Does anybody know where I can get a 1/72 F-111B conversion kit?

[rickshaw]

I've been looking around the web and can't seem to find anything current.  Does anybody know where I can get such a thing?

[kerick]

There was the old Revell F-111B kit that you way be able to find on line. Its "collectable" so what out for the prices. Its not meant to be a direct replacement but a little kit bashing may work.

[rickshaw]

There was the old Revell F-111B kit that you way be able to find on line. Its "collectable" so what out for the prices. Its not meant to be a direct replacement but a little kit bashing may work.

Most of the comments are that the accuracy is "dire" on that old kit.  I remember building one 30 years ago (as a "C" not a "B") and even I noticed some strange things about it.

[kerick]

Really you would only need the nose and the wing tips. The rest would be whiff parts. There may be a resin conversion out there somewhere.

[Thorvic]

Pete's Hanger did an F-111B conversion set for the Hasegawa FB-111A/G/F-111C, which had the new nose, wheels, brass landing gear and decals however it was for the Pre-production aircraft as the production aircraft have a raised cockpit and revised canopy for a better view of the deck on approach.

AFAIK its OOP but originates from Australia so might be worth a shout on the local modelling forums to see if anybody can dig one out or point you in the right direction.

Also give Oz-mods a nudge and tell them its about time they did a proper F-111B conversion and an F-111K whilst they are at it 

[Gondor]

Pete's Hanger did an F-111B conversion set for the Hasegawa FB-111A/G/F-111C, which had the new nose, wheels, brass landing gear and decals however it was for the Pre-production aircraft as the production aircraft have a raised cockpit and revised canopy for a better view of the deck on approach.

AFAIK its OOP but originates from Australia so might be worth a shout on the local modelling forums to see if anybody can dig one out or point you in the right direction.

Also give Oz-mods a nudge and tell them its about time they did a proper F-111B conversion and an F-111K whilst they are at it 

I agree totally with Thorvic on all points. I do have one of the conversion sets by Pete's hanger which will form the basis of a production aircraft and it would be fantastic if someone did make a production conversion set, Colin maybe?

Gondor

[PR19_Kit]

I actually quite liked that original Revell F-111 kit.

I converted one to an E in comparison with an Airfix one for Scale Models Magazine back in the 70s and the Revell one looked much better. I used the B parts on an Airfix one later on and it looked rubbish, but that was the short nose for you, nothing quite beat the long 'Aardvark' nose for looks. 

[kitnut617]

I actually quite liked that original Revell F-111 kit.

I've got one in the stash which I bought especially so I could do the 'B' version -- what was the gripes about it anyway -- out of interest

[Weaver]

Ozmods do a 1/144th one, so you'd think they'd have all the info to hand to do a 1/72nd one relatively easily.

[PR19_Kit]

A  'proper' B would need somewhere to carry its four Phoenixes as I think the real ones only carried two in the weapons bay. Were they going to hang the others in slots under the fuselage like a Phantom or on pallets like the F-14?

[sandiego89]

The book: "Naval Fighters number forty one, Grumman F-111B" does an excellent few pages on the conversion, and the differences between the pre-production and what the production version would have been like.  Great drawing showing all versions. As others have stated, a different sight line, canopy and nose. The book is a must purchace if you want to do it totally acurately and want a great reference (the only?) on the F-111B.  If you want a close enough version the old kits on ebay are your best bet.  And they are indeed in the silly price range at times. 

[kerick]

A  'proper' B would need somewhere to carry its four Phoenixes as I think the real ones only carried two in the weapons bay. Were they going to hang the others in slots under the fuselage like a Phantom or on pallets like the F-14?

IIRC the old Squadron Signal book "F-111 in Action" had some pics of an F-111B with four Phoenixes on pylons under the wings. I'll have to check when I get home tonight.
I have the nose from the old Revell kit at home that I was always going to use for a B conversion. What with the raised cockpit it might be better to start fresh.

[Thorvic]

http://tailspintopics.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/production-f-111b-fuselage.html

http://tailspintopics.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/grumman-f-111b.html

These might help as thet are on Tommy's blog updating elements of the book as more details are unearthed, including a corrected production profile

[kerick]

Thanks for posting this! Much more modification involved in building a proper F-111B than I thought.

[rickshaw]

I actually quite liked that original Revell F-111 kit.

I've got one in the stash which I bought especially so I could do the 'B' version -- what was the gripes about it anyway -- out of interest

Apparently the nose profile is very bad.  It wasn't even based on the prototypes it seems while, as has been suggested, the production B would have had raised cockpit, which would have changed things again.