DDC Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Great work Lucien, it's looking fantastic! Denzil Quote Link to post Share on other sites
richter111 Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 I always keep checking back in. I picked up one of the nuke shapes from Spectre Resins back when they came out, I'll be slinging one of those in the bay when I get to her. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caudleryan Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Hey Lucien, check this out please. I'm sorry to show it to you so late in your build but...... http://www.click2detail.com/products-details.php?pro_id=160 And the NB-36 conversion. http://www.click2detail.com/products-details.php?pro_id=51 And the XB-36 tracked landing gear test-bed http://www.click2detail.com/products-details.php?pro_id=174 Very neat stuff! RYAN. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lucien Harpress Posted April 26, 2011 Author Share Posted April 26, 2011 Yeah, I just saw that today. On the one hand, I'm bummed there's a conversion set now. On the other, I'm not paying 200 bucks for a conversion that, now that I've looked at the research, still won't get you a 100% accurate XB-36. The biggest offender would be the rear turret bays- unless they tell you to file off the doors on the Revell kit, I'd imagine most people would leave them alone, and they'd be in the wrong place. Looking at the CAD representation, it doesn't look like they allowed for the front turret bay doors, either. The tail ball is a slightly different size on the XB-36 as well, and (because the Revell kit is technically an RB-36, despite what the instructions say) there's a number of lines, bumps and camera windows on the front bomb bay that need to be gotten rid of. Also, what kind of interior do you get with it? But now I'm nitpicking. On the plus side, though, the mainwheels (in the CAD drawing, anyway) look quite nice. I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to make those hubs on mine... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lajntx Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Hi Lucien, I saw your post today, and am in awe with it. How`s the progress coming since you last posted? you are right about the 110" landing gear being an issue when it comes to weight support. I`ve developed a working relationship with Chris at Click2Detail, and he`s going to have me build the 1/72 YB-36 conversion kit this year as he is pressed time wise on his own XB & NB-36 builds. I have found that he will sell individual parts of a kit if you ask, in your case though I dont really think they would be strong enough for your build due to all of the extra internal weight that has been added. Last week when I got the first parts in of the YB-36 build I tested out the wheels & hubs on another B-36 build I have started.. ( the B-36 carries the B-58 airframe to Wright Patterson in `57 ). You can see pictures of that build in dry fitting testing out the 110" main landing gear on finescale at: http://cs.finescale.com/FSMCS/forums/t/142716.aspx?PageIndex=3 It`s not that the parts are fragile or anything like that, and they will hold up once the actual thing is built, but even on a model ( and unstarted at that ) you can certainly feel a difference and can tell there is a strain on that gear unlike the production roller skate assembly that was adopted. That landing gear arrangement was fine for something the size of a B-17 ( or smaller ), but for the 36, that was asking too much. All of the pressure weight of the plane is focused on the two right angle joints as the gear is shaped around the tire. In order to support a heavy plane, the gear must be heavy itself... which unfortunately caused this.... From the Ft Worth Star Telegram: "THE CRASH THAT SAVED THE B-36" Spectacular landing of damaged plane proves design's mettle: http://www.cowtown.net/proweb/firstcrash.htm I think for your build, finding a small stainless steel bar ( like an old shopping cart ) in the right diameter and heating it or finding a press to get those two right angles might be the best option, otherwise it just may snap once the weight of the model is applied to it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lucien Harpress Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 Thanks for the link, and interest! Yeah, Chris had contacted me as some point when he realized I was doing this build and offered to make me some parts. However, when I got to looking at what I had, I found out I could make some of my own, and for quite a bit cheaper. I soldered up some brass tube, and it holds the weight of the entire model (including nose weight) just fine. Unfortunately, progress has slowed down quite a bit. I got a bit bogged down doing the bomb bay rack/supports, and I'm still kind of stuck on how to make the single tail radome in a way that is clean enough for my liking. I'm also easily distracted, and now I've got about 8 different builds I'm working on right now instead (including the wing of a 1/72 ANT-20 scratchbuild, a Ju 86R, SSW R.VIII I've picked back up, vac Curtiss Sparrowhawk, etc...). I haven't forgotten about the XB-36 however. It's still sitting on the bench, staring at my guiltily every time I walk past. I'm sure it's only a matter of time until I pick it back up again. In fact, there was something I wanted to check on it....... If you pick up the book "Magnesium Overcast" (well worth it, if you're a fan of the Peacemaker), it has some interesting info on the single wheel landing gear. You see, the designers were well aware of the problems faced by one tire. The biggest shortcoming was actually the brakes- in 194....5? 6? I forget. When the XB- first flew, the brake technology for 4-wheel bogeys didn't exist. Double (and maybe even triple) tire arrangements were looked at, but these were rejected because they wouldn't fit in the wing. So, they basically made do until the brake tech. caught up. The Peacemaker wasn't even really combat ready until the late -B/-D models anyway. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lajntx Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Hi Lucien, That was a great book. If you ever need any help with research on the XB, I could introduce you to Don Pyeatt - one of the co-authors, and major illustration contributors to Magnesium Overcast and the supplemental pictoral scrapbook that followed as well. Speaking of landing gear development of the 36, you should watch the last segment on Walt Disney`s Victory Through Airpower ( 1943 ) which has the then 36 concept operational bombing Japan from bases in Alaska. Though I do recommend watching all 10 parts in sequential order if you havent seen it before. part 9-- start @ 5:45 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfaFkqhGggc&feature=related part 10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuVkYtOy-1U&feature=related If you pick up the book "Magnesium Overcast" (well worth it, if you're a fan of the Peacemaker), it has some interesting info on the single wheel landing gear. You see, the designers were well aware of the problems faced by one tire. The biggest shortcoming was actually the brakes- in 194....5? 6? I forget. When the XB- first flew, the brake technology for 4-wheel bogeys didn't exist. Double (and maybe even triple) tire arrangements were looked at, but these were rejected because they wouldn't fit in the wing. So, they basically made do until the brake tech. caught up. The Peacemaker wasn't even really combat ready until the late -B/-D models anyway. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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