you include model shots in a post? How do you include the message to which you reply? How do you add the GB logo to the signature block?

A spyplane story: when I was a kid, circa early 60's we Boy Scouts camped out at the nethers of a famous Naval Air Station near where I live. Couldn't get much sleep w/blue pickups roaring by all night, but at least the P-3s weren't landing. In the morning when we were hiking out, I sensed a presence over my shoulder, turned to see what looked like a powered glider/sort of a low wing SILENT Beechcraft kind of deal maybe 50' over us coming along? Must be USAF, Yardbird probably knows the tail #.

I don't know a thing abt U2 so look forward to your posts.

bondoman wrote:

Thanks, I'm excited. Your picture/ your son? Thanks for what you do! I know what you mean, I have a theory that when collectors know a model is about to be rereleased, they dump their stuff on eBay. I got bit on the C-119 a little.

No, it wasn't rereleased at all. It's the U-2R (TR-1) from Testors/Italeri. So far not a bad build for someone who has been outta it for awhile. But it's been OOP for as long as i can remember (i think). Actually, they released one with the Senior Span thingy that looks like a turtle shell on top, but i didn't want all that, and didn't know if it was the same tooling or no. But i'm now seeing plenty of these old kits unopened all over the place. Go figure.....

Oh.... and nope! That's me! I look younger than i really am. Chicks dig the dress blues (but don't tell the mrs. i said that)

Well, I'd like your opinion. I would like to do the XB-35, which has been on my shelf for awhile, as a what-if? with markings similar to early B-36s, as if in service. Is that allowable?

Or, I've got a XF-12 Rainbow I bought recently? Same issue, I guess.

Or, I've got a Heller DC-6 and a Mullet Models C-54 conversion set, which was in the box when I bought the DC-6 on eBay. I've built the DC-6 before, its pretty good looking.

Your ruling, Maestro?

Thanks- I somehow survived the task! Mine, which I bought on eBay was from Revell/Germany I think and it came with very nice wing walk decals. Of course it/they were precisely the right length and after laying about seven feet of the stuff I was a little short, so I had to add some trimstrip. My B-52 on the other hand, did not. For that I brush painted a black stripe freehand about 1/4" wide all along the area, then taped it with 1/16" pinstripe tape. The model had handy raised ridges along the lines, I think. Then oversprayed with silver Testors shaker can. The darn thing actually worked well! My mistake was the brush paint- it shows through the silver. Airbrush would work fine. If using alclad, like I did on the B-36 ($$$) I p[aint the whole plane gloss black first anyways. I've had good luck with Testors gloss black acrylic in the airbrush as an alclad primer. I tried black Krylon in a spray can once, and managed to create a disaster.

Other mistakes- I sprayed the insides of the transparencies with Tamiya clear green, which looks good but should probably be grey. So I tried removing it, forgot it was acrylic, and wiped it with some good old laquer thinner. What an idiot! I had to polish the whole thing out, and it looks kind of crappy since it is the focal point of the model. I did the framing with silver decal strip, which worked pretty well.

One fun part was that  I built the RB-36 and spent a bunch of time adding all the little antennas with bits of wire. I kind of cheated on which markings I used- I never dreamed of showing this to anyone who would catch me, so I used the ones I liked.

This was a fun kit and went together pretty well. I did a bunch of reshaping to the engine intakes to match photos and to the wing/tube intersection to make it look better.

The book "Magnesium Overcast" was completely worth the $ 40 or so I paid for it- one of the best airplane books I've seen.

All questions are welcome.

Bondoman, you are just what the doctor ordered- someone who has already built a B36 Peacemaker !  I'm going to mercilessly pump you for information on a regular basis.  Question#1

How did you do the walkway lines ?  Unlike some of our more fortunate members who are building, say, a B47 (which has walkway decals ) 

Welcome, Bondoman! Lookin forward to seein your build!

This happens to me every time! Just prior to joining the forum, i was having a really hard time getting the U-2 kit without having cost me an arm and a leg off of ebay. Now as i look this afternoon, i am seeing the very same kits factory sealed going for only half of what i paid. It never fails....

Bondoman, say again what plane or plane's your entering

R-CMan, nice looking E-3 

Now that I have my job back, time will be limited on my bulid's.  But I will find time to get them done. 

Well I have alittle progress to report. At this time all of the decals are on the E-3 and I am awaiting for Radar techs, the electrictions the hydrollics teams and the airframe techs to mount the Radome. Did I say I am also waiting for a CRANE for this thing is HUGE. I hope that you all like the pix.

I should have it ready for a Future bath this afternoon, The crane and everyone else is going to to be here at around 13:00 hours.

The tape is for size it is 26 inches long and 25 inches wide. not sure how tall yet.

bondoman wrote:

I'm working on a commission to build a 1/72 A-12, which BTW is not SAC, no?

The A-12 was flown only by Lockheed and the CIA.  3 of them were operational at Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan, before the SR-71s took their place.

