Martin B-51G Panther "Tropic Moon III" wt Pave Gat - Finished

[trickyrich]

YEEEEEHAAAA it’s finally here, though it seems to have taken forever!!

At one stage I was going to build the Arado Ar-234 P5 “Turbo-Prop” Nightfighter for this build but after seeing some of the parts I didn’t think I would be able to complete it in the time available (even though the build seems to be just falling together).

Then I happened to see some amazing profiles by the artist Logan Hartke and I just fell in love with the ones of the B-51 Panther, which are based on the Martin XB-51. So after a couple of e-mails to him I had his blessing to use one of the photos as the basis for the build. Actually he was very excited to see someone actually try to bring this design to life.

So the base of the build will be Anigrands XB-51! I had hoped to have had Collect-Aires 1/48^th version (I will build one as soon as I can get one) as trust me it would have been an easier build than the Anigrand one….more later.

The new nose and canopy(?) will be from an Italeri B-57G along with a couple of other bits supplied from it as well.

Plus just to give myself a little bit more work a 1/72nd Master M61 Vulcan rotary cannon will be fitted to the weapons bay as per the Pave Gat program originally fitted to a couple B-57G’s in Vietnam in 1968.

Finally she’ll be finished in RAAF colours for SEA operations around 1971.

Work required;

· Ok the Anigrand base model is horrible! All four sections of the fuselage were and still are warped, even a nice warm bath didn’t work, I think it made it worse! So lots of work there.

· Main wheel well bays need to be rebuilt, are warped.

· Completely new cockpit to be built.

· Canopy will either be from the B-57 donor or a F-4E

· Modernise the XB-51 airframe

· Get carried away with any additional mods I always end up doing!!!

Well I have my work cut out for this one……but am so excited I can’t wait!!!

Oh the aircrafts full title is Martin B-51G Panther Tropic Moon III wt Pave Gat. The actual Tropic Moon III program started in 1967 as a result of operational requirements in Vietnam. Have managed to get the original de-classified documents for the program which is really cool and very helpful!

[Arniec]

That are some nice warped parts. good luck with this difficult project. I will watch this one.

I think you should have stayed with your Original project (Ar 234).

Cheers,

[Col.]

Yikes! The profile makes this thing look like winged death and those bent resin parts are almost as frightening. As previous projects prove, however, if anyone can pull it off you're the man for the task Rich.

[trickyrich]

Yikes! The profile makes this thing look like winged death and those bent resin parts are almost as frightening. As previous projects prove, however, if anyone can pull it off you're the man for the task Rich.

thanks, she will be a bit of a challenge, though the scariest thing is the PE gatling gun!!!! Those bits are positively tiny!!

[trickyrich]

That are some nice warped parts. good luck with this difficult project. I will watch this one.

I think you should have stayed with your Original project (Ar 234).

Cheers,

The Arado did require quite a bit more mod work and the Unicraft conversion kits didn't make that any easier, by comparison there isn't much in the way of mods required for this one, the warped fuselages will be the hardest part. The new cockpit and card wheel wells should be nice and quick to put together.........hopefully!

[philp]

Will be watching with interest as I have wanted to get this kit for a similar whiff or two based on Logan's profiles.

He did an EB-51 version based off the EB-57s my Dad used to work on that I might try but just a regular ground pounder from Vietnam (same as yours without the Tropic Moon additions} would probably be the first.

[trickyrich]

Will be watching with interest as I have wanted to get this kit for a similar whiff or two based on Logan's profiles.

He did an EB-51 version based off the EB-57s my Dad used to work on that I might try but just a regular ground pounder from Vietnam (same as yours without the Tropic Moon additions} would probably be the first.

Logan's profiles are amazing, I had hoped to do a F-15 Reporter one next as I have an FE resin conversion kit for one, but the moulding it is almost too horrible to work with. Only just missed out on a 1/48th resin conversion kit for the XP-61E, which would have been just as good!

[Fatboydim]

I'm looking forward to seeing this beast built. Joe

[philp]

I got a Reporter conversion kit from Lone Star Models. Looked ok in the box but I haven't pulled it out and really looked at it yet.

Debating whether to build that as a What If or a regular version (neat kit markings with it).

He also threw in a couple extra engines for me to use on my A-26K (Marauder version).

[fids]

Very cool looking aircraft, look forward to seeing it come alive

[trickyrich]

Ok time to start this build!

First off the rear fuselage was jointed together…oh that was fun too!! As can be seen the gaps are quite noticeable as well as the now warped wheel well! Unlike all the other resin models I have this one didn’t like the warm/hotish water bath at all, at first it did try to straighten the warped bits but as they cooled down they did crazy stuff!!! So there is a bit of work to do bit nothing like I have had to do on the Arado!!

The forward fuselage section is just as bad but this time one side is longer than the other!! The water bath didn’t do this!!

So with the two sections together you can see the fun I am going to have!! Nothing some filler and wet-n-dry won’t fix!

