helios16v Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 Who remembers the "Big, Bad, & Beautiful" series Monogram released in the late '80s? I was fortunate enough to have a couple of them (both Christmas presents), the B-52D Stratofortress and the B-58 Hustler. Back then, detail was nice...but size was everything. And the size of those boxes under the tree..... During this time I was all about the mid Cold War aircraft, so I went through a phase of Century Series fighters and Vietnam air war birds. The timing of the Hustler couldn't have been better. I recall my first go around wasn't anything special...pretty sure it was just spray bomb silver, so I'll see about giving it a bit more attention this time around, though it will still be largely OOB aside from maybe a Masters pitot and maybe nozzles (still undecided on the later). That said, it will still be an experiment of sorts, as I think I will try rescribing and have a go with Testor's discontinued Metallizer paints. I suspect the build updates will be a bit sporadic as I'm going to be bouncing between this, finishing up the RF-4E, and the 1/32 B-25 I just cracked open. This kit is actually the original boxing that pre-dates the BB&B boxing I built as a kid. Same bits of plastic, just a different decal set. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 Awesome Chris, this is gonna be fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helios16v Posted June 16, 2020 Author Share Posted June 16, 2020 Quick dry fit and size comparison with a delta wing counterpart. Gonna need some finesse and filler on this one though. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 Definitely following this as its on my unicorn list of kits. I built one in the late 80’s but its long gone and I’d really like to build another someday. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 One of the toughest looking planes ever built, so completely over the top in every way. It wouldn't be out of place in an episode of Thunderbirds! I'm going to really enjoy this one. 😁 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spaddad Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 4 minutes ago, TonyW said: . It wouldn't be out of place in an episode of Thunderbirds! Not sure if it appeared in Thunderbirds but it was in Stingray with an engine mounted on top of the fin, W,A.S.P. bomber. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 This really is a fantastic choice Chris, an absolute classic in both the aircraft and kit form. I quite fancy doing one of these from Edwards with the tail fin in International Orange so I shall be watching this with great interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dean Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 According this Stingray site, they were called W.A.S.P Spearhead bombers. The trivia section mentions them also being used in Thunderbirds. One of the pictures in the gallery looks like them flying over Tracey Island. https://stingray.fandom.com/wiki/WASP_Spearhead_Bomber Re: B-58. What an absolute beast of a bomber. And the noise it must have made when taking off! This build is going to be a good 'un. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnT Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 Just had a look. Canards eh? Progressive for the 60’s I have a book on Kindle of memories of one of the back seaters. Looks like he spent a lot of time balancing the fuel distribution to make sure the aircraft stayed in limits. A hot ship by all accounts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 Hell fire chris, this is one not to be rushed, what a great kit, (and size) , it has to be wheels up on a stand doesn't it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helios16v Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 Not too much to show for, as it's been mostly tedious fit up work. Ailerons trimmed off, as they were molded in more of an in flight configuration. These will likely be refitted in a drooped position, as I've seen more than one pic of the jet on the ground as such. Vertical stab was straightened (1 half was pretty badly warped). Aft fuselage shimmed and installed out of instruction sequence to insure a good fit up to the upper fuselage. Upper wing has been fitted & shimmed...not glued in place yet, that will happen after I get the forward fuselage assembled. Nose gear well/cockpit assembled to the lower forward fuselage. And started fiddling around w/ rescribing on the nose. Next job will be the cockpit so I can get the forward fuselage buttoned up and continue w/ the upper wing install. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinxman Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Look at the size of that - any ideas on what you will use for the NMF? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 She certainly is a beast Chris! Looks like you are getting the better of her so far, but building out of sequence!? Never heard of such a thing, fancy a modeller not following the instructions to the letter! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helios16v Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 5 hours ago, Jinxman said: Look at the size of that - any ideas on what you will use for the NMF? I've got some of the Testors MM Metalizers that I'm going to experiment with. I used them a little bit on the exhaust of the YF-23 for the blitzbuild, but haven't tried them on a full exterior yet...let alone one this big. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reini Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 On 16/06/2020 at 23:10, helios16v said: Who remembers the "Big, Bad, & Beautiful" series Monogram released in the late '80s? I do! I admired the Hustler box at my local model stores window many times when I was a kid, but only recently finally managed to get the kit. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 You might need a bigger workbench for this one chris! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JosephLalor Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Looking forward to seeing this project pan out. I've long had my eye on this kit, but I think I'll make do with the Italeri kit and its short fuselage. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helios16v Posted June 26, 2020 Author Share Posted June 26, 2020 7 hours ago, Dansk said: You might need a bigger workbench for this one chris! I concur. And it doesn't help that there is a 1/32 B-25 being built next to it. It's probably time for another clean up...but every time I go to clean up I start fiddling with something again. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helios16v Posted August 15, 2020 Author Share Posted August 15, 2020 Been a while since the last update. I've been picking away at the cockpit here and there. All that is left there is getting the pilot escape pod finished up and dropped in. Fit up the front fuselage so I can get rolling on the rescribe. Once I get the rescribe on the mid fuselage done, I can start dealing w/ the fit up of the wings. I've got a couple shims in place that I hope will help the alignment on the lower tail where it meets the wing...but we will see. First things first...rescribe! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 Good to see that you're still plugging away with your B-58 Chris. Its looking good, I imagine the re-scribe will take a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helios16v Posted August 15, 2020 Author Share Posted August 15, 2020 Yeah, it's a bit time consuming. Not sure what I was thinking. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helios16v Posted August 23, 2020 Author Share Posted August 23, 2020 More sanding. More scribing. A bit more filler. More sanding. You know the routine. I did lay some primer down over a flap to get a feel for how it's going to look. I think I'm going a bit too heavy on the scriber. Thoughts? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 Hard to see the detail on the shot chris but it looks gorgeous from here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helios16v Posted August 24, 2020 Author Share Posted August 24, 2020 2 hours ago, Dansk said: Hard to see the detail on the shot chris but it looks gorgeous from here I was referring to the primed flap. But yeah, it's hard to see the result in the silver plastic in the pics. It's doesn't show up very well to the naked eye either. On the plus side, I can sand off the raised details, and still see exactly where the lines were to line up the tape for the scribe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 (edited) That’s what i meant chris the flap looks great from what I can see 👍 Edited August 24, 2020 by Dansk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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