Darwin, O.F. [alien}

I'm working on a commission to build a 1/72 A-12, which BTW is not SAC, no? Building a YF-12 in 1/48 from the Testors SR would be a big, but not impossible task. The main thing is that you would have to scratchbuild the cockpit, the nose section, the tail section, the weapons bay, any weapons GAR9/AIM-47, folding fin. Very cool, I've never seen this plane at that scale. Another really neat project would be the trainer. As for the discussions of color, I'm thoroughly convinced dark blue is a non-starter. My one and only looksee at a SR made me think, and I'm a color guy; burnt barbeque. I plan to use flat black/white 15:1. The model RR guys have this down: PollyScale made a color Steam Black; the color Weathered Black is too warm, but a black/white or Black/Light Blue will work. Think about shading.

I'm a newbie. Put me in for:

XB-35 in a whatif scheme, if that is in the rules, or

C-54

I did a bit of SAC last year, a Mono B-36, Hasegawa B-47 and Revell (h*ll in this case) B-52. The benefits of a garage devoted to the airplanes...

Want to think about where SAC would have put the BM #### on the "Wing"? I've got a great idea though for the Milkyway.

On the bench: Williams C-46 @ 50%. To be painted olive over gray "Rockpile Express". Really a nice model.

Herr Feldmarschall.

Is she going to be "In flight" or "Down and locked" ?  Canopy open or closed ?

yardbird78 wrote:

The Stratojet is lookin' good.  I have always loved the BUFFs daddy. Darwin, O.F.

Agreed! Though i have to admit, without the wings attached yet, it almost looks like something you might see in a Buck Rogers movie

The Stratojet is lookin' good.  I have always loved the BUFFs daddy.

Darwin, O.F.

Nice updates guys, Im just about over half way on mine.  The canopy isn't glued on yet, but I can tell when all is done my B-47 is going to look great.

Wirraway wrote:

The U-2 is lookin good.  Do you get decals for the instrument panel with that kit ? (Thanks for the tip on the stars and bars BTW)

Thanks, Paul! One thing about posting pictures- more often than not, the flaws of your build just don't show. And i think that the cockpit is the thing i'm most self concious about. It doesn't come with decals for the instrument panel. It's just merely raised lines (and extremely thin lines at that). I think i've gotten the hang of drybrushing the high points- as long as they are large enough. I had a bear of a time trying though- I think after all my efforts, the forward control panel has quite a few coats of black paint. I was gonna do a closed canopy anyways, so i decided on just letting it be. But i got an SBD Dauntless for the other GB, and it looks like detailing the cockpit will come easier. But thanks for the compliments! I'm really looking forward to the painting part. I'm hoping i'll get to that within the next few weeks.

On the Peacemaker, i had taken another look as it was compared to the B-29. It didn't occur to me that your scale is 1/72. Jeez, that's a big bird!!!!!! Good thing y didn't get it in 1/48. You'd have to display it in the garage and start parking outide!

Desert Rat is correct on the star.  The five pointed star in the US insignia always has the single point up on the fuselage and forward on the wing.  The centerline of the whole insignia on the wing is sometimes parallel to the leading edge, sometimes parallel to the wing spar and sometimes perpendicular to the centerline of the fuselage.  All three of these variations can be seen on the same type of aircraft.  Check out the wing stars on these two F-84's.  Both are correct.

Darwin, O.F.

The U-2 is lookin good.  Do you get decals for the instrument panel with that kit ?

(Thanks for the tip on the stars and bars BTW)

Ok, here's where i'm at here:

Here's one of the cockpit. I know it's certainly far from perfect, but this is actually the first time i've ever tried detailing a cockpit. I'm thinking i might need a finer brush for some areas. I also know i still gotta do a little touch up with some of the paint, but i'll wait until the glue is good and dry.

And here's one with the wings almost completed. Only thing left are the caps (or ends) of the wings. I'll need to wait until the pods are completely dry though. I also wanted to get a picture of the mating surface between the pods and the wings, but i just couldn't get a good picture. I think this is going to be my first major hair ripping event. But i got a bit of a gap between. I think the pieces mighta been warped a bit. So, i think this'll be the first time i've used putty. To complicate it though, i'll be dealing with applying it in a crevace sharper than a 90 degree angle, so it's gonna get a little tight. Also got the afterburner painted and the airbrakes installed, and pretty soon i'll be assembling the 2 fuselage halves together. Then, i should be ready for paint!

   All in all, not a bad days work (i had a day off). But come to find out, i'm on the flight schedule alot for the next week or so. at work So my free time will be at a premium.It's a shame too, cause i'm really looking forward to tryin out the new airbrush. Whaddya think? All criticism and suggestions are welcome!

Actually, the placement looked good to me. I don't know the exact regulation dictating the measurements one way or another. But, i was refering to the direction actually. It looks as if the decal is upside down. I believe all American Aircraft is supposed to have the uppermost point facing forward. Kinda like this:

I have to say i'm jealous of the paint job on that bad boy though. I think maybe on my next GB, i might chose an aircraft with the silver metal finish. But if it comes out only half that good, i'll be stoked!