Author Topic: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180  (Read 5714 times)

Offline Brian da Basher

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Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« on: February 14, 2019, 07:28:07 AM »
Well it's about time I dove in here and what better way to do it than with an old classic sent to me by a good friend? (Thanks a million, hamsterman!)



Yup it's the old Lindberg 1/180 "box scale" B-70 Valkyrie supersonic bomber. I know the box art's not much, but you've got to admit, these sprues are interesting.



Granted, not a big parts count but just enough to be going on with.

Of course, mine is going to be just a bit different...

Brian da Basher

Offline Kerick

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Re: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2019, 07:49:34 AM »
Some collectors will be pulling their hair out!
This will be fun to watch!

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2019, 07:51:15 AM »
Undeterred by the Skill Level 2 intimidation label on the box, I dug right in. The first thing, of course, was a nose job. Prior to assembly, I chopped the nose just behind the slot for the canards, leaving a very nice box shape. A recycled 1/72 Airfix Mosquito nose fit after a bit of persuasion.



The canopy is a drop-tank half from a P-80 and the nose probe is a re-purposed rocket.



Going with the sciency theme of the nose probe, I added an electronics fairing under the rear topped with a fin cut from card.



Speaking of the back, I cut off two of the six burner cans and covered the holes with a blanking plate. I added a stray 1/72 Airfix A-4 nose upside down to fill the gap. Another nameless fairing was added on top.



Behind those burner cans it's just holes, so I covered them with spare wheels painted black.

I didn't do any more modifications except for putting the outer wings on wrong so they now gracefully curve upwards.



I also left the belly button receptacle for the stand on. The kit stand was missing a key part but my old Airfix stand works.



I was really impressed by the tolerances in this kit. Neither the fins & rudders nor the rear burner can assembly needed glue but I put some on anyway.



It took me about a week to get this far but there were a few dry runs test fitting things. Even though parts of it goes together like a snap-tite kit, it took a bit of planning to figure out things for the new nose.

Brian da Basher
« Last Edit: February 14, 2019, 08:15:31 AM by Brian da Basher »

Online finsrin

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Re: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« Reply #3 on: February 14, 2019, 08:39:03 AM »
First impression is CF-105 competitor.
OOB tails is right move.
Wing tips up is right move.
Middle engines delete treatment is right move.
 :smiley:

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2019, 07:22:45 AM »
Well the old hairy stick made another appearance, this time loaded up with lots of Polly Scale Milwaukee Road Gray acrylic.



This stuff goes on like a dream. Problem is I don't think they make it anymore.  :(



I used the old stand-by, Model Masters Jet Exhaust, on the burner cans.



I've got a few touch-ups and then it's on to the home-stretch.



Brian da Basher
« Last Edit: February 15, 2019, 09:45:00 AM by Brian da Basher »

Offline jcf

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Re: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2019, 08:21:01 AM »
Some collectors will be pulling their hair out!
This will be fun to watch!

Only if it was an original 1964 release boxing, it's been re-released numerous times,
and the most recent Round2 release is still available.
“Conspiracy theory’s got to be simple.
Sense doesn’t come into it. People are
more scared of how complicated shit
actually is than they ever are about
whatever’s supposed to be behind the
conspiracy.”
-The Peripheral, William Gibson 2014

Online finsrin

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Re: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2019, 02:02:19 PM »
Okay !
Milling around smartly waiting to see final scheme and decals.

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2019, 03:40:39 AM »
Carl Maulden finally gets an aerodynamic likeness :)
"Every day we hear about new studies 'revealing' what should have been obvious to sentient beings for generations; 'Research shows wolverines don't like to be teased" -- Jonah Goldberg

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« Reply #8 on: February 16, 2019, 06:27:35 AM »
Carl Maulden finally gets an aerodynamic likeness :)

Now you've got me wondering if Karl had a large, eastern bloc radar housed up there.

Things have been a bit busy but I hope to get to the finish line over the weekend.

Stay tuned!

Brian da Basher

Offline Kerick

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Re: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« Reply #9 on: February 17, 2019, 01:19:31 AM »
Carl Maulden finally gets an aerodynamic likeness :)

LOL🤣🤣

Offline arctic warrior

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Re: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« Reply #10 on: February 17, 2019, 06:01:50 PM »
YAY!  ;D
This is just soo good. Reminds me of those 1960's drawings of space-vehicles/Space Shuttles.

