Strategic Air Command GroupBulid

Well today my BlackBird is really starting to take shape! The B-47 is coming along,  I'll have pictures in the coming days.

Heres a corparion between the two blackbirds,  One on right has been finished for about two years.

bondoman wrote:

To quote Scorpio in "Dirty Harry"-"My, thats a big one!!!"

Isn't it though? I think that has to be the first kit and/or subject i seen where the forward fuselage is actually cut seperate from the rest of the aircraft! Undoubtedly that was for packaging purposes on the part of Testors, i'm sure...

But that is definately coming along nice, FMM! Even more exciting seeing it next to the completed one from before, and i have to say i think the one you built from a few years ago looks really nice!

Even though i think it may be a little while before i do an "Ironball" black aircraft, i definately wanna do one one of these days.

One thing i noticed with the cockpit. Like my U-2R build, i've noticed the headrests are red in color. I wonder if that's a spyplane thing? Or would it be a Lockheed thing?

Thanks bondoman, Desert Rat.  She really is coming along very nicly.  I can say that this one just might be my best model ever,  Im filling in every gap and very seem.  You bring that up about the red headrest's, it just might be.  Don't know if I've sayed this before but, I plain on making decals that are from the 17976.  That one is on display at the Dayton AFM.

Well I've just about finished the StratoJet,  There is one thing I messted up on.  The black area surrounding the cockpit,  I couldn't get the shape cut out of the tape right.  And got some touch up work to do around the rador area. 

I think it looks great!! Yes a little touch up but keep a little of the nitty gritty too, it looks pretty real. You know what would be great would be if she had a parachute popped out of the back. I don't know why, but with the crew in there and the canopy closed, she's obviously on the MOVE...

That is a real gem!!

Wow! Great work FMM!
Have you flown them around the house making the "shwish" noises yet? :)
If i had that blackbird, I know I could not resist.

That's too bad about the black area on the B-47.  Are you planning to
correct it, or just let sleeping dogs lie?  Masking curves is always tricky.
In fact, I had to correct an error in the black area on my grandpa's B-47.
I find the best way to mask curves it is to cut Tamiya tape into very thin
strips (1/8" or less).  Then it will flex nicely, and you can roughly mask
the areas outside of the curve with regular un-modified tape.

Thanks bondoman, IL2winkhawk.  When I putted the canopy on the B-37, and took a step back it was like just wow!.  I dipped the canopy in Furture, alone with the blackbirds canopy's.  They have a nice gloss to them.  On the StratoJet, What's left is touch up area's were the paint bleeded throw.

And yes winkhawk, I did act like the Stratojet was coming in for landing on my desk.  I would say maybe Wednesday, B-47 might be done.  I might have to try, and make a parachute for it to.

Thanks for your nice word's guys, I will try to find a way to remove some of the paint on the forward canopy.  Today I started on some decals, the decals on the wings don't really line with the lines on the wings.

FeldMarSchall Model wrote:

Thanks for your nice word's guys, I will try to find a way to remove some of the paint on the forward canopy.  Today I started on some decals, the decals on the wings don't really line with the lines on the wings.

She's lookin good enough to go to the ball, methinks!

And from the picture, i have a hard time seeing what you mean about the line on the wings.

DesertRat wrote:

FeldMarSchall Model wrote: Thanks for your nice word's guys, I will try to find a way to remove some of the paint on the forward canopy.  Today I started on some decals, the decals on the wings don't really line with the lines on the wings.     She's lookin good enough to go to the ball, methinks! And from the picture, i have a hard time seeing what you mean about the line on the wings.

I'll have a better photo tommorrow, of what I'm talking about.  Or like the seems line, the black decal is supposted to fellow that line but doesn't.  So you just got to keep the two lines apart. 

Here is my B-47E built about 2 years ago.  Along with a few other things.  Let me know what you think.

She has the full underside white paint scheme with the Aluminized top side.

The "Big Stick".

B-58A with S.E.A. Cammo Scheme, as photographed at Eglin AFB in Fla, circa 1970.

