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1/48 B-58 Hustler


Alan P

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Al, please take your time I'm watching this one with peaked interest, as the B-58 "Hustler" is some where between 1 and 3 on my all time faves list. It is what a lot of planes want to be when they grow up!!!. Damned shame SAC thought that the "Aardvark" was a suitable replacement, I didn't :rolleyes::whistle: .

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Having seen some of your previous builds, this should be nice, possibly consider bringing it to Milton Keynes show next year?

:ditto: I second that, and it would be an extra good reason to go the show next year :yahoo:

Keep up the good work Al

Bex

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Firstly thanks for the support folks! Hope you aren't too disappointed by the end product!

Thanks a lot for the links Andy and David, they have been duly mined for info. Lee, great pic, i've been looking for a picture of that build. Although a superbly finished and built model, the metal finish looks a bit sterile - i'm hoping for a more authentic result and yes, Skii I am going to try to replicate the stressed-skin look. First i've got to hurry up and seal up these cockpits.

Finished as best i can - it's cold out in the shed so i've been doing these in fits and starts. Not really the result i was hoping for :undecided:, but will be mostly hidden anyway.

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The nav/bombardier's cockpit, made from scribed plasticard. OK for a first effort.

 

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The DSO's cockpit, made from scribed metal foil. Didn't come out so well, should've used the plasticard. You live and learn I spose!

 

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The front cockpit, using the kit parts - a gallant attempt to make a fist of the raised panel detail. Bit messy but OK from a distance, in the dark, with your eyes half-closed.

 

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The finished Stanley capsules - kit (pilot) seat on left, others scratched using F-105 seats. I am pretty pleased with how they came out.

The photos really bring out the mistakes!

I have also attached the fuselage and nose section to the upper wings and the fit is good. Glued it using liquid cement about an inch at a time and managed to preserve the wing camber. So far so good!

Been experimenting with Alclad, Gunze Mr Metal Color and Hawkeye's Talon and SnJ polishing powder. Some interesting results!

More later, and thanks for looking,

:cheers: Alan

Edited by Alan P
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The photos really bring out the mistakes!

:hmmm: Yes Al, I wish I could mistakes like those seats :worthy::worthy:

Keep up the good work

Bex

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I'm a little frustrated with this - just got the front fuselage together, painted up the wheelwells, then discovered i've managed to lose one of the elevons which i removed for "drooping" purposes. Pondering whether to build it out of plastic card or buy the Fisher elevons as replacements....

In the meantime I might start something else. Not like me to stop two builds once i've started though....

NOT HAPPY :angry:

Al

*Please note - do not infer any Freudian meaning behind the words "frustrated" and "drooping" occurring in this post!

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*Please note - do not infer any Freudian meaning behind the words "frustrated" and "drooping" occurring in this post!

Al, don't be so "hard-on" your self... :analintruder:

Cheers,

ggc

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Total RESULT! I found the missing elevon sandwiched between two sheets of sandpaper under a pack of plasticard about 2 ft from the kit box. It must have been trying to make a getaway!

We are back on! (sorry about the pics, they are from my mobile)

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Cockpits installed and fwd fuselage joined. The seam gap in the top picture looks worse than it is due to the silver plastic changing colour to grey when it is glued.

 

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Main gear wells - work in progress!

 

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Monogram nosewheel - the only obvious detail missing was this cross-brace thing made from rod and plasticard. Otherwise it's a great piece of moulding for its era!

Overall the moulds are showing their age, with lots of flash and runs which may cause problems when the Alclad goes on. It may end up a foil job after all...

:cheers:

Alan

Edited by Alan P
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I'm never gonna get any modeling done if I keep coming here to see all the fabulous builds and in-progress updates :wacko: . Thanks Al for taking me back to da' 50's with one of the most superb medium bombers ever conceived. Are ya done yet :whistle::D ...Ok waiting patiently............now................how about now....... :rolleyes::D . Ok I'll just have to follow the bloomin thread :P .

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Great job Al , keep persevering old chap , it IS a lot of work just getting the thing to the painting stage is a Herculean effort, don't think too far ahead . I used the kit elevons as the Fishers weren't out 'back in the day', easy fit and effective if multi dark nmf 'd ( like the rear halves of the engine nacelles). By the way if your going to include the mk 43 nukes , cut the ridge off the noses , don't know where they came from, ( unless they are supposed to be covers!!). Stressed skin !!! ...............eeeeeek :shutup: , good luck..

