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Revell 1/144 B-52H Stratofortress Whif ***COMPLETE***


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Hi Everyone,

Well shock horror, I actually got some work done (sort of) on this build last night and even got as far as deciding how this kit is going to be built i.e. which engines.

Anyway here are the sprue shots of this kit including some extras.

IMG_8113_zpsxhvec06x.jpg

IMG_8114_zpsd58boxuk.jpg

IMG_8116_zpsg8erieyu.jpg

IMG_8117_zpsbq1ukrrh.jpg

CFM-56 Engines :

IMG_8118_zpsmjj8bsz1.jpg

AIM-54 Phoenix & AIM-120 AMRAAM Missiles :

IMG_8120_zpswntrafwo.jpg

I started last night, by temporarily assembling the main landing gear bays with their associated landing gear (no glue only blutack) and by positioning them into the fuselage and taping it shut (see picture below).

IMG_8121_zpsa29uj4ze.jpg

Then I tried the same trick with the exceptionally large wings and offered them into the wing roots and found out why B-52s have the tip gear on them : the wings drooped to the surface of my desk at the ends. (I had forgotten that from my B-52 kit which got destroyed during a house move years ago).

So after quick look at the instructions, I have made the decision that I will build this beast with the gear down, so I need to get the cockpit painted and installed (missing from the photo above), then paint all of the gear components and install them. Then I will be able to close up the fuselage (which will remain unpainted until such time as a colour has been decided upon). I plan to paint up the tip gear and install them into the bottom half of the wings and glue the wings together, then fit them into position in the wing roots (without glue so I can take them out to build the engines and weapon pylons without interfering with the fuselage).

Oh yeah, I do have a small crack in the right hand fuselage half to repair, so am going to do that as well before closing her up.

I should be able to get all of that done fairly quickly, so should be able to start work on the engine setup later today.

More photos later.

All the best,

Rick

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Progress update (no photos)

1) Fuselage crack repaired (glued and filled on the inside).

2) Cockpit components all painted.

3) Wings glued together, ready for engine testing.

4) Tip gear painting underway.

5) Landing gear components painted.

Photo update later, hope to have some more done later.

All the best,

Rick

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OK here we go with the first photo update showing all of the progress from yesterday.

1st up we have the fully assembled cockpit ready for installation

IMG_8122_zpsivshlfac.jpg

Next is the landing gear bays ready for installation into the fuselage.

IMG_8124_zpsytiifs0q.jpg

Here are the bays installed in the forward & rear sections of the fuselage.

IMG_8126_zpsekdpap6e.jpg

IMG_8127_zpsntbnljmi.jpg

Cockpit Installed

IMG_8128_zpspyyubsjz.jpg

Fully Assembled Fuselage

IMG_8130_zpso4ckxwg7.jpg

Wingtip landing gear installed (ready for engine trials)

IMG_8131_zpsli4y3tv7.jpg

Anyway that's all for now, I hope to be able to get to work on test fitting the aftermarket engines this afternoon, once I have slotted the wings into the fuselage temporarily.

All the best,

Rick

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Nice work so far,Rick, and it only took 2 pages.

Those wings are rather bendy, definitely needs the landing gear, or a support spa glueing in.

Hopefully your work will progress quicker, no you've broke the surface, as they say.

Looking forward to seeing more progress.

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Hi everyone,

I am very disappointed but as I want to build this kit with the landing gear down I am not going to be able to fit the replacement engines I had in mind for it.

There is simply not enough ground clearance to allow it. The engines with their pylons are 30 mm from top to bottom, the positions for the engines on the B-52 are 28 mm on the inboard position and 23 mm on the outboard position on both wings.

I have already tried adjusting the pylon shape and size to suit and also tried cutting the original pylon off and fitting the B-52 pylon which is separate to the engine, but it still doesn't work. They just don't suit a plane with ground clearance this low.

Maybe that's why this project didn't get off the ground for real.

Unfortunately this means that I will be going back to the original plan and simply paint it in Raf colours (?) and apply some Raf decals to it all using the original 8 engines.

Any suggestions on RAF colours to paint it in?

Cheers,

A very disappointed Rick

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I'm truelly sorry this didn't goto plan Rick, but here are my paint job suggestions: A Light grey on the belly and the underside of the wings and a dark grey on the top with standard RAF decals and a custom tail job.

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Thanks guys, I haven't decided what to do yet colour wise.

