Best/ easiest way to get a B-52F

[Plastic_parts 5]

Hi everyone.. as the title says, what’s the best/ easiest and cheapest way to get to B-52F? I have the ancient Monogram  B-52D and the ERTL  B-52G. I was  wondering if there are any conversion kits readily available as I don’t teally want to butcher the ERTL KIT.. any help or advice guys?

Mick

[Jure Miljevic 638]

Hello

My dilemma almost exactly, Mick. I also fancy having B-52 F although robbing B-52 G kit of its engines is not an option for me as I have B-52 H kit in my stash. Well, there are Black Dog B-52 G resin engines available, but these come without intake lips so G kit parts (or converted D intakes) would have to be used. I figure my best bet would be to convert cowlings and combine them with Eduard PE B-52 G engines set. Not much, but I hope it helps. Cheers

Jure

[Gooney Fan 38]

Hello

I think you are getting confused with the engines.

 

The only mark that had markedly different engines was the B-52H with the TF33 turbofan engines.

 

All other models had the J57 turbojets.

 

The main difference on the G & H models was the replacing of the 4 .50 machine guns with the Vulcan 20mm cannon on the G & H and the shorter fin.

 

So your Monogram covers models B to F. without modification.

 

Yours

 

Gooney Fan

[Jure Miljevic 638]

Hello

Not quite, Gooney Fan. Yes, all models up to B-52 H had J57 turbojets but on B-52 F intakes had been modified in shape and added ducts, mesh (for want of better term) just in front of the first compressor stage from earlier models had been replaced with proper stator vanes and each double nacelle acquired large bulge, which housed an alternator.

Mick, apparently there is a resin conversion set of B-52F engines which I missed earlier. Unfortunately, this is about everything I know about it. Cheers

Jure

 

[CT7567 198]

Jure is correct - while the early B-52s (A through D) shared J57 engines with the G, there were various detail differences that make the F model's nacelles unique to that variant.

 

I can't speak to quality or accuracy, but in addition to the Golden Dragon set linked above, a conversion was also done by Buff Master Designs:

Buff Master B-52F conversion

I understand BMD and Golden Dragon may be related companies but have confirmed that their products are different, at least in some cases (late B-52 external tanks).

[Gooney Fan 38]

Hello Jure & CT7567

 

If Plastic-_parts can obtain one of these conversions he won't have to sacrifice his B-52G for the engines.

 

Gooney Fan

[Jordi 245]

The B-52F and G share the same engine nacelles.  The Monogram B-52D kit can be used with minimal modifications as a B-52B/C/D/E, but the nacelles on the F, while the same basic shape as the earlier ones, have a number of detail differences.  As noted, the oil cooler intake screens contained in the intake center body of the A-E were changed to an accessory fairing on the left side of the nacelle on the F/G, with a bullet fairing in the intake in its place.  

[Plastic_parts 5]

Interesting.... looks like the conversion set is possibly the way to go... does anyone stock it in the UK?  the postal charges from the states are more than the set itself.

[Plastic_parts 5]

Sorry guys, dropped a bit of a clanger I’m afraid I don’t have the ERTL kit, I’ve got the AMT B-52H so I don’t think I can use those engines even if I wanted to... of course non of this would be necessary if I had decals for NMF B-52D in the original monogram SAC markings

[Romeo Alpha Yankee 5,304]

1 hour ago, Plastic_parts said:

Sorry guys, dropped a bit of a clanger I’m afraid I don’t have the ERTL kit, I’ve got the AMT B-52H so I don’t think I can use those engines even if I wanted to... of course non of this would be necessary if I had decals for NMF B-52D in the original monogram SAC markings

What about decals for a B-52E? It is externally the same as a D.

 

Wolfpak Decals in the USA offers sheet 72-124 with E and F markings

 

[Jordi 245]

The B-52E (and F) had an additional small square window on the lower aft deck that the D and earlier didn’t have.  Otherwise it is externally identical.

[Plastic_parts 5]

Thanks guys, decals ordered problem solved

[RidgeRunner 5,053]

On 9 September 2019 at 9:20 PM, Plastic_parts said:

of course non of this would be necessary if I had decals for NMF B-52D in the original monogram SAC markings

Nothing beats (for me) the sight, snd sound, of big belly B-52Ds painted black and Camo. I remember watching in awe at three - as I recall - in the Carswell circuit in 1980, mixing with a T-37 and a pre-delivery Israeli F-16 :).... All that black smoke!

