Even though I am a marine I am a big SAC bomber fan! Ellsworth AFB is home to the 28Th Bomber Wing of Global Strike Command of the 8th Air Force. It is a B-1B bomber base.
My Father was stationed at Eglin AFB in the early 50's. He was on ground crew on a B36. I had one of these models, gave it to my nephews when I went in the Air Force... it was never seen again! ( kids! ) I have another one, unassembled still, So I'm watching close! Thanks for sharing all your builds.
Love these old planes my personal favorites are Grumman goose and a corsair...I use to watch BAA BAA BLACKSHEEP ON TV love those planes...it's gonna be an awsome build boyd
Been to the museum at Wright-Patterson. The B-36 they have there is the prototype if I recall. The wing gear had one wheel. Absolutely massive. At that time it was a more relaxed atmosphere and you could get a lot closer to the aircraft. You could literally walk around under the B-2 they had
Back in the 80s Monogram released four big bomber kits as the "Big, Bad and Beautiful" line. They were the B-36 & B-52 in 1/72 and the B-58 and B-29 in 1/48. I built all 4 and still have all but the B-29 in various states of repair. The domes underneath were radar and other reconnaissance equipment specific to the RB-36. If I could get another kit I have wanted to build a version that carried a small reconnaissance fighter in the bomb bay.
The McDonnell XF-85 Goblin was intended to be a parasite fighter with 4 x .50-caliber machine guns. Terribly slow and wobbly. Sadly, UAV technology was not as advanced as today…otherwise a UAV fitted with Sidewinders would have been good. The AIM-4 FALCON was a failure.
Boyd, They retired ALL the B-36's by 1959. To my knowledge, they didn't fly any B-36 after 1959. The planes that weren't disassembled and trucked were flown to their museums prior to the 1959 retirement date. The plane was in service for less than a decade. It had a lot of technical issues and it was also obsolete by the time it flew. The USAF kept it in service because the early jet bombers had limited range (one-way missions but no way to return home without aerial refueling over Siberia!!) until the B-52 came online. The B-36 was effectively replaced by the B-52. The B-36 really wasn't that popular with the Air Force. They built 384 but only saved 5 planes for museums. There are 4 assembled planes and another plane sitting on a farm in Ohio that's in pieces. That last B-36 has been in pieces for decades now and it doesn't look like it'll be reassembled anytime soon. The USAF and Navy argued over the B-36. Post-WWII, prior to the Korean War, there was a big military drawdown and the budgets of the services got slashed. The USAF became the favored child because A) it was the new service and B) the politicians everything could be resolved cheaper and quicker with just air power. The Navy in the meantime wanted to revitalize the US fleet and introduce more modern, expandable carriers because they could see the WWII carriers, including the Midway ships, were not optimal for future sea-based airpower -- ie, they were too little and didn't have the electrical power to support future radar equipment. They planned to build a carrier called the USS United States (CV-58) which would have been the first supercarrier but it was cancelled in favor of the B-36 project. It was a huge source of controversy in the Defense Dept and a number of admirals and the Sec of the Navy resigned their offices. A few years later, the supercarrier project was revived as the Forrestal Class carriers and those were initially based on the CV-58 design but modified to include angled decks during their building. It turned out later that the politician who championed the B-36 had ties to its manufacturer and the guy was just an incompetent crook.
I have had this kit in my stash for years....I have decided to build the thing but also include upper and lower turrets which I have not seen shown on any kit yet built ..The resin gun kits should add to this model in a unique display as they were an often unseen feature.
Awesome! Looking forward to this build. If you ever have the chance, check out another real one at the Wright Patterson AFB museum. It’s in remarkably good shape!
There's an excellent you tube video of a B-36 that was restored recently here in Ft. Worth Texas. The scenes of them transporting the massive parts on the highway is incredible.
What a monster of a kit. Those parts do fit well together, especially considering the size of the fuselage. I am looking forward to seeing how you do the metal finish. My big problem when doing large planes like this is displaying them.
The variations in the different levels of reflectivity of the polished metal skin of the plane is due to the many different grades of aluminum and magnesium alloys used in the construction of the aircraft. I'd love to see someone tackle this with rub 'n buff and some of the mirror finish paints you can get these days and actually try to replicate the different reflectivity levels.
As with the Northrop Flying Wing models by AMT, these vintage models in this scale are all that is available in these interesting aircraft. So just glad they are available to build.
As I am about to tackle this old kit, can I recommend anyone wishing to do the same, the DETAIL AND SCALE EDITION MAGAZINE FOR THE B-36, is essential on supplying a great amount of detail on this Aircraft and details on the kit itself. If you can get a copy you will find it a real asset.
Yes, six turnin' and four burnin'. Also known as Magnesium Overcast. The skin of the aircraft was primarily magnesium, and the pressurized forward and aft compartments were aluminum. The silver areas of the plane were bare metal. The magnesium being the duller metal and the aluminum being the shinier metal.
