Jump to content

Anyone know what dimensions of RB-47H Silver King Pod is?


Recommended Posts

Building the RB-47H in 1/144 and would like to add the Silver King pod on the starboard side.   I've done a search on the interweb and can't find a thing that says how long or what the diameter of the pod was.   I guess I could always use the old Mk 1 Eyeball and guess based on the length of engine pod but thought maybe someone had this info.

Don

1024px-National_Museum_of_the_United_Sta

Edited by Drifterdon
Link to post
Share on other sites

You can use a photo to measure the pod length and fuselage length, calculate the fraction, and multiply that by the kit's fuselage length. Same for the diameters. Preferably you do that with a few photos to average your measurements.

 

Rob

Link to post
Share on other sites
8 hours ago, Rob de Bie said:

You can use a photo to measure the pod length and fuselage length, calculate the fraction, and multiply that by the kit's fuselage length. Same for the diameters. Preferably you do that with a few photos to average your measurements.

 

Rob

If nobody has the actual dimensions this is what I'll have to do.   Hence the Mk 1 Eyeball method.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Those flights must have sucked for the poor EWO's stuck in that aft compartment.   Must have been hot as hell in there surrounded by all those electronics.    Brave men who flew those missions.   Just curious, has anyone ever found pictures of the interior of the EWO's compartment?

Edited by 11bee
Link to post
Share on other sites
10 hours ago, 11bee said:

Those flights must have sucked for the poor EWO's stuck in that aft compartment.   Must have been hot as hell in there surrounded by all those electronics.    Brave men who flew those missions.   Just curious, has anyone ever found pictures of the interior of the EWO's compartment?

Keep in mind that back when they flew these things they were highly classified and taking pics of the inside would probably land you a vacation trip to Kansas (Leavenworth). 

I have the book, We See All, and there is a cartoon showing the Crows all tucked into their beds with a television set in front of each.  Later in the book they do show a diagram of what each of the EW positions looks like equipment wise.   Pretty dang cramped.   192987.jpg

Edited by Drifterdon
Link to post
Share on other sites
On 8/2/2020 at 2:09 PM, 11bee said:

Those flights must have sucked for the poor EWO's stuck in that aft compartment.   Must have been hot as hell in there surrounded by all those electronics.    Brave men who flew those missions.   Just curious, has anyone ever found pictures of the interior of the EWO's compartment?

 

I just found them a few days ago! The San Diego Air and Space Museum has uploaded thousand of films from their archive to YouTube. I'm trying to filter the ones dealing with Ryan Firebees, for my AQM-34 website:

 

https://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/aqm34/videos.htm

 

Last week I found four that (most likely) document the use of Firebee Models 147D and E, that worked with an RB-47H to collect SA-2 fuze signals over Vietnam. Two have short footage of what I believe are the EWO stations in the bomb bay. In one you can see some stenciling on the walls, that show we're probably in the bomb bay:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FanUMWALTY           from 3:35 to 5:00

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sz1ifAdQOw            from 0:00 to 1:00

 

Here are two more, but they don't show the RB-47H interior.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEYnzk8XGVw

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG-QrGr_pI8

 

Rob

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have been sitting on the old 1:72 Flightpath RB-47H update set for the Hasegawa B-47 for years and would be interested in knowing the dimensions of the pod in 1:72 myself as the Silverking has been on my back burner for a long time.  

 

Mark

Link to post
Share on other sites
On ‎8‎/‎3‎/‎2020 at 4:36 PM, Rob de Bie said:

 

Last week I found four that (most likely) document the use of Firebee Models 147D and E, that worked with an RB-47H to collect SA-2 fuze signals over Vietnam. Two have short footage of what I believe are the EWO stations in the bomb bay. In one you can see some stenciling on the walls, that show we're probably in the bomb bay:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FanUMWALTY           from 3:35 to 5:00

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sz1ifAdQOw            from 0:00 to 1:00

 

Well I'll be a suck egg mule!   Looked at those clips and they certainly do correspond to the diagrams in the back of "We See All".  And that is definitely one cramped work space.   Makes me claustrophobic just to look at it.

Excellent find Rob.

Link to post
Share on other sites
On ‎8‎/‎1‎/‎2020 at 4:59 PM, Drifterdon said:

So breaking out the calculator and conversion app and based on Kursad's measurements, I have 6.35 mm diameter by 32.72 mm length for a 1/144 pod. 

 

 

Went back over my figures because this looked small and somehow I totally jacked this up.   Using Kursads numbers I came up with 50.35mm in length with the same diameter of 6.35mm.   Just to make sure I didn't screw up again, I sized the pic Kursad provided as well the one Jari posted with RB-47H kit I'm working on and using a ruler on the monitor, came up with 55mm in length by 8 mm in diameter.  :doh:

 

Mark, Take you pick on which numbers and double that for a 1/72 pod.  Kursad is usually pretty spot on with his.

 

Don

Link to post
Share on other sites

Don, thanks for the reply. I was looking at the tapered end of the pod and if I can fudge the diameter of the main body, I saw a bag of various size nose cones for model rockets that might fit the bill for the rear rear half. 
 

mark

Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, MarkN said:

Don, thanks for the reply. I was looking at the tapered end of the pod and if I can fudge the diameter of the main body, I saw a bag of various size nose cones for model rockets that might fit the bill for the rear rear half. 
 

mark


Here is an alternative method if you need to scratch build a taper for your pod.  I used this technique to make my MK-8 nuke.


I used telescoping brass tube to get the basic taper.  Then I packed the taper in Apoxie Sculpt and allowed to dry.  I then chucked the non tapered end in my power drill and then turned the apoxie Sculpt into the proper shape with sanding sticks and sand paper.

 

ED713A6A-01B7-407B-A86A-96C40839A671.jpeg

Link to post
Share on other sites

That would certainly get the job done.   Great looking nuke Corey.  

I did something like this for the inner generator and heat exchanger pods for my RC-135E Rivet Amber only I used Evergreen tubing and filled the steps in with CA glue then sanded to shape. 

998825160_BabyPods.jpg.9b1dd78979f0b2665e4b9605be67d401.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, MarkN said:

Don, thanks for the reply. I was looking at the tapered end of the pod and if I can fudge the diameter of the main body, I saw a bag of various size nose cones for model rockets that might fit the bill for the rear rear half. 
 

mark

Mark,

Estes does a blow molded nose cone for their N Smoke that might fit the bill.   See this link.   It's the bottom nose cone.  I might have one in my rocket stash I can let you have if your interested.   I'll measure it and see if it would work out.   https://eugenetoyandhobby.com/shop/estes-nc-50-nose-cones-5-303162/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2-W-lIOI6wIVC77ACh1RfAalEAQYAiABEgIm6PD_BwE

Edited by Drifterdon
Link to post
Share on other sites
16 minutes ago, Drifterdon said:

Mark,

Estes does a blow molded nose cone for their N Smoke that might fit the bill.   See this link.   It's the bottom nose cone.  I might have one in my rocket stash I can let you have if your interested.   I'll measure it and see if it would work out.   https://eugenetoyandhobby.com/shop/estes-nc-50-nose-cones-5-303162/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2-W-lIOI6wIVC77ACh1RfAalEAQYAiABEgIm6PD_BwE

Just measured this nose cone and it's way too long and tapered to work for the tail end of the Silver King pod in 1/72.

Link to post
Share on other sites
13 hours ago, Drifterdon said:

Just measured this nose cone and it's way too long and tapered to work for the tail end of the Silver King pod in 1/72.

Let me rummage through junk tonight, I might have a source for you.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...