1/72 Revell SR-71 Blackbird "Rapid Rabbit"

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

I just completed this for a Cold War Group Build and thought I’d share it with everyone.

To Keep The Peace They Flew Alone…Unarmed

“Reconnaissance in a Class of One”

The Kit

!(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/Dirkpitt289/Revell SR71/IMG_3142.jpg)

The pilots

!(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/Dirkpitt289/Revell SR71/5.jpg)

The real deal. If you notice it’s not really black. This is the look I will be going for

!(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/Dirkpitt289/Revell SR71/SR-71.jpg)

!(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/Dirkpitt289/Revell SR71/IMG_0366.jpg)

!(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/Dirkpitt289/Revell SR71/IMG_0367.jpg)

The color was done by mixing a base of flat black, Dark Sea Blue and a touch of Light Gray. The subsequent passes were the same but with a little more light gray each time. Next was a gloss cote, decals and then another gloss cote to seal in the decals. A matt cote was done laid over top. The final touch was to add fuel streaks to the fuselage. This was accomplished by using a dropper, Future and a can of compressed air. In the end I have a Blackbird weathered by lots of heat and fuel.

!(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/Dirkpitt289/Revell SR71/IMG_0529.jpg)

!(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/Dirkpitt289/Revell SR71/IMG_0530.jpg)

!(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/Dirkpitt289/Revell SR71/IMG_0531.jpg)

!(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/Dirkpitt289/Revell SR71/IMG_0532.jpg)

!(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/Dirkpitt289/Revell SR71/IMG_0533.jpg)

!(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/Dirkpitt289/Revell SR71/IMG_0534.jpg)

!(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/Dirkpitt289/Revell SR71/IMG_0537.jpg)

!(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/Dirkpitt289/Revell SR71/IMG_0538.jpg)

!(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/Dirkpitt289/Revell SR71/IMG_0539.jpg)

!(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/Dirkpitt289/Revell SR71/IMG_0540.jpg)

!(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/Dirkpitt289/Revell SR71/IMG_0541.jpg)

2

Thats friggin awesome.

3

You did a great job on this model. What color paint did you use to paint it?

4

Great job on the Blackbird, Dirk!

How did you like building the kit? I have the exact same one in my stash. It was given to me as a gift but I have yet to put it together.

Thanks!

Eric

5

Hi Dirk I just watched “Sahara” again last night… you were great[:D]

The Blackbird looks great. One thing if I may point out. The tires are a silver color. There was aluminum powder mixed in with the rubber to make them heat reflective to keep them from melting in the high temps in the wheel well.

6

Nicely done Dirk [Y].

Regards, Rick

7

Nice build Dirk. I might use that paint mix for my Italeri one when i get round to it. I had read that they are not actually black, but had no idea what to use.

I didn’t know that about the tires either Marc, thanks.

8

Nice build of a nice bird, I like the “fuel effect”.

The main gear tyres are light to dark grey on the sidewall (they get darker from age / use) & very dark grey to black on the tread / contact area. The front gear tyres are the same color as regular aircraft tyres.

9

Obviously a lot of work went into the paint job. I, personally don’t care for the severely weathered look, because the SR-71 rarely looked that bad. All SR-71s were coal black with a fresh coat of “ironball” paint. It did tend to fade somewhat over time and repeated heat-soaks at high speed. # 17972 at theUdvar-Hazy center has not been painted for at least the 20 years that it has sat in a hangar and the display hall, so it is definately faded. The main gear tires were all silver when manufactured, but the tread surface became darker after several landings, (about 10 to 12 per lifetime). The nose gear tires were standard black rubber because the nose gear bay was air conditioned for other equipment in that area. They didn’t need the heat protection that the mains required.

Darwin, O.F. [aln]