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Italeri B-57G 1/72nd


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Greetings!

I've acquired an Italeri !/72nd scale B-57G. After studying the kit, I see that the bulbous nose and sensor fairings for this Vietnam-era night bomber are add-ons, and that the main kit actually resembles the standard, sleeker "B" version. My research also tells me that the "G" was a mission-specific modification of existing "B" airframes.

I would like to build a B-57B in the USAF gray and Hi-vis red markings....any info on decals would be helpful, as this a/c does not appear to be heavily supported on the sites I've searched.

Thanks, Dave

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Sorry, one part that the B-57G and the EB-57B/E will share are the Sunderstrom generators added under the engines. That is part A-39a. They provided extra power for the ECM/electronics systems added to the EB-57/B-57Gs.

Will you be doing an EB-57B or E model?

Here is a link to on of the EB-57Es on the Wolfpack decals.

The Alaskan AF EB-57Es differed from the CONUS and PACAF EB-57Es with the addition of one or two dagger blade antennas under the rear fuselage, just after the wing. The rear antenna horn was below and not above the rear fuselage and lacked the thin pitot tube like projection on the nose. All B-57E/EB-57Es had the flat tip rear fuselage. You will have to modify the kit. ECM antennas will include the two horn ECM antennas on the nose and one on the tail, the block with two ECM antenna **** under the nose, and the antenna farm on the bomb bay. There is also a blade antenna under the tail. You will need the underwing ALE-2 chaff pods under the wings. You will need to modify two T-33 wing tip tanks. You will need to drill a small hole on the nose of the tank and cut a horizontal slot on the rear top of the tank where it starts to slope down. The air goes into the hole and the chaff is carried out at the rear. The black squares on the bomb bay are where extra large blade ECM antennas would go.

The scab with the enlarged Sunderstrom generators is larger and thicker the the original generator on the B-57s and the Italeri kit only provide the intake part. You need to thicken kit part A-39.

Rear view showing the flat tip rear fuselage.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/me...F-1234P-017.jpg

Belly view showing nose horns and bomb bay antennas.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/me...F-1234P-017.jpg

EB-57B showing a slightly better view of the block with two ECM bumps under the nose. Due to the angle of the photo the bumps appear tandem, but are side by side.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/me...F-1234P-048.jpg

CONUS EB-57E. Note hook antenna and small box behind it where the dagger antenna/s are in the Alaskan EB-57Es.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/me...F-1234P-012.jpg

The above photos come the National Museum of the Air Force page on the B-57 Canberra here.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/photos/me...erra&page=1

Nose EB-57E at airliners.net.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Air/M...erra/0578603/L/

Best wishes,

Grant

Edited by gmat
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Andre, what scheme does the Italeri B-57B carry? Mabe we could just trade?

The Italeri 'B has the following 3 options:

- 53-3877, SEA camo, 8th Tactical Bomber Squadron, 35 Tactical Fighter Wing, Phan Rang, Vietnam, 1968, 'Hells Angel' noseart

- 52-1577, allover Gloss Black night intruder finish with red markings, 82nd Bomber Squadron, 38th Bomber Group (Tactical), Laon, France, 1958

- 53-3915, natural metal, 13th Bomber Squadron, 3rd Bomber Wing, Bien Hoa, Vietnam, 1965.

In addition the 'B boxing has underwing stores not (I think...) included in the B-57G box - M117 bombs and HARV rockets. I'd toss these in as well, of course.

Cheers,

Andre

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