Okay, this might be pushin' it a little far, even for me!

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Y’all know the way I operate, me and my big ideas. Anyway, I found another one, but it could be pushing the envelope, even for me.

http://www.air-and-space.com/tomtom.htm

It was called project ‘Tom Tom’, and was the last in a series of parasite fighter programs during the '50s. The first was the XF-85 Goblin, the second the fighter-conveyer (FICON) project. Anyway, the whole premise was to connect two parastie aircraft to the wingtips of a RB-36F mothership. The wingspan to wing-chord ratio was much more efficient, increasing range. However the massive wingtip vorticies generated by the wings of the B-36 made hookup too difficult, even for trained pilots. It was a common problem with all parasite projects. Tests concluded in 1959.

Now, I would REALLY love to make a kit of this. What makes so radical? Well, no one makes an RF-84F (the parasites, or "Tom"s) in 1/144. That leaves, that’s right, 1/72.

The biggest problem? Size. I roughly estimated the new wingspan to be pushing 3.5 feet. Possibly more! But on the other hand, the relative simplicity of this conversion is very, very tempting. Who knows? Keep an eye open. [:D]

2

That would be quite a project and “right up your alley!” Go for it.

Darwin, O.F. [alien]

3

Hey!-Make a Gigant and a Heinkel Zwilling first!!! And howz about a Northrup flying wing in 1/48 scale (scratchbuilt of course)-War of the Worlds is coming back.

I’d do it but I’d rather watch you build 'em. :wink:
Dan

4

OH, WHEW…I thought that you were going for the B-36 with 2 B-47s on the wing tips as illustrated at the bottom of the page.[:D][:O][;)][;)][:-^]

Kurt

5

Give it a go Mike. I’ll happily watch from the sidelines. [:)]

Regards, Rick

6

oh yeah… build that monster! The other option would be to scratch build the eggy-plane in 1/144th? Couldn’t be too hard for a Mike of your skills? [;)]

7

size a problem?

after the ju-290Z, I assumed that you live in a huge mansion! LOL

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[(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D] [xx(]

(Popped a blood vessel)

Naw, I just got a rinky-dink little house in a half sub-division half country. I have a 1/72 straight B-36 that’s actually bigger than the Ju-290Z by about six inches. I’ll get a size comparison pic pretty soon. But the Tom Tom would be that much larger. By far the biggest model I’ve ever tried, and possibly the largest “mainstream” (using commerical kits) kit possible! So we’ll see.

9

Didn’t Welsh or Ozmods or somebody do a 1/144 F-84F? Shouldn’t be too hard to convert a couple to RF-84Fs. Just a thought.

Ben

10

craziness…but fun craziness nonetheless.

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I couldn’t find anything on the ozmods page:

http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/ozmodsscales/main.html

12

Aeroclub issued an 1/144 F-84F and a RF-84F, which still are available in shops.

Furthermore, Hobbycraft has issued a GRB36 Peacemaker “FICON” Incl F84K & XF85 scaled 1/144.

So if you want to save some space and time and got some dough to spend…
At least available at international shipping luchtvaart hobby shop: http://www.lhshop.nl
Best of luck.

1/48 often is a better sscale to show some detail… just a hint [;)]

13

The problem with the B-36 is that there are so many interesting variants to do. I still want to do the B-36 carrying the B-58 fuselage and wings.

14

[#ditto] Hear Hear!

Then there’s always the B-60, the jet version of the B-36…

And the XC-99, the transport version…

And the prototype…

And the FICON…

And the one with tank tread landing gear…

etc. etc. etc.

15

And the one with a nuclear reactor (!)

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Didn’t someone at one time produce a vacuformed fuselage for the XC-99? You used it with the wings and tail surfaces of the B-36 kit I believe.

17

And if you wanted to be REALLY different…
Many years ago there was a proposal, on paper, to give the Moscow bound Vulcan bombers fighter protection. How?, simply hang a Folland Gnat on a pylon under each wing. Presumably this would only be done to every third aircraft or whatever, due to speed/weight considerations. Also, it would be a one way trip for the Gnat pilots I imagine, (so no hooking on problems) as it would be for the Vulcan crew, in reality.
So, Airfix did a model of the Vulcan in 1/72nd, and their Gnat kit might still be available, so what are you all waiting for?
All the best
Pete

18

Mike go for it,I like your big projects that you do and do well,Digger.

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Anywhere I could find info about all those different versions. I have the 1/72 scale peacemaker by Revell of Germany and a “photo journal”, but I don’t think there’s anything in the book about a B-36 with tank treads or the XC-99. But my meaningless problems aside, go for it. I like to see people build strange versions of planes.