Seadude's surprisingly sensationalist........somethings?

[PR19_Kit]

An excellent display, Flying Wings Rule OK. 

[seadude]

I just want to re-iterate something here that I want to make perfectly clear about the Revell 1/144 scale B-2 Stealth Bomber model kit. My model does NOT have the wing walkway decal markings on it. There's a reason for this.
The Revell kit instructions are not very clear when it comes to marking and painting. The painting guide shows the B-2 in the configuration during public rollout from November 1988 to early 1990's years. But the decal placement in the instructions is wrong. The wing walkway decals (Number #'s 19, 13, 12, 3, 10, 17, 14, 6, 4, 5, 2, 11, 15, 18, and 20) are not needed for the B-2 if making the model according to the painting guide for a public rollout version. This was already shown and explained in my Post # 35 further above. All other decal #'s would be ok to use.
If a person does want to use the walkway decals for a current USAF operational B-2, then that is optional and up to you. But some of the other non-walkway decals may or may not be needed for an operational B-2. Also, you may need to find additional 1/144 scale aftermarket B-2 decals that have unit and base markings.

[seadude]

And now for my next project. Secret project, that is. 

The Aircraft of Area 51.

While I'd like to hope this project will be a short one since some aircraft are already built and will be re-used from past modeling projects, there will be others that will take a bit longer to put together such as 2-3 resin ones that I have. So this whole project might not be finished till January next year. Sorry it's not a whif project. This has been something I've wanted to do for a long time.
The easy part of this large project will be building the models. The hard part will be doing all the research to find out what actually was flown and flight tested at Area 51 vs. what wasn't. Trying to separate fact from rumor if I can which won't be easy. Another hard part might be painting the Soviet aircraft which were flight tested at Area 51. Some had camouflage, while others didn't. Some had metal paint schemes while others didn't. I need to find out which aircraft had what.

Models I already have. Most of these are 1/72 to 1/144 scale.

a) Revell 1/72 scale SR-71 Blackbird w/ D-21 drone. I only need the D-21 drone from this kit to use. I already have a smaller 1/144 scale SR-71 I plan on using.
b) Dragon 1/144 scale pre-built and pre-painted U-2 desktop model.
c) Eduard 1/144 scale "Dual Combo" MiG-15  (2 MiGs in one box. Though I'll only be using one.)
d) Academy 1/144 scale MiG-29 Fulcrum (Rumored to have been flown from Area 51.)
e) Minicraft 1/144 scale MiG-21 (Actually flown/flight tested from Area 51.)
f) Academy 1/144 scale MiG-23 Flogger (Actually flown/flight tested from Area 51.)
g) Tamiya 1/100 scale MiG-19 Farmer
h) Academy 1/144 scale Su-22 Fitter (Rumored to have been flown from Area 51.)
j) Trumpeter 1/144 scale Su-27 Flanker (Rumored to have been flown at Area 51.)
k) Minicraft 1/144 scale MiG-25 Foxbat (There are reports that during the 1st or 2nd Iraq wars/invasions, that MiG-25's were found buried in the sand and that they may have been subsequently taken to Area 51 for study.)
l) Atlantis TR-3E triangular UFO model kit. (Can't have an Area 51 display without a UFO model, right?  )
m) Unicraft 1/72 scale RQ-3A Darkstar UAV (Rumored to have been flight tested from Area 51.)
n) Planet Models 1/72 scale Northrop Tacit Blue stealth test plane (Actually flight tested at Area 51.)
o) Unicraft 1/72 scale Boeing Bird of Prey (Actually flight tested at Area 51.)
p) Mark 1 Models 1/144 scale MiG-17 (Actually flight tested at Area 51.)
q) Re-using the 1/144 scale Hopeless Diamond, Have Blue, Northrop XST, and F-117A from a previous model display. https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4479/26344250979_f4d7e66727_b.jpg
r) Re-using the base and some of the Aurora spyplanes from a previous model display. https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4513/38089140442_08d3cb593e_b.jpg

Are there any other aircraft people think I should or should not include for any reason? Anybody know of any decent and factual references I should check out for more information in helping to make this model project?

[Old Wombat]

Great display, seadude!

[NARSES2]

Great display, seadude!

Absolutely  Impressive natural metal finish.

[TheChronicOne]

Glorrrrrrrious!!! That looks so good!

[seadude]

Thanks, guys.   I could have made the B-2 an operational version with the walkway decals if I had wanted to. But it would have been too much trouble and hassle trying to find and get additional 1/144 scale aftermarket unit and base markings which are found on the main wheel gear doors as well as a few other places. The Revell B-2 kit doesn't have such markings. I just didn't have the money or time to do that.

As for the XB-35, I think the tips of the propellers are supposed to be yellow. If they are, then I skipped that process. The instructions never showed them with yellow tips. 