*Please note - do not infer any Freudian meaning behind the words "frustrated" and "drooping" occurring in this post!
.....never crossed my mind... :whistle:

Nice build so far , bit at a time Al,

Andy

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Great job Al , keep persevering old chap , it IS a lot of work just getting the thing to the painting stage is a Herculean effort, don't think too far ahead .

Thanks a lot Andy. I've now scribed the elevons with the two longitudinal channels, ready to paint. They will be my first metallic paint jobs, see how it goes. Still a bit worried as my shed workshop is now quite cold and damp, and i'm worried how badly that will affect the Alclad.

No nukes required, I'll be doing the Tokyo-London record setter "Greased Lightning". (A record that still stands by the way - an average speed of 938mph despite losing one engine [EDIT: it wasn't the whole engine, just the afterburner section] over Greenland).

Just been making a filler queen in the meantime (1/32 F-16XL - ugh!) to practice minimal sanding putty techniques - such skills will come in very handy now that the B-58 airframe is together. It's a biggie - about 2 ft long in 1/48. Pics to follow when my camera gets a new battery as the phone doesn't do such a good job...

Cheers :cheers:

Al

Edited by PHaTNesS
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Nice one, regarding Alcad , I've only ever sprayed it in at room temp or above so I don't really know what happens in cooler conditions, but as it's relatively low pressure I would imagine that it just takes longer to dry !!.Once it is dry though it's pretty well bullet proof.

You think you've got problems with the F16xl , I have an ongoing battle with a Monogram B36 to contend with , all that lovely Alclad to throw at it , not to mention filler and re scribe!!!.LOL

Cheers,

Andy

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with your alclad paint make sure that it goes on a good base coat of either gloss black or gloss white.

so long as you leave it to dry properly then temprature should not be a problem unless its like the artic in your garage :cold:

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  • 2 weeks later...

After a good two weeks of sanding, puttying, supergluing, sanding, priming, puttying, sanding, priming, sanding etc we are just about there...

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I used Mr Surfacer 1200, then Tamiya Surface primer, sanded down and micromeshed to 4000 grit. It gives a really smooth finish.

The worst bits have now finally been tamed, the fuselage forward joint and left inboard engine cowl just wouldn't lie down, eventually I used a combination of Milliput white, Revell Plasto and Mr Surfacer 500 & 1000 to rid myself of their conspiratorial rebellion:

 

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The main landing gear legs have been done in Alclad and a quick pass with SnJ powder - didn't think it would work but it came out nice and shiny:

 

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This one I tried undercoating in Alclad Steel, then going over it with Airframe Aluminium, and gave a rather nice colour finish and shine:

 

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Next step is gloss black, then the metalisers. Fingers crossed...

Alan

PS. looking for a word of advice if anyone's reading this: Would you attach the engine and weapons pods BEFORE painting, or do it after the main paint job and tidy up after? To be honest I'm pretty stumped on that as the fit of the engine pods is so poor around the wing pylons in particular.

:cheers: Al

Edited by Alan P
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Snip .......

PS. looking for a word of advice if anyone's reading this: Would you attach the engine and weapons pods BEFORE painting, or do it after the main paint job and tidy up after? To be honest I'm pretty stumped on that as the fit of the engine pods is so poor around the wing pylons in particular.

:cheers: Al

Al,

That's looking very nice!! :thumbsup:

Re the engine and weapons pods, I'd attach them before painting and do any filling & sanding on them before painting. Doing it the other way risks a large respray if major remedial work is required on the fit of the pylons/pods.

HTH,

Ian

Edited by Notdoneyet
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nice work Al, normally I would leave the engines till after spraying but if the fit is bad I would get them fitted now, make good the joins and then spray the whole lot. More hastle when spraying I know.

Thank you and hello there! we've been worrying about you luv! Nice to see you back :wub:

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How about this for an idea Al? Put some Tamiya tape on the joins for the pylons, tack them on, and fill accordingly. You should then be able to fettle them to such as state as they'll be a drop-fit... Then you can paint them separately? Just a thought :shrug:

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