daveculp

Yeah, it's pricey alright, but I was afraid of burnout, especially after deciding the whole kit would have to be rescribed. I know I had earlier decided to print my own cooling scoops, but they were available at a reasonable price from the same maker so I bought them also. The only thing I'll be printing now is the reactor itself.

It's tricky to figure out where to cut the nose of the bomber off. The available diagrams and photos don't seem to agree on this, so I picked one and started cutting. I found if I cut the radome off first the fuselage will fit snugly in my miter box (or mitre box, depending on which side of the Atlantic you reside). Lucky! The cut still came out a bit crooked because the fuselage radius is slightly larger than the height of the miter box. After cutting you need to sand off some raised features on the inside of the fuselage halves. Then the test fit of the new nose from Click2Detail (https://www.click2detail.net/) Deciding where to cut the bomb bays open is another guessing game. Here are the end points I decided on, and also the center point where a bulkhead will go between the two bomb bays.

Now that the T-38 replacement is known, how long can we expect to wait before model kits show up? https://www.boeing.com/defense/t-7a/

I've been wanting to do this build for a long time, ever since I read David Carpenter's book about the NX-2 nuclear powered airplane. Since the NX-2 was never built most of the book is about the test programs created to gather data for the nuclear powered aircraft program. The "ground" part of the testing took place in the desert of southern Utah, and the flying part involved the Convair NB-36H (also known as the XB-36H). One B-36H, which was damaged in a tornado, was converted into a flying test bed for a one megawatt reactor. It got a whole new front end with lots of lead and rubber shielding. The reactor was hoisted up into the aft bomb bay with a hook and plugged into the monitoring, control and cooling systems installed for the test. All this was done by remote operation. The reactor didn't power anything. Waste heat was dumped into the atmosphere through the cooling system. I've seen this done in a reasonable 1/144 scale, but you know what they say, "Go big or go home", so I'll do it in 1/72 scale. The biggest part of the conversion is the fuselage front end. I considered 3D printing my own, but I found one available at Shapeways, and even though it's pricey I figured the time savings would be worth it. The other conversion parts needed are the scoops for the reactor cooling system. Those are also available at Shapeways, but I need to print something, so the scoops are it. I'll also need to add the aft bomb bay doors - I want both bays open, with associated bulkheads. I have in mind a diorama, actually a partial diorama given the huge wing span, which shows the reactor being winched up into the aft bomb bay from it's underground bunker. Naturally you can't start a project like this without at least considering where in the #$&& am I going to put it. I'm hoping I can give it to the local Atomic Energy Museum, if they'll have it. When the project is completed I expect to be adept at NMF and panel line rescribing since that's where much of the sweat will go. So, to start with I'm rescribing panel lines using the original raised panel lines as a guide. I'll first do all the lines that don't cross the fuselage halve seams. I'll save the rest for after the fuselage halves are joined, just to make sure the lines meet properly.

Thank you for showing us this beautiful build! It's a real inspiration for me since i have a big NMF project started and have been fretting over how best to do it. I really like the Vallejo paints, so your results make me very happy. May I ask which colors did you use? Model Color or Model Air?

In the 1950's the Wolfhounds arrived at Soesterberg Air Base, Netherlands in F-86's. That's a long history! I'll be following this build.

Thanks everyone. It's been a treat!

Long day today! Entered my first modeling contest - got a second place award in my division One thing I haven't mentioned before - the left side windows don't have bungees to hold them open. The rear-left window is rarely opened. The pilot's left window has a short gust lock rod, so it is usually seen open only about 20 degrees or so. A good look at the laser pod here. I originally 3D printed the glass bit using a transparent resin, but the objects yellowed right away, so I then printed them using grey resin and tried to cast transparent copies in a silicone mold. That would probably have worked if it wasn't my first feeble attempt at silicone mold casting. I ended up using the least-yellowed of the original transparent prints. Also, I think the "barrel strap" looking rings on the external fuel tanks look a bit too thick. I probably should have sanded them down a bit. A flash photo of the cargo door showing the gust lock device and the canvas bag (which I think was used to hold the gear pins). Flash photo of the rear showing the cargo door telescoping gust lock.

