XAB-1c

[Doc Yo]

 Whats a whif of a conjectural model? When its an atomic powered bomber, I guess SF is a good a place as
any...based on the very old Hawk "Atomic Powered bomber", this build was cobbled together from an equally
old Revell 'box-scale' B-58, the fuselage of a Frog SB-2, and the wings of a Lindberg X-3*, which form the
outer wing panels. The F-108s were completely scratch-built from sheet styrene, though I did nick the canopies
from a Trumpeter 1/350th A-7 set...http://www.flickr.com/photos/29155073@N04/4187247765/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29155073@N04/4187247773/


http://www.flickr.com/photos/29155073@N04/4187247771/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29155073@N04/4187247755/

[Jschmus]

Doc,

That is beautiful!  I love it!

[noxioux]

That totally rocks.

Now, we just need one in 1/48.

[The Rat]

Looks like it's time for me to get the knitting needles out. 

[Hobbes]

That looks very good. But what's that F-108 doing with its nose up the bomber's wing bullet?

[B777LR]

That looks very good. But what's that F-108 doing with its nose up the bomber's wing bullet?

If i'm not mistaken, it was some kind of piggy-back device. The F-108s would join up with the bomber in the air, and then join with the bomber. The bomber would drag the fighters all the way to bad guys land, where the fighters were to defend it...

[BlackOps]

Now that's just sexy! 

[chrisonord]

WHERE IS THE REPLY I WROTE FOR THIS THREAD GONE???
CHRIS

[Doc Yo]

That looks very good. But what's that F-108 doing with its nose up the bomber's wing bullet?

If i'm not mistaken, it was some kind of piggy-back device. The F-108s would join up with the bomber in the air, and then join with the bomber. The bomber would drag the fighters all the way to bad guys land, where the fighters were to defend it...

Quite so! The original kit had two rather non descript 'parasite fighters'* that docked to smaller cones on the
tail fin. I never liked that arrangement, and the prospect of the fighter pilots just sitting in their cockpits for
what might be days or even weeks of patrol seemed unfair, so I moved the docks out to the wingtips ( where
they probably generate nine kinds of destructive turbulence  ) and enlarged them a bit, to give room for a
least a bunk and a magazine rack...

Thanks for the kind words, all.  Sorry about the tardy response-I was away from the computer for most of the Holidays.

Chris- No idea about your response, but hopefully this'll prompt somebody to look into it.

* Based very loosely on F-106s, I think.

[chrisonord]

I wrote that this is one awesome piece of kit you have done
I realy like this kind of stuff as it has endless whiffing potential, do you have any drawings or pics that you used to work from?
Cheers,
Chris.

[Weaver]

Excellent model: nice one! 

Those scratchbuilt Rapiers are seriously impressive! 

Quite so! The original kit had two rather non descript 'parasite fighters'* that docked to smaller cones on the
tail fin. I never liked that arrangement, and the prospect of the fighter pilots just sitting in their cockpits for
what might be days or even weeks of patrol seemed unfair, so I moved the docks out to the wingtips ( where
they probably generate nine kinds of destructive turbulence  )

You could let them freely revolve around their long axis, so they'd just spin lazily in the tip vortices.....

and enlarged them a bit, to give room for a
least a bunk and a magazine rack...

Her: I'm sorry, he's in the shower at the moment. Darling!

Him: Yes dear?

Her: Sorry to disturb you dear, but the pilot's on the phone. Apparently there are some enemy interceptor-thingys approaching us?

Him: Oh bother! Could you be an angel and do breakfast while I get dressed? Might be a bit in a bit of a rush shortly....


 

[Doc Yo]

 Dear God, Weaver, I can hear Major Kong howling from beyond the grave...

"Yew gawt a WOMAN up thar?!?!"

Ahem. Anyway, yes, thanks! I am fairly pleased with the way the Rapiers came out, though they could stand
a little tweaking. Fortunately, its a shape that lends itself to easy scratching, being mostly slab-sided*.

Chris-no drawings, except for a set of plan views I reduced slightly to make the F-108s. Those I found on
the web someplace. I had the original kit as a kid, and have always liked the shape of the thing, but the
original is scarce and expensive when they do turn up these days, so I went the bashing route. This

http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/XAB-1%20BETA-1%20PAGE.htm

is the original release, in a very fine build from Allen Ury's Fantastic Plastic.

I worked largely from memory, and got a few things a bit wrong, but overall, I think its an ok fake.
I tried to give it a SAC 'sash' with blue decal paper, but couldn't bring it off...One other thing I
considered was putting it in a Navy scheme, and lining the 'hump with VLS cels for six or eight
Polaris...maybe if I try it again in 1/144...