Martin B-57B Canberra

[Pete]

Hey all,

For this GB, I'm gonna start with the 1/72 Italeri B-57B. It's a very nice kit, a bit old maybe, and has raised panellines, but still very nice.

It will be painted in the all gloss black scheme used in the 1950's by the 38th TBW, based at Laon AB in Northern France, before De Gaulle decided to kick them out of France. It will look a bit like this, only the rudder will be yellow, and it will have a stylised eagle with a white cloud on the droptanks.

The kit:

As I said, I will use the Italeri kit, looking like this:

Italeri gives you 3 options: The black version based at Laon in 1958, a NMF version based at Bien Hoa in Vietnam in 1965, and one in SEA camouflage based at Phan Rang in Vietnam in 1968.

What you get in the kit are 2 light grey sprues, and one clear, with little flash:

So that's the kit. Building starts in the next post.

Edited January 3, 2010 by Pete

[Pete]

So, I started building, but due to the simplicity of the kit, this went much faster than anticipated, so I don't really have much WIP pics.

Basically, I have painted the cockpit, put it in the fuselage, along with the nosewheel bay, glued some pieces of lead in it, and closed the fuselage. Also, the wings were glued together, with the pieces where the guns are situated in place. And the fueltanks are glued together. Now it's time to sand the whole thing, where needed, and glue the major parts together. After that it's just about ready for paint.

Cockpit:

The whole thing:

I will try to shoot some more pics during the build.

[Pete]

And this is how it looks a day later:

Most parts are on, except for the engine intakes and the main canopy. The wheelbays are painted green, the rudder is painted yellow. Time for masking, and then the paintjob.

[Pete]

Today it was airbrushing time. For the black, I use Revell acrylic gloss black, thinned 50/50 with water. I find this paint very easy to use, doesn't smell at all, and dries fast.

So far I have done the underside only. I discovered a few scratches that will need sanding, but no massive errors.

I might spray the upper side later today.

[caudleryan]

Dang, you build fast! Very nice. I love the black underside.

RYAN.

[Pete]

One more pic for today:

[caudleryan]

Nice! How is the fit? I just had a what if idea.

RYAN.

[Pete]

Thanks. Fit is good for the most part, only the piece with the gunports could have been better.

[Pete]

New pics!

Just about done with decalling, only the lower surface decals still have to be applied.

Thanks for watching.

[Marlin]

That is beautiful :wub:

Great work.

:D

/Bosse

[caudleryan]

Outstanding! I love the paint job. You don't see too many of these being built.

RYAN.

[ixgr1]

--Big black Canberra !

I always thought it looks kinda, ~normalized with the tandem cockpit ? (- for a Canberra)

[Pete]

It's done!

I'm fairly happy with it, but some things could have been better. Like more noseweight. I stuffed a lot of lead in the nose, but it still wasn't enough, hence the little transparent support under the tail. I might glue the model to a base one day, so I'm not going to worry about it.

Anyway, here's a pic. I'll post some more in the completed builds thread later.

Now I can finally start my next build , a NMF F-100.

[4scourge7]

That just gives the Canberra design a whole different, meaner look, I love it.

Nice work Pete :)

Cheers, Ian