I have done 2 coats of EDSG on my fleet air arm skyhawk tanker, and. hought I had better leave it 48 hours before I put clear coat on. So what to do whilst waiting, and inbetween doing jobs on the house? Simple, Boeing/ English Electric MRB-47 Sea Eagle(Stratojet). Its the Hasegawa 1/72nd one that has been around since long before my time by the looks of it. Kit hasn't been too problematic of a build, needed a bit of sanding on mating surfaces on just about everything, but no big deal. I have had this sat on a shelf calling me for a few years so it has been put at the top of the pile, plus I am pinching the tail gun turret to put on my Avro Kittleton.
The aircraft along with 6 others were obtained from the USAF in the early 1960's as surplus airframes, and were offered as kits to be rebuilt to suit a task by Boeing. English Electric won the tender to do the modifications, of which there were quite an extensive list. New maritime avionics including long range radar, radio frequency surveilance , infa red  cameras in a specially designed tail pod, a pair of 30 mm cannons, and wing pylons to carry rockets, or the newly acquired RB04 anti ship missile. The weapons bay can carry conventional bombs depth charges, or additional fuel. The RAF wanted the aircraft to be fitted with 4 Rolls Royce/ Bristol Olympus engines, instead of the six  J-47's, but that would involve completely new engine pods and strengthening work to the wings and engine pylons due to the size, weight and power difference. Rolls Royce were however asked to design a suitable replacement for the J-47's, and were granted a license to build spares for the J-47's if original spares were unavailable. The aircraft, were designated as Maritime patrol bombers, much like the Douglas MRB-66's they had, but were faster and had a longer range, plus their mission was more specialist than the MRB-66's, and being able to carry and launch the RB04  was part of said mission, as a Nuclear tipped version was being developed to be carried by them. The crews quite liked their MRB-47-s, both for their near fighter like performance and for the comfort. The aircraft had a crew of 4.

Neat story. Early days but the build looks good, so far.

Quote from: Old Wombat on February 21, 2024, 06:42:47 AMNeat story. Early days but the build looks good, so far.

Cheers
I had better stock up on EDSG for this one, oh and white.

That's a terrific kit, I've got a couple of them. 

I've always liked the B-47. It's graceful. However, one would really have liked to see a side-by-side cockpit and some more modern engines, like a pair of TF33's, or something..

Quote from: Pellson on February 21, 2024, 08:15:39 AMI've always liked the B-47. It's graceful. However, one would really have liked to see a side-by-side cockpit and some more modern engines, like a pair of TF33's, or something..

My thoughts too, and I think it was retired a tad too early, as I am sure they could have future proofed it like the B 52.

IIRC the B-47 was literally very hard to fly. Some pilots even throwing out their shoulders from the force needed on the stick. You could say one of the upgrades was more hydraulic power for the controls.

Quote from: chrisonord on February 21, 2024, 06:31:03 AMBoeing/ English Electric MRB-47 Sea Eagle(Stratofortress).

Stratojet

Quote from: chrisonord on February 21, 2024, 08:34:17 AM

Quote from: Pellson on February 21, 2024, 08:15:39 AMI've always liked the B-47. It's graceful. However, one would really have liked to see a side-by-side cockpit and some more modern engines, like a pair of TF33's, or something..

My thoughts too, and I think it was retired a tad too early, as I am sure they could have future proofed it like the B 52.

IIRC, they were retired 1) because fatigue in the wing spars from toss bombing, and 2) they fell into an intermediate category that was being rapidly overtaken by fighter bombers and in-flight refueling.  The medium bomber was, essentially, an evolutionary dead end.

Now, that being said, in an ELINT, Wild Weasel STARM truck, or maritime attack roles? They would have been excellent in those roles, with better, more efficient engines.

Quote from: scooter on February 21, 2024, 10:04:21 AM

Quote from: chrisonord on February 21, 2024, 06:31:03 AMBoeing/ English Electric MRB-47 Sea Eagle(Stratofortress).

Stratojet

Quote from: chrisonord on February 21, 2024, 08:34:17 AM

Quote from: Pellson on February 21, 2024, 08:15:39 AMI've always liked the B-47. It's graceful. However, one would really have liked to see a side-by-side cockpit and some more modern engines, like a pair of TF33's, or something..

My thoughts too, and I think it was retired a tad too early, as I am sure they could have future proofed it like the B 52.

IIRC, they were retired 1) because fatigue in the wing spars from toss bombing, and 2) they fell into an intermediate category that was being rapidly overtaken by fighter bombers and in-flight refueling.  The medium bomber was, essentially, an evolutionary dead end.

Now, that being said, in an ELINT, Wild Weasel STARM truck, or maritime attack roles? They would have been excellent in those roles, with better, more efficient engines.

I realised I had named it wrong earlier, but because of phone calls from the gas company mashing my bonse, I forgot to change it.

Nice looking aircraft, can't wait to see it completed. 

I got one in the stash.  ISTR some issue with the wings?  Something like they modelled them in the flight position when they should be more drooped if you build it with the wheels down?

Quote from: zenrat on February 22, 2024, 02:44:37 AMI got one in the stash.  ISTR some issue with the wings?  Something like they modelled them in the flight position when they should be more drooped if you build it with the wheels down?

Cheers that could be a problem then if the outrigger wheels don't touch the floor.I will look for some bigger wheels if the gap isn't too big.

Quote from: zenrat on February 22, 2024, 02:44:37 AMI got one in the stash.  ISTR some issue with the wings?  Something like they modelled them in the flight position when they should be more drooped if you build it with the wheels down?

You might be thinking of the AMT B-52H kit, which was modelled EXACTLY like that, and it's a right pain to fix. 

Hottish warm water should allow you t fix it.

Lots of sanding of the mating surfaces at the moment, and some paint on the RB04's so nothing worth any pictures. I have yet to dry fit the wings and see of they droop or not, hopefully so.(Said no man ever).