 

Martin

[72modeler 3,736]

23 hours ago, RidgeRunner said:

Nothing beats (for me) the sight, snd sound, of big belly B-52Ds painted black and Camo. I remember watching in awe at three - as I recall - in the Carswell circuit in 1980, mixing with a T-37 and a pre-delivery Israeli F-16 :).... All that black smoke!

 

Martin

I'll tell you what's impressive- watching the entire bomb group of B-52's based at Dyess AB leaving en masse during the Cuban Missile Crisis; every flyable Buff leaving at incredibly short intervals  headed for their dispersal or orbit locations, as well as all of our flyable C-130's from the 516th TCW. The entire aircraft complement on the base was gone in less than 15 minutes...you wouldn't believe the smoke those Buffs put into the air! In those days, the parking lots on base as well as certain sections of the base theaters, dining halls, BX, and commissary were reserved for the flight crews so they could leave immediately  when the klaxons went off. I remember my Dad telling me with a wing of B-52's, a wing of C-130's, and a wing of underground Atlas ICBM's, we were pretty much going to be a smoking crater if a war broke out; he spent the Crisis in a bunker in Florida somewhere with the rest of the 516th, as that's where they went- didn't see or hear from him for two weeks. A pretty scary time to be growing up, if you were in the USAF or a service brat, that our civvie friends never could understand or were blissfully unaware of. Sorry for the off-topic digression, but Martin's comments about Buff smoke trails brought back a lot of vivid memories. 

Mike

Edited September 11 by 72modeler
corrected spelling

[Plastic_parts 5]

72modeler... very interesting but at the same time terrifying.. I was only a few months old at the time so obviously I  knew nothing about it but mum and dad remember it. Mum told me she was absolutely terrified at the prospect he beautiful  little baby ( me ) suffering.. For our kids and grandkids sake let’s  all pray we never have to face that prospect again.

[72modeler 3,736]

7 hours ago, Plastic_parts said:

72modeler... very interesting but at the same time terrifying.. I was only a few months old at the time so obviously I  knew nothing about it but mum and dad remember it. Mum told me she was absolutely terrified at the prospect he beautiful  little baby ( me ) suffering.. For our kids and grandkids sake let’s  all pray we never have to face that prospect again.

Roger that! Every time we heard a sonic boom, we looked up to see if there was a mushroom cloud out on the horizon...service brats nowadays have no idea how much less stressful their lives are than ours were.

Mike 

[Mike Esposito 186]

I have the old 1/100 Tamiya B-52F in the stash. 

 

Nice kit albeit with raised panel lines.

Edited September 13 by Mike Esposito

[Plastic_parts 5]

Armageddon aside, the B52 is a handsome aeroplane. I think it’s something to do with it’s blunt nose, slender fuselage and swept back wings and in a NMF it looks very sexy

[Jordi 245]

After about 1964 B-52s were mostly painted aluminum with the white belly.

[Plastic_parts 5]

Painted aluminium would mean no variation in panel colours I presume?

[Jure Miljevic 638]

Yes, more or less. Take a look at the photos on this link. White bellied E and F models mostly show uniformly silver/aluminium fuselage sides and upper surfaces. On some aircraft some slight variations may be seen here and there at close examination. Here is a photo of B-52E, depicted in Wolfpak decals, awaiting her faith on a boneyard. There is not much variation in silver finish visible, and the same goes for a photo of Boeing B-52E Stratofortress, 57-0122, taken while this aircraft was still in service. Cheers

Jure

[Nigel Bunker 391]

On 9/9/2019 at 6:38 AM, Plastic_parts said:

Hi everyone.. as the title says, what’s the best/ easiest and cheapest way to get to B-52F?

Easy - e-mail the USAF and ask how much they want for one.

[Jordi 245]

9 hours ago, Nigel Bunker said:

Easy - e-mail the USAF and ask how much they want for one.

If only! There hasn’t been a tall tail BUFF at the bone yard in a couple of decades 

[Plastic_parts 5]

Interesting... would the aluminium paint have a gloss or Matt finish?

[Jure Miljevic 638]

Judging by the photos, I would say matt(ish). Cheers

Jure