One photo before going to the club's show. I didn't have time to do any panel line enhancement or weathering, and I still have some decals to add. I was planning on keeping the weathering to a minimum, so this is close to final.

Getting near the finish line! I've replaced the LORAN antenna wire, then added the HF antenna, both using nylon/polyester thread from Sew-ology. The two FM antennas are music wire, size 0.015. Good thing the kit comes with eight spoilers even though you'll never see more than four at a time. I did a bad job painting the first set, so instead of re-doing them I just started over with the next four. I had ordered a metal pitot tube, then realized that if I'm going to cover it I can just use the kit's plastic part. The cover is Tamiya tape painted olive drab, Experts-Choice remove before flight flag, and white thread. The navigation lights were difficult to install - lots of sanding and shaving on both the lights and the wing. I painted the lights the appropriate color then realized the inner portion (nearest the wing) should probably be painted white (i.e. wing color). The spinners on this 23rd TASS airplane are decorated with a huge number of small yellow darts, as found in the AOA decal set. Of the twelve fiddly little decals eleven survived the application process. I had to cut out some replacement darts using some spare yellow decal. The cargo door is installed, along with the telescoping gust lock that attaches to the left boom. The laser/TV designator system is painted and installed in the aft cockpit. The gust lock strap is attached to the pilot's stick. The five steps are installed, but they don't look good. I should print up some new ones for my next Bronco kit. The large retractable step is cut from the kit part. I drilled a hole in the fuselage and inserted the step, then used some card stock to make the hinge/fairing bit just forward of the step. The kit comes with two each of the rearmost windows. One is plain and the other has a horizontal line molded in. I believe the molded line is not supposed to be there - it represents a large bracket / wiring harness loom that some airplanes had inside the window at that position.

Yes, I saw that once, and should have printed a copy. The markings on these airplanes are a bit different than in the color photo I've seen. One interesting thing about these photos is they show you CAN fit the RHAW gear and LORAN antenna on at the same time.

Doing things a bit out of normal sequence now. I removed the upper canopy part from the tree the other day and immediately scratched it, so now I have to work on other things while waiting for the polish to come in the mail. Additional pressure is provided by my club, Red Flag Scale Modelers, having their annual contest this Saturday, and there is still a slight chance this model will be ready. I'll be giving a 3D printing demo during the judging. I printed up the WSO's laser/TV controls today, based on the one photo I have that may or may not be of the right item :) I assumed the item stands on the floor as well as being attached to the side wall, and that it clears the throttles, gear handle, and ejection seat. Here is the print fresh out of the printer. Here it is with supports removed and cleaned up for a test fit:

Printed up some decals using a laser printer and some decal film. My first print used Experts-Choice paper, my next print used some other brand I found at eBay. I think the Experts-Choice decals turned out better. Maybe a coat of varnish will hide the film. Needed decals: The tail darts, tail numbers, nose gear door numbers. I still have the EZ-Line LORAN antenna installed. Later I'll cut the line off and use a round polyester or nylon thread.

That's a great resource! I can see myself spending way too much time there watching videos

Thanks Barry, I guess that was just a peacetime habit

I remember flying around all the time with the aircraft logbook jammed into the space to the right of the instrument panel shroud. I've seen this in a few photos as well. I'll make one to add some detail. Does anyone have a good photo of one, or even remember the name of the logbook (was it Form 781?). My memory is a bit hazy on this.

Can anyone verify that this is indeed a photo of the Pave Spot equipment installed in the "Pave Nail" airplanes?

Yes, I see the fuel cap mod - nice solution. The Eduard PE exterior kit comes with fuel caps. I installed those and made a mess of it. I didn't want them sitting proud of the wing surface so I drilled part-way into the wing first. That makes a conical divot that allows the PE part to sit flush with the wing. A couple of the caps came out OK, but the others look bad. What I really need is a drill bit that doesn't make a conical hole. Something like a forstner bit. but really small. I probably should have made my own bit first. I tried to file down the tip of a regular bit but the material is just too tough so I gave up and used the bit as-is.

