B-52 "FICON": B-52 carrying F-104's *finished*

[sandiego89]

Commenced with the paint job.  Going with the early SAC natural metal and anti-flash white on the undersurfaces.  Gray primer on the fuselage.  White on the undersides of the wing and the flaps.  Kit allows flaps to transition up or down.  Interesting that the B-52 only has an up or down flap setting- no intermediate flap. 

Of course something as simple as under-flash white turns up a staggering amount of variations when you start to look at examples in my references and on-line.  White under the fuselage only, white half way up the engine nacelles, full white nacelles with pylons natural metal, full white nacelles and pylons.....     And I am just scratching what "natural metal" means.  Like the B-36 there seems to be significant variations in schemes whn you dig a bit deeper. 

Again very impressed with the quality of the molds.  Nice kit so far. 

[PR19_Kit]

That kit was a revelation when it first came out, not only for its size. Everyone commented on the quality, but that was back when Monogram WAS Monogram.

Does it still have the three little lugs on the wings and fuselage to enable you to hang it up in the roof with lengths of string?

[Ed S]

Something I have seen with other builds of this kit. The big wings are quite heavy and can cause the back of the fuselage to split if it isn't well glued. I build one of these last year (RW) and after I glued the fuselage together and added the wings, I added epoxy to the wing joints and upper fuselage. I found one of the epoxy dispensers like a syringe with a long nozzle that mixes the epoxy as you squirt it in place. It worked.

Ed

[sandiego89]

Something I have seen with other builds of this kit. The big wings are quite heavy and can cause the back of the fuselage to split if it isn't well glued. I build one of these last year (RW) and after I glued the fuselage together and added the wings, I added epoxy to the wing joints and upper fuselage. I found one of the epoxy dispensers like a syringe with a long nozzle that mixes the epoxy as you squirt it in place. It worked.

Ed

Thanks Ed, great tip! 

That kit was a revelation when it first came out, not only for its size. Everyone commented on the quality, but that was back when Monogram WAS Monogram.

Does it still have the three little lugs on the wings and fuselage to enable you to hang it up in the roof with lengths of string?

Yes, Kit, the mold still has the three lugs/eyelets and a circular piece so it can be hung for the ceiling.  Hmmm...... wonder if Mrs. Sandiego89 would notice...

[PR19_Kit]

Yes, Kit, the mold still has the three lugs/eyelets and a circular piece so it can be hung for the ceiling.  Hmmm...... wonder if Mrs. Sandiego89 would notice...

Almost certainly.

The late Mrs_PR19 said about my newly purchased 1