I have this kit. Picked it up about 20 years ago at a Hobby Lobby in San Antonio! Was a clearance item so about 70% off. Guess I have to build it now. Wish I had the 1/144th FICON version. There is a nice example of this airframe at the Air Force museum in Dayton, OH.
I shall be watching this build with considerable interest, Boyd, since I know you'll do a superb job. I have the Monogram 1/48 B-17, B-24 and B-29 in the stash and, even though not quite up to today's standards, they all look to be great kits and I'm looking forward to building them with some Eduard aftermarket to liven them up in a few places. I know loads of fellow modellers over here in the UK follow all the great work you do!
It's a beautiful model kit. Definitely has some opportunities for detailing. Wish I could build mine! But, I am running out of space in my museum. So, I have to pick and choose what I build!!
I think that I have had mine around the 15 year mark!! Definitely need new decals at this point!! Can't wait to see your build. I know it will be awesome!! 👍👍
Don't quote me on this Boyd but I think the R designation might make it a reconnaissance craft and those might be what the pods are for. I loved General Stewart in that film. Thank you sir!
Going to be a great one, looking forward to the natural finish. Since the model is labeled RB-36H I would assume the domes underneath were for the camera equipment fitted to the bomber, most pictures of the std B-36 don't include those.
Unfortunately you never know about the decals. They can look great, still sealed, and still fall apart when you go to use them just due to age. Hoping these work for you, but aftermarket should be easy to find.
Not important but while the wing was 7 ft thick you couldn’t stand but had to go through on a crawlway due to the gear and other structures. Final model has Ellsworth “Triangle S” so would be an RB-36 and have the recon domes on nose and bottom (also SAC shield was only present after tail codes were removed). Only issue most have with Monogram is the “in-between” bomb bay which isn’t the Bomber or RB - and the wing continuing with a “hump” over the fuselage (it didn’t).
Little trivia for ya. Now I don't know if Ellsworth is still there. But Strategic Air Command no longer exist. Back in June of 1992 the USAF went thru a major command restructure and so Strategic Air Command , Military Airlift Command and Tactical Air Command where condensed into Air Mobility Command and Air Combat Command.
Wing span and fuselage length it is but the C-5 is probably a lot heavier. Kelly AFB here in San Antonio used to be a major C-5 base and I would see them flying over all the time.
@@TrekWorks In the 80's , I was a combat medic trainee at Ft Sam Houston, TX. I would see the Galaxies as well, and wonder how in the heck the stayed airborne.
Yes and there was also a broken arrow incident when A B-36 caught fire and went down in eastern Canada. They dumped the nuke onboard before the crash and it took awhile to recover it.
@@TrekWorks Ah thanks Boyd. I knew of the one that went down with the bomb but wasn't sure if the nuclear reactor one was just a figment of my imagination or not. That's going to be a huge model. I've seen the test shot for a 1/36 scale B-36 and that is absolutely massive
Even though I am a marine I am a big SAC bomber fan! Ellsworth AFB is home to the 28Th Bomber Wing of Global Strike Command of the 8th Air Force. It is a B-1B bomber base.
My Father was stationed at Eglin AFB in the early 50's. He was on ground crew on a B36. I had one of these models, gave it to my nephews when I went in the Air Force... it was never seen again! ( kids! ) I have another one, unassembled still, So I'm watching close! Thanks for sharing all your builds.
Love these old planes my personal favorites are Grumman goose and a corsair...I use to watch BAA BAA BLACKSHEEP ON TV love those planes...it's gonna be an awsome build boyd
Been to the museum at Wright-Patterson. The B-36 they have there is the prototype if I recall. The wing gear had one wheel. Absolutely massive. At that time it was a more relaxed atmosphere and you could get a lot closer to the aircraft. You could literally walk around under the B-2 they had
Back in the 80s Monogram released four big bomber kits as the "Big, Bad and Beautiful" line. They were the B-36 & B-52 in 1/72 and the B-58 and B-29 in 1/48. I built all 4 and still have all but the B-29 in various states of repair.
The domes underneath were radar and other reconnaissance equipment specific to the RB-36.
If I could get another kit I have wanted to build a version that carried a small reconnaissance fighter in the bomb bay.
The McDonnell XF-85 Goblin was intended to be a parasite fighter with 4 x .50-caliber machine guns. Terribly slow and wobbly. Sadly, UAV technology was not as advanced as today…otherwise a UAV fitted with Sidewinders would have been good. The AIM-4 FALCON was a failure.
