Ventora3300 Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 I may be mad but the first Monogram kit to appear in my loft was this one - I saw Monogram as big and American and was not disappointed when that big box arrived! What better kit to build! This is how I feel right now but things may change....... 22 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 Ive built two of these back in the 1980’s and early 90’s. They're definitely large but not too hard to build. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfa1983 Posted July 19, 2022 Share Posted July 19, 2022 My better half would divorce me if I made one of these. But it would be worth it. 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted July 19, 2022 Share Posted July 19, 2022 By coincidence, I was looking at an Airfix 1.72 kit recently. I thought that one was big. The Monogram kit dwarfs it. It's going to be a treat, watching this one come together. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted July 19, 2022 Share Posted July 19, 2022 (edited) I see it was claimed to be the largest plastic aircraft kit ever produced when it first came out, though Scalemates show a 1/46 scale version by Aurora quite a few years before. However that only seems to have been part of a boxed set of B-25, B-26 and B-29 and never released on its own in 1/46 unlike the other two, so maybe it was in fact their 1/76 version? Whatever, this will certainly be a big model, though perhaps still smaller than my Monogram 1/72 B-36. Fortunately the substantial wing spars on the latter mean that I can store it with the wings off. Pete Edited July 19, 2022 by PeterB 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mottlemaster Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 On 19/07/2022 at 03:56, arfa1983 said: My better half would divorce me if I made one of these. But it would be worth it. If i made one it would quickly become my new home . Plenty of room for the kids to stay 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 Looks like your decals are shot. The thing that annoys me is you have to carve your own exhausts from sprue. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Ballman Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 (edited) My advice is to get something rigged up to hold that fuselage in place on the bench. I use sections of polyfoam to support stuff like that. Here is an example. It surrounds the fuselage and allows you to roll it up or down to paint or scribe or whatever. Edited July 20, 2022 by John Ballman 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 2 hours ago, bentwaters81tfw said: The thing that annoys me is you have to carve your own exhausts from sprue. Where does it say to do that in the instructions? There are exhaust parts in the kit. Chris 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 I have the current deluxe re release, and I have to make the exhausts. Perhaps the tool got damaged but it's defo a diy job. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 17 hours ago, bentwaters81tfw said: I have the current deluxe re release, and I have to make the exhausts. Perhaps the tool got damaged but it's defo a diy job. Okay. I just looked on the Super-hobby site, to see what the sprues looked like. https://www.super-hobby.com/products/B-29-Superfortress-23977548.html Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 The deluxe release with all the brass and PE has drawings to make the correct double exhausts (2 different diameter pipes) with brass heat shields and louvres. The kit comes with 8 x large exhausts, which have to be drilled out with a 3.5mm bit, but for the smaller diameter pipes (part no 40 in the posh instruction book covering all the fancy PE stuff) I have to cut 8 sections of sprue to a length of 2.5mm each and drill them out to 2 mm. It doesn't give me the outside diameter of the sprue to use though. For the retail price, I would have thought they could have made up 8 resin exhausts, or included some tubing at least. If you use all the PE interior (which I wont) you have to stick 40 gms of ballast into each engine cowling, plus another 90 gms under the engineer's floor to prevent tail sitting. This will get closed up with lead in the engineer's compartment, as you will never see all this stuff, and life is too short to faff around with brass. I'm just glad I didn't have to pay the silly money they ask for this kit. Now it will go back into the deep stash so I can get on with more interesting stuff. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ventora3300 Posted July 21, 2022 Author Share Posted July 21, 2022 4 hours ago, dogsbody said: Okay. I just looked on the Super-hobby site, to see what the sprues looked like. https://www.super-hobby.com/products/B-29-Superfortress-23977548.html Chris I’ll be able to show pics of the spruces I have in the next post. Quite a few items off the spruces so someone in the past has had a fondle but then taken fright! I’ve suddenly got very interested in what the engines and exhausts should look like if I am going for the full armament version ‘Thumper’. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ventora3300 Posted July 21, 2022 Author Share Posted July 21, 2022 On 20/07/2022 at 19:11, bentwaters81tfw said: Looks like your decals are shot. The thing that annoys me is you have to carve your own exhausts from sprue. You are right - the decals are all cracked - don’t know if they are saveable. I’ll have a look for substitutes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ventora3300 Posted July 21, 2022 Author Share Posted July 21, 2022 On 19/07/2022 at 16:47, PeterB said: I see it was claimed to be the largest plastic aircraft kit ever produced when it first came out, though Scalemates show a 1/46 scale version by Aurora quite a few years before. However that only seems to have been part of a boxed set of B-25, B-26 and B-29 and never released on its own in 1/46 unlike the other two, so maybe it was in fact their 1/76 version? Whatever, this will certainly be a big model, though perhaps still smaller than my Monogram 1/72 B-36. Fortunately the substantial wing spars on the latter mean that I can store it with the wings off. Pete Yes, Pete, and I didn’t let slip that I have the 1/72 B-36, 1/48 B17 and 1/48 Revell boxed B-24 tucked away as well! Storing with the wings off sounds like a good idea - I’ll need to make a good job of wing joint lines. