1/72 EB-57B Vermont ANG

[TheyJammedKenny!]

This is a first-rate build/paint, and the walkways are extraordinarily well done!  It looks like we're heading into the end-game on this.

[Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy]

Thank you both, still plenty left to do....still waiting for the seats to arrive, very slow delivery. Otherwise the canopy would already be on at this point.

 

VTRedSoxFan, great to know of your roots there; I was born in Burlington during the F-102 days, and sometimes when Dad got off work at the GE plant he would photograph the 102's coming in.  We moved to Boston a couple years later, and then to the Southwest, but our love of Vermont has always been strong.  Haven't been back since '83, no family there.  But a few years ago I started to research and build the entire Vermont ANG history, as I did for the Jolly Rogers.  This is simpler, far fewer aircraft types. 

Edited May 22, 2020 by Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy

[f111guru]

Andrew,

Here are a few more for your reference book. Outstanding progress on your kit. I have a number of the Italeri boxed Testors kits with one under construction for the Green Mountain Boys. I'm originally from Glens Falls New York before the USAF deposited me to New Mexico.

 

First set taken sometime in the early to mid 80 on Cannon AFB transient ramp:

The bottom set was taken on display at Peterson AFB Colorado Springs Colorado May 2011.

Not sure if any other mods were different between the time frames. At any rate there is a considerable difference in antennas from a combat ready to static display aircraft. In my future builds I do plan both versions. So you and anybody else can use these photos at your leisure. Fantastic job just far.

 

All The Best

Ron VanDerwarker

 

 

[Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy]

Wonderful photos from Canon Ron, thank you!  

As far as the antenna fit, I've found that it varied widely from plane to plane; looking at flightline pics and you'll see differences in aircraft on the same ramp.  Biggest difference I've seen is the 3 units just aft of the former bomb bay (two big black radomes and another boxy unit); some aircraft had those and others didn't, retaining the regular "B" fit.  

That's how I chose aircraft 1506; I'd made mine with all the EB antennae, and wanted the curved orange pattern instead of the blocky one....once I'd scratchbuilt all the antennae and radomes, I found 1506 was one of the only ones that had the combination of paint and antennae that I wanted.  

 

The display aircraft (no surprise) has a lot of fictitious antennae fitted, or improperly placed ones.  Such is the world of displays! 

[Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy]

FINAL DETAILS

 

Did a wash over the airframe, then a spray of clear satin, to represent the worn gloss.  Had to mask the walkways first to preserve their ultra-flat finish.

 

 

STILL not enough nose weight even after drilling into it and adding more after the fact   So here's an act of desperation that worked.  Took the resin (Quickboost) ESPACAC seats and a Dremel drill, hollowed out the seat bottom and part of the back.  Then cut and crushed pieces of lead sinker to fit.  This proved to be JUST enough to work.

 

 

Decided I needed to add some detail to the inner maingear doors, even though I thought I was done with them.  Just criminal to leave them as featureless slabs after all the other work, so I added the hinges and retraction jack made from the actuators from Monogram F-4D speedbrakes (I think).

 

 

Now just the final tidbits including scratchbuilding a windshield wiper and touching up the Alclad Stainless Steel exhaust nozzles.  End is in sight!

 

[VT Red Sox Fan]

On 5/22/2020 at 1:18 PM, Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy said:

Thank you both, still plenty left to do....still waiting for the seats to arrive, very slow delivery. Otherwise the canopy would already be on at this point.

 

VTRedSoxFan, great to know of your roots there; I was born in Burlington during the F-102 days, and sometimes when Dad got off work at the GE plant he would photograph the 102's coming in.  We moved to Boston a couple years later, and then to the Southwest, but our love of Vermont has always been strong.  Haven't been back since '83, no family there.  But a few years ago I started to research and build the entire Vermont ANG history, as I did for the Jolly Rogers.  This is simpler, far fewer aircraft types. 

