Collect-Aire 1/48 Martin XB-51 Finished!

[LorenSharp]

Took a little longer than anticipated but finally for your inspection and amusement Collect-Aires 1/48 XB-51

Took longer because as I went along I found more and more micro-pitting that had to be dealt with. The biggest additions to the build were the detailing out of the gear bays,the bombay,pilots area(that can't be seen) 🥴 and 3d printing new main gear and bombs.

Had I caught the error earlier before starting I would have enlarged the gear bays,not wide enough for the gear to fit into..To get the gear doors to fit sorta well had to increase the height of the gear.IT's still scalewise about 30cm too long but itwill have to do. The other is the engine nacelle openings. These are rounded like an ME-262 and instead should be straighter or less curvy. It was finished in AlcladII metals and clear coated. with the exception of the XB-51 Logo and Aircraft numbering the rest of the decals i.e. insignia, stencils and whatnot came from my spares locker. But here you have it. if you wish here is the build

 

 Thanks for stopping by to look around. As always if you have any comments critiques or suggestions feel free to shout them out. until later guys!...

[Roberto]

Really interesting and well done!

[Vultures1]

Now there's something you don't see every day!  You've clearly put a lot of work into it and you achieved a really great result - well done

[russ c]

Stunning, one to be very proud of !

[LorenSharp]

13 minutes ago, Vultures1 said:

Now there's something you don't see every day!  You've clearly put a lot of work into it and you achieved a really great result - well done

Yes as AdrianMF like to say... "A trimotor....How quaint"🥱. At least it's not a Ford or Aunty Ju

[Wulfman]

Lovely job on the XB-51, this aircraft once starred in an American movie as a prototype fighter !

 

Wulfman 

[SAT69]

29 minutes ago, Vultures1 said:

Now there's something you don't see every day!  You've clearly put a lot of work into it and you achieved a really great result - well done

I most certainly agree!

[LorenSharp]

51 minutes ago, Wulfman said:

Lovely job on the XB-51, this aircraft once starred in an American movie as a prototype fighter !

 

Wulfman 

Ahhh yes the  Gilbert F-120. Hard to believe it actually got beat out by the Canberra🤔. Whoda thunk it.

[bar side]

How did I miss you building this Loren?  Lovely job.  Always likes those early jets with bicycle undercarriage.  And those kind of Luft 46 engines hung in the sides.  All a bit Yak-28 or B-47.  But the XB-51 was something else.  Great finish

[LorenSharp]

Thank you barside no worries ,you were deep in Herkyland my friend, Besides I'm Fast and Wiley.  beep beep----------------------->

[RMCS]

Fantastic 

[Sabrejet]

Now that I like very much! Great work and a really cool subject.

[AdrianMF]

The Gilbert XF-120... Looks very sharp and still very futuristic!

 

Regards,

Adrian

[Space Ranger]

Great job!

[SafetyDad]

Lovely job there Loren. Looked a tricky build, but you had more than the measure of the kit.

Great finished result.

Take a bow Sir!

 

 

SD

[SpeedyGonzales]

Very good job on that flying cigar!

[Mig88]

Wow!! Fantastic job there!

 

Miguel

[Sky Keg]

An interesting and very unique subject.  I do not ever recall seeing an XB-51 ever in kit form.  Your`s is perfectly executed and it looks great.  I also like the flight line display!!!!! 😉 

 

Very nicely done!!!! 

 

Mike

[Shark444]

Really well done and the NMF is brilliant. 👍

 

I think we should all be thankful to the US Air Force for not purchasing this homely beast.  It’s as if the designers were reviewing the blueprints and someone said “Engines?  D’oh!” 🤦🏻

[Mark Joyce]

I've not seen one of these built up for a looonnng time.  It's always been on my 'want list' but is rare as hen's teeth nowadays and equally expensive.  However, looking at your build thread and the issues you encountered make me rethink my wants.

 

Regardless of the issues you had, the end result looks superb, especially the NMF.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

Well done Loren. You've done a very nice job of this.

 

As for the aircraft itself, it's often said "if it looks right it is right" - well, in my humble opinion, this  one should never have left the sketch pad! I've always thought this a strange, awkward looking machine trying to reconcile too many conflicting new concepts at once. The best thing to come out of it could be argued to be the rotating bomb bay, but even then that quickly fell out of favour after the B-57 used it.

[LorenSharp]

18 minutes ago, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said:

Well done Loren. You've done a very nice job of this.

 

As for the aircraft itself, it's often said "if it looks right it is right" - well, in my humble opinion, this  one should never have left the sketch pad! I've always thought this a strange, awkward looking machine trying to reconcile too many conflicting new concepts at once. The best thing to come out of it could be argued to be the rotating bomb bay, but even then that quickly fell out of favour after the B-57 used it.

Thanks Jamie. The only other aircraft I know of the used the rotating bomb bay was the P6M Seamaster. another Martin creation. Did have to give them credit though it was a time of "Don't know if it'll work, But let's run it up the flag pole and see if anybody salutes it."

Flight test from the late 40's to the early 60's, before computers taking all the fun out of it, was the golden age.

[LorenSharp]

34 minutes ago, Mark Joyce said:

I've not seen one of these built up for a looonnng time.  It's always been on my 'want list' but is rare as hen's teeth nowadays and equally expensive.  However, looking at your build thread and the issues you encountered make me rethink my wants.

 

Regardless of the issues you had, the end result looks superb, especially the NMF.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

I know what you mean, I was lucky to get it for almost what originally sold for years ago. The seller didn't know what that had and wanted shed of it. I was happy to relieve him of his burden. I couldn't justify the prices they're going for now. But if you're into 72 scale Anigrand has it, unless you want to find the Execuform vac version.

[Mark Joyce]

47 minutes ago, LorenSharp said:

But if you're into 72 scale Anigrand has it, unless you want to find the Execuform vac version.

I would go for the Anigrand kit, but it has some serious shape issues, especially the nacelles, and the decals are incorrectly done (no white background on the lettering).  Neither is necessarily insurmountable but enough to turn me off.  And I would most definitely muck up a vacuform.

 

I do have the XB-51 in 1/144, part of Anigrand's collection where you get a main kit and three related ones, so I'll probably build that and be happy for now.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[Gary Brantley]

That is just so cool!   You certainly did a great job of taming that beast of a kit and produced a wonderful model of a really wacky design.  My first thought upon seeing it was how loud it must've been in that cockpit.   I love this era of flight because truly, "anything" was considered possible and just about any and everything was tried.   Some wild designs actually saw production, eg. the Skyray and Cutlass to name two, and so many other designs leapt from the fertile imagination  of designers onto drawing boards and not much further.   😀

 

I've been reading the WIP thread and want to offer my congratulations on your model building skills.   It sure takes some to produce what you have here.  Kudos to you sir and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next!