1/48th Boeing B-52H Stratofortress

[tomprobert]

I would have to think about scrounging an engine's details from another 1/48th jet fighter kit and duplicating them by casting my own copies.

 

I've taken the measurements of the intakes and am going to pop by a hardware store on the way home from work tomorrow... I'm after some plastic pipe of the right diameter to act as the intake trunking - the kit's white metal fans will then be inserted. 

 

That's the plan anyway - providing I can find a close enough match in piping. If not, a rethink will be needed.

[Gigant]

I've taken the measurements of the intakes and am going to pop by a hardware store on the way home from work tomorrow... I'm after some plastic pipe of the right diameter to act as the intake trunking - the kit's white metal fans will then be inserted. 

 

That's the plan anyway - providing I can find a close enough match in piping. If not, a rethink will be needed.

 

Plastic pipe, or I would look at thinner-walled copper pipe, or literally making a cylinder out of thin plastic by curling it around a rod, etc.

[Ohm-men]

I'm looking forward to this! It's gonna be epic for sure.

 

Looking at the diameter of the intakes, I guess perhaps grey plastic electricians pipe might have the right size for these. I think they come in at least two different diameters and cut off's are not that hard to come by and it very workable with epoxy glue.

Though copper of brass will equally work. But givven your expertise on vacu-builds, I'm sure these won't be an obstacle for you. (Your Lancaster to Shackelton build is a true inspiration for scratch- and vacubuilders)

[Tony C]

Not my field of interest but it's a tomprobert build so I'm bound to learn something new,

 

I'm in

[tomprobert]

Evening all 

 

Kits of this nature mean that intake trunking is always a problem - here you can see that when the fans are placed in position in the forward nacelle, they are left hovering in open space, quite unlike the real aircraft:

 

 

So, I've been experimenting with some plastic pipe of the correct diameter, and once I'd cut it to the correct length I glued it to the nacelle fronts (after opening them up of course):

 

 

And the result is not too bad at all - once they've been blended in with some filler I think I may have a passable solution to the intake problem:

 

 

Now I need to consider a similar solution to the exhausts... and then repeat the process three more times.

 

Until next time,

 

Tom

[Bstarr3]

Mods, in all seriousness, can I suggest that this build be moved the the main WIP forum so it gets more eyes on it? This thing is going to have a 45" wingspan! Great work, Tom. Enjoying watching it

[Gerhard]

Wow, I dont have the guts to do a vacform kit. 

[spacewolf]

Ahh the joys of vacu form/ scratch building... Finding pipes and parts to build the parts we need to make the parts... True model building !! This is gonna be fun to watch !!

 

 

Vaughn

[Hubert Boillot]

Cool project

 

Once upon a time, when I was more into war-machines, I bought the ID 1/48 B-52... A lot rougher than Sanger's proposal ...

 

I finally chickened out and sold it off to a more courageous guy

 

Hubert

Edited February 3, 2018 by MostlyRacers

[Sabre F-86]

For the wheels, have a look round for the resin KC-135 wheel set that came out in 48th some time ago. Cutting Edge did them some long time ago but they might still be available. I have an old ID models KC-135 I bought them for at least 15 years ago.

[Thud_Ally]

Epic stuff.

[Chek]

Well, if your Shackleton's anything to go by, this looks like it'll be an epic model too.

 

Funnily enough, the engine pods were where I stalled with my attempt at a B-52H in 1/100 scale, I think.

 

At the front inner intake there are louver arrangements corresponding to the outer blow-in doors, and then there's that strut array at the rear of the by-pass cowl, separating it from the actual engine cowl. Along with various other vents and louvers. After tackling the first pair, I sodded that for a game of soldiers and awaited resin replacements rather than do three more. I don't know if they ever came or went, but I never noticed any

 

One thing I would strongly recommend is to replicate the intake fan behind the leading stator vanes. It'll look much busier. It looks like they only supply the stator ring (16 blades, should be 28), so the fans would need sourced, maybe a fan face from a 1/72 scale kit would do.

 

Here's a couple of pics to help you along, and perhaps clarify my ramblings. And should you go all-out, the stencilling reads "COWL ANTI-ICE OVERHEAT THERMOSWITCH" at the sides and "COWL ANTI-ICE TEMP SENSOR" at the top.

 

 

 

(not my photos)

Edited February 4, 2018 by Chek

[ringleheim]

Evening all 

 

Kits of this nature mean that intake trunking is always a problem - here you can see that when the fans are placed in position in the forward nacelle, they are left hovering in open space, quite unlike the real aircraft:

 

 

So, I've been experimenting with some plastic pipe of the correct diameter, and once I'd cut it to the correct length I glued it to the nacelle fronts (after opening them up of course):

 

 

And the result is not too bad at all - once they've been blended in with some filler I think I may have a passable solution to the intake problem:

 

 

Now I need to consider a similar solution to the exhausts... and then repeat the process three more times.

 

Until next time,

 

Tom

 

I agree that this is a good solution.

 

If you can somehow replicate the series of "louvers" inside the intakes from scavenged photo-etch or similar (as per the photograph of the real engines) you'd be golden.

 

Looks good as is however.

[Bomber_County]

That's one big ............following now.........check out this months FlyPast magazine, it's a Vietnam special and an article about Operation Linebacker .........probably Harv and some these guys were there.........

[mustang1989]

Dang this thing is going to be one mammoth of a build!!! I don't know if anybody has asked yet but where in the world are you going to display this when it's done? Very nice progress so far!!