Now some of the updating work I will do, the tail section is quite plain, on the profile Logan has added a spike on the “T” junction, I’ll add something similar except it will be a little squarer in shape to house an antenna array.

There is something wrong with this picture!!! All three engines are meant to be GE J-47-GE-13’s so you’d expect them all to have intakes with the same opening areas! Clearly they didn’t get this one right! MY beast will have the later J-47-GE-27’s (as fitted to the F-86F’s, these had 5970lbs of thrust as opposed to the original 5200lbs ones of those fitted to the XB-51’s. So revised intakes are a must and the fuselage actually has a recessed section in it for the upper intake, so this one will have an enlarged intake and larger recessed section.

I have had a look at the three different options I have for the canopy, original, B-57G version, and one from a F-4E. While the B-57G one looks good from the side profile it’s quite wide when viewed from above and the fuselage is quite narrow. The F-4 one suits the era quite nicely so that’s the way I’ll be going, plus it will be much easier to profile it in!

Finally I had a look at some of the options I will have for stores. Due to it being a wee bit on the thirsty side, drop tanks are a must! Now being a Tropic Moon beast with the high-tech nose early LGB’s or Bullpup’s will be the go, and maybe AN/ALQ-87 or AN/ALQ-101 ECM pods.

Plus I have to build a new cockpit area and new main wheel wells!

While there appears to be quite a bit of work required it is all quite manageable. This should be a fun build and with luck I’ll dive right into it next weekend!

[Hockeyboy76]

Looks good dude.

[trickyrich]

Well the fun has begun and I have a workbench covered in resin dust…it would have been so much easier if it had been a plastic model!

So we’ll start with the rear fuselage section first. Thought I have been asked why I didn’t first glue the front and rear sections first, then glue the halves together…good question! Probably because I like to make things difficult for myself! But really with the sections being quite warped and fuselages being different lengths doing it this way is the easiest. Plus she’s very long it would make life a bit harder as I’m bound to break something, along with the fact I’m rebuilding the wheel wells as well!

So with the rear section glued together and given a quick rub down off we go.

First up the wheel well, I’ll be doing both the same. So I make a basic box for the well with the side the right height, I’m not worried about the ends for the moment, just that they are longer then necessary (who could have guessed a simple box would be so hard to make!!!). Then using the model and reference photos I add some detail, it’s not quite exact but looks the part. Then fit….well there is a little bit more involved in this part, for the rear one I had to first grind out the old one so the new one will fit, quite a long process. The front section will be a bit different as because I’m fitting a new cockpit as well I’ll do all this work before I join the halves together.

It actually doesn’t look to bad at all, there are quite a few sins which are hidden but it does look so much better, plus it would have been a horrible job to fill those gaps! As it turns out the models wheel well are too short and the doors are even smaller…guess I’ll be custom making those as well!

Next up the intake for the #2 engine, as it turns out I missed something completely with this one! The #2 engine was only used for take offs, so it was fitted with a rotating cover/fairing. In its open position there should be a lower section of the intake visible. So an old drop tank was sacrificed for this job along with another one for the intake proper further in. Plus the upper part of the intake was removed and enlarged slightly. I now have an intake with roughly the same inlet area as the other two. After some filler, sanding and profiling she should look great!

Next up the spike on the tail, it seems some aircraft didn’t had it (suspect early prototype/s) while later ones had different shaped ones. So I’ve made one up, it still needs some tiding up plus I’m probably going to add another fairing as well…hmm think about that one.

I have started the basic shaping of the canopy but won’t do too much more until the cockpit is done and the fuselage is together. Speaking of the cockpit I have decided to go with an aftermarket one for the B-57 (oh I’ve decided to use that one instead of the F-4’s one) as it will be simpler and look much better.

So just taped together…… I love the look of it!! She’s a big aircraft with a long body and not so big wings, by all reports she handled nicely and was fast, her only real problem was she was thirsty!

It’s turning out to be more than a simple conversion but that seems to be the case for any of my builds like this. I still think the Collect-Aire 1/48^th version would have been a simpler build…I even have a Collect-Aire B-57G ready to donate its nose as well! Well at least I have until late November, when the GB finishes, to complete her!

[Arniec]

Ah, the Trickyrich magic hase started. Keep the updates comming!!!

Cheers,

[Alan P]

Really good work already! I remember Anigrand's variable length fuselage halves from the last time i did a whif (using their XF-103 Thunderwarrior)

[SleeperService]

Well there's no denying you like a challenge Sir! It is a good looking aircraft though and I'm sure you'll do it justice.

[S5 modeller]

That is some fine work sir, are you sure that is the same banana kit you started with?

Keep it up.

Matt

[trickyrich]

That is some fine work sir, are you sure that is the same banana kit you started with?

Keep it up.

Matt

It most certainly is!!!

Well the replacement cockpit has finally arrived seeing the first one I ordered didn’t arrive….who knows where it will end up! So lot the fun continue.

