Those decals really brought that to life. Man, she looks good. And BIG.
BK
Yes they do…and those are the Wrbird decal sets.
The kit decals, while nice, do not include all of these details…and those details make a LOT of difference.
If my memory recalls correctly, those are the same markings on the one parked at Chanute AFB in the late 80’s. I’ve heard its been moved west, I don’t know for sure. I’ve slept since then.
BK
YUP, here she is in CA now, but this is the same bird I saw in IL.
The aircraft at Chanute AFB was a recon, RB-36. It is now at at Castle Air Museum at the former Castle Air Force Base in Atwater, California. It was a little different than the “City of Ft. Worth,” aircraft.
The City of Ft. Worth is a B-36J bomber (in fat it was the very last one made) and itoriginally sat on the field at the Greater Southwest International Airport in Ft. Worth, TX for years. I saw it there as a kid of ten in the nid-1960s when my Dad took us to see it. He worked at LTV in GRand PRairie, TX. It was ultimately moved to Pima Air and Space Museum adjacent to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona where it is loated to this day.
Here’s the RB-36 from Chanute AFB now at Castle Air Museum:
Here’s the B-36J (the same one I modeled) from Ft. Worth:
The markings are a litle different.
Leading edge engines red on the Roswell B-36, and yellow on the Chanute RB-36. Top of tail black on the Roswell B-36 and yellow on the Chanute aircraft. The “IUS AIR FORCE” is smaller on the Chanute, and the Blue strip on the nose is a little different too. of ourse the aircraft number is also different.
Another B-36J is the one at he USAF Museum at Wright Pat. It is alo a B-36J.
She looks good Jeff and that’s a lot of decals to apply! Due to shelf / space limitations I’ll if I want a B-36 for me collection it’ll have to be 1/144 one day. Again very nice job on a important aircraft in the USAF history.
Thanks.
I’ve been working on all of the “No Step,” and other such decals (and there are even more of them) but should have the beasty completed tomorrow.
Except for the either scratch built, or purchased Mk-17 thermobuclear bomb.
I am probably going to end up doing that later.
The Build - More decals, final painting, touch up and complete - December 23, 2015
There were still many, many decals to place on the model. The No Step markers, the Fuel Tank markers, Oil Tanks, etc.
First I started with the numerous decals around the walk ways on the main wing. This included the No Step markers as well as the eight wing fuel tanks and the oil tank markings. There were a lot of these markings, something like 36 of them on each wing. Then it was on to horizontal stabilizer walk ways and their markings.
Once completed I placed over 200 decals on this model. A number of them represented the walkway lines I cut up into manageable sections…but a lot of decals nonetheless.
I then painted some of the off-color sections of the fuselage. This includes two areas around the top of the fuselage painted in a steel color, located where the 20mm cannon turrets pop up. There are two of these turrets side by side fore and aft which have doors that slide down reveling them and allowing them to pop up. They are remote controlled. There are also two on the bottom of the aircraft behind the bomb bay.
Also a section around the front of the main wing.
There is a less noticable path along the top of the aircraft painted in an aluminum color. All of this blends well with the metallic silver of the aircraft…but at certain angles the lighting shows them very well.
When that was completed, it was time for some touch-up paint work, and to add the dull coat finish. I had intended to string the arial wires from either side of the front of the fuselage to the vertial stabilizer, but, though it is shown in the model instructions, in the later models of the aircraft like the City of Ft. Worth, I do not see them in the actual pictures of the aircraft…so I decided to leave them off.
Here are the completed model pictures:
…and here are a bunch of close ups:
…and a final set:
In the words of kids in North Central Texas when I was growing up…“that’s mighty!”
So, that complees my 1/72 scale B-36 Peacemaker, dedicated to the great actor, and american hero, Brigadier General Jimmy Stewart, who flew them after World War II.
WOW that’s some impressive work ! You turned out a beautiful B-36 to be proud of. Now to build an extra room in your house to display it…[:O]
Thanks for those kind words. As with all builds I can see a number of things I could have done better.
