Strategic Air Command GroupBulid

Revell made a 1/72 kit of the YF-12A about 1967 and AHM reissued it a few years later.  Testor's/Italeri has done both a 1/72 and 1/48 version of the YF-12A.  All these kits have been out of production for a number of years, but they can be found periodically on ebay.

The small landing gear struts under the inboard engine pods on the B-47 are usually referred to as "outriggers", but "tip gear" is also used.  The tip gear term is more often used in association with the B-52, both because it is closer to the wing tip and the plane has been around for so long that people are more familiar with it.

Darwin, O.F.

Wirraway wrote:

Herr Feldmarschall,  I see you changed your avatar - is that from "A Bridge too far" ?

At first, i thought it was Col Klink! Now that i look again, i may be wrong....

Does anyone know if the Testor 1/48 Blackbrid kit, can be motifed into a YF-12 model.  If this can be done It'll be much easyer that way, instead of trying to hunt down a YF-12 kit.  I did found one YF-12 kit on ebay but, the bidding price was over 40 dollars.

Hows everybodys progress coming along? 

FeldMarSchall Model wrote:

Does anyone know if the Testor 1/48 Blackbrid kit, can be motifed into a YF-12 model.  If this can be done It'll be much easyer that way, instead of trying to hunt down a YF-12 kit.  I did found one YF-12 kit on ebay but, the bidding price was over 40 dollars.

Anything is possible, but that conversion would be extremely difficult and time consuming.  The nose cone, canopy hatch profile, ventral forward fuselage and tailcone are all very different.

I just noted a 1/48 YF-12A on ebay for $9, but it will probably go higher before the auction is over.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180092709227&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1 

Darwin, O.F.

B36 compared to a 1/48 B29.  Makes you realise how big it would be if R/M ever scaled the peacemaker up to 1/48 scale.  Anyway, on with the show.... time to git buildin' !

I did that same B-29 back when i was a teenager. It was an ugly nightmare too! Parts didn't fit, paint just didn't work, and glue didn't hold. I swore i would never do another one of those again, however looking at how nice your superfortress is, i'm starting to have second thoughts.....

I noticed the wing decal seems a bit askew. Other than that, it looks flawless

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!

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!

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)

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.

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!

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.

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

Darwin, O.F.

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

Herr Feldmarschall.

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

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.

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.

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}

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, 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. 

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....