JeskiM Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 (edited) This is a project I started a few years ago where I am converting the 1/48th scale Revell B-1B to B-1A #4. This is a project that was put on hold for a very tumultuous 2.5 years as I dealt with a move, cancer, new job and getting back to normal life. This thread replaces the thread that for some reason has gone missing. Specifically I am building this plane: The project is a “background” project for me because it’s big, time consuming, and I have plenty of other kits that I plan to build in this lifetime….so I work on it only when I feel like it. I am not a super detailer. Because if I was it would take me many years to do this and I would never be able to build any other kits. I marvel at what other s can do on the super detailing front, it’s amazing what one can do. I wish I could. So instead I do what I can without making it stressful and keeping it fun and satisfying. I will update the previous progress with pics shortly….I am still trying to locate all my pics and need to take new ones as I have made more progress then the latest pics I have. I have finally found my old photobucket acct. from years ago and it looks like all the pics are still there….thank you photobucket. Stay tuned…. - Matt Edited November 7, 2015 by JeskiM Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Check Six Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 Awesome project with an awesome subject ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JeskiM Posted November 7, 2015 Author Share Posted November 7, 2015 (edited) The primary reference that I am using for this project is: It talks in depth about all the differences between the various –1A airframes and has many pics of those differences. Of course the rest of my references are any and all pics that I can scour off of the net. I actually have two boxings of this kit: One of them will provide the proper decals and spare parts (just in case). I prefer working with newer boxing because of the color of the plastic. All white parts makes it hard on my eyes. If you are familiar with the assembly steps of the Revell kit you know that it starts with the forward section including the cockpit, access ladder, nose gear bay and radome. The first thing I did was to provide more details to the access ladder. This picture shows the real thing: Here is a pic of my rendition of it. The one on the left is mine and the one on the right is the one out-of-the-box: I am pretty happy with it. The next post of this thread will discuss the cockpit. - Matt Edited November 7, 2015 by JeskiM Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JeskiM Posted November 7, 2015 Author Share Posted November 7, 2015 From what I remember the kit provided cockpit is a great rendition of the -1A. I do recall adding a few minor pieces like a throttle control, the little fold down tables for the back seats and some controls on the side walls. In the construction and detailing I didn’t use any aftermarket materials. It’s just some detail level painting and weathering. Here is the result of the front cockpit: - Matt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JeskiM Posted November 7, 2015 Author Share Posted November 7, 2015 Here is the result of the rear cockpit: Next will show some of modifications I did to the front section before I put the cockpit in place. - Matt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JeskiM Posted November 7, 2015 Author Share Posted November 7, 2015 (edited) One thing I decided to do was to model the kit so that I can open the hatches to see into the cockpit. So I had to construct some “holes” and hinges to allow the hatches to be displayed either open or closed. To do that I placed some narrow plastic strips where the hinges of the hatches would go. That way you simply place the hanges (pegs) into the holes if you want to display the hatches in the open postion. At the same time I place thin strips around the perimeter of the hatches frames so that you can simply lay the hatches down in the hole if you want to display the cockpit closed. Here are the pics from that process. In later pictures (yet to be taken and uploaded) you will see how it all turned out to better effect. The last picture above shows some mods that were getting made to the exterior. I filled in the rear cockpit side windows as they don’t exist on the -1A. I also filled in the holes where theSMCS vane goes On the -1B they are moved slightly further up to the front of the fuselage (so on my model I had to move it back a bit)….you will see it in later pics. I also filled the small hole used to place a tiny air sensor. The -1A I am building has a different configuration of those sensors (seen in the bottom left picture below. BTW, the text mentions that the angle of windshield pillar between the -1B and -1A is different.....I chose not to make that change...so my model will be inaccurate in that regard. Something I know had forgotten about till I types this sentence....oh well....life goes on. - Matt Edited November 7, 2015 by JeskiM Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Check Six Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 Wow dude; You do some really clean work there . Very nice indeed. I have both the Revell 1/48th scale as well as the 1/72nd B-1s. I want to pick up the recently released resin goodies from Barracuda Studios for the B-1. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JeskiM Posted November 7, 2015 Author Share Posted November 7, 2015 Got a link for that stuff from Barracuda ? I've never heard of them. What scale ? I do have the 72nd also. I plan to build it pretty much OOB. The only reason I want to build it is that want to see this bird next to it's 72nd scale soviet counterpart and have the cruise missiles hanging off of the belly. - Matt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JeskiM Posted November 7, 2015 Author Share Posted November 7, 2015 As one can see in the previous post; the nose cone on the -1B is ogival and the -1A is a double cone. I spent time trying to figure out how to do the -1A nose cone properly, because without getting that right the end result will never look like a -1A. To help with that I got line drawings at the same scale from both the top and sides to compare. I managed to print copies of them to the proper scale so that I could go about building a new cone. Here are the drawings I used: From there I set out to create the new cone to match the (to scale) printouts. The first thing I did was use two pieces of plastic sheet to rough out the profile form top and sides. Then came the tough part. How would I build the skin on this thing ? After many ideas that never worked (thanks to the complex (yet simple) cone shape and I was never great at geometry, here is what I did: I took some thin styrene strips and feathered it: This allowed me to wrap it around the frame and it would bend to the proper shape. It was not simple…but it worked out really well. After I “wrapped” each strip I filled the inside of the hollow cone with putty. Once I was done applying all of the strips I then puttied the entire outside and sanded down smooth. At this point the new cone was fastened to the closed up front fuselage. I know it's crude. The final result I think looks nice Stay tuned....... I need to take more pics and get them uploaded so that I can provide further updates (these were all the pics I could find from 2 years ago). Stay tuned; in the next day or so I will have plenty more pictures up further detailing all of the little custom mods to the exterior. - Matt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Check Six Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 Here's the company link: http://barracudacals...php?cat=14&pg=2 The resin is for the 'B' variant but I don't if, for example, there's any big difference in the intakes or wheel/tires. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JeskiM Posted November 7, 2015 Author Share Posted November 7, 2015 (edited) I managed to find a few more pics buried on my hard-drive. These show more progress on the nose cone. Still trying to find one of the completed nose….I am pretty sure I took a pic of that.. - Matt Edited November 7, 2015 by JeskiM Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Youngtiger1 Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 Just saw this thread Matt and it looks like your off to a great start. I was looking at your digram of the pointy nose and first thing comes to mind is a F-15 or Tornado nose in 1/32. I wonder if one of those can be of helpful here? I'll have to dig out my kit and take a look. In the mean time, stay strong as i'llbe taking notes Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JeskiM Posted November 12, 2015 Author Share Posted November 12, 2015 Everyone, I have managed to find my original thread from years ago on this project. From this point on-wards I will be maintaining that thread. I will merge some of the content of this thread over to that one. I have already updated the old thread with the latest pics of the mostly completed front fuselage section. Here's the original thread for this project: http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=198416 Sorry for the double thread/confusion....I have been away from the hobby and forum for a long while and I was having memory issues for quite a while from everything that has happened in those years. I think I have finally gotten my life re-assembled.... - Matt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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