Sr-71, and the Dragonlady.

I have more pic's of these if anyone wants to see them, and can get more.  I have figured out the camera!

The SR-71, and U-2 are both 1/48 scale.  Here are some more pic's.

Here is another shot of the B-36.  Sorry will have to get more later.

More of the SR-71

More of the cammo B-58, and another one.

Now here are som of the B-47E.  It has been modified from the kit with phase III ECM gear.

Cockpit area shot.

Left extended wing tip.

Left side ECM blister, on rear fuselage.  Note the belly aft ECM pod/hump.

Two ECM plisters on the right side, with better look at belly ECM.

Right side shot of cockpit.  Seats are from Revell, F-101 in 1/72 scale.

I believe that is all  Gent's.  Will post more later.  I hope you like them.

Ahhh, the Blackbird and the Dragon Lady. Somehow they just look too perfect sitting on the same shelf there! Like two peas in a pod...

   I'd still love to get my hands on a Buff, but i really wish they had it in 1/48 scale though. But i agree with FMM- the camo scheme looks great on her!

   But going back to the Blackbird. Between FMMs and yours, i'm starting to think of other options for the SAC GB II. Maybe i oughta try the SR-71 too.

There's entirely too many kits out there, and not nearly enough years in my life...

SAC GBII- I've got a choice of three lined up!!

bondoman wrote:

SAC GBII- I've got a choice of three lined up!!

Ahhhh, the sweet torture and agonizing ecstacy of choices!

Looks like space is going to be a bit of an issue for the upcoming year here, but i think if i go large next time around, i may build it for my nephew. I'll need something that looks cool to offset all that "Power Rangers" debris he has in his room!

I'm going small- the F-82, or an F-111!!!

Otherwise, the B-50 which isn't so small.

The talk of a SACII is interesting,  I to get over minded and keep thinking of projects to do in the future.  And Desert Rat, the Testors Blackbird isn't the greatest model kit.  I belive it was made some time in the 70's, so the model fit is great.  Which leds to alot of filling and sanding!.  But I think It's worth, my LSH has them for 29.99.  But you can find deals on online stores, and ebay. 

Another thought, if some one maked the Buff in 1/48 that would be neat.  Just think of the detail, and the size it would take up! 

Speaking of the Buff, here's one I did a few years ago.  To me I wasn't happy with the paint job, and the final turn out.

B-47 from sealing,

My SR and U-2

And what the heck, I'll throw in a XB-70, in 1/444

Well, i agree. Of course the downside is that Testors is the only company that makes the SR-71 in that scale, so it's either that or nothing. But i tell ya, if they did the '52 in that scale, it would be worth all the tea in China (not to mention all the room it would take up to display). But i do wonder about how structurally sound it might be. I remember the B-29 i did in that scale many years ago. If i remember correctly, the wings stayed glued to the fuselage for only about 2 months or so, before it began to fall apart. While i would still like to try that again (now), i do wonder if there would be bigger problems with anything with a larger wingspan. Just kinda food for thought. But one can dream, right?

   Concerning the SAC GB II, i think it might not be really feasible to do right away. I think probably about this time next year might be good. Maybe we might be able to get some additional participation next time around. But really, alot of the credit would have to go to you, FMM. After all, the original SAC idea was yours, and it amazes me that it hasn't been done before. T'was a really good idea!

And those are some nice builds! I can see what you mean about the Buffs paint, but it's alot better than some of the other camo jobs i had seen in times past though

One question on the '47. That spot/marking underneath the nose. Any idea what that is? I know alot of time with modern fighters, they used to paint a canopy shaped marking underneath (the idea being so you couldn't tell if it was upside down or not). But i'm wondering if that might be the same idea or no?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's a radome.

And I think the tan part is fiberglass, the black part carbon fiber.

Yeah I did read some were, on the underside thats a radome.  My brother started on a Buff at the start of the year, hes going with the Aliumium top and flash white bottom color.  You know the other day I found a 1/72 XB-70 model.

http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/mod/us/hamm70.htm

"Note it says long out of production" lol