Well the time has finally come to call this one!
I had hoped to do a couple more updates before this one but frustration was getting the better of me in the end. Lot count of the bits I kept knocking off, including the new pitot probe that was last seen passing by my left shoulder to never be seen again! Plus my lovely acrylic Matt coat I use is actually really painful to use, the usual way I clean up my washes ends up turning the matt clear coat a cloudy white! Ok had my piece now on with it!
Well lots of antenna’s and bits were added, most stolen from the new B-57G kit…including the now lost/eaten pitot probe!
The wing tip gear was finally fitted, new gear doors had to be mode for them as well.
The stores were finally completed as well, I did some homemade “daisy Cutters” which turned out quite nice. The pylons I intended to use turned out to be way too short once I re-profiled them for the wings! So new ones were made to match those used on the drop tanks, overall these look much better. The Pave Gat platform was finished off and fitted.
Finally just some touch-ups and she’s done!I just so love the look of this aircraft and with all the mods I added she just looks “real”! It was not an easy build by any means and there are so many things I’d do different if I was building one again, I now have another unused nose! (Israeli B-51G??). I would so love to go large with this and build a 1/48th version, but unfortunately the donor model is a Collect-Aire beast and the latest one to show up on evilBay, well the seller wants $700USD for it!! Don’t think I could hide that one from the wife!
Anyway this was such a joy to build and finish, so here she is!!! Please enjoy…plus I will write a story to go with it……….
Story.
After the initial failure in the “Night Intruder/Bomber” fly off against the EE Canberra in May 51, Martin wasn’t put off. The XB-51 had a good turn of speed and general handling and performance was good, fuel economy though was not. So Martin set to the task of improving this notable by fitting a newer version of the General Electric J47 along with structure changes as well as the ability to fit wing mounted drop tanks. The variable incident wings were dropped as well to help save weight.
Initial plans to produce the EE Canberra in the US by Martin was scuttled by the then Labour government as relationships between the two countries soured again, and by Christmas of 51 the whole project was in doubt.
Martin had been in the meantime reviewing and implementing changes to the XB-51 program to make it a more suitable aircraft that met the Air Forces requirements. At the same time Martin had been courting other air forces as well with this new design. The Australian air force had shown early interest in the EE Canberra but a falling out by the Menzies government with the UK Labour Attlee government over trade and migration, and the forth-coming ANZUS treaty, this ended. The US was now the flavour of the moment and the RAAF was offered a deal on the B-51 they couldn’t refuse.
The B-51B entered RAAF service in mid 1954 and quickly gained a reputation for its handling and precision bombing abilities, even though its range was still a bit of an issue.
By the start of the Vietnam war B-51D’s had entered service with the RAAF, these were a major step forward in the B-51 program, with new avionics, improved engine performance and economy. But the two changes that were to have the most notable effects were the change a new cockpit layout and the fitting of the “Big Wing”. The “Big Wing” was a requirement the RAAF had wanted right from the start, but there had been development issues, which had held this up until the D model. These new wings had additional stores points as well as larger fuel tanks fitted.
Two squadrons were sent to Vietnam, 2 & 6 Sqn, these aircraft operated along side a detachment of Skysharks, which were providing Close Air Support for the Australian Army at the time. As the war continued on the role of the B-51’s started to change and an aircraft with improved all-weather/night-time abilities was required.
The result was B-51G, introduced in 1971, which had a variety of new sensors and equipment fitted. The USAF had only a modest interest in this model and only operated one squadron, the RAAF went on to modify all but a few of their B-51’s to this new configuration (four were converted to RB-51D’s). The modification program was call “Tropic Moon III” (there were two earlier programs using different aircraft). In addition to the new FLIR/LLLTV systems fitted in the new nose of these aircraft a new Pave Gat new gun system by Emerson was fitted to a few of these aircraft. These gun platforms fitted into the bomb bay of the B-51and featured a remotely controlled M61 20mm Gatling gun and optics system. In use along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, these Pave Gat fitted B-51G’s proved to be devastating to ground forces and infrastructure.
These aircraft continued in serve with the RAAF in Australia and overseas until eventually replaced by the RF/F111’s. They were finally retired in the early 80’s after over 30 years of service.