XB-51 Dragon

[Out2gtcha]

10 hours ago, LSP_K2 said:

The first time I saw "Toward the Unknown", I fell in love with this airplane.

 

 

Great shot of the "Gilbert XF-120"!   

 

[Dandiego]

11 hours ago, Scotsman said:

Well looking at this build , its clear I have No skills!- brilliant work, I wish I had a fraction of your  abilities  and techniques!

 

ColinR

 

Colin, 

 

I don't consider myself a elite builder. More of a " stone knives and bearskins" kind of builder. Sure I build some unique models but they don't hold a candle to many of the models you can find here on LSP. When I take my models to a show/contest I rarely bring home any awards. Side by side with other modelers my work doesn't hold up well. My biggest hurdle is always my paint work.

 

However I can guarantee no one has more fun than I do building models. I remember building a 25 cent midget race car with my dad when I was 5, haven't really stopped since. And that was 60 years ago. I guess you learn a few tricks along the way. 

 

Dan

[rigor]

What an odd looking jet 

[Chek]

Bit of off-topic Toward the Unknown trivia. A Bell X-2 (46-0675) did explode while under its B-50D mothership (48-0096) in May 1953, as seen in the movie.

Unfortunately contrary to what was depicted in the movie, the X-2 pilot and his assisting engineer were both killed, and while the B-50 did manage to limp back to base, it never flew again.

However the same tail numbered B-50 is shown lifting another X-2 with William Holden's character for his subsequent later successful flight.

 

There are some nice close ups of the XB-51 entrance hatch area and the fuselage mounted engine nacelles to be found. Let me know if I can assist with any still frames.

[Dandiego]

23 minutes ago, Chek said:

Bit of off-topic Toward the Unknown trivia. A Bell X-2 (46-0675) did explode while under its B-50D mothership (48-0096) in May 1953, as seen in the movie.

Unfortunately contrary to what was depicted in the movie, the X-2 pilot and his assisting engineer were both killed, and while the B-50 did manage to limp back to base, it never flew again.

However the same tail numbered B-50 is shown lifting another X-2 with William Holden's character for his subsequent later successful flight.

 

There are some nice close ups of the XB-51 entrance hatch area and the fuselage mounted engine nacelles to be found. Let me know if I can assist with any still frames.

 

I will be working on the engine nacelles soon. Any new info is appreciated. 

 

Dan

[Chek]

I've uploaded 13 stills to my Flickr account, which you can find at https://www.flickr.com/photos/84346420@N05/albums/72157712677266647

 

They're at 1280 x 720 (DVD) resolution, which is slightly larger than the example below. Far from brand new, the XB-51 was getting on for 7 years old when the movie was made, as can be deduced from the tatty state of some of the visible stencils.

And I'm sure Jennings would have some observations on the 'Gilbert XF-120' logo's choice of typefaces (fonts) too. Or perhaps the Gilbert Corporation thought all the ranch hands at the Pentagon would be taken by the hand lettered County Fair style chic.

 

There are also a very helpful set of 92 USAF Museum hi-res photos at the web archive beginning at: (https://web.archive.org/web/20121016143638/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=2663 )

 

 

Those show some good details, such as the very non standard font used for the serial numbers.

 

Edited January 15, 2020 by Chek
URL fix

[Dandiego]

Thanks Chek.

 

Great stuff, especially the stills from the movie. I saw the movie many years ago but that was 15 years ago. Having the stills is a great reference tool.

 

Dan

[Chek]

You're welcome, Dan. Be sure to check out the USAFM web archive too, as it shows how the design evolved, with the fuselage intake faired over to full 3-engine power, and like the Buccaneer, with a plain tailplane to fin junction then to the bullet fairings at the final stage of the design.

[Dandiego]

Chek,

 

Believe me when I say that I have researched this aircraft extensively. I have the B-51 monograph and several magazine articles.

 

Your movie stills were greatly appreciated because these were new to me. The one thing that will bring this model to life are small details that are hard to discover. And unfortunately these types of closeup detail photos just don't  exist. 

 

As I get to the panel line scribing, riveting and adding hatches and vents I will be pouring over every photo to add as much detail as possible.  Some areas have no useable photos from which to ascertain airframe details. These areas include the wheel wells and the top and bottom of the  wings. Oh well, if I can't find info about these areas then no one else will know either.

 

Dan

[Dandiego]

Ok just a small update.

 

Here is the horizontal tail with the elevators cut out.

 

 

Told you it was a small update.

 

Dan

[rigor]

Nice work Dan love theses builds looks like this thing is gonna be huge 

[Dandiego]

7 minutes ago, rigor said:

Nice work Dan love theses builds looks like this thing is gonna be huge 

 

Yup, it's going to be big.

 

32 inches long with a 20 inch wingspan. 

 

And, no, I don't  know where I will put it when it is finished. 

 

Dan

[Chek]

It's a beast Dan. But a very unique one.

 

I'm still trying to figure out the variable incidence wing feature (just in my head, not for any practical application).

But apart from the F-8 Crusader, I can't think of any other successful application of the technology and that was to fit on a boat.

 

Btw, have you decided whether to have the cannon ports open for business, or skinned over as in the movie?

[Dandiego]

46 minutes ago, Chek said:

It's a beast Dan. But a very unique one.

 

I'm still trying to figure out the variable incidence wing feature (just in my head, not for any practical application).

But apart from the F-8 Crusader, I can't think of any other successful application of the technology and that was to fit on a boat.

 

Btw, have you decided whether to have the cannon ports open for business, or skinned over as in the movie?

 

Chek,

 

The variable wing feature was similar to the  Crusader. The main wing box was one solid structure and extended through the fuselage, making in essence, one solid structure from wingtip to wingtip. There was a opening on both sides of the fuselage that  allowed the wing, as one unit, to pivot. If you notice there is a flange on the  top of the wing where it meets the fuselage. This was to smooth airflow and reduce drag around the opening. Martin did not add a flange on the bottom and sometimes you can see the opening in the fuselage when the wing was in the raised condition. There was a hydraulic piston in the fuselage that raised the wing.

 

I believe that the Crusader wing pivoted to help reduce landing speeds, not for space considerations. 

 

Oh yeah, I will be opening up the cannon ports. I am also considering having the rotary bomb bay in the deployed condition with a full bomb load.

 

Dan

Edited January 16, 2020 by Dandiego

[Dandiego]

Wing stuff....

 

Here is my first go round for the interior wing support. I have super-glued the 2 wooden supports to the keel. They are separated by the thickness of the metal wing plate. If all lines up right the metal plate will slide through a slot cut into the fuselage and slide into the space between the the 2 pieces of wood. I will be incorporating magnets into the wooden supports that will "grab" the metal plate and hold it firmly in place. When I have all of the supports correctly glued in place I will further strengthen the whole structure by drilling a hole through the wood and inserting nuts and bolts to really lock it place.

 

 

Easy

 

 

As

 

 

Pie!!!

 

Dan

Edited January 16, 2020 by Dandiego