David Womby Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 I understand the amount of work needed to research and make masters and that there needs to be an adequate market to make a return on the investment. I would have thought there would be enough of us here who would buy a Valiant B2 conversion but I still don't know of one available or in the works. It's disappointing. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOUGHNUT Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Maybe parts from the Contrail (AIM ? ) Vacform B2 could be cross kitted to the Airfix B1 ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 I was hoping one might come out but I think it's probably too late now. If they were going to do it the right time would have been while the kit was still in the supply chain, 2011 or 2012 at the latest. There aren't many around now and the prices ar3 starting to creep up on eBay. Hopefully it will be re-released in a few years and then perhaps there's another chance. However, tooling up for one-off prototypes, expect perhaps for the small number of true household name types, are always a difficult call commercially when there are so many types needing doing that were actually put into production and service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xvtonker Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 I do know that AIM72 has been active in preparing 3D drawings for development of a conversion, but has been delayed because of development and release of their V-bomber support equipment range. There suspect that are going to be lots of people keeping an Airfix Valiant to one side especially to convert into a B.2. XVTonker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Womby Posted June 13, 2015 Author Share Posted June 13, 2015 I do know that AIM72 has been active in preparing 3D drawings for development of a conversion, but has been delayed because of development and release of their V-bomber support equipment range. Thanks, I actually did hear yesterday from Neil that it still on the cards. Just no date. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 I did a big chunk of work on this, but like so many of my projects, it stalled I got the nose plug sorted size & shapewise, and was working on the basics of the sponsons when I got distracted by the shiny things. It also needed a slightly different tail arrangement too, IIRC. Best ask Melchie, as we were collaborating on it at the time - I've slept so many times since then that I can't remember the details 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Foster60 Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 Sorry to ask, I may be a bit dim but what are ALL the differences between the two marks, how many areas need changing exactly? Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viscount806x Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 Sorry to ask, I may be a bit dim but what are ALL the differences between the two marks, how many areas need changing exactly? Nigel Well Nigel, you can make a start by saving the windscreen parts and starting from there.... Even those are different I think. I had hoped Alley Cat might have had a go at a conversion but Ali took a change of direction and that ended right there. AIM are possibly the only hope but the time scale might defeat those of us who are getting on in years. Perhaps Colin of Freightdog would be interested but it's possibly not his thing. Not looking very hopeful is it? Nige B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flankerman Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 (edited) This months (June 2015) of Scale Aviation Modeller International has a 'Coming next month' tailpiece with...... "Greg Phillips Stretches a Valiant" - with a small photo of a B2. I don't know the modeller in question - but the small photo of his B2 looks good.......... There is no mention of scale - but I assume 1/72 ??? Ken PS - It's on sale 25 June. Edited June 14, 2015 by Flankerman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZKIWI Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 The Contrail B2 kit was not good , all it had were some pretty poor "carrots" on the wings of a B1 kit , certainly no longer fuselage as there should have been . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritJet Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Contrail had two attempts at the Valiant B2 with the second one having the longer fuselage. This is the version also issued by AIM. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The wooksta V2.0 Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 I had a Contrail B2 some years back but it's now with Melchie, who will do far better job with it than I ever could. I did see another AIM boxing a few weeks back and was tempted to get it to convert the Airfix kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truro Model Builder Posted June 27, 2015 Share Posted June 27, 2015 Having read the Greg Phillips article in the new SAMI, his scratch built conversion is . David, you will be sick as a dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 As Mike pointed out we were working on a B2 with Ali some years ago but for various reasons it never materialised. My Swedish friend Jan Forsgen was also working on one, though I don't know quite how far he got with it. There's a fair bit of work to do on a full conversion to be fair but it's certainly do-able. Mel Bromley of S&M told me recently that he has a 1/72nd conversion set for the proposed supersonic thin winged variant in the pipeline so I wouldn't rule out a B.2 from him at some point either. Sadly the Contrail kit is way off the mark though the white metal undercarriage is very usable...I still have a spare Airfix Valiant on standby duty for one of these so you never know....though the black bomber scheme looked fantastic I always fancied one in low level wraparound camo too..........after all it was the low level V-Bomber we should have had in the first place ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenPhill Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 (edited) This menacing looking aircraft is the Valiant B2 (Pathfinder) and if it had gone into production may have survived the Victor and Vulcan as the last V bomber. As no one produces the B2 variant it is not seen a lot as a model but with the 1/72 Airfix B1 release some time ago I had to convert it into this black beast. If you require any more info let me know I'll do my best if I have time, If not there is a full build article of my build in the July 2015 issue of Scale Aviation Modeller International. Edited July 7, 2015 by DenPhill 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xvtonker Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 (edited) Greg, I read your build article and what a great job you've done with the conversion. The way you extended the fuselage was very interesting. Do you plan to make plugs to order?????? Also, I don't suppose you could provide the scale plans for the U/C pods please? XVTonker Edited July 6, 2015 by Mike Removing long photo quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The wooksta V2.0 Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Now that, in Dark Sea Grey, Dark Green and PRU Blue would look fab. The 17 B.2s that were ordered and then cancelled were all allocated serial codes - WZ389-405 inc. - and these were later allocated to more B.1s. A nearly was as opposed to a what if. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenPhill Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 XVTonker I'm new to this so please be gentle with me. I'm not planning on making any more resin parts as it was intended to be a one off job. I've added some pic's that my help you as detail information for the B2 was non existence. All the info came from photos so there is some artistic licence. Greg 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radleigh Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 No idea who built it, but a photo from SMW 2011 in the comp... I thought it was bloody lovely!! Scale Model World 2011 by Radleigh Bushell, on Flickr 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wavodavo Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 XVTonker I'm new to this so please be gentle with me. I'm not planning on making any more resin parts as it was intended to be a one off job. I've added some pic's that my help you as detail information for the B2 was non existence. All the info came from photos so there is some artistic licence. Greg As this is my favourite aircraft, its a shame that you can't give someone your molds to make masters. I loved your article, especially when you were dealing with the undercarriage. I did some research into this some years back and was dealing with a guy who dealt with the development and production inc the prototypes (he gave me a fair bit of design drawings on a cd). I'm not to sure about the first set of wheels (spoked) but the latter set are Canberra wheels. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xvtonker Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 (edited) Greg, you have been more than generous with the information you have provided. There are many people who would have not been so generous. I love those pods, and you have now whetted my appetite to get my conversion started. Thanks again XVTonker Edited July 8, 2015 by Mike Removing large photo-quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenPhill Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 XVTonker Many thanks, any time. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robvulcan Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Be fun to paint one of these up as a Sub Hunter too would look nice in hemp and grey also 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Womby Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 XVTonker I'm new to this so please be gentle with me. I'm not planning on making any more resin parts as it was intended to be a one off job. I've added some pic's that my help you as detail information for the B2 was non existence. All the info came from photos so there is some artistic licence. Greg That's very helpful, Greg. Thanks for that and I love the results of your build. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenPhill Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 As this is my favourite aircraft, its a shame that you can't give someone your molds to make masters. I loved your article, especially when you were dealing with the undercarriage. I did some research into this some years back and was dealing with a guy who dealt with the development and production inc the prototypes (he gave me a fair bit of design drawings on a cd). I'm not to sure about the first set of wheels (spoked) but the latter set are Canberra wheels. Dave Hi Dave Thanks for your comments. So they were Canberra wheels! You live and learn. As for the masters I would do somethings differently like amend the pods, so the attachment to the wings would be easier. Also the U/C would need to be 100% accurate before I would let loose on the market. The only thing that I seemed sure about at the time is that rear wheels are smaller than the B1's. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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