I was looking at pictures the other day of early SAC bombers and saw some of the X/YB-52. I have seen pics of them before but this time it sparked my interest a little more. So, does anyone know if anybody has ever offered a model of the X/YB-52, a conversion set, or someone who scratchbuilt the conversion. I think it looks kind of cool with the B-47 style canopy.
Also, I just recently ordered the RB-36H from Great Models. I have seen this kit listed as both the RB-36H and just the B-36H. Which is it or do you have to option to build both? It tend to think it is the RB-36H because on the box art it has the sensor “bumps” in bomb bay 4.
With the recent event of ordering my B-36, I thought it would be cool to build all the major bombers that operated with SAC. That being said, I would have to build a B-47. The only ones I know of are made by Hobbycraft, Academy, and Hasegawa. Has anyone built one of these or have a recommendation of which is the better kit?
I didn’t get Gream models? There is a Dream models, but they are not kits, right? I’ve built the B-36, B-47, B-52 and B-58 all in 1/72 and I would say that first of all I wish they all were 1/144 except for the Hustler, and that’s from a dedicated 1/72 guy. They get BIG!
I thought very little of the Revell B-52 which lacks in every way, stupidd bomb bay, open wheel wells, no droop to the wings even possible to add. I only think slightly more of their B-36 which has an innaccuracy where the wings and fuse join that I consider a fatal flaw. The Hase B-47 is super simplistic. The Italeri B-58 is a great model, although I have heard it is out of scale.
I’d be interested to hear what the Minicraft B-36 builds into, the same for the B-47. Great project. Academy makes a great series of -97 support a/c in 1/72 for the SAC.
Haven’t built the Monogram B-36, but the Monogram B-52 and Hasegawa B-47 are oooooold kits, which is why they don’t have a llot of detail. The B-47 is a chore to build, due to fit problems.
In 1/144 scale, the Hobbycraft/Academy B-47 is a gem. By far the best B-47 in any scale. The B-36 is big, and is supposed to fit together OK, but they got the wing wrong. They added dihedral, where the wing should be flat across the bottom. I’ve looked at mine a couple of times, and it might be possible to fix, but it’s not that high a priority project that I’ll be trying it any time soon. Minicraft or Academy (can’t recall which) makes a very nice B-58. Revell and Minicraft make B-52Gs, with Revell being the better kit. There are some resin conversions for the earlier tall tail versions, including the X/YB-52s, from a company called Golden Dragon that I’d recommend you stay very far away from. You’d be better off building them from scratch. You can see photos of what I mean in my review over at Modeling Madness. The only parts that were useable were the wing tanks and maybe the gun position, with a lot of work. Cutting Edge also made a very nice resin NB-52 conversion, but it’s probably worth its weight in gold since they’ve gone out of business.
Monogram has recently re-released their 1/48 B-58 kit. You’d probably have to buy a 55-gal barrel of Alclad to paint it! Sanger has a vac 1/48 B-47 and is working on a B-52. Don’t know which version. ARC has a build article on the B-47. I wish I had room for one of those. It would be impressive!
Thanks guys. So it sounds like the 1/144 Academy kit is the way to go for the B-47. That is what I was figuring because I have the old Hasegawa Mig-25 and it is super simplistic.
I plan to at least try to fix the wing problem on the B-36. It is a shame that dihedral is in the wing at the fuselage. It takes away from a beautiful aircraft.
I was planning on getting a Minicraft B-52 in 1/144 scale because the Italeri 1/72 are just really expensive. How about the Tamiya 1/100 B-52F?
For a B-58 I was thinking of getting the Revellogram kit but it would be huge and I would need a ton of paint. So I am thinking of getting a 1/72 or the Academy 1/144.
Cant comment on the X/Y B-52’s, but Italeri are currently doing a 1/72 B-52. Italeri stuff is generally good, but this B-52 is in H version - so it may not be what you are looking for?
As bondoman says, their B-58 is a pretty good kit. I have one ready to start painting, but what with all the complexities of BNM I am pretty apprehensive to start, as I don’t want to make a backside of the kit.
Well look at it this way bondoman with the B-52 the lack of a bomb bay may be good for people with AMS since the doors open anyways they don’t have to cut the doors off to add a bomb bay. Besides it could be good to see if someone finally builds those bomb clips for the B-52.
When it comes to the Revell B-36, it really can ONLY be built as the RB-36 version. The bomb bay that is provided is only bays two and three out of four. The ACTUAL bomb bay should extend from right behind the front turret bay (where the raised doors are) all the way back to the rear turret bay (the raised doors on the rear) for the bomber version. Also, I think the windows for the cameras in the camera bay are molded in as raised lines- these will have to go. There’s also two small lumps that attach to flat areas right behind the large radome behind the nosewheel- I’m pretty sure these need to be filled in.
I have no idea about the wing junction- it’s probably a difficult fix.
In any case, there’s a lot of details that need changing to get a bomber. On the other hand, it IS the only B-36 in 1/72 scale anywhere, and can be picked up right now for thirty bucks. Heck, I plan on converting my second one to the XB-36…
