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1/48th Boeing B-52H Stratofortress (Sanger vacuform)


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4 hours ago, Spookytooth said:

That is good news Tom, no knocking the U/C while sanding etc.

She sure looks big though.....

 

Simon.

Yes indeed - and there’s going to be plenty of sanding ahead!

 

51 minutes ago, Whistlekiller said:

That's the first indication I can recall of just how big the model is with your hand for scale! 😀

Indeed this model is huge. It’ll be over 4ft across the wings when done. Makes handling it on and around the workbench a challenge  to say the least. 

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Evening all,

 

I've been making the most of my Easter holidays and have done some more work to the fuselage of the BUFF...

 

I've cut out the area for the kit's transparencies and have added the kit-supplied flightdeck flooring - there'll be plenty of detail to add here but this will all come later when the main construction is done:

 

46635906505_7721207c1d_z.jpgIMG_0894 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

I've also continued to add the numerous vents, intakes and grilles on the forward fuselage:

 

40585372983_1848a8b089_z.jpgIMG_0895 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

46635905905_a69cd16dfa_z.jpgIMG_0896 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

I've also make and attached the wing spars to the fuselage structure:

 

46635907045_66da0f3ede_z.jpgIMG_0900 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

The wings will slide over these spars when the fuselage is joined:

 

40585373263_e47ea2e433_z.jpgIMG_0893 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

I had a quick test-fit of the wings - I'm going to need a larger table...

 

32608966257_998c5690de_z.jpgIMG_0887 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

Nearly time to join the fuselage halves - lots of tabs to add to the fuselage halves to aid with gluing and I should be good to go!

 

Until next time,

 

Tom

 

 

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2 hours ago, LorenSharp said:

Excellent work so far Tom. You've given me lots of great ideas for my old "B"model.

 

Make sure you share your progress here when you start yours - I love seeing big vacs getting some love 

1 hour ago, Spookytooth said:

It`s a monster Tom, bigger table, more like a bigger hanger.

 

Simon.

Yup... I’m only just down the road from Biggin Hill so I’ll give them a call 🙂

19 minutes ago, bbudde said:

Ok, that is very special. A bigger showcase will be needed. Maybe the Buckingham palace? :whistle:

I’ll ask Her Majesty and sound her out - she may have a spare room or two 😂

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19 hours ago, TheBaron said:

The sharpness and precision of your detailing work is inspirational Tom. Kudos! :clap:

 

You’re very kind... all is ok unless you get too close; thankfully my phone camera hides the vast majority of the not-so-good bits!

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Magic build thread Tom, indeed it;s a big ship in any scale.

 

I once looked a a set of scale plans for 12 foot wingspan slope soarer. The amount of balsa in the build would have sunk me!!! I do however still hanker to build it1

 

Colin

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46 minutes ago, heloman1 said:

Magic build thread Tom, indeed it;s a big ship in any scale.

 

I once looked a a set of scale plans for 12 foot wingspan slope soarer. The amount of balsa in the build would have sunk me!!! I do however still hanker to build it1

 

Colin

Many thanks, and sweet Jesus - that sounds huge. 

 

A fellow modeller on another forum sent me a picture of a 1/32nd scale BUFF that he’d built... the wingspan was only 5’7” so mere tiddler by comparison 😂

 

I’ve got the fuselage halves together today - I’ll allow the glue to harden for 48hrs before beginning a monster filler/sanding session... fun times!

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On ‎4‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 10:28 PM, tomprobert said:

need a larger table

I just showed that Buff of yours sat on a table to SWMBO ,look at that . Typical woman not amazed, amused or any questions about it ,  just...…. Forget it ,unless it fits in that shed of yours !

 

Okay ,I'll have to move your freezer out though . Wish I'd never started ,you do don't you ? Not my freezer it's ours blah,blah .. Wrong move but said I'd sell my half to her !  When's this rubbish finish ? World at War isn't rubbish ,should be on every night ! I'm going down hill every second .

Great job but stop winding my wife up .

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11 hours ago, bzn20 said:

I just showed that Buff of yours sat on a table to SWMBO ,look at that . Typical woman not amazed, amused or any questions about it ,  just...…. Forget it ,unless it fits in that shed of yours !

