I’m looking for help painting a Monogram 1/72 scale RB-36 I wanted to use modle master paints but from what I read they are hard to mask so I’m looking at Alcad paints. They list many different aluminum paints what colors should I use for the silver, matte aluminum and polished aluminum also the interior green calls for zinc chromate but the green dos not match the pictures I have seen on the net. Any tips I want to put after market wheels and decals on it to make it one to be proud of thanks
The B-36 had a lot of magnesium surfaces that were painted silver for corrosion protection, and other areas that were bare aluminum. In current paints Alclad Aluminum and Tamiya Silver in the spray can might make good choices. I used Floquil Old Silver and Alclad Aluminum on this one, but the Floquil is long gone.
First off, you sure know how to dredge up some bad memories. That model build was enough to make me take a long hiatus from building…took the spring out of my modeling step. At any rate, as far as paint was concerned I found MM Metalizer out of a rattle can worked just fine (just make sure you seal it). Not sure which ones, perhaps Aluminum, Magnesium & Titanium? I’ve attached my finished product and will try to attach the link to the B-36 GB we did several years ago. Member lajntx is they go to guy concerning the B-36, he’s an encyclopedia on it.
The B-36 GB has a wealth of information in it. Of course, I can’t post the link or even my own build because I CAN’T FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT! [:@]
Sorry for the rant…I hate technology sometimes.
Armory makes resin wheels for the B-36:
I built the Monogram kit when it first came out, and it was a big beast!
“Magnesium Overcast” is the classic reference book.
I could never quite figure why the Monogram model was an RB 36. Flash bombs. Converted bomb bay. too many antennas.
IIRC the magnesium skin was the non-pressurized sections.
That model is not great. The wing root is all wrong, the intakes for the R4360s are wrong.
If I ever built another Peacemaker (named after the pistol), I’d start with a Minicraft 1/144.
If you haven’t seen it, rent “Strategic Air Command”. No better movie of the thing in flight.
I think you mean Hobbycraft, Bill. I had one, and in many ways it has more issues than the Monogram kit. What bugs me the most is that the wing has anhedral.
In building the model above, you probably remember I cut the wing free from the fuselage and lowered it to very near the right location, and I spent a lot of time on the engine cooling intakes. Not sure when I will want to do another, but I do have an XC-99 vac conversion…
You are correct, Hobbycraft.
One day I will get out to Castle to see the aircraft. I’ve never known anyone who had anything to do with the thing. Maybe we need to go on a road trip together. I think there’s a Vulcan there too.
My father remembers a day at SFO where there was an air show. A B-36 was flown in. They all went out and waited for it to come. It could be heard a long time before it could be seen coming in from the west over the San Mateo foothills.
There is a B-36 on display in the USAF Museum near Dayton Ohio. There was one on display on the Chanute AFB in Rantoul IL, but it was dissassembled and moved out west when Chanute was closed. I have heard that that one was reassembled and is back on display. The display aircraft could give you panel colors if there are pictures on line. I know the USAF Museum aircraft pictures are available on line. 4 burning and 6 turning!
The B-36 is a huge airplane.
The first one I saw on the ground was at Mather AFB, when they had an air show to mark the B-52’s arrival at the base.
Pictures of the one at Castle at the link below, it may be the one that was at Chanute.