Drifterdon Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 So I've never seen one of the original 1/72 Monogram B-52D kits that came with jet engine sound. How or what did Monogram do to achieve the jet engine sound? Was is very realistic? I don't have the kit or have plans to buy one but have always been curious how they did it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 I have an old Revell 1/32 F-16 kit with "real engine sound" and "real lights" You can see the light and sound parts here Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheRealMrEd Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 IIRC, the early kit had an electric motor, that ran some plastic parts that rubbed together and made the jet engine sound. It was pretty cool. Only problem, there was this switch sticking out of the side of the fuse -- not cool. I built this this thing in 1971 or '72, and painted the yellow stripes on all 98 or whatever 500 lb bombs... took a while. Ed Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ben Brown Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 Didn't you have to build the motor, windings and all, like the motors in the old Lindberg kits? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yardbird78 Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 I built that original B-52 kit shortly after it came out. The plastic engine noise thingie was cheap, unreliable and just made a screeching sound that wasn't remotely similar to a real jet engine sound. Darwin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
F4DPhantomII Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 There were 2 different boxtops the 1968 which was a drawing and the 1969 which was a painting of a pair of B-52's over VietNam.They both had the " jet engine sound" but it did not sound like a jet engine. They both turn up on ebay from time to time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
F4DPhantomII Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Monogram-USAF-B-52-Stratofortress-1-72-Jet-sound-Excellent-1968-Beautiful-Boxart-/311676646892?hash=item48916035ec:g:2~8AAOSwawpXsREu this the 2nd boxing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
F4DPhantomII Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 http://www.ebay.com/itm/B-52-stratofortress-1-72-Scale-with-Jet-Sounds-Vintage-Model-PA215-/282135144982?hash=item41b090aa16:g:IdQAAOSwU-pXr8xa and the 1st. Monogram reboxed it 4 or 5 times.They are all on ebay but only the 1st 2 had jet engine sound.The other releases deleted engine sound plated over switch cover hole.And deleted exterior hanging points to hang assembled kit from ceiling. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scooby Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 I bought one of these for $10.00 at a model train show about two years ago. The boxing and kit were compete, I thought it was a great collectible. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
F4DPhantomII Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 I bought one of these for $10.00 at a model train show about two years ago. The boxing and kit were compete, I thought it was a great collectible. Whick kit did you get? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 Never seen it, but it sounds like all they did was use an electric motor with a gear on it and a metal plate. Turn the motor on and the gear would spin over and vibrate the plate, creating the sound while the plastic housing helps get it to amplify or echo. Kenner did similar things with their original Star Wars vehicle toys back in the 1970s. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Drifterdon Posted August 22, 2016 Author Share Posted August 22, 2016 Thanks all for the info. I figured it was probably pretty gimmicky and unrealistic. I'm guessing the real value here would be for those collecting the old original kits since actual builders would just leave this stuff out and fill in the hole in the side of the fuselage. I have a couple of the later releases of this kit and don't recall if they have the suspension loops in the wings and fuselage or if they've been cleaned up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stefan buysse Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 Hi, The sound of 8 J57's... I'm not surprised they did not achieve anything like it. I bought a Monogram B-52D in early 1989 ( a recent reissue then in a series called "big, bad and beautiful" and it did still have those suspension loops. Cheers, Stefan. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ikar Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 I never got tired of watching a cell of "D" models line up to launch on a strike. One would go out to the eod of the run way, sit for a time and gun it. The second one would usually line up for a second and go. The third would start running up his engines as he went into the turn onto the runway and just keep going. By that time all you could see was the top of the black tail cutting through the smoke. Very impressive. For a time, we got some "G" models in, but I don't think they smoked as much, and even though they didn't carry as many bombs, seemed to take a bit longer to get up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Carroll Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 I proudly had one, but am more than a bit hazy on how the 'jet sound' worked. If I recall correctly it was intended to be more than a screeching gear sound. I kinda remember that there was a separately built box, the battery-powered motor within, turning a fan that pulled air through a hole in the box. The air drawn (or blown) through the hole made a whistling sound. It was rather feeble, and even more so once buried inside the fuselage. The removable batter box was inside the bomb bay, with a "floor" of 750 pound bombs. kc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Monogram B52 w sound Posted October 11, 2023 Share Posted October 11, 2023 Where did the sound unit go??? I have been building a kit, the jet sound unit doesn’t fit inside. I have it working with an RF switch and a motor from Amazon!!! ray colbert pittsburgh pa Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spruemeister Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 You’re better off flying it around the room and providing your own noise. More fun. Rick L. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BillS Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 I built it as soon as it came out. An electric motor drove an empellar similar to what an old centrifugal flow turbojet had for a compressor. Vacuum cleaners have a similar set up. Anyway, it was totally gimmicky and didnt sound anything like a J-57 but it was a fun, huge model that was and still is, most impressive. About two years ago, I bought a re-box off ebay. Though crude in some respects, it still looks good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andyf117 Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 On 10/11/2023 at 4:16 PM, Monogram B52 w sound said: Where did the sound unit go??? I have been building a kit, the jet sound unit doesn’t fit inside. I have it working with an RF switch and a motor from Amazon!!! ray colbert pittsburgh pa I had one of these 40 years or so ago, and actually still have some parts in my spares box - I distinctly remember the battery box being contained in the bomb bay, and seemed to recall that the cylindrical motor unit had to be suspended in the forward fuselage, using elastic bands. Sure enough, a shot of the instructions confirms it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Carroll Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 Another cool feature of the original Monogram kit was molded-in "eyes" on the wings and fuselage, meant to facilitate hanging this monster from the ceiling. Intentional or not, I discovered that old-fashioned Christmas tree ornament hooks fit perfectly through the eyes - four (?) of them plus several feet of heavy-duty thread from Mom's sewing basket and I was in B-52 business.😊 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Glynn Jacobs Posted October 14, 2023 Share Posted October 14, 2023 On 8/20/2016 at 3:08 PM, Ben Brown said: Didn't you have to build the motor, windings and all, like the motors in the old Lindberg kits? Yes, you did have to do the windings etc. I had one a LONG time ago but never bothered to make the motor; it was a bit much for my 12-13 year-old talents/interests. WARDOG Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnEB Posted October 15, 2023 Share Posted October 15, 2023 (edited) This has peaked my curiosity... Would an easier to find (and less expensive) Lindbergh kit with their noise unit make a similar sound in case someone wants to get an idea what the B-52 kit sounded like? Edited October 15, 2023 by JohnEB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ben Brown Posted October 15, 2023 Share Posted October 15, 2023 19 hours ago, Glynn Jacobs said: Yes, you did have to do the windings etc. I had one a LONG time ago but never bothered to make the motor; it was a bit much for my 12-13 year-old talents/interests. WARDOG My dad and I built one of the Lindberg motors when I was maybe eight or nine, just to see if we could get it to work. Surprisingly, it did. I remember being disappointed that it sounded nothing like the B-52Ds or any other jet that had constantly flown over our house when we lived near McConnell AFB in the late ‘60s. I’m not sure how to describe the noise besides “similar to a sick cat.” Ben Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnEB Posted October 17, 2023 Share Posted October 17, 2023 (edited) After 20 years in the Air Force... I can tell attest jets do make a range of sounds. On take-of, it is a roar. When flying over, they sound like a rumble... When taxing and parking, A high-pitched whine...or maybe a screech. So, A sick cat might just be right...:) Edited October 17, 2023 by JohnEB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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