The bronco is up on it's feet now. I added some lead weight under each seat. It isn't necessary to keep the nose down, but I just wanted to make sure. If it tilts back the first contact point is the aft LORAN antenna. I printed a new batch of inlet covers, this time a bit narrower - fits like a glove now. I tried Brian's trick with using fine white EZ-Line to make the wire bundles for the cockpit, but I just can't get that to work - too fiddly for my fingers. I had tried lead wire before, same result. Now I'm going to try white polyester thread. I hope that works out for me - I'm running out of ideas :) I discovered (see photo above) that when you glue the face of the engine to the inside of the cowl use LOTS of glue. If the face falls back into the engine bay you'll never see it again, but you'll hear it. I used black EZ-Line for the LORAN antenna, but it doesn't look good. EZ-Line is flat, and I need round. I'll cut it off and try black polyester thread.

Historical Interlude: I think this photo was taken in November of 1970 at Hurlburt Field, Florida. The Major at bottom left is my father. After training in the OV-10 he went to NKP Air Base in Thailand to lead the 23rd TASS, which is the same outfit that had the Pave Nail's, however I think the Pave Nail program started after he returned from SEA. The airplane is 67-14605. I checked out in the OV-10 as a 2Lt ten years later at Patrick AFB, Florida. Some of the airplanes I flew with the 20th TASS at Sembach AB, Germany where from the 23rd TASS, and I know my father and I flew some of the same airplanes. One of them, number 825, is sitting in a museum in Fort Worth, Texas. My father passed away in 2002. One thing to note in this photo is the AOA probe sticking out of the left side of the fuselage just forward of the aircraft data plate stenciling. Normally there would be a cover over it so you don't impale yourself on it. Here it's casting a nice shadow.

Jumping ahead a little, I'm doing the overall color scheme before detailing the cockpit and adding glass and other small bits. Being still a rookie airbrusher, I went with a rattle can to get the consistent, smooth finish I'm looking for over the large areas. For the top of the wing I used Rust-Oleum High Performance Enamel in Gloss White 7592. For the overall gray I used Krylon Colormaster in Pewter Gray Gloss 51606. The yellow stabilizer tips are a 50/50 mix of Model Master Yellow Zinc Chromate and Model Master Blue angel yellow FS13655. The wing walk way is Vallejo Model Air 71.277 Dark Gull Gray. The decal walk way color looked too light to me. I fretted over whether the overall gray should have a bit of blue in it. I think the bluish looking photos may be a film effect or sky reflection, so I'm happy with the plain pewter gray. One important decision to make is where to put the boundary between white and gray. The photos aren't real helpful since the colors blend together in the sunlight. Besides, there may have been more than one solution originally. I painted the whole "cargo bay roof" white. The wing tips are white, and the white wraps around to the first panel line underneath. In some of the old photos it looks like the white wraps around like this, and in some photos there may be a border along the midpoint of the wing tip.

Let me make a tweak or two to the shape (I want to make the holes a bit smaller and also make the top half a little narrower). I'll PM you when I get it perfected.

Thanks, Gaz. This one took me a long time because it's a complicated shape. Most airplane parts are easily made from combinations of the basic shapes, cylinders and cubes, but the inlet covers are different - almost organic in shape. It took at least twelve hours of CAD work, in part because of lots of mid-design corrections and having to repair things one triangle at a time. The first print failed because of a CAD error on my part (I had some surfaces that were doubled). I fixed that and had faith that the second print would work out OK, so I printed two at the same time. The current covers are good enough to install on the model, but I'm thinking of making some slight geometry changes for the next OV-10 model. The print itself only took about 1.5 hours.

I decided I needed some inlet covers. They could probably be vacuformed fairly easily, but I don't have that technology. Here's the 3D printed version in 4 steps: Step 1) CAD design Step 2) Slicer step Step 3) print Step 4) paint From photos it looks like some inlet covers had a vertical piece in the middle, and I think this may have been a field mod to allow use of the covers after the original attachment holes had worn out. Just a guess.

No problem Gunny. I never jumped out of the OV-10, and I haven't heard of any AF folks doing this. The manual mentions you can get five paratroopers back there, but only if you remove the radio rack and the rear seat. Come to think of it that would be a great modeling subject for a USMC airplane!