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Italeri 1/48th SR-71A Blackbird


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It's been a while since I did a WIP but thought that this one might be worth sharing my impending pain with you all. I thought that I best get this one out of the stash before the Revell one comes along and consigns it even further to the bottom. I'm sure that it will take a while to get it finished as I'm currently doing battle with a Kinetic Intruder and anyone that's built one will know how painful an experience it is. This one is intended to break the pain cycle on that one but will no doubt just create some more. I can't even remember when I bought this but I'd guess that it is well over 30 years ago so about time it was built.

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I've added a few bits to the build over the last few years too.

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And if all goes well then she'll be wearing something from this sheet down the line.

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Nothing too much to report so far but I have started the re-scribing which is going to take a while to complete. Italeri plastic from this era really is poor and has a habit of delaminating if your not careful, so careful I will be.

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Pete

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I see you have a full house of aftermarket. Mind if I pull up a chair?
 

(p.s. I don’t see the Metallic Details PE grids in your AM pile. I used them on my 1/72 Blackbird, and they look great, but are a real pain to install)

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31 minutes ago, Whitewolf said:

Is this the old Testers kit?

Hi Whitewolf - yes it is.

 

31 minutes ago, Back in the Saddle said:

Quite a project - I'll follow with interest!:popcorn:

Welcome aboard Matt

 

16 minutes ago, billn53 said:

I see you have a full house of aftermarket. Mind if I pull up a chair?
 

(p.s. I don’t see the Metallic Details PE grids in your AM pile. I used them on my 1/72 Blackbird, and they look great, but are a real pain to install)

 Hi Billn53 - I have debated them several times but, much as you've said, they do look a pain to fit well.

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I'm waiting on the Revell release as I was trying to get this a while back I'm looking forward to how this Turns out as I do like this aircraft. Anyone with the skill to rescribe an entire kit will undoubtedly do a great job, that's a skill I've yet to master. I look forward to this.

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I have a feeling the Revell offering will be very nice with engines that can be displayed open or outside the airframe, but I suspect there will be a serious price tag.  Might mean more Testors / Italeri kits going cheap though

 

There is a start cart kit out there too

https://www.scalespot.com/reviews/kits/ag330-hypersonic/review.htm

 

I think I might try to scratch build one as they are a bit pricey

Edited by bar side
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On 8/18/2021 at 9:54 AM, Whitewolf said:

There used to be a cockpit set for this (Testors). 

I have the True Details one for it which doesn’t look too bad. I’ll find out when I start fitting it though.

On 8/18/2021 at 10:01 AM, Deano353 said:

I'm waiting on the Revell release as I was trying to get this a while back I'm looking forward to how this Turns out as I do like this aircraft. Anyone with the skill to rescribe an entire kit will undoubtedly do a great job, that's a skill I've yet to master. I look forward to this.

To be honest it’s a pretty straightforward kit to re-scribe as all the lines are straight lines. I have got all the big sections done already, just the engine/wing ends and vertical tails to do as well as some odd bits. Hopefully have all the scribing finished over the weekend.

 

2 hours ago, bar side said:

I have a feeling the Revell offering will be very nice with engines that can be displayed open or outside the airframe, but I suspect there will be a serious price tag.  Might mean more Testors / Italeri kits going cheap though

 

There is a start cart kit out there too

https://www.scalespot.com/reviews/kits/ag330-hypersonic/review.htm

 

I think I might try to scratch build one as they are a bit pricey

I did see a RRP for this recently and thought that £90, all but a penny, was a bit steep for a Revell kit. Then again there is a lot of plastic in it. It will be nice to see what aftermarket comes out for it too. The hypersonic start cart does look nice but I think I’ve already broke my budget on this one 😂

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  • 3 weeks later...

Time for an update methinks. I finally got the re-scribing all done and it probably took about 10 hours of work over a few sessions, so not too bad considering how big this beast is. Also took the opportunity to fit the Metallic Details Inlet Cones, which were really a simple task with just a bit to trim off of the front of the intake. A few battle scars to clean up later but all in all pretty happy so far.

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I think the next few hours are going to be spent cutting more plastic away to make way for extras, oh what fun.

 

Back soon

Pete

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30 minutes ago, LorenSharp said:

Looks good Peter. I don't envy you on the scribing. I have the same kit in the lineup to be redone. I keep pushing it back probably for that very reason.

It's not too bad Loren because, as I said earlier, all the lines are straight apart from a couple that go around the wingtips. Just time and patience which I thankfully can still find one of 😁.

 

Pete

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Hi peter, looking good, it may take some time but it is well worth it.