Boyd,
They retired ALL the B-36's by 1959. To my knowledge, they didn't fly any B-36 after 1959. The planes that weren't disassembled and trucked were flown to their museums prior to the 1959 retirement date. The plane was in service for less than a decade. It had a lot of technical issues and it was also obsolete by the time it flew. The USAF kept it in service because the early jet bombers had limited range (one-way missions but no way to return home without aerial refueling over Siberia!!) until the B-52 came online. The B-36 was effectively replaced by the B-52.
The B-36 really wasn't that popular with the Air Force. They built 384 but only saved 5 planes for museums. There are 4 assembled planes and another plane sitting on a farm in Ohio that's in pieces. That last B-36 has been in pieces for decades now and it doesn't look like it'll be reassembled anytime soon.
The USAF and Navy argued over the B-36. Post-WWII, prior to the Korean War, there was a big military drawdown and the budgets of the services got slashed. The USAF became the favored child because A) it was the new service and B) the politicians everything could be resolved cheaper and quicker with just air power.
The Navy in the meantime wanted to revitalize the US fleet and introduce more modern, expandable carriers because they could see the WWII carriers, including the Midway ships, were not optimal for future sea-based airpower -- ie, they were too little and didn't have the electrical power to support future radar equipment. They planned to build a carrier called the USS United States (CV-58) which would have been the first supercarrier but it was cancelled in favor of the B-36 project. It was a huge source of controversy in the Defense Dept and a number of admirals and the Sec of the Navy resigned their offices. A few years later, the supercarrier project was revived as the Forrestal Class carriers and those were initially based on the CV-58 design but modified to include angled decks during their building.
It turned out later that the politician who championed the B-36 had ties to its manufacturer and the guy was just an incompetent crook.
Great that you finally got one of your holy grail kits!!!! looking forward to see what you do with it!!! I'll be watching.
Always loved this aircraft, I think shes just beautiful
Ddubzz W couldn’t agree more
Oh boy oh boy oh boy. I really love this aircraft. It's the transition between the propellers and jets. And the sound this bird was amazing.
This looks like it'll be a good one!
I have had this kit in my stash for years....I have decided to build the thing but also include upper and lower turrets which I have not seen shown on any kit yet built ..The resin gun kits should add to this model in a unique display as they were an often unseen feature.
Awesome! Looking forward to this build. If you ever have the chance, check out another real one at the Wright Patterson AFB museum. It’s in remarkably good shape!
There's an excellent you tube video of a B-36 that was restored recently here in Ft. Worth Texas. The scenes of them transporting the massive parts on the highway is incredible.
TrekWorks thanks! I’ll check it out.
What a monster of a kit. Those parts do fit well together, especially considering the size of the fuselage. I am looking forward to seeing how you do the metal finish. My big problem when doing large planes like this is displaying them.
The variations in the different levels of reflectivity of the polished metal skin of the plane is due to the many different grades of aluminum and magnesium alloys used in the construction of the aircraft. I'd love to see someone tackle this with rub 'n buff and some of the mirror finish paints you can get these days and actually try to replicate the different reflectivity levels.
Nice looking model. That sprue that’s holding the wing half’s together looks like you can use it to scratch build a star destroyer. 😄
As with the Northrop Flying Wing models by AMT, these vintage models in this scale are all that is available in these interesting aircraft. So just glad they are available to build.
"Vintage" Truer words never spoken.
Great update that is a big kit. I am looking forward to seeing more updates. Have a great and blessed week.
As I am about to tackle this old kit, can I recommend anyone wishing to do the same, the DETAIL AND SCALE EDITION MAGAZINE FOR THE B-36, is essential on supplying a great amount of detail on this Aircraft and details on the kit itself. If you can get a copy you will find it a real asset.
THAT is one hell of a size of a kit .👍👍👍
Thanks for the video. There is a nice video about the restoration of the last B-36 here on YT. It found a final home at Pima Air Museum in Tucson.
Man she is big! This will be a fun one to watch!!
Yes, six turnin' and four burnin'. Also known as Magnesium Overcast. The skin of the aircraft was primarily magnesium, and the pressurized forward and aft compartments were aluminum. The silver areas of the plane were bare metal. The magnesium being the duller metal and the aluminum being the shinier metal.
now that is a kit!
I have this kit. Picked it up about 20 years ago at a Hobby Lobby in San Antonio! Was a clearance item so about 70% off. Guess I have to build it now. Wish I had the 1/144th FICON version. There is a nice example of this airframe at the Air Force museum in Dayton, OH.
Pima Air Museum has a nice model as does the SAC Aerospace Museum.
Very exciting kit! Looking forward to updates.
Looking forward to the build.
I wish you lots of Fun to build on this big beautiful modelkit modelcomrade (smile)
I believe they did go into the wings inflight and could service the engines. Wasn’t a huge problem to shut one down, with 5 others, and 4 jets.
Excellent subject, have one in my queue and researching electric motors for it.
Great kit! Can't wait for part 2.