Andrew--would love to see more of your VTANG builds--saw a thread you started earlier of your F-51D research--I believe you working toward a conclusion if this particular F-51D was painted aluminum lacquer on the fuselage vice NMF--when the EB-57 build is complete, I would love to see your VTANG collection together--my plan is to follow in your footsteps--the EB-57 and F-94 Starfire seem to be aircraft requiring the most scratch building.  @f111guru--awesome photos from Cannon!  Dumb question--do you know what the knight with jousting spear is on one of the photos--if my memory serves me correct, the VTANG used to work w/ an F-106 (unsure if active/AFRS or NYANG) out of Griffis that used a similar symbol.  Andrew back to your build & apologize if I high jacked it in anyway--simply stunning... I am very impressed with your inner gear doors--the warning decal is something very distinctive & you nailed it!  I also have to say that I am impressed you expertly tackled the more curved orange vice blocked orange areas--it does look more elegant.  If you are ever in Warner Robbins GA, you must visit the Museum of Aviation, an unrestored VTANG EB-57, 52-1551 is in the back waiting to be restored to its Vietnam configuration--my understanding is it initially was reserved for the Smithsonian since it was the US jet bomber to leave S. Vietnam, but it was decided that it would be given back to the USAF museum system.  If I am ever down there again, I will be sure to take photos of the antenna fit--the folks are very friendly and will allow you to take tons of pictures if you ask--my understanding from a docent is their efforts are currently focused on a B-17 so it will be a while before they "restore" the B-57.  Also, here is a link--https://www.museumofaviation.org/portfolio/b-57b-canberra/   If we are ever up in VT, then I will buy you an Al's French Fry lunch for copies of your EB-57 chaff dispensers... figured you would get the value of this as a born Vermonter 🙌 simply stunning!  😎  Thank you for an awesome build--this makes me want to move back to VT!  Best, Erwin  

[Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy]

2 hours ago, VT Red Sox Fan said:

Andrew--would love to see more of your VTANG builds--saw a thread you started earlier of your F-51D research--I believe you working toward a conclusion if this particular F-51D was painted aluminum lacquer on the fuselage vice NMF--when the EB-57 build is complete, I would love to see your VTANG collection together--my plan is to follow in your footsteps--the EB-57 and F-94 Starfire seem to be aircraft requiring the most scratch building.  @f111guru--awesome photos from Cannon!  Dumb question--do you know what the knight with jousting spear is on one of the photos--if my memory serves me correct, the VTANG used to work w/ an F-106 (unsure if active/AFRS or NYANG) out of Griffis that used a similar symbol.  Andrew back to your build & apologize if I high jacked it in anyway--simply stunning... I am very impressed with your inner gear doors--the warning decal is something very distinctive & you nailed it!  I also have to say that I am impressed you expertly tackled the more curved orange vice blocked orange areas--it does look more elegant.  If you are ever in Warner Robbins GA, you must visit the Museum of Aviation, an unrestored VTANG EB-57, 52-1551 is in the back waiting to be restored to its Vietnam configuration--my understanding is it initially was reserved for the Smithsonian since it was the US jet bomber to leave S. Vietnam, but it was decided that it would be given back to the USAF museum system.  If I am ever down there again, I will be sure to take photos of the antenna fit--the folks are very friendly and will allow you to take tons of pictures if you ask--my understanding from a docent is their efforts are currently focused on a B-17 so it will be a while before they "restore" the B-57.  Also, here is a link--https://www.museumofaviation.org/portfolio/b-57b-canberra/   If we are ever up in VT, then I will buy you an Al's French Fry lunch for copies of your EB-57 chaff dispensers... figured you would get the value of this as a born Vermonter 🙌 simply stunning!  😎  Thank you for an awesome build--this makes me want to move back to VT!  Best, Erwin  

 

Erwin, thank you for your kind words!  Later today I'm going to post some pics of the finished EB along with its Vermont brethren (10 so far).  So far I've got: F-47, F-51H, T-33, F-94B, F-89J, F-102, EB-57, F-4D, F-16A, F-16C (blk 30).  Still need to finish the F-51D, and then do F-89D, F-35A and one more T-33.  I also DESPERATELY with someone would do decals for their GE-powered F-16C's.  Closest thing is on Wolfpak sheet 72-41, but it's not quite close enough.

[Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy]

And she's done! Pics over in Inspection forum: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235074077-172-eb-57b-vermont-ang/&tab=comments#comment-3701370

 

[Cookenbacher]

Wonderful achievement on this one - so many wonderful scratched details - I will borrow (steal) much from this thread.

[Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy]

Thank you!  I look forward to seeing yours as well; any thoughts which unit?