I am curious how you are going to do the PE grids, they look hard to install, that is why I hesitate to buy them.

But you need the set to get the PE jet exhaust nozzles ... so yeah bummer 🙄

 

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3 hours ago, stoohoo said:

Looking very nice mate, pulling up a seat and will enjoy seeing this one come together :)

Cheers stoohoo, with all the extras I'll be glad, and relieved, to see it come together too.

25 minutes ago, LOX said:

Hi peter, looking good, it may take some time but it is well worth it.

I am curious how you are going to do the PE grids, they look hard to install, that is why I hesitate to buy them.

But you need the set to get the PE jet exhaust nozzles ... so yeah bummer 🙄

 

Hi Lox, I haven't worked that one out myself yet but better had because they need to be looked at fairly soon. The annoying thing for me is I only need the vents from this set as I have the resin exhausts and a lot of the other panels are part of the undercarriage set. I did seriously question my sanity in buying this set but, in the end, felt that they were worth having on the build.

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The PE grids are indeed hard to install. I managed to do it on my 1/72 Blackbird. You must not only cut open the plastic where the grids go, but must create a depressed ledge for the grids to fit into:

 

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It can be done, but it's eye-watering work and plenty of opportunities for a tool to slip and make a mess.

 

More info & pics in my WIP, here:

 

 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, billn53 said:

The PE grids are indeed hard to install. I managed to do it on my 1/72 Blackbird. You must not only cut open the plastic where the grids go, but must create a depressed ledge for the grids to fit in.

It can be done, but it's eye-watering work and plenty of opportunities for a tool to slip and make a mess.

That about what my plan was going to be billn53. I also contemplated cutting it out completely to size and then fitting a spacing piece from the inside. I guess that the decision will be made when I get the drill and saw out.

 

Pete

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On 9/9/2021 at 9:52 PM, Peter W said:

Cheers stoohoo, with all the extras I'll be glad, and relieved, to see it come together too.

Hi Lox, I haven't worked that one out myself yet but better had because they need to be looked at fairly soon. The annoying thing for me is I only need the vents from this set as I have the resin exhausts and a lot of the other panels are part of the undercarriage set. I did seriously question my sanity in buying this set but, in the end, felt that they were worth having on the build.

 

On 9/9/2021 at 10:00 PM, billn53 said:

The PE grids are indeed hard to install. I managed to do it on my 1/72 Blackbird. You must not only cut open the plastic where the grids go, but must create a depressed ledge for the grids to fit into:

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Indeed that is what I thought. Once it is done I have no doubt it will look magnificent, but for me personally it is to invasive. 

I have the same undercarriage set, but I will pass on the resin engine, otherwise it will become to expensive for me personally, but they look really REALLY good.

To navigate around the PE grids and lack of engine details on the original kit, I am planning to build my SR-71 with engine and grid covers like on the photo. And it gives a little more color to the model. 

 

Oh and Pete. If you like, I would be happy to buy the excess PE engine exhausts from you.

 

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  • 4 months later...

I'm back!!

 

Can't believe that it's been 5 months since I updated this post. I've really been stuck in a rut and struggling for motivation to build anything lately but have been ticking on glacially, so time for a long overdue update.

 

First thing to get done was the cockpit, which wasn't too bad.

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Shame that, once fitted, you can't see much without a bright light shining in.

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Next came getting the undercarriage parts glued together. I have to say that the Metallic Details sets are superb but do take a little bit of finesse to fit. I sprayed them in their basic colour but will dirty them up a bit more later.

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Then the bit that was a big cause of the lethargy on this build, fitting the vents. It's not that it was a hard job but it was very time consuming and fraught with potential disaster. I taped the vents in place and scribed around them, Then took a scalpel and began the long, long process of removing plastic.

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One down, nineteen to go. All done it took about ten hours of work over several days

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After that was simply a matter of gluing it all together. Did I say simply?, This kit is well known for being a bear to get together and it didn't disappoint. I don't ever remember having to use a clamp this size before.

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Patience won out though.

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Followed by a lot of filling around the back end. I'm sure that they'll be more once I get an undercoat on but good enough for now.

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Then on with the gluing bits together and a bit more filling. The resin nose fitted pretty perfectly with just a bit of sanding at the end.

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Finally, the grids, inlets and exhausts got added to bring us up to this morning. Nothing too painful in fitting the resin just some  very careful cutting, filing and sanding. I pre-painted the exhausts internally but forgot to photograph that, so will show them later.

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Just got to add the last few bits now before a clean up and undercoat.

 

Back soon, maybe.

Pete

 

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