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« Reply #11 on: February 20, 2019, 05:57:59 AM »


By the 1970's, East Germany had been leap-frogged by other Communist countries in many key areas, but none so acutely as aerospace. To that end, the Central Committee of the East German Commie Party ordered a crash-program to put them on the cutting edge. This plan involved stealing some plans...



While the theft of top-secret U.S. blueprints was successful, American counter-intelligence replaced valid plans with unworkable versions that were an odd mash-up of the XB-70 Valkyrie bomber and proposed F-16 fighter. The East Germans didn't notice, putting any idiosyncrasies down to conversion between Imperial and Metric measurements.





Those bogus plans were quickly handed off to the state-owned Volkischer Flugzeug Werke (VFW) or People's Aircraft Factory for production of a prototype that was hoped would be the most dominant air superiority fighter in all Europe.



In short order, an incredibly futuristic twin-tailed, delta-winged beast emerged from the Volkischer Flugzeug Werke. VFW engineers had created what looked to everyone like a true world-beater. Christened the Volks Walküre or People's Valkyrie, it soon became known as the VW.



VW Beetles were often called "Bugs" so it wasn't too long before the prototype Volks Walküre started to be jokingly referred to as the Über Bug.



Unfortunately, the Soviets thought the Über Bug was just too über and they ordered the project cancelled. And the Soviets can be very persuasive...



The East Germans were only able to manage a handful of test-flights before the heavy hand of their Soviet masters came down. Which is sad because the aircraft's irrecoverable spin characteristics would've no doubt been a boon to their NATO opponents.



The Volkischer Flugzeug Werke was so thorough in carrying out orders to destroy not only the prototype Über Bug but also any other scrap of information on this futuristic fighter that very little documentary evidence of it exists today.



That is, except for this one artifact, an overly-optimistic desk model that was found in the recesses of the Volkischer Flugzeug Werke when it was liquidated after German reunification. The model features the erroneous bort #1247 which is an obvious attempt to get western analysts to think there were over twelve hundred of the things.



Despite such rock-solid tangible evidence of the type, the so-called "experts" refuse to accept it ever existed and insist it must be the product of a mind that's a bit buggy.

Brian da Basher

« Last Edit: February 20, 2019, 07:20:48 PM by Brian da Basher »

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« Reply #12 on: February 20, 2019, 06:21:22 AM »
Well, this baby finally made it out of the paint shop! Sorry for the delay, my back was out much of the weekend and not taking messages.



The model was brush-painted by hand in acrylics, Polly Scale Milwaukee Road Gray mostly with Model Masters Feldgrau on the nose. The canopy was done with Model Masters Semi-Gloss Black with a top coat of Liquitex acrylic gloss medium to get it all shiny.



The tip of the lower pitot tube was given a dab of Model Masters Steel and the wiry nose probe tip was done with Model Masters Dark Gull Gray with a blob of Aluminum on the end. The burner cans were painted with Model Masters Jet Exhaust.



Most of the decals were from this E German sheet a good friend sent me (thanks a million, hamsterman!) but the rest come are spares. Before I forget, here's the "money shot" (U.S. penny for scale, sorry I was out of Marks):



I had a blast putting together my first scale-o-rama for this GB and I'd like to thank Bill for his kindness in sending the B-70 kit and E German decals. I couldn't have done it without him!



I hope you enjoyed the Volks Walküre and reading a little forgotten aircraft history even if it's a bit buggy.



Brian da Basher
« Last Edit: February 20, 2019, 06:24:06 AM by Brian da Basher »

Online finsrin

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Re: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« Reply #13 on: February 20, 2019, 06:32:08 AM »
Masterpiece of deep research. :smiley:  To be seen only here.  Rollout and first flights musta been something to see before heavy commie boots squashed project.
Subtle color change on underside is a just right touch.  Surprised how well it all comes together.  :icon_surprised:  :smiley:

Offline Alvis 3.1

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Re: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« Reply #14 on: February 20, 2019, 09:27:14 AM »
 :o :o :o :o :o :o :o

Awesome!!!!

Offline andonio64

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Re: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« Reply #15 on: February 20, 2019, 02:53:38 PM »
Beautiful, Brian I love your "instant builds", your works are always clean and neat!

Antonio

Offline Robomog

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Re: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« Reply #16 on: February 20, 2019, 09:36:38 PM »
Nicely done Brain,  reversing the wingtip dihedral has given it a totally different look.

Mog
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Offline Frank3k

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Re: Operation Valkyrie or Doing a (1/) 180
« Reply #17 on: February 21, 2019, 05:40:35 AM »
Great backstory and a great build! That is a Große Schnoz radar, right?