Beyond The Sprues

Modelling => Completed GBs => Group and Themed Builds => Informal Lockdown/COVID-19 GB => Topic started by: Brian da Basher on March 27, 2020, 04:50:50 AM

Title: A Quarantine Quickie
Post by: Brian da Basher on March 27, 2020, 04:50:50 AM
No, not that kind! Get your mind out of the gutter.

This one involves a 1/320 Academy 'Sky Giants' B-52:

(https://i.postimg.cc/NFr40977/Academy-Sky-Giants-B-52-box-art.jpg)

You've got to admit, that's some evocative box art. Kinda like something from Dr. Strangelove (His real name is Merkwürdige Liebe).

Mine isn't going to look like that though. As we all know, B-52s are tragically under-powered. I set about fixing that right away.

(https://i.postimg.cc/T2pQQw5J/B52-HB-xprpg-01.jpg)

(https://i.postimg.cc/66rqkVZW/B52-HB-xprpg-04.jpg)

(https://i.postimg.cc/VNQ3Ptnw/B52-HB-xprpg-05.jpg)

Yes, I know those box-scale DC-8 jets don't really belong there. In fact, this really shouldn't work at all.

Here's another shot of those huge high-bypass turbofans:

(https://i.postimg.cc/5ygnTY1x/B52-HB-xprpg-06.jpg)

I like to imagine these were some of the first top-secret ones built to military spec.

(https://i.postimg.cc/dtmhM2zR/B52-HB-xprpg-02.jpg)

Surprisingly this small model fits best on my vintage Matchbox stand.

(https://i.postimg.cc/28JKDWh6/B52-HB-xprpg-03.jpg)

The kit stand is a bit iffy, not that Academy isn't known for goofs like that.

Speaking of goofs, I lost the kit under-wing sponsons so I made new ones.

(https://i.postimg.cc/Sxn5HrPj/B52-HB-xprpg-00.jpg)

This preliminary money shot gives you an idea how small the model is.

(https://i.postimg.cc/Hkv5K0yZ/B52-HB-xprpg-07.jpg)

I almost forgot to mention that I bulked up the rudder a bit with some card.

(https://i.postimg.cc/tTBHtgfx/B52-HB-xprpg-08.jpg)

Off to the paint shop next.

(https://i.postimg.cc/x19D7M2z/B52-HB-xprpg-09.jpg)

Brian da Basher
Title: Re: A Quarantine Quickie
Post by: The Big Gimper on March 27, 2020, 05:26:45 AM
Question: How many Canada Geese can this bad boy swallow and keep on flying?
Title: Re: A Quarantine Quickie
Post by: robunos on March 27, 2020, 05:28:01 AM
Needs Skybolts . . .   ;D


cheers,
Robin.
Title: Re: A Quarantine Quickie
Post by: Brian da Basher on March 27, 2020, 05:42:02 AM
Question: How many Canada Geese can this bad boy swallow and keep on flying?

Oh did it miss some?
 ;D
Brian da Basher

P.S. No Skybolts in kit, would be inappropriate for mission profile anyway.
Title: Re: A Quarantine Quickie
Post by: robunos on March 27, 2020, 06:02:53 AM
. . . would be inappropriate for mission profile anyway.


Please tell us more . . .   :-*


cheers,
Robin.
Title: Re: A Quarantine Quickie
Post by: finsrin on March 27, 2020, 07:03:19 AM
Sure beefs up engines.  Looks like fly at edge of critical Mach all day power. :smiley:   Landing gear must need extension, flying on stand avoids that hassle.
Title: Re: A Quarantine Quickie
Post by: Frank3k on March 27, 2020, 09:51:26 AM
That's a nice upgrade, Brian! That kit was originally by Fuji, according to Scalemates (https://www.scalemates.com/kits/academy-1697-b-52-stratofortress--107368). I have a couple but used one for parts.
For a sec I thought those were the ubiquitous 1/144 Academy 707 engines!
Title: Re: A Quarantine Quickie
Post by: GTX_Admin on March 28, 2020, 03:47:19 AM
Looking good.  Maybe make the engines nuclear powered turbines...all the better to kill of airborne pathogens. ;)
Title: Re: A Quarantine Quickie
Post by: GTX_Admin on March 28, 2020, 03:51:52 AM
No, not that kind! Get your mind out of the gutter.

Too late. ;D
Title: Re: A Quarantine Quickie
Post by: Brian da Basher on March 28, 2020, 10:12:06 AM
Boeing B-52HB (High Bypass turbofans) of Operation Limelight, Vietnam 1975

(https://i.postimg.cc/5ND3mfGP/B52-HB-001.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

The Boeing B-52 is one of the most famous cold war jet bombers.

(https://i.postimg.cc/qBDHcZTm/B-52-H-1990-camo-photo.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

Less well known are some of the concepts that came from the Stratofortress.

