Northrop XB-35 Flying Wing (Cyber Hobby 2017, 1/200 scale), (finished)

[Illusive]

Well... one more GB shall we? Happened to find this kit some time ago, would like for it to be in 1/72 of course but 1/200 will do.

XB-35 is in a way of a continuation of an idea that having tail is sort of redundant or at least not exactly necessary. Sure, technically, planes can fly without tail, wing(s) and/or any other important parts, but frequently only once which is rather undesirable. Horten brothers somehow managed to make their version fly so Northrop decided to go bigger, stronger, with more stars'n'stripes and of course more nukes (if USAAF actually agreed to that). Northrop succeeded, however I suspect there is a reason why B-2 took so long and it wasn't stealth alone.

Experimental relatively obscure aircraft that is a marvel of engineering (its engines reportedly weren't). Perfect subject for my entry.

 

Scalemates kit data and instructions as usual. Will have to borrow Italeri ones as well because frankly Dragon edition is sort of... barely usable (no colors, no decals, etc).

Edit: apparently I was wrong. See below as to why. Still Italeri at least bothers with b/w full instruction, credit where it's due.

Looking at sprues feels like Dragon planned at least two different versions but stopped at one combining XB and YB variants in same box.

 

Edited September 21 by Illusive

[Marklo]

Welcome to the GB

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Welcome to the build, always like the XB-35/49 aircraft. Too early for the technology needed though. 

[hakkikt]

One of my favourite aircraft, will follow with interest!

[Illusive]

Judging by likes and notifications I'm either slowly building a following here or just found good subject, either way "welcome aboard everyone!"

Dragon's surface quality is superb even though some gaps will need attention later on. Some photos have parts in a box so that all are accounted for (1/200 scale means tiny parts).

 

Engines are not vanilla issue - test fit went swimmingly and then promptly was supported by good amounts of extrathin and then CA where needed.

 

Control centre, parts most of which are not going to be seen at all. For size reference it's all held with tweezers.

 

And this is rear crew compartment placed near where its place of residence is gonna be. Length - 8mm.

 

Landing gear compartment, tweaked its surface a bit so it'll fit easier.

 

 

Now a question for whever knows the answer: kit has two different options for landing gear parts nad for each of the cocpit glass parts (front anda rear). Kit also has XB and YB variants as possible options. Which is which so to speak?

Landing gear assemblies are identical in all except moulding quality. Cockpit glass difference is only if it has "dome" for whatever the "periscope"-looking part is (gunner "computerised turret control" station as B-29 had?).

Which is for what plane? Photos I've found depict it with "domes", Italeri suggests installing them, Dragon can't decide what to do (pictures and part number don't match).

Edited August 4 by Illusive

[hakkikt]

There were two XB-35 (1st: 42-13603, 2nd: 42-38323) and one YB-35 (42-38323). 

- The XBs had counter-rotating propellers (4x2) and the YB had single four-bladed propellers (4x1).  However, the XBs were given the YB's single propellers later in the test programme because the counter-rotating propellers caused constant problems.

- Only the YB-35 carried a buzz number ("BG-366").

- The first XB-35 had only blisters for the wing and tail turrets, the second XB (and the YB) had working turrets (with holes/slits for the MGs).

Therefore, the second XB and the one YB also had a transparent bubble dome at the upper rear for the gunner (just as you said). 

 

 

 

 

[Chuck1945]

Following with interest. I started this kit several years ago intending to do a WIF as a camouflaged 2nd Bomb Division, 8AF aircraft in the Luft ’46 scheme of things. Unfortunately too many lost parts because I kept setting it aside for ‘real’ model choices resulted in it eventually getting binned.

[Illusive]

On 05/08/2025 at 17:20, hakkikt said:

There were two XB-35 (1st: 42-13603, 2nd: 42-38323) and one YB-35 (42-38323). 

- The XBs had counter-rotating propellers (4x2) and the YB had single four-bladed propellers (4x1).  However, the XBs were given the YB's single propellers later in the test programme because the counter-rotating propellers caused constant problems.

- Only the YB-35 carried a buzz number ("BG-366").

