KursadA

As far as I know there is no delay - with so many fits and starts, it is easy to get confused about its latest status. Air Force magazine did a fairly comprehensive article a few months back, as far as I know the program is making rapid progress.

CD144027 will be a 1/144 scale set for Strategic Air Command B-52 variants: basically from the RB-52B to the -F, with perhaps some prototype markings thrown in. I am sure there will eventually be a 1/72 version.

It’s a lot chunkier than I expected - currently we can only see the frontal view though. I was a bit surprised the coating seems to be a lighter gray.

I personally have no expectation of being surprised, we know the renderings came from USAF and reflected the actual design. It is still exciting to witness the actual aircraft for the first time and observe some of the details, e.g. the coating, shapes of antennae and openings etc.

I will print the 1/48 U-2 sheet (CD48116) and Navy A-1E sheet (CD48050) in the next batch, probably coming in February/March.

Still in development

The stars and bars are there on the kit decals, element number 9 roughly in the middle of the full-color sheet. Since they are the borderless variety it may be harder to notice them immediately. But you still need my new sheet 🙂

I actually happen to know people in the design team - I will try to ask them. It is highly likely we will see them armed with air-to-air missiles to counter the Iranian "kamikaze drones" over Ukraine pretty soon.

These are again on the front burner now - I am actively working on the final changes and will post the drafts soon. In the meantime, hopefully we will have newly tooled parts for the latest variant that will be joining the force in a few years, if everything goes according to plan? It really looks pretty cool..

Time really does fly - we now have only four days before the B-21 roll-out on December 2 (this coming Friday). USAF had said photography would be allowed (with some limitations on lenses and angles) - so we will finally get to see what it looks like.

The next batch of releases will be available sometime in mid-January - just calling these Jan/Feb releases in case things get delayed. CD48146: 1/48 F-82 Twin Mustang CD48227: 1/48 F-16C "Dark Vipers" - Part 4 CD48229: 1/48 NASA F-18 Hornet CD48046: 1/48 A-1E Skyraider (reprint) CD72123: 1/72 USMC C-130J "Fat Albert" CD72137: 1/72 US Navy T-39 Sabreliner CD72138: 1/72 USAF F-22A Raptor - Part 1 CD72139: 1/72 USAF F-22A Raptor - Part 2 CD72140: 1/72 NASA F-18 Hornet CD144007: 1/144 B-58 Hustler CD144021: 1/144 C-133 Car

The latest batch of releases are all available for preorder now - shipping in the first week of December.

Interesting to see that Osan also started using the black-stencilling variation of the scheme after Shaw - Dark Vipers V might consist of aircraft earing this scheme.