 

Okay ,I'll have to move your freezer out though . Wish I'd never started ,you do don't you ? Not my freezer it's ours blah,blah .. Wrong move but said I'd sell my half to her !  When's this rubbish finish ? World at War isn't rubbish ,should be on every night ! I'm going down hill every second .

Great job but stop winding my wife up .

Ha ha! Love that! 

 

My my wife doesn’t tend to be too bothered to be fair, but she’s a little perplexed with this one as she’s not convinced it’ll fit through the loft hatch for storage when complete. I have not measured yet... we’ll cross that bridge when it’s needed. After all, there’s always room in the shed... for the wife that is 😂

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5 hours ago, Lord Riot said:

I hope you have a big house! Or you could hang it from a ceiling I guess.

 

Looking forward to seeing it finished, it'll be a massive masterpiece!

Fortunately I have a large attic which is my domain so eventually this will reside up there. It’s more or less dust free and well out harm’s way so it’s just a case of squeezing it through the loft hatch...

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The fuselage is now joined - lots of tabs were added along the mating surfaces and on the whole, I've got a pretty good join. Considering the size of the parts, they matched well. As this picture shows, there'll still be quite a bit of filler needed (par for the course with these sorts of kits) but nothing of real concern:

 

47519419662_d78b6ed8ba_z.jpgIMG_0906 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

The H-model tail turret has also been added to the rear fuselage:

 

40606334283_b04e9f8b94_z.jpgIMG_0907 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

I've also lined the openings for the undercarriage bays so they are more representative of the real aircraft:

 

47519419462_99981b69a0_z.jpgIMG_0908 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

40606333423_7a03e1e774_z.jpgIMG_0909 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

47519419152_9fc4bbe8dc_z.jpgIMG_0910 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

So now it's out with the filler...

 

Until next time,

Tom

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On 4/7/2019 at 1:08 PM, tomprobert said:

Make sure you share your progress here when you start yours - I love seeing big vacs getting some love 

Yup... I’m only just down the road from Biggin Hill so I’ll give them a call 🙂

I’ll ask Her Majesty and sound her out - she may have a spare room or two 😂

I most assuredly will. You can count on it. First I must repair my the White Beast and get it finished. It took a nasty plunge off the shelf Christmas Day while the Grand nephews were roughousing.Kinda took the wind out of my sails for a time,that and starting a new business. But Spring is here and things are a changing! Stay tuned!

 

 

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I've been having a play withe the nose radome, which is more pointed on the later G and H models. This kit's nose is more like that seen on the A to early G model, so some surgery has been needed.

 

I did consider slicing the entire nose off, but it actually worked better using the kit's nose as a starting point, and adding the basic shape of the extension using plastic card. The plans Sanger give were useful in doing this, and it didn't take long to replicate a more H-like radome shape:

 

32665813557_6ab45d8426_z.jpgIMG_0916 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

40641754553_f25d4b105d_z.jpgIMG_0915 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

The gaps were then filled with Milliput and when dry, sanded to shape. When the plastic card formers begin to appear, you know you're close:

 

32665816697_97d7ff38e2_z.jpgDSC_0102 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

However, there is a problem, as I think the lower nose area (circled below) is incorrectly shaped and is too bulbous - it's almost as if the kit's nose is like a hamster with its cheeks full. However, there'd need to be some serious surgery to sort this - the kind of surgery that I'm not unwilling to take as I do plan to have this model finished sometime this century...

 

32665812657_8f6abd0684_z.jpgNose by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

I've had a bit of a play with the camera fairings on the chin, and the look of the nose is improved with these in place. Note the canopy has not been trimmed to the correct shape as of yet, hence it sits too high at the moment:

 

40641751383_4c63cc8b21_z.jpgIMG_0951 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

40641753863_dbf79185ff_z.jpgIMG_0949 by Thomas Probert, on Flickr

 

There's still some jamming pods and sensors to add to this area, and then I'll have a look at how it looks under some primer.

 

Until next time, 

 

Tom

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Tom,

This is another inspirational build and a joy to watch. Proper model making... you've got me searching for vac form kits to try and find out how tricky it really is!

 

Thanks for sharing 

 

P.

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