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RB-47H –
Flightpath conversion set
The
RB-47H was flown by the famous 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron from the
mid-50s to the mid 60s – the height of the Cold War. My dad flew them, and I
was literally raised around these great looking, LOUD planes growing up. Based
at Forbes AFB Kansas, but staging out to forward bases in Japan, Alaska,
England, and the Middle East, these planes flew around, at, and occasionally
over Soviet and other ‘non-friendly’ places. The normal three-man crew was
increased to six, as three additional ‘crows’ sat in their cramped
compartment in the bomb bay, manning the latest in radars, receivers, and other
spy goodies. It was a dangerous business, and a few were shot down.
I had only built three or four models since about the
mid-70s, and this was a challenge to say the least. (I built approximately three
zillion in the fifties and sixties. Average time each: One hour, two hours if I
painted the thing.) On this project, the new, elongated nose and ‘crows bay’
were resin and fit very well. All the bumps and antennas around the tail and
wingtips were metal. The beautiful resin landing gear is pretty much hidden.
This model required lots of putty and lots of sanding and LOTS of beer. It is
one of those models that looks nice from about three or four feet away, if you
catch my drift. The inboard engine pylons connection to the wing still make me
sad. I may fix them and I may not. I got tired after a few months of work, I’m
sure you can sympathize? The wingwalk, spine and US AIR FORCE decals
were from the kit. All others were from a KC-135 sheet, I forgot the brand. The
SAC band on the nose is so very important, and the Hasegawa decal was not good
at all. I did a lot of scratchbuilding of the ejection seat rails, entry ladder,
pitot tubes, and landing gear wells, almost none of which you can see! Oh, well,
my dad and I can see them and that’s what counts. I remembered how busy the
ramps were at Forbes, so used the Hasegawa ground crew set. Most everything was
yellow back then, as I recall. The high-tech tow bar is a bamboo barbeque
skewer. (I blame beer for that decision.) The ALD-4 pod on the starboard side is
a drop tank, so is about 10% too large, but I like it. (I don’t have a spares
box yet.)
I painted it Testors Silver spray, then hand-brushed
different mixes of silver over that here and there, and it got pretty shiny. The
chaff dispensers on the flank, and 20mm tail gun assembly are gray. I
‘discovered’ Tamiya tape, it is wonderful. Sure beats the Scotch tape of my
youth!
Click on
images below to see larger images
Photos 5 and 6
are from a book I wrote about the plane, and a mission I flew it on during
the Cuban Missile Crisis. My buddies and I ‘borrowed’ the RB when we
were about twelve. Impossible, you say? No it ain’t. Just follow that
durned checklist! LeMay almost had us shot when we got back, but JFK gaves
us a medal instead. Read about it here:
http://www.amazon.com/Flyboys-Tom-Hanley/dp/0738808652/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247879447&sr=1-7
Photo 7 is yours
truly, keeping Hawaiian airspace MiG-free since 1985. Thanks to Steve on his
fantastic website, and all the contributors who make it such an enjoyable stop
every day with their great advice and models. Buy my book – you young (and
old) flyboys will enjoy it, and I might earn enough from it for an airbrush.
I’ve got a monster 1/48 B-29 under my bed in a box, just waiting to get
practiced on. Aloha!
Tom Hanley, Honolulu
Click on
images below to see larger images
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Photo 07 |
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