John McNamara Posted December 3, 2021 Share Posted December 3, 2021 I was trying to think of a Christmas present for an older friend, who has taken up plastic modelling again. When I was a spotty teenage kid, I was also an Air Cadet and my older friend was a civilain instructor at the squadron. He used to teach aeromodelling to kids like me. Anyway I remember taking a finished B47 down to the squadron on hobbies night and he really loved it, so I thought I would see if I could buy him the kit. One observation is the radical contrast in sourcing kits from 50 years ago to now. Then you could find a huge range of Airfix kits in Woolworths and if they didn't have it they would order what you wanted from the catalogue. On top of that there were 3 other model shops locally that stocked more exotic fare, such as Revell, Italieri, Tamiya and Hasegewa. Frog kits could be found in my local newagents. Now, trying to find a Hasegawa B47 is like the search for the holy grail. Does one need to become a detective or an archaeoligist to follow this hobby now I wonder? Other than second hand model on ebay, does anyone have any leads as to where to source on of these kits please? TIA John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob de Bie Posted December 3, 2021 Share Posted December 3, 2021 (edited) My answer is not going to solve your quest, but judging from what I see at the Dutch classified ads site Marktplaats, there are still plenty to go around. They are usually offered around the 30 euro mark, which is very decent I think. I was tempted to buy one several times. Maybe there's a UK equivalent? https://www.marktplaats.nl/l/hobby-en-vrije-tijd/modelbouw-vliegtuigen-en-helikopters/#q:b-47 Kingkit in the UK has a few B-47s too: https://www.kingkit.co.uk/shop.php?search=kitfinder&search_term=b-47&brand=&cat=&scale= Rob Edited December 3, 2021 by Rob de Bie 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Des Posted December 3, 2021 Share Posted December 3, 2021 According to Scalemates the latest of many releases was in 2020 so quite possibly someone , somewhere will have new ones on the shelf although from discussions on the site here previously it seems Hasegawa kits are a bit harder to find in the UK at least because of the high cost of what is quite often very old plastic with new decals. At the time of posting there are two second-hand kits on Kingkit (www.kingkit.co.uk) one for £36.99 and the other £39.99. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted December 3, 2021 Share Posted December 3, 2021 My advice is to try for the the most recent issue as Hasegawa decals don't age well, although aftermarket sheets are available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McNamara Posted December 3, 2021 Author Share Posted December 3, 2021 Hi Guys, Thanks for the quick replies. Because this is to be a gift, I really wanted a new kit. Sorry, I should have speficfied that. I don't really want to give a S/H kit as a gift, so I will have to think of something else. I may buy one for myself though as the Amreicans made some exceptional looking bomber aircraft around that period, and I still love the B47. Thank you for your advice guys. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAT69 Posted December 3, 2021 Share Posted December 3, 2021 The Hasegawa B-47E is available with new decals. I've seen it recently in my local hobby shop. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted December 3, 2021 Share Posted December 3, 2021 (edited) Caracal Decals s just released a new 1/72 B-47 decal sheet; I just got mine and it is outstanding! See the link for the markings choices. http://www.caracalmodels.com/cd72091.html If you get a kit, and if you are interested, Pavla has done two resin detail sets for the Hasegawa kit; one for the interior, including a vacform canopy, and the other has new intakes/rear sections for the engines Both are excellent. https://www.oxoniansplasticfantastic.com/pavla-c72114-172-resin-cockpit-boeing-b-47e-stratojet-hasegawa-3942-p.asp https://www.scalemates.com/kits/pavla-models-u72-141-b-47-upgrade-engine-nacelle-front-parts-and-jet-pipes--193371 Here is a link to one of the better build articles that shows the available detail sets; it also lists some excellent walkarounds that I hope you or others will find useful. . https://www.hyperscale.com/2015/features/b47e72rh_1.htm Good luck on your quest, it's a beautiful airplane. If scale isn't a consideration, Academy did a very nice 1/144 scale kit that got very favorable reviews when it was released, and is still a fairly big model. I have seen a couple at contests, and they look very good when finished. See the link below. Mike https://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/builds/aca/build_aca_4443.shtml Edited December 3, 2021 by 72modeler corrected spelling 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tempestfan Posted December 3, 2021 Share Posted December 3, 2021 Or do it like 50 years ago and get a Frog boxing. Of course 2nd hand and you ruled that out, but that would be something a bit special, and possibly even what you built 50 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Ramsden Posted December 4, 2021 Share Posted December 4, 2021 Another option might be the Academy B-47 in 1/144 scale. Hannants have it in stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archer_VC10 Posted December 4, 2021 Share Posted December 4, 2021 This one is available: https://www.aviationmegastore.com/boeing-b47e-stratojet-1000th-stratojet-hasegawa-02350-aircraft-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=173362 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e8n2 Posted December 5, 2021 Share Posted December 5, 2021 There is this one at Sprue Brothers: https://spruebrothers.com/has04057-1-72-hasegawa-b-47e-stratojet/ However it is out of stock. But this one: https://spruebrothers.com/has02350-1-72-hasegawa-b-47e-stratojet-1000th-stratojet/ is in stock at nearly twice the price! AFIAK the only difference in price between the two is the decal sheet! Shipping from this side of the pond PLUS VAT could really drive the price up. I would suggest having them notify you when the less expensive one comes back into stock. You may want to check some of the other U.S. on-line hobby shops and may find it in stock at a decent price. Later, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted December 7, 2021 Share Posted December 7, 2021 The Hasegawa kit is nice, but it doesn't come with a miniature Jimmy Stewart. Just saying. Cheers, Bill 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted December 8, 2021 Share Posted December 8, 2021 6 hours ago, Navy Bird said: The Hasegawa kit is nice, but it doesn't come with a miniature Jimmy Stewart. Just saying. Cheers, Bill Or a Barry Sullivan and Alex Nicol