Always loved the Canberra, a shame that there are no modern kit offerings of this classic aircraft. This is the Revell boxing, raised panel lines and pretty basic and ordinary compared to modern kits. I did it OOB, despite adding a heap of lead in the nose it still tail sits, so I have a piece of clear sprue under the tail holding it up. The kit decals set well with some micro sol, which surprised me, I was expecting them to be rubbish.
I used Gunze aqueous and Tamiya acrylic for the main camo, also some Vallejo and Vallejo metal in there as well. A flory dark dirt wash and Mig satin varnish finished it off.
Pretty happy with this one to add to the 1/72 display cabinet
Interesting! Nice work. I’ve never seen a Canberra with an offset single-seat canopy. My Dad spent considerable time in the B-57, possibly even participating in the Air Force acceptance tests for the things when they were new. I’m not certain on this, but he was in them early on, and then late in their ‘career’ in Nam. I’ve seen the side-by-side, and the tandem canopied birds, but nothing like that. That’s quite unique.
Really nice job on this Grant. There is a more recent kit, Xtrakit released a PR 9 in 2008, which surprised me when i checked as i thought i had had mine longer than that.
Given that yours come from a kit first released in the early 70’s by Frog, it looks damn impressive.
What Bish said, just a cracking job of it. Beautiful finish and detailing, the camo is terrific. (But you got the canopy a bit off center.) (;>)
A friend was crew chief on a USAF B-57 in the 60’s, he loved working on it and had great respect for the airplane. He told me one version had huge wings, it could fly recon at super high altitudes. Thanks for the post, always good to see your work.
Yep. Depending on the wind direction, we’re on final into Ellington Air Field, where they fly out of on occasion. They make a unique sound, and fly so slow, you have plenty of time to get outside to see them pass overhead. They’re huge!
The Brits (who originated the Canberra) use the off-set to accommodate the radar observer in what they called the “Coal Bin”. That station was below that of the pilot on the right side and only had a small window. Both had ejection seats. Anyone have an idea of why they used that arrangement ? Doesn’t seem to me that they liked radar observers. Martin built the B-57 version under license with a tandom canopy and rotary bombay. There were also long winged recon versions. Some of the ones used in Vietnam had camo paint while others were overall black (for night interdiction).
Intersting that the Air Force opted for the Canberra over the XB-53 in the early 50’s. The XB-53 looked neat with the three engines (two forward, one each along side of the pilot and one in the tail) but the Canberra had longer “loiter time” over target and was already a proven airframe. If you look into the XB-53 you’ll find that it “had problems” as did/do many airframes that pushed the technology envelop.
I think there was one version of the Canberra with a glazed nose to accommodate a bomb sight. I’ve also seen pictures of that version in USAF markings, but I think it was an evaluaion example. I think there was an old Frog kit of this version.
The model pictured looks great…nice job…might be nice to build a USAF version to display next to it.
Thank you guys, yes this one has the crew membe down below the pilot, a shame none of it is seen. The RAAF built Canberras (under licence by GAF Government Aircraft Factory) as well and saw action in the Malayan Emergency and Vietnam.
The long wing version of the of the Martin version of the Canberra was the RB-57D. According to my sources it had a wing span of 106 feet (35 yards and 1 foot; or 32.3 meters) The Martin B-57B had a wingspan of 64 feet (21 yards and 1 foot; or 19.5 meters). I’d love to see that kit in 1/72.
Nice job with the camo on this one. Your paint work is exquisite, as always. [Y]
I believe this one is a rebox of the Matchbox kit. I did the old Frog one way back when I was a kid. As I recall, it was a big empty shell compared with the old Airfix kit with the goldfish bowl canopy.
There’s also the newer tool Airfix B(I)8 & PR.9 kits in 1/72, which date from around 2010.
Very nice. The B-57 B was kitted in 1/72nd scale by Italiari. It was also re-boxed by Testors and I think Revell. It is a nice kit, old school, but nice. There is a real RB-57E ( a recon version of the B-57 A) at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti MI (about half way between Detroit and Ann Arbor). The B-57 A is the UK (fish bowel canopy) early licensed production aircraft built by Martin. Willow Run is the airport built by Henry Ford during WWII where he built B-24s for the US. There are several other aircraft on display there including a B-52D and an F-101B IIRC. A “Ford” built B-24 has been found and will be brought back to Willow Run in the near future (if it is not there already). Any members of this forum have any information on this?
Yes, i stand cottected. I had check out Scalemates and misread it thinking the Matchbox was a rebox of the Frog. But checking again i see the matchbox was a new tool.
I had forgotten about the Airfix, so that gives us two pretty recent kits of this type.
Very nicely done. Being a WWII and Cold war era aircraft fan myself, I love the Canberra. Saw one of these at and Indian Air Force base when I was very young, and many of my Dad’s colleagues flew this back in the day. Nice model indeed and a nice subject too
