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Here we go again, Not long go someone asked in another build what the B-47E I had started waaaaay back in the dark pre-Covid ages of 2019(has it been THAT long?) status was. At the time I thought maybe I would get back to it late next year, depending on how several GB's for 2023 take their toll on me, But after scrounging around in the deepest dark reaches of my ever growing stash,( as Flip Wilson would have said it was buried in the back, in the booth, in the corner, in the dark, if you know that quote, You're older than Dirt my friend) looking at what HAD been done. I'm sad to report, The cockpit interior was in too many pieces and definitely not trying to put back together. Besides scale wise it was closer to 1/32 than 1/48 so, buh-bye. That will be re-done as printed resin. In fact a lot of this build will rely on that technique. If you wish to see what I had done before you can follow this link: As far as I can tell in a profiled build on the net there was only one other over on the ARC site, competed by Darius Aibara. ome reference help there but this is going a new and different direction. So rather than pick up where I left off I'm starting with a fresh slate. With having several Big builds and stuffing as much detail in the cockpits, wheel wells, and bomb bays, I'm in a much more confident position than I was long ago in that build far, far away. Well that and I do have a reputation for being the Craziest denizen of the Naughty Corner to upkeep. Here's what I hope to do with this build, 1, Finish it, ha, ha, he so funny 2. Improve the cockpit. Correct as can be accomplished with the references available. 3. Stuff all the correct detail into the wheel wells 4. Stuff all the detail I can into the Bomb bay with correct "Special Ordnance" for the time period 5. Drop the flaps, ailerons and rudder 6 Make the "Horse Collar" RATO set 7. Keep a few brain cells sane. That's not too much is it? So follow along if you dare. I know I could use the company. Lets see what we have to work shall we? Yes, acres and acres of white Vac-u-form plastic. I love the smell of burning plastic in the morning,... wait that's my brains. Sorry. Give the parts an outline with my permanent marker. It will make removing the parts easier than removing my fingers in the cutting process. At least I'll be able to see what I'm cutting. At least in theory. A wonderful set of metal parts, that are totally out of scale and useless for this build, but will make good fishing sinkers when needed. SO they won't go to waste. Using Darius' Idea of using a set of C-130 wheels as a substitution for the kit Wheels? on the left. And in addition to what I can find for information on the net 2 very good reference books. One by Alwyn T. Lloyd, [/url The other by Jan Tegler. Let the fun begin and Dam the Martinis, Full Speed Ahead!

Recently picked up the Pavla resin cockpit set for the Hasegawa 1/72 B-47E at my LHS.This prompted me to dig out said kit from my stash where it had been lingering for decades. The price tag actually revealed its age; bought at W.J. Walker's in Hackney (now long gone) for £6.95! Apart from rescribing it and correcting a few inaccuracies, there remains one question: Did the B-47E retain those two windows for the nav on either side of the nose? I've looked at numerous photos on the net and in the Squadron "In action" book. Seems some aircraft had them and some didn't. At least they're not visible on some aircraft. Or did those windows have metal shutters like the camera openings on the nose of the Swift FR.5? Any help to clarify this would be appreciated. TIA