[f111guru]

On 5/25/2020 at 9:08 AM, VT Red Sox Fan said:

 Dumb question--do you know what the knight with jousting spear is on one of the photos--if my memory serves me correct, the VTANG used to work w/ an F-106 (unsure if active/AFRS or NYANG) out of Griffis that used a similar symbol.

Not a dumb question at all. The Black Knight belongs to the 57th FIS Keflivik Iceland. That is if they still are there. Had at one time the F-102, F-4C, F-4D, F-4E and F-15A. So I'm guessing the at one time that jet was there on the island and was tagged by a 57th troop. Remember a lot of times if a jet was on station somewhere long enough it got tagged. The FIS unit at Griffiss AFB had the eagle on its tail. 49th FIS I believe.

 

Andrew great work thus far.

 

All the best

Ron VanDerwarker

[Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy]

1 hour ago, f111guru said:

Not a dumb question at all. The Black Knight belongs to the 57th FIS Keflivik Iceland. That is if they still are there. Had at one time the F-102, F-4C, F-4D, F-4E and F-15A. So I'm guessing the at one time that jet was there on the island and was tagged by a 57th troop. Remember a lot of times if a jet was on station somewhere long enough it got tagged. The FIS unit at Griffiss AFB had the eagle on its tail. 49th FIS I believe.

 

Andrew great work thus far.

 

All the best

Ron VanDerwarker

 

Thanks Ron! The finished item is over in Ready for Inspection.

And, some of the photos I used as reference were captioned as being taken during a deployment to Keflavik. 🇮🇸 

Edited May 28, 2020 by Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy

[VT Red Sox Fan]

On 5/25/2020 at 12:24 PM, Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy said:

 

Erwin, thank you for your kind words!  Later today I'm going to post some pics of the finished EB along with its Vermont brethren (10 so far).  So far I've got: F-47, F-51H, T-33, F-94B, F-89J, F-102, EB-57, F-4D, F-16A, F-16C (blk 30).  Still need to finish the F-51D, and then do F-89D, F-35A and one more T-33.  I also DESPERATELY with someone would do decals for their GE-powered F-16C's.  Closest thing is on Wolfpak sheet 72-41, but it's not quite close enough.

@f111guru Thanks Ron--that makes perfect sense given the 158th's mission as the friendly enemy--I could see myself doing the same 🙂   Andrew, still taking in your great VTANG birds!  Best to all, Erwin 

Edited May 28, 2020 by VT Red Sox Fan

[f111guru]

On 5/22/2020 at 11:18 AM, Andrew D Jolly Rogers guy said:

Thank you both, still plenty left to do....still waiting for the seats to arrive, very slow delivery. Otherwise the canopy would already be on at this point.

 

VTRedSoxFan, great to know of your roots there; I was born in Burlington during the F-102 days, and sometimes when Dad got off work at the GE plant he would photograph the 102's coming in.  We moved to Boston a couple years later, and then to the Southwest, but our love of Vermont has always been strong.  Haven't been back since '83, no family there.  But a few years ago I started to research and build the entire Vermont ANG history, as I did for the Jolly Rogers.  This is simpler, far fewer aircraft types. 

A lot of us are transplants from the northeast. I was born in Glens Falls New York and would here the B-47's, B-52's and KC-135's from Plattsburg and would hear once in a while the F-102's from Burlington fly over. They would fly down Lake Champlain and through the canal system. Biggest joy I guess is the see the KC-97's refueling B-52's over our house. Old age check.

 

All The Best

Ron VanDerwarker

[Nikolay Polyakov]

Very interesting and straightforward build, Andrew! It’s very inspirational to see how you build and paint the bird - an eye-catching colour scheme and... And same for the plane. Superb and fast work - that’s what I always want from the hobby. 😉

[Steve Collins]

Nice work there, Andrew.  I used to see those guys when they'd come down to Homestead from Mountain Home in the late '70s.  That was before they closed the active duty squadron and sent the planes to you guys in Vermont.  I've got a couple of -57s (B-57B and B-57G, both in Vietnam) coming to a slow (very slow) boil.  Spending too much time on the rescribing.  Yes, I'm about half a bubble off true.  I _think_ I've got enough weight in the nose on both.  Hope mine turn out as well as yours. 

 

Steve