I need to know which of these decal sets you would pick :

1) 617 squadron - XL446 from scale aircraft modelling 617 sqn anniversary sheet (full set)

Or

2) XM607 44 sqn decals (tail number and squadron number only)

I know which one I am leaning towards but I want to see what everyone else thinks.

Oh yeah, the reason for both decals relating to Vulcans is because this plane is going to be called the B-52R Vulcan II in Raf service.

Look forward to hearing from you regarding decals.

Rick

Edited by Rickpadwick1801
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Hi Everyone,

Here is the 2nd photo update for this project. I am really happy with the way this is going.

Engine pylons attached to wings :

IMG_8133_zpsukpkxsrr.jpg

IMG_8134_zpsrzhv1kli.jpg

Fuselage with wings temporarily placed (version 1)

IMG_8136_zpsdbifn2l5.jpg

Elevators assembled

IMG_8137_zpsbcr1sgrt.jpg

Tail Gun section built

IMG_8138_zpsumzlgtpe.jpg

Cockpit roof installed

IMG_8139_zpsdk9xjwyv.jpg

Camera blister installed

IMG_8141_zps7rv3zvv7.jpg

Tail Gun section installed

IMG_8143_zpsi6ohxjwj.jpg

Elevators installed

IMG_8144_zpsvsmbqwso.jpg

Fuselage with wings temporarily placed (version 2)

IMG_8146_zpsct2bac6p.jpg

I'm not sure when I will get more work done on this project as I am back to work tomorrow morning.

I have to say that I am enjoying this build and am looking forward to whatever my next selected project will be.

Cheers,

Rick

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NEW BACK STORY

"With departure of the USAF from RAF Mildenhall and the takeover by the RAF, the RAF began the search for a new aircraft to base there.

As the RAF wanted to return to the nuclear deterrent role, it decided upon a variant of the B-52 Stratofortress. Helped by the fact that one of the hangars contained a damaged B-52H, after getting permission from the USAF to modify it, the RAF modified what would be the prototype B-52R model into an aircraft more suited to their needs.This prototype would be equipped with 8 TF33-P-3/103 turbofan engines.

With an approximate loadout of 70,000 lb or 31,500 kg worth of mixed ordnance, the B-52R would be suitable for the RAF's need for a long range bomber with nuclear capability but also allowing for long range conventional bombing missions.

With the aid of some USAF technicians, the RAF managed to get their new prototype ready for flight testing including all new cockpit systems (glass cockpit screens, digital throttles, computerized flight management system including damage control and ordnance control. The B-52R prototype is capable of launching/dropping every weapon in the US/UK arsenals.

Deciding to give the new plane some history, the RAF resurrected the recently decommissioned 617 squadron, The Dambusters and transferred the plane to it.

They also resurrected the tail codes of the Vulcan bombers and gave the new plane the tail code XL446.

The planes name the B-52R Vidar (warrior).

As the 75th anniversary of Operation Chastise approached in 2018, the RAF planned a commerative flight to remember all those who lost their lives during the mission including flights over all of the dams involved as well as the military bases."

Edited by Rickpadwick1801
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Good backstory and hope things get smoother from here. That said, the Vulcan is a massively iconic craft so not sure another carrying its name would go down well. How about something similar, like Virtus? ;-)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtus_(deity)

True, hadn't thought of that. Will come up with something different.

Cheers,

Rick

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Good backstory and hope things get smoother from here. That said, the Vulcan is a massively iconic craft so not sure another carrying its name would go down well. How about something similar, like Virtus? ;-)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtus_(deity)

the 4th V-bomber...

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Just to throw a spanner in the works..., :fight::lol: , does it have to be a name beginning with `V`. It`s quite restrictive.

Being an American design, it may not have followed British naming protocol? The `B-29` Washington being a good example.

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Just to throw a spanner in the works..., :fight::lol: , does it have to be a name beginning with `V`. It`s quite restrictive.

Being an American design, it may not have followed British naming protocol? The `B-29` Washington being a good example.

Hadn't thought about another option really. I was mainly thinking about another V bomber due to the size of it and the idea of the plane being a nuclear bomber.

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Well I'm hoping to get some work done on this project as I am off work for the next 2 days.

I still have no idea what colour to paint this big bird yet. I am hoping to have the necessary components of the interior of the engines I.E. fan blades painted by the end of this afternoon.

Photos when more worked on.

Rick

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