Northrop-Grumman B-2S

[Gondor]

The Testors B2 is one of those kits that you need to follow the instructions when fitting the wings and body together, been there and done that which is how I know 

Gondor

[PR19_Kit]

Indeed, but the instructions are pretty inscrutable in my Italeri imported version. It shows the cross section of the joint, but not exactly how to twist and turn it to get it to fit.

It's a while away yet as I've got the paint the cockpit first, even though you can't see much of it, and that may be tomorrow if it gets warm enough for the paint to dry............

[PR19_Kit]

I tried a 'tape up' to see how the bits fitted and to check for any nose weight required.

The 'instructions' are non-existent, there's only the cross-section diagram of the joint, but actually doing what they show is mind bogglingly difficult. The port wing went on sort of OK, took maybe 2-3 mins, but the starboard one took over 15 mins of fiddling and heaving to get it into place. It's going to need a lot of precision filing when it comes to gluing it eventually. 

It's a big piece of plastic when it's all together, the 'spider' in the foreground is one of the props from my A-400M 'Snoopy Too'!

[kitnut617]

The one I built was the Testors boxing of it. I don't remember having any of the problems some people have said they had when building it.

You need to plan ahead if you want to have it standing on it's wheels though, I used lead. I had got hold of some lead sheeting (which used to be used on roofs) and cut strips of it placing it along the front edge joint, as close to the joint as you can get it.  I have still got to put the decals on it though.  I've got another one in the stash which will get some aftermarket decals I have to do a later in-service type.  Somewhere I've read there's a detailed bomb bay and wheel bay resin set, can't find where I've read that at the moment ---







It's got the same wing span as the XB-35 I have.

[PR19_Kit]

Thanks for the tip Robert, I have some of that lead flashing for my model boat stuff, so I'll use some of that. 

It certainly seems like a major tail sitter from what I can see so far. 

[kitnut617]

It would be a major tail-sitter Kit, but also it's an easy kit to balance out. There's not much that goes inside it so basically you could just use the bottom half to figure it out and all I did was stick some pins in where the main gear legs go as temporary pivot points and added weight until the nose stayed down. I did place the top half on just to make sure though.

[PR19_Kit]

There's square yards of surface area on this thing. I've just been sanding off all the raised panel lines on the top and bottom halves of the 'fuselage' and it took me over 30 mins! 

I've PSR'd the exhausts and the intake bulges too, all this while waiting for the cockpit paints to dry off. With a bit of luck I'll be doing lots of gluing tomorrow.

And probably swearing as well..........

[PR19_Kit]

After laboriously painting the cockpit (one of the hateful parts of modelling to my mind) of the B-2 I glued it and the coaming into the upper half od the 'fuselage'.

I don't know why I bothered really, you can see virtually NONE of it through the massive windscreen. 



Note the vast areas of PSR around the intakes and exhausts, they fit where they touch, which isn't often.

[zenrat]

Ah, but you know you did it Kit.  That's what counts.

[PR19_Kit]

Ah, but you know you did it Kit.  That's what counts.

Yeah, right........... 

I found a couple of tyre weights exactly the right shape to fit behind the leading edge of the 'fuselage' and are heavy enough, so I've epoxied them in place. Now I've glued the top and bottom halves of the 'fuselage' together with LOTS of tape and clamps etc.

It occurs to me that it'd be easier to build the entire top and bottom of the model separately and then join them top to bottom. There'd be none of that hassle of getting the taps aligned etc.

I may cut out the ends of the tab sockets so I can just slide the wings into position, I can't see that it'd be any weaker when the glue's set.

[KiwiZac]

I'm a B-2 fan since childhood so I'm very excited to see a whiffed one. Curious to learn more about the B-2S specific bits...

[Weaver]

After laboriously painting the cockpit (one of the hateful parts of modelling to my mind)....

High five..... 

[PR19_Kit]

Mostly the B-2S bits are the material it's built from, like aluminium and magnesium, because it's going to be painted in NMF rather than 'carbon black'.  But there will be some radar resistant paint in some areas.

As H pointed out it already has the simpler weapons fit plus it may have an AAR refuelling probe as well as the socket for the Boeing Boom.

I'm coming to agree with those who've said this is a terrible kit. When the wings are on almost NOTHING fits, there are huge gaps all over the place, not helped by the fact that the bottom halves are quite a bit smaller than the upper halves and when they're sat in the recesses designed for them, they don't touch the sides so the glue doesn't work. I've had to superglue pretty well every joint on the model, so much so that I've run out of superglue now!

It'll need a lot of PSR on the gaps and all joint areas, and I've sanded the tops of the wings already, but there's a long way to go.







Two of the problem joint areas, LOTS of PSR going to needed here.

The port wing nicely exhibits the wash-out that's characteristic of flying wing designs, but sadly the starboard side doesn't, and I had to crack some of the joints, bend it to shape, or near, and re-glue it. It's not too bad now, but could have been better.

[PR19_Kit]

I'm not sure I've ever used so much putty on a model before, maybe on the 777-900, but that's the only likely one. EVERY single glue joint on this B-2's needed puttying, madness.

It's going to take a LOT of sanding for sure.

[jalles]

I've always wanted one of these kits but now I'm thinking maybe I should be thankful I've never picked one up.