figure to round out the crew! Mike 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jure Miljevic Posted December 8, 2021 Share Posted December 8, 2021 Hello Bill and Mike Speaking about that, my B-36 kit had none of those figures either. And I bet there is no scaled figures of James Stewart, Richard Attenborough and the rest of the deset gang in C-82 Packet kit, if anyone produces it. How can they afford such omissions? Cheers Jure 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted December 8, 2021 Share Posted December 8, 2021 Tamiya would have included a Robert Shaw figure with their 1/48 Spitfire Mk 1a, but it's so hard doing a turtleneck sweater convincingly in the scale! (We now return you to the regularly scheduled discussion on this topic!....but Bill started it!) Mike 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e8n2 Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 22 hours ago, Jure Miljevic said: Hello Bill and Mike Speaking about that, my B-36 kit had none of those figures either. And I bet there is no scaled figures of James Stewart, Richard Attenborough and the rest of the deset gang in C-82 Packet kit, if anyone produces it. How can they afford such omissions? Cheers Jure For the extenal shots they used a C-82, but the interiors were of a C-119! In one scene inside the aircraft, you can see a sign like they would have for an airshow talking about the R4Q, the Navy's designation for the C-119. Later, Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jure Miljevic Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 Hello I did not know that, Dave, but thanks for giving me a reason to watch the movie once again (and in case of disapproving noise from SWMBO it is you whom I am going to blame). It makes sense, though, as I believe C-119 interior is roomier and makes film production easier. Cheers Jure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e8n2 Posted December 10, 2021 Share Posted December 10, 2021 15 hours ago, Jure Miljevic said: Hello I did not know that, Dave, but thanks for giving me a reason to watch the movie once again (and in case of disapproving noise from SWMBO it is you whom I am going to blame). It makes sense, though, as I believe C-119 interior is roomier and makes film production easier. Cheers Jure I don't know about the interior dimensions of the cargo box of a C-82 vs the C-119. I would imagine that they were fairly close. At the time the movie was made, the C-119 was still in service, especially in Vietnam where the trash haulers and gunships were operating so it was easier to use a C-119 or R4Q. The C-82 was already out of service so it would have been easier to get one to break up for the post crash exteriors. Yes be sure to blame me as much as you want. It's still a great movie! Later, Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jure Miljevic Posted December 10, 2021 Share Posted December 10, 2021 Agreed! Cheers Jure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted December 10, 2021 Share Posted December 10, 2021 11 hours ago, e8n2 said: I don't know about the interior dimensions of the cargo box of a C-82 vs the C-119. From written sources, I found that the cargo box of the Dollar Nineteen was slightly larger than that of the C-82; the cargo box was widened by fourteen inches, and the cockpit was moved from above the cargo bay on the C-82 to in front of it. As an aside, I remember seeing several surplus C-82's parked in the grass at the San Antonio Municipal Airport grounds in the mid-fifties- they were being sold as surplus along with some BT-13's and C-45's, IIRC. ( I was 8-9 years old at the time, so might be a bit fuzzy on some of this.) Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e8n2 Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 12 hours ago, 72modeler said: the cockpit was moved from above the cargo bay on the C-82 to in front of it. Mike That is the easiest way to distinguish between the two. I got to see a C-82 up close and personal during the `92 IMPS/USA convention in Seattle. Didn't even know that there were any still around at the time. We have a C-119G at the Travis Museum and I have been inside of it a number of times. What I found really interesting was that the setup from the cargo box to the cockpit and toilet is the same on the C119, C-141, and C-17! Go up a short ladder on the left hand side to get to the cockpit and through a door on the right hand side to make use of the facilities! Standardization, what a concept! Later, Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 8 hours ago, e8n2 said: That is the easiest way to distinguish between the two. I got to see a C-82 up close and personal during the `92 IMPS/USA convention in Seattle. Didn't even know that there were any still around at the time. We have a C-119G at the Travis Museum and I have been inside of it a number of times. What I found really interesting was that the setup from the cargo box to the cockpit and toilet is the same on the C119, C-141, and C-17! Go up a short ladder on the left hand side to get to the cockpit and through a door on the right hand side to make use of the facilities! Standardization, what a concept! Later, Dave That, and they took the bean burritos out of the inflight box lunches! Mike Packet trivia- IIRC TWA used surplus C-82A's to transport engines and other large repair/replacement parts between their various European stops back in the late fifties. Some had a Westinghouse W30 jet mounted in a pod above the fuselage- conversions done by Steward-Davis, as seen on this TWA Packet. https://www.airliners.net/photo/Trans-World-Airlines-TWA/Fairchild-C-82A-Packet/69847/L Maybe Valom will grace us with one someday- I think Anigrand did it resin, but I've never seen one.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jure Miljevic Posted December 14, 2021 Share Posted December 14, 2021 Hello, Mike Yes, there is a resin Anigrand kit around with the price one would expect for a large resin kit (still, I am tempted ...). So I would not mind a new plastic version of that kit. Cheers Jure 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalea Posted December 14, 2021 Share Posted December 14, 2021 Well I got one. Still waiting for the USAF to come up with something a bit more interesting than 'boring old silver'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted December 14, 2021 Share Posted December 14, 2021 10 hours ago, dalea said: Well I got one. Still waiting for the USAF to come up with something a bit more interesting than 'boring old silver'. You could always do a C-82A with the red arctic high viz markings! https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/195679/fairchild-c-82-packet/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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