I thought the AMT/Ertl B-52 was big - it's an absolute beast. Probably you won't need more than a pound of lead to stop it being a tail sitter ;)
good to see you Boyd.
I shall be watching this build with considerable interest, Boyd, since I know you'll do a superb job. I have the Monogram 1/48 B-17, B-24 and B-29 in the stash and, even though not quite up to today's standards, they all look to be great kits and I'm looking forward to building them with some Eduard aftermarket to liven them up in a few places. I know loads of fellow modellers over here in the UK follow all the great work you do!
11
Had this kit in the eighties. Massive ! Sadly lots of the interior will not be visible when the build is complete.
Boyd, Jimmy Stewart flew a B-47 in the movie, I think this is an awesome aircraft. Looking forward to the build.
Yes, that was a slick looking plane too. I think it also wasn't a big success since they weren't in service for very long.
@@TrekWorks hey Boyd. Where do you get your 350 scale figurines for the tos?
@@maxgraham7282 Fujimi 1/350 scale Japanese navy figures at Hobbylinc USA
@@TrekWorks thank you sir. Sure is a pleasure to watch your vids. Amazing work
@@TrekWorks is there anyway other way to contact you?
It's a beautiful model kit. Definitely has some opportunities for detailing. Wish I could build mine! But, I am running out of space in my museum. So, I have to pick and choose what I build!!
Cool that you have a kit. They are getting hard to find.
I think that I have had mine around the 15 year mark!! Definitely need new decals at this point!! Can't wait to see your build. I know it will be awesome!! 👍👍
Don't quote me on this Boyd but I think the R designation might make it a reconnaissance craft and those might be what the pods are for. I loved General Stewart in that film. Thank you sir!
Boyd, a decal company named Warbird Decals makes decals for this kit if you are interested in them.
Thanks for the info on everything. And thanks for your service. My pops was a Marine, served in the Korea war. Semper Fi!
Going to be a great one, looking forward to the natural finish. Since the model is labeled RB-36H I would assume the domes underneath were for the camera equipment fitted to the bomber, most pictures of the std B-36 don't include those.
The B1 1:48 is one of the biggest models too.
Unfortunately you never know about the decals. They can look great, still sealed, and still fall apart when you go to use them just due to age. Hoping these work for you, but aftermarket should be easy to find.
Not important but while the wing was 7 ft thick you couldn’t stand but had to go through on a crawlway due to the gear and other structures. Final model has Ellsworth “Triangle S” so would be an RB-36 and have the recon domes on nose and bottom (also SAC shield was only present after tail codes were removed). Only issue most have with Monogram is the “in-between” bomb bay which isn’t the Bomber or RB - and the wing continuing with a “hump” over the fuselage (it didn’t).
The 1980 edition is the vintage one, build one at the time and have a second one in stash , the plastic is in silver
The hydrogen hauler, Truman said "carry a big stick" and that's what they did.
Only problem with this kit, is when its done where the heck do you put it lol
Little trivia for ya. Now I don't know if Ellsworth is still there. But Strategic Air Command no longer exist. Back in June of 1992 the USAF went thru a major command restructure and so Strategic Air Command , Military Airlift Command and Tactical Air Command where condensed into Air Mobility Command and Air Combat Command.
Cool, another commenter says that Ellsworth is still active with an 8th Air Force wing of B 1's stationed there.
They didn't start of with molding small kits back in the 80s
You need to put electric motors in it so you can run the propellers if you set it down on a table
Squadron Signal has a book about the B-36. Aviation in Action number 1042.
Wing span around 3 feet.built this as a kid in the 80's
It will tail sit..Suggest some weight up front.
The box art is missing the jet engines on the right (starboard) wing. Odd.
Recon sir.
Hey Boyd. looking forward to this. Is this bigger than the C-5 Galaxy?
Wing span and fuselage length it is but the C-5 is probably a lot heavier. Kelly AFB here in San Antonio used to be a major C-5 base and I would see them flying over all the time.
@@TrekWorks TY...Have a great build.
@@TrekWorks In the 80's , I was a combat medic trainee at Ft Sam Houston, TX. I would see the Galaxies as well, and wonder how in the heck the stayed airborne.
Wasn't there a B36 that carried an experimental nuclear reactor or was it just an abandoned drawing board project?
Yes and there was also a broken arrow incident when A B-36 caught fire and went down in eastern Canada. They dumped the nuke onboard before the crash and it took awhile to recover it.
@@TrekWorks Ah thanks Boyd. I knew of the one that went down with the bomb but wasn't sure if the nuclear reactor one was just a figment of my imagination or not. That's going to be a huge model. I've seen the test shot for a 1/36 scale B-36 and that is absolutely massive
Big on the outside and very VERY small on the inside. Very cramped space.
The plane they have at the Wright Pat Air Force museum had to have the building built around it!
Put electric motors in it make the propellers turn.