Martin B-51 Master - SORTED!

[Captain Canada]

I'll have to go look for that film !

[kerick]

"Ladies and gentlemen, approaching from your right, for the first time at any public airshow, the Lockheed WTF-117!"

Ok I about spit my coffee out on that one.     

LOL! 

[PR19_Kit]

In general the major parts of the XB-51 kit fit pretty well, but it has a hefty PE fret too

I've got to the bit where I want to add the rotating bomb bay door, together with its Mk 7 Nuke which is an add-on resin bit. The door fits a treat into the lower fuselage as it comes, but once the four PE parts are glued in place, it's too long...............



As a result I've had to spend a fair amount of time filing away at the B-51's bomb bay bulkheads, it's a waste of time filing the PE bits, life's too short.

Now it fits OK, and there's NO way it's ever coming out!



You may also note I've added a resin Canberra B(I)8 30 mm cannon pack under the nose. The Master's meant to do the same job as the B(I)8s so it seemed logical.

Mind you, quite what they were meant to shoot up with the 30 mms after they'd dropped a Mk 7 on the target I'm not at all sure........

[Rick Lowe]

Like in WW2, targets of opportunity on the way home... all those T-whatevers and B-echelon vehicles pouring through the Fulda Gap... 

[Spino]

Like in WW2, targets of opportunity on the way home... all those T-whatevers and B-echelon vehicles pouring through the Fulda Gap... 

Whatever hadn't already been vaporized by tactical nukes that is...

[Rick Lowe]

True...

Nuke'em till they glow, then further ruin their day with some 3-0 Mike Mike. 

[Wardukw]

True...

Nuke'em till they glow, then further ruin their day with some 3-0 Mike Mike. 

never a bad idea depending on how ya look at it 

[Steel Penguin]

True...

Nuke'em till they glow, then further ruin their day with some 3-0 Mike Mike. 

never a bad idea depending on how ya look at it 

with a set of binocks with heavily leaded lenses    

[Wardukw]

True...

Nuke'em till they glow, then further ruin their day with some 3-0 Mike Mike. 

never a bad idea depending on how ya look at it 

with a set of binocks with heavily leaded lenses    

Oh most definitely,,really thick lenses ,,,,might help to avoid a permanent orange affro 

[Steel Penguin]

True...

Nuke'em till they glow, then further ruin their day with some 3-0 Mike Mike. 

never a bad idea depending on how ya look at it 

with a set of binocks with heavily leaded lenses    

Oh most definitely,,really thick lenses ,,,,might help to avoid a permanent orange affro 

Oh Too True!!     

[kerick]

True...

Nuke'em till they glow, then further ruin their day with some 3-0 Mike Mike. 

never a bad idea depending on how ya look at it 

with a set of binocks with heavily leaded lenses   

Oh most definitely,,really thick lenses ,,,,might help to avoid a permanent orange affro 

Oh Too True!!     

So that's what happened to Bozo the Clown!

[PR19_Kit]

After a fair amount of PSR and priming the Master's done with all that now. It's a BIG model, and would make a Canberra look small, as well as TOWER over it!

I've masked off the landing gear bays in the pics below, as they're already part painted, so I have to finish those off, and then glue the nose engines on before dojng any proper paint work on it.

[Captain Canada]

Such a neat looking machine ! Looking good Kit !

[PR19_Kit]

The main gear bays have been re-painted with the rather lurid Interior Green colour the USAF loved (and the RAF put up with in my WhiffWorld.....) and the underside now has a coat of Light Aircraft Grey. It's not looking too bad either, which is promising, and I'll add a 2nd coat of LAG before masking it up for the upper colours too.

While the RW 16 Sqdn Canberra's in Germany carried US Mk 7 nukes, the Master will carry a Red Beard, just to be contrary of course.

[PR19_Kit]

Here's the current state of the Master. The very complex landing gear is all in place, and amazingly it seems strong enough to hold the model.

Both front engine are in place, but need a bit of PSR on the upper edges of the pylons, and the underside now has two coats of Light Aircraft Grey applied. Next stage is some detail painting of the gear legs and the PSR on the engine pylons before masking for the upper colours.