SR71 Blackbird

[Mark 1]

Hi all

I was just wondering if anyone could recommend a kit of the SR71 in 1/72 scale. Several times I've been hovering over stalls trying to decide to buy one or not, but always in the back of my mind is a piece I read in an article 100 years ago about a certain one being a bit of a dog, unfortunately I don't have the article any longer. Seeing as my modelling skill levels are at best rudimentary, it will need to be able to fall out the box half made.

Cheers

Mark

[Angels49]

This may give you an idea of what you want and can do with an SR kit:

http://www.britmodeler.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=10770

[Mike V]

The two best 72nd SRs are the Monogram and Italeri kit, in that order. Both have some accuracy and shape issues, but overall Monogram has the better Blackbird.

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Here's a Comparison of Italeri and Monogram's SR-71:

Monogram SR-71:

Monogram has the best lines for an SR, as the fuselage and spine are nice and straight. Also, this SR model does not have the droop/sag profile problem in the lower aft fuselage. The wing fillets and engine nacelles have the best proportions of any kit. The wing corrugations are also the best of any SR kit.

The upper vertical tails have straight profile, which should be more rounded. There is also a beef up plate on the outboard of each vertical tail which should be removed or sanded down. This might have been taken from one of the test SR-71 that had similar plating, but was not on the production SRs. The wingtip camber pretty good, but could have been a little better defined.

The Monogram SR has the most accurate upper cockpit/canopy side profile out of all the SR kits. The only problem is that the canopy side slope angles are too wide, resulting in a slight diameter bulge around the cockpit area. This gives a slight fat appearance to the cockpit when viewed from above. Also note that the canopies do not fit all that well in the closed positions, so some adjustments will be in order to get them to fit well

The MLG, MLG wheels, and wheel wells of the Monogram are more accurate (though a bit soft) and better detailed than Italeri’s gear/gear wells. The wheel wells lack depth, as all the other SR kits do.

Monogram's SR kit is the only one to have a detailed cockpit that actually looks the part. They also include two well detail crew members!

Engine nacelle contours are a bit too subtle, as they should taper a bit more sharply toward the nose cones. Monogram’s Exhaust nozzles are partially closed, which in the powered off mode should be full open. They

A D-21 drone is included, but is not applicable for an SR-71. It can be used on an A-12/YF-12 though.

Italeri SR-71

The canopy side profile is wrong, as it’s closer to an A-12 than an SR-71. The front windscreen wedge (a later mod to help dissipate heat) in missing, but then again so do the rest of the SR kits. The cockpit detail is blank and the decals are toy-like at best. The instro panels have some detail, but it’s nothing compared to the Monogram instrament panels.

Italeri’s SR nose is short, being somewhere between the A-12 and SR-71. The nose is also too shallow for an SR and the forward RWR antenna fairings are totally wrong.

The lower aft fuselage (aft of the MLG wheel wells), has a droop or sag profile problem. The forward fuselage spine profile is off and while the upper aft fuselage has a much too aggressive contour towards the tail cone.

While the wing corrugations are for the most part accurate, they are somewhat crude and not as well done as the Monogram kit. Wingtip camber is well done, probably the better of the two kits.

The main gear struts and wheels are tooled quite nice, but lack detail and are not all that accurate. The wheel wells are ok, but are too shallow and again lack detail.

Italeri's SR has the worst fit out of the lot. The fit is real bad of the radome and tail cone to the main fuselage. While it may have the worst fit, it does have the most options. The SR-71B 2 seat trainer version can be built from the same kit. Italeri also offers the YF-12 variant in separate kit form, though it's real hard to find. Italeri’s SR would be best suited to make an accurate A-12 than an SR-71.

The Exhaust nozzles have a slight closed configuration. The Italeri exhausts are the only ones that have ribbing detail on the inner nozzle segments.

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Overall the Monogram is more accurately shaped than the Italeri kit, as well as better detailed. It the best choice for an SR-71 in 72nd, though it will need some corrections. To actually get the best SR, it would be best to use parts from the Italeri, like the exhaust. Some scratch building might also be required to turn out a truly accurate SR.

Mike V

[PHIL B]

Italeri also offers the YF-12 variant in separate kit form, though it's real hard to find. Italeri's SR would be best suited to make an accurate A-12 than an SR-71.

Mike V

Thanks for the great comparison Mike. I recently saw an A-12 at the USS Alabama Museum while visiting family so Blackbird model ideas are running around in my mind right now. Re the Italeri YF-12A, its was re-released recently, in the UK anyway.

Italeri YF-12A

Hope this helps someone.

Phil.

[Mark 1]

Cheers guys, I'll get my credit card out now.

Mark

[Mike V]

Thanks for the great comparison Mike. I recently saw an A-12 at the USS Alabama Museum while visiting family so Blackbird model ideas are running around in my mind right now. Re the Italeri YF-12A, its was re-released recently, in the UK anyway.

Phil.

Thank you for noticing

Good heads up on the Italeri YF-12, thanks.

I haven't come accross them here in the states that much and rarely see a 48th scale one.

Mark, good luck with your SR project.

Mike V

[PHIL B]

I managed to pick up 2 of the Monogram SR-71s yesterday in the newest Revell boxing for just £7.99 each at Modelzone on High Holborn in London. They had about a dozen left.