For example, I do intend to go back abd build (either from a kit ir scrathc build) a Mk-17 thermo-nuclear bomb on a cart to display with the model.
Yes, room is an issue. I do not particularly want to hang it from the ceiling, so I have to make room on top of one of my shelves until we get the “new” room I am going to be using for my model building hobby specifically.
I do want to dedicate this B-36 build to Brigadier General Jimmy Stewart…and fantastic actor, but also an honest to goodness American hero.
Very nice Jeff! It must have taken some extra patience to place all those decals. You did a really fine job on the build and I appreciate the dedication to Jimmy Stewart, a fine person and warrior. I have another Jimmy in mind for my next project - Doolittle!
Yea, putting on the main wing walkways alone took me three days. Not full days, but probably 3-4 hours of work each of those days.
I cut them up into smaller piees and then would do a section, let them dry while doing that same section on the ther wing…and then let all of it dry before going to the next area on the first wing.
I’ve learned over the years that there is no hurry.
Thanks for the kind words and a veyr Merry Christmas and Happy New year to you and yours.
Great looking model of one of my favorite planes. Super job!
Mike
Thanks! it was a lot of fun.
All I have left to do for it is scrtch build the Mk 17 termo-nulerar bomb for it, and the cart to show it off on.
hi all. i bought my monogram B36 in '89 when i was 17. its been following me around ever since!
ive finally got around to starting it(well, i actually painted the canopy in '90!) and wow…what an epic project! bare in mind that i havnt built a thing since i was a teen, so this is a big learning curve for me. following this and other threads has been a huge help, but it’ll be now where near the standard of the one on here. but you’ve got to start somewhere…
im doing it ‘inflight’, so everything shut and cleaned up. the markings im doing as '5734, which was featured in ‘Strategic Air Command’, possibly my alltime fav movie. the only prob is that at some point in time ive lost a prop!! where could i source another??
anyway, ill figure out how to post pics from my phone(que teenage daughters help).
cheers
kris
Well do it! You will do just fine. Just take it slow and easy.
And feel free to ask any questions. In fact, take poics as you go along and post a thread like this.
Thanks…I had my moments too!
SAC is one of my all-time favorite movies too.
I built this aircraft as a tribute to Jimmy Stewart.
As to the part…you should email Monogram and ask them…I believe Revell made a kit too.
I once recieved a kit from Tamiya for the USS New Jersey 1/305 scale Battleship that was missing the aft deck in its entirey out of the box. I contacted Tamiya USA and they immediately mailed me another one. I spoke of it in my build:
http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/7/t/168790.aspx
I was going to follow the build but after my first post last month, this is the first time I’d been on this webpage since! Anyway, gorgeous build!
Mr. Head,
I am very new to modelling, and I must say sir very impressive and detailed write up and well researched. [:D[ I hope to have the detailing skills you have one day. That is one awesome looking bomber!! Wonderful job
Well, it has been here waiting for you…to read and review. That’s why I like including my builds here on the FS forum.
And thank you for the kind words. I really enjouyed this build.
Thank you so much…those are very kind words…really, they are too kind.
I did enjjoy the build and I did writing about the aircraft and particularly about Jimmy Stewart. He was a great American, and a true hero.
As to my skills…hehehe, with respect to detailing a lt of it just happens as you make the effort. I try and do some weathering, but honestly I have found that I can use some dry brishing and "mostly " dry brushing along with the finish coats to more cover up my own sloppiness than to do true weathering…and then it ends up looking all right. LOL!
Anyhow, have fun at it. I am three years from retiring now, and intended to wait until then to get back into the hobby. But my dear wife of 38 years told me five years ago, after a very serious bout with cancer and several very major surgeries that left me somewhat diabled, that maybe it would be good to start doing it then…to help with the therapy. She was right!
Mr. Head,
First, I am very pleased that you have survived your battle with cancer. I just lost my father to it and I know how hard he battled. But I am totally happy to see your still with us. Now, I believe you deserved the comments I first posted. That is a well done bomber. Be well, and keep those beautiful airplanes coming.