And if anybody builds either XB-35 or YB-49 model, then be careful of clear parts A2 and A4 for the XB-35, and part A2 for the YB-49. They are so small and so easy to lose if not careful. I "almost" lost them.....twice.    BTW, the instructions say the clear parts are labeled A for the XB-35, but the clear parts sprue was labeled D. The YB-49 instructions lists the clear parts as W. But the Sprue is labeled D.

Confusing, isn't it? 

[seadude]

Getting back to the aircraft of Area 51 project..........

Here's my first kit I'll be starting with. It's two MiG-15's in one box, though I'll only be using one. Options include several air force decal markings from different countries, drop tanks, and bombs. Though the MiG-15 I'll be building will be the classic metal (Testors Silver) aircraft with standard Soviet red star markings. Might add drop tanks, but no bombs. In the research I've done so far, it doesn't appear the MiG-15 was ever exploited at Area 51 during the 1950's or 60's. Though the aircraft was exploited during the early 1950's at Wright-Patterson AFB.
But........I'm going to build it "just in case" my research turns up differently in the future.

[chrisonord]

Very nice builds there seadude, and 3 very iconic aircraft in my eyes too. Both myself and SHADO command will be watching your Area 51 builds with great interest. 👽🤓
Chris

[seadude]

Both myself and SHADO command will be watching your Area 51 builds with great interest. 👽🤓
Chris

Watching? Are you sure?   

[TheChronicOne]

 

[seadude]

Maybe 1/144 scale wasn't such a good idea after all.      Why didn't somebody warn me that this scale was so small? I mean, I know the box was small buying it in the store or online, but actually seeing and handling the parts is another matter entirely. Geez, I think I need a microscope just to handle some of the tiniest parts. But, I started it. Might as well finish it. Can hardly wait to see what the other 1/144 scale kits look like I need to build. 

MiG-15 is such a teeny tiny dinky little model in 1/144 scale.         

[PR19_Kit]

  Why didn't somebody warn me that this scale was so small?

The clue is in the number..........

It looks like you're making pretty good progress anyway. 

[seadude]

All work on my Area 51 project has temporarily stopped as I am currently preparing for a model contest this Saturday in Chicago. I'll get back to work on it next week sometime. I had to do some rethinking about the amount of models I'll have for my Area 51 display. I'm now up to 22 or 23.     

1. Eduard 1/144 scale "Dual Combo" MiG-15 Fagot (2x MiG kits in one box.)
2. Mark 1 Models 1/144 scale Soviet MiG-17 Fresco
3. Tamiya 1/100 scale Soviet MiG-19 Farmer
4. Minicraft 1/144 scale Soviet MiG-21 Fishbed
5. Academy 1/144 scale Soviet MiG-23 Flogger
6. Minicraft 1/144 scale Soviet MiG-25 Foxbat
7. Academy 1/144 scale Russian MiG-29 Fulcrum
8. Academy 1/144 scale Russian Su-17/22 Fitter
9. Trumpeter 1/144 scale Russian Su-27 Flanker
10. DRAGON 1/144 scale pre-built/painted U-2 spyplane desktop model.
11. DRAGON 1/144 scale SR-71 Blackbird pre-built/painted desktop model.
12. Revell 1/72 scale D-21 drone. (From the Revell 1/72 SR-71 w/ D-21 drone model kit, Kit #85-5810)
13. Anigrand Models 1/144 scale Lockheed "Hopeless Diamond"
14. Anigrand Models 1/144 scale Lockheed HAVE BLUE.
15. Anigrand Models 1/144 scale Northrop XST
16. DRAGON 1/144 scale pre-built/painted F-117 Stealth Fighter desktop model.
17. Planet Models 1/72 scale Northrop Tacit Blue stealth aircraft.
18. Unicraft 1/72 scale Boeing "Bird of Prey" stealth aircraft.
19. Anigrand Models 1/144 scale SR-91 Aurora model.
20. Anigrand Models 1/144 scale SR-75 Penetrator model.
21. DRAGON 1/144 scale "Operation Geronimo" MH-60 Stealth Helicopter
22. Unicraft 1/72 scale Lockheed RQ-3A Darkstar UAV
23. Atlantis TR-3E triangular UFO model kit. (Might add to display, but very doubtful.)

[seadude]

The really nice thing about my Area 51 project is that all the Soviet aircraft I am building for it will be used again for another future display:
The Aircraft of the Red Eagles: 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4477th_Test_and_Evaluation_Squadron
Once the Area 51 display is done and has been shown at a few contests, then I can "retire" it and transfer all the Soviet aircraft models to a new display base showcasing the 4477th TES.    Starting next year, I'll make a new 4477th TES display base, add some informational signage, and voila, another model display ready to go!