Northrop-Grumman B-2S

[PR19_Kit]

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

That's good thinking, it's a right bear of a thing to put together. 

But it looks impressive, size-wise anyway.

[NARSES2]

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

I've built the small scale one (1/144 or 1/200 ?) and it's still quite big in that scale. It's on here somewhere and is a nice build

[zenrat]

I don't like either the F117 or the B2.  They have always looked to me like models built by someone using lego who only had a vague idea of what an aeroplane looked like.

You are a brave stubborn resolute bloody minded foolish determined man taking this on Kit.

[kitnut617]

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

That's good thinking, it's a right bear of a thing to put together. 

But it looks impressive, size-wise anyway.

There is always the ModelCollect kit you can buy -----

[Weaver]

I've got two of the Revell 'Advanced Technology Bomber' kits (curvy B-2, basically): they have the same construction and, according to the internet, many of the same issues. The interesting thing is how flat they are compared to the actual B-2.

If I build one (or both!) of mine, we should conspire to take them all to Telford Kit: on the one hand, OGL might have a fit, but on the other hand, if we're suitably 'creative' with our mounting/display stands, we could double our table space!

[Captain Canada]

I'd mod it up so most of the gear doors are closed when the wheels are down. Just looks better 

[PR19_Kit]

I'd mod it up so most of the gear doors are closed when the wheels are down. Just looks better 

Not easy, the 4 wheel bogies are right on the centre line of the humunguous doors and any closed part of the door would very small indeed.

All I'm doing now is sanding, sanding and MORE sanding. 

[Old Wombat]

All I'm doing now is sanding, sanding and MORE sanding. 

Aah, the joys of modelling!

[rickshaw]

All I'm doing now is sanding, sanding and MORE sanding. 

Aah, the joys of modelling!

Good for the lower arm/wrist strength.  Excellent exercise.   Make sure you don't get RSI though!   

[zenrat]

And wear a mask or wet sand.  Or do both just to be safe.

[PR19_Kit]

And wear a mask or wet sand.  Or do both just to be safe.

I am, and my face has the marks to prove it after y'day. 

I'm going to do one of the others for a bit, this is driving me NUTS!

[sandiego89]

I'd mod it up so most of the gear doors are closed when the wheels are down. Just looks better 

Not easy, the 4 wheel bogies are right on the centre line of the humunguous doors and any closed part of the door would very small indeed.

All I'm doing now is sanding, sanding and MORE sanding. 

I believe the massive main gear doors actually provide some stability on the real B-2.  Without a real vertical stabilizer it needs all the help it can get, especially when slow. 

[PR19_Kit]

I believe the massive main gear doors actually provide some stability on the real B-2.  Without a real vertical stabilizer it needs all the help it can get, especially when slow.

That makes some sense, yes. 

[Weaver]

I'd mod it up so most of the gear doors are closed when the wheels are down. Just looks better 

Not easy, the 4 wheel bogies are right on the centre line of the humunguous doors and any closed part of the door would very small indeed.

All I'm doing now is sanding, sanding and MORE sanding. 

I believe the massive main gear doors actually provide some stability on the real B-2.  Without a real vertical stabilizer it needs all the help it can get, especially when slow.

Yep - it's yaw control normally comes from split 'drag rudders' near the wingtips that point the nose by opening asymetrically. The problem is that, with no fixed fin to provide passive stability, they have to do this automatically all the time under the control of the flight control system, and since they create more drag than a conventional rudder, this can result in the loss of a few knots if they have to make a sudden and powerful deflection. Now that isn't much of a problem when you're at cruising altitude and speed, but when you're taking off or coming in to land a) it's more likely to happen because the aircraft doesn't have the same kinetic energy to resist gusts and b) it might well cause a problem because you're already at near stalling speed. The big gear doors therefore provide 'temporary finnage' to reduce the likelihood of needing the drag rudders during landing and take off.

[PR19_Kit]

The B-2S foundered at the PSR stage, and it's still there. 

SO much to do getting rid of the raised panel line detail and filling zillions of sink marks and other 'concavities' I'm not sure if I'm still minded to carry on with it, but we'll see as my life slowly returns to normal, whatever that is.....