(https://i.postimg.cc/3r0QBFxY/B52-HB-002.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

Perhaps the least known of these is the B-52HB, a one-off that briefly served with the U.S. Air Force's Strategic Air Command.

(https://i.postimg.cc/brwTmTQ8/B52-HB-003.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

The Boeing B-52HB was powered by four high-bypass G.E. (General Eclectic) BFE X5200s of 52k lbs. thrust each.

(https://i.postimg.cc/2SSxmTJZ/B52-HB-004.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

These engines were the largest of their day and required more spacious wheel bays and under-wing sponsons for the longer landing gear.

(https://i.postimg.cc/MGd2HsKJ/B-52-HB-gear-deployed.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

The new bomber also featured a larger rudder which provided better directional control in the horizontal axis, a necessity due to those high-powered, high-bypass power plants.

(https://i.postimg.cc/65rGSRpG/B52-HB-005.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

Officially known as the YB-52VHBTF (Very High Bypass Turbo Fans), this was shortened to B-52HB for administrative purposes, the fact that VHBTF brings to mind an Australian civil registration not withstanding. The aircraft completed flight tests and had been sent for a service trial, becoming an almost organic part of an existing SAC bomb wing even though surprisingly little compostable material was used in the plane's construction.

(https://i.postimg.cc/Lsc1wVLL/B52-HB-006.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

By April, 1975 it was performing as a pathfinder when the commie North invaded South Vietnam in violation of the Paris Peace Accords. This would not stand and SAC planned to stop the invasion in its tracks with pin-point bomb raids in Operation Limelight.

(https://i.postimg.cc/Sx71yDmL/Rush-Limelight.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/wvP0Wrkz/operation-limelight-stage.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

As dawn broke, the B=52HB lead the SAC bomber fleet, given the mission to take out a vital North Vietnamese command & control facility.

(https://i.postimg.cc/pVqDXKHb/B52-HB-007.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

The U.S. Navy was busy clearing a path with carrier-based A-4s eliminating enemy radar and air defenses. The crew of the B-52HB had every reason to feel confident as their aircraft gained altitude.

(https://i.postimg.cc/yN0Lfjb3/B52-HB-008.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

Refueling not far from weather ship Tango Delta, the Boeing B-52HB stradled the Pacific, headed into harm's way.

(https://i.postimg.cc/QMNqbD1w/B52-HB-009.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

The bomber gained altitude 75 clicks from the enemy coast and was in an ideal attack attitude as it reached the aiming point.

(https://i.postimg.cc/rssbYWW6/B52-HB-010.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

The B-52HB released its payload with precision and the enemy installation was obliterated. Unfortunately, as the aircraft headed back to friendly airspace, things began to unravel fast.

(https://i.postimg.cc/xT2Y1pKq/B52-HB-011.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

At the very moment the bulk of SAC's following attack was set to strike, President Ford fell while leaving Air Force One.

(https://i.postimg.cc/gkPVH7Xv/Ford-falling.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/G9qTcqj2)

He accidentally leveled his Air Force liaison officer who dropped the Football which sent out an unauthorized Pause order as it careened off the air stairs.

(https://i.postimg.cc/xdhGvzRp/B52-HB-012.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

This turned off SAC's attack and allowed the North Vietnamese to flood south into Saigon which would fall in a matter of days.

(https://i.postimg.cc/L4LdZkT7/B52-HB-013.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

The B-52HB wouldn't remain in service much longer. The larger fuselage wheel bays limited bomb load and electronic counter-measures making the aircraft less than optimal for most SAC missions.

(https://i.postimg.cc/BbXBHCWz/B52-HB-money01.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

(https://i.postimg.cc/httcxCps/B52-HB-money02.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

It was ignominiously retired and recycled into Hamilton-Beach Butter Up! popcorn makers.

(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/-rUAAOSw4pJeJ9BF/s-l640.jpg)

Nothing remains of this high-powered brute today except this overly-optimistic manufacturer's desk-top model which was found in an abandoned Boeing branch office outside of Federal Way, Washington.

(https://i.postimg.cc/L81Zd8FG/B52-HB-014.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

Still the Boeing B-52HB was majestic in its own way, even if the so-called "experts" refuse to believe it and think the story is just gas-lighting, undeserving of the lime light.

(https://i.postimg.cc/Jh3DnYnq/B52-HB-015.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

Brian da Basher
Title: Re: A Quarantine Quickie
Post by: finsrin on March 28, 2020, 03:49:34 PM
Retired SAC colonel I work with for ten years never mentioned this.  Hmmm....

Looks so fast with those engines.  Camo paint scheme works SEA well and black underside adds menacing touch.   Seems larger until money shot reveals size.
Title: Re: A Quarantine Quickie
Post by: GTX_Admin on March 29, 2020, 03:00:58 AM
 :smiley:
Title: Re: A Quarantine Quickie
Post by: ysi_maniac on April 03, 2020, 02:32:16 AM
So neat and beautiful.