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julien Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 4 hours ago, bentwaters81tfw said: The deluxe release with all the brass and PE has drawings to make the correct double exhausts (2 different diameter pipes) with brass heat shields and louvres. The kit comes with 8 x large exhausts, which have to be drilled out with a 3.5mm bit, but for the smaller diameter pipes (part no 40 in the posh instruction book covering all the fancy PE stuff) I have to cut 8 sections of sprue to a length of 2.5mm each and drill them out to 2 mm. It doesn't give me the outside diameter of the sprue to use though. For the retail price, I would have thought they could have made up 8 resin exhausts, or included some tubing at least. If you use all the PE interior (which I wont) you have to stick 40 gms of ballast into each engine cowling, plus another 90 gms under the engineer's floor to prevent tail sitting. This will get closed up with lead in the engineer's compartment, as you will never see all this stuff, and life is too short to faff around with brass. I'm just glad I didn't have to pay the silly money they ask for this kit. Now it will go back into the deep stash so I can get on with more interesting stuff. How do the new instructions compare to these older ones? im thinking the new release has you make parts that were never in the earlier kits. https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/2/5/5/964255-83-instructions.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 Whole new booklet to cover all the etch. You can't make a Silverplate from the kit either because the bomb bays differ. It does give you Little Boy and Fat Man though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 Great to see this one arrive Mike this should be epic! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted July 23, 2022 Share Posted July 23, 2022 Great subject, perfect for this GB. Re exhausts...this is what Frank was talking about: If you want the correct exhausts you have to build your own! I also used the Eduard photoetched exterior parts. If you want to see how I got on with this monster kit, the full build is HERE. 5 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ventora3300 Posted July 24, 2022 Author Share Posted July 24, 2022 On 23/07/2022 at 06:53, Alan P said: Great subject, perfect for this GB. Re exhausts...this is what Frank was talking about: If you want the correct exhausts you have to build your own! I also used the Eduard photoetched exterior parts. If you want to see how I got on with this monster kit, the full build is HERE. Many thanks Alan for the picture and to you and everyone else for the links and interesting information on inaccuracies to be addressed. I've decided to address the exhausts / engine cowlings / props before starting anything else. Here are the pieces involved. The cooling louvres on the cowlings in front of the exhaust outlets look OK, the large exhaust pipe can also be used if I check/fettle the fit to the depression in the cowling then I just need to work out what to use and how to fit in a smaller exhaust pipe, which I think comes from the turbocharger each side behind that. For the engine cowlings, it looks like these are thick mouldings so I'm going to try a little sanding to shape more steeply down to the circular opening. I may try altering the shape of the 'smile' for the intakes with a little filler at the corners. Possible a grille behind the opening below the back piece which has some of the engine on it. I should also file/sand off all the 'cuffs' on the prop blades but I don't know yet if I'm brave enough for that - a lot can go wrong on 16 blades! Here are the same parts from the 1/72 Airfix B-29 kit - I'm looking for inspiration in terms of shapes. That kit also only provides one exhaust pipe per side but those extra sprue bits attached to each which require removal look interesting..... 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 Hi Mike, let me salute a brave man while you are still in control! I would already have run away screaming... But I am sure you will eventually prevail. What got into you?!!! JR 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ol' Scrapiron Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 Looking forward to seeing what you do for the engine nacelles. I have traveled to museums in England and US to photograph 10 different B-29s (various stages of restoration). I know there are plenty of vintage photos, but if you are interested in my personal shots as possible reference let me know what you need and Ill see what I have that will help. As far as the nacelles/exhaust, these might help. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ B-29 44-86292 “Enola Gay” (NASM Udvar-Hazy) - - _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ B-29 44-27297 “Bockscar” (NMoUSAF) - _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 44-69972 “Doc” (Boeing Field ) - - _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ B-29A 44-61669 “Three Feathers III” (March AFB) - _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ B-29A 44-61748 “It’s Hawg Wild” (IWM Duxford) - _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ B-29 44-70016 “Sentimental Journey” (Pima Air Museum) - _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ B-29 44-62070 “Fifi” (Boeing Field Seattle) - - _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ B-29 44-69729 “T-Square-54” restoration (Boeing Plant 2, Boeing Field... now at Museum of Flight) - - - As always, bear in mind that these are pics I took of these Superfortresses as displayed in their various museums or airfields. Use them for reference or inspiration as you see fit. If you are going to go crazy on the interior, I was fortunate enough to get a lengthy private tour inside T-Square-54 while the Boeing/Museum of Flight volunteers were restoring her as accurately as possible. Look forward to watching your build. 7 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 On 21/07/2022 at 21:58, Ventora3300 said: Yes, Pete, and I didn’t let slip that I have the 1/72 B-36, 1/48 B17 and 1/48 Revell boxed B-24 tucked away as well! Storing with the wings off sounds like a good idea - I’ll need to make a good job of wing joint lines. Blimey Mate That's an impressive amount of plastic Best of luck with this one, every kid wanted one of these, lots of older big kids still do ! Best of luck with this one Cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 I got to visit and photograph “FIFI” last summer at my local airport. I posted almost all the photo’s along with others of different aircraft. https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235096612-louis-university-airshow-romeoville-illinois-071721/ please feel free to use them as needed. Dennis 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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