- The first XB-35 had only blisters for the wing and tail turrets, the second XB (and the YB) had working turrets (with holes/slits for the MGs).

Therefore, the second XB and the one YB also had a transparent bubble dome at the upper rear for the gunner (just as you said).

Now the question is: which version of them had "dome on dome" like we can see on official art (both front and rear)?

 

Assuming that only the ones that had armament installed, but it would make sense to produce the same canopy regardless since performance testing and later manufacturing would not be significantly different from test piece.

[hakkikt]

The periscope can be seen on the front cupola of the first XB-35 at rollout, and the first XB-35 also had something looking out of the rear cupola when that cupola was still only a silver hump and not transparent. So it seems you are correct, they all 3 had the "dome on dome", even when the rear dome was silver.

[Illusive]

Continuing build and noticed two things: tiny B1 parts are not listed anywhere on instructions but they should go on the underside of the wings (4 holes per wing on leading edge) and landing gear parts are almost but not quite identical with no explanation of which is what so to speak. Parts C30 (on sprue) and C6 are supposedly interchangeable, with only two differences being that C6 is taller by 1mm and has different relative hole location (needed for other parts of an assembly). Assuming one is for XB and the other for YB? Which is for what version if this is critical at all?

(Macro photo + different paint)

Edited August 18 by Illusive
typos

[hakkikt]

I don't think they are for different versions. My best guess is that they are for a plane flying with gear extended (long version) and taxiing on the ground (short version, because of load on the gear).  Not sure if one would notice any difference.

 

I have read in a German review of the kit that the model will need weight in the nose, but that this is not mentioned in the instructions. So be warned!😊

[Illusive]

On 18/08/2025 at 08:44, hakkikt said:

I have read in a German review of the kit that the model will need weight in the nose, but that this is not mentioned in the instructions. So be warned!😊

Indeed it does, otherwise despite it looking like a well-balanced model, it turns into fully qualified tailsitter.  Plopped two 5g weights for good measure.

 

Not like nose gear inspires confidence to be honest, but so far flimsiness is proportional to scale.

 

View of stuff in cockpit is predictably awful, so guess what the solution is? Doublesided tape. Whole thing is glued shut by the means of strategically applied pieces of tape.

 

Now the question is whether to apply decals? Honestly, I'd skip that or put on only insignia + serial/service number if anything at all. Partially this is because any sane instructions are to be found approximately nowhere, Dragon CyberHobby decal sheet may or may not match up the actual model and I just sort of like this baremetal "fresh out of factory but we skipped polishing" look.

[Illusive]

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Id just do basic insignia’s & serial’s. Outside of that I don't think these wore all that much in the way of markings. 

[bianfuxia]

Looks cool! I've built that kit too and it just barely stays upright. Good choice to put all that weight in. Such a cool plane!

[Illusive]

Done and done. Borrowed Italeri decaling instructions but applied only USA Airforce markings. Painted propeller blade tips yellow while at it.

 

 

Edited September 14 by Illusive

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Looks great, I love the story about when they brought Jack Northrop a model of the prototype B-2. 
 

“Shortly before his death, he was given clearance to see designs and hold a scale model of the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, which shared design features of his XB-35 and YB-49. The B-2, for example, has the same 172-foot wingspan as the jet-powered flying wing, YB-49. Northrop reportedly wrote on a sheet of paper "Now I know why God has kept me alive for 25 years". B-2 project designer John Cashen said, "As he held this model in his shaking hands, it was as if you could see his entire history with the flying wing passing through his mind." He died ten months later”. 
 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Northrop

Edited September 14 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[Illusive]

Update: you know where Dragon put coloring and marking instructions? On a box. The back side of it! Guess where I didn't look? That's right, the back of the box.

Applying them a bit later, need another setup for this decal size now.

 

Edited September 21 by Illusive

[Illusive]

Now it's done. Skipped serial number, gonna put wingtip "traffic lights"  on it in a bit (they likely won't be visible -- two tiny dots of transparent green and red) but yeah, it's done for real this time.

 

Note to self: look at the box, sometimes it is more than pretty art and good storage.