As mentioned earlier I wanted the cockpit position sorted out before I closed up the front fuselage section. After couple of hours messing about I finally had it in a position I was happy about. This is not its final position but it’s close enough to allow me to close up the fuselage.

So after adding lots and lots of superglue gel and accelerator I ended up with gaps and joins like this….scary!!!

Not one to mess around they were given a very rudimentary going over with 240 grit wet & dry before being joined with the rear fuselage section. I wasn’t to concerned at the moment about how the front section looked as once it was align with the rear section the whole lot would be sanded to profile. The aligning required a couple of little plastic pegs/wedges to help, bit all was good. So more superglue and accelerator and a really good going over with wet & dry and I ended up with nice joins like this!

The fuselage does have a few dimples/ripples bit some filler will sort them out.

Next the radome/sensor head. The nose needed a bit of surgery for the radome to fit correctly….though I did get a bit carried away!

There is nothing behind the sensor window so I figured while I was here I’d at least add something, so it’s now all boxed up and I’ll add some sensors to it later. Plus I needed to add some “padding” around the sensor pod to help with the fit.

So again after superglue, accelerator and some filler the nose is on, and I’m happy to say it’s even aligned up properly!

So what’s all this work look like….

The tail is pretty well complete (she’s just sitting there for the photo), I’ll give it another quick undercoat to look for any final defects.

The #2 intake so pretty well complete as well, though a little more cleaning up is required. The patch of filler on the side was needed as that section had a very noticeable warp in it. So some plastic strip and filler to the rescue.

The forward wheel well will be fitted once the underside sanding is completed, I did run into a problem here as my new wheel well was slightly wider than the hole and there was very little material left in the fuselage. Some wafer thin sanding of the new wheel well was required….it’ll fit….just!

I was just playing around with some possible loadouts, though the drop tanks will be used.

She is a big sucker!!!

While I was waiting for the cockpit to arrive and in a fit of complete madness I decided to build up the Gatling gun! This is another one of those beautiful products for Master Models. As you can see she is tiny and is made up of 17 parts! Amazingly I didn’t loose any bits while building it and it didn’t take long to build. Pity though that this will be hidden from view under the aircraft!

[Caerbannog]

Great progress Rich!

I have not even decided what to enter...

Rene

[trickyrich]

Well another busy day at the office and another of the major items can just about be ticked off and another one to be added!!

Most of the day was spent on two chores, contouring the nose and building the Pave-Gat system.

I started rubbing down the nose section but immediately came onto a problem, with the two small exhaust vents getting in the way and slowly getting miss-shaped. So these were removed to be replaced later, though while researching other stuff I found that Italeri had actually gotten them in the wrong spot in the first place. They should not have been on the radome section of the nose but slightly further back on the fuselage (on the B-57). With them removed it was easier to clean up all that filler…I do tend too use too much. Then a second lot of filler was applied and left to dry.

Once the second lot of filler was cleaned up, everything was given a light-ish undercoat to see how it looked and what further work was required. All in all it all looks very nice, not to much work required to finish this part off. Re-doing the panel lines will be a fairly big job unfortunately and I hate that job!!!

sorry about all the dust.....

The forward wheel well was fitted and small fairing strips added to the forward and rear section, I’m quite happy how both wheel wells turned out, so much better than the stock ones!

The tail looks good, though while researching other stuff I found that the brake-chute pod was missing from the tail! So one task completed and another to be done!

Ok the Pave-Gat system, this took up most of the day, as the information is so confusing, the building was actually quite quick! There are very few detailed photos of this system fitted or not, plus there appears to be a very early prototype version fitted to a test frame which looks nothing like the one actually fitted to the aircraft. There appear to be two versions of this weapons system, the TAT-161 (and it was officially called the Pave-Gat) and and earlier(?) version the TAT-157.

The TAT-157 had the M61 fitted at the rear of the pod/platform with the ammunition drum forward of the gun, while the TAT-161 had the M61 fitted to a turret forward of the ammunition drum. Most common photo of the Pave-Gat system shows a B-57B fitted with the TAT-161 system while the B-57G is shown fitted with the other TAT-157 version.

So for this build I will be going with the later version which if the numbering system is correct probably the more advanced version, with some changes!

The cannon is stowed backwards when not in use.

It looks pretty good but after a closer look at the photos I may change the turret the holds the M61 slightly, as it does need some azimuth movement. But that won’t take long and that bit will be completed.

[Col.]

Loving the gun system Rich Every ground attack aircraft needs an f-off big gun.

[philp]

Had not heard of that option for the Canberra. Neat info and looks great.

[Dynamo11]

What Col said, I can't help but love any aircraft that packs a monstrous calibre/high velocity weapon in it

[Alan P]

That's worked out very nicely. Great work.

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

This one is coming along nicely Rich, great scratch building.

Once I get my Gnat built, I have some ideas about an ELINT type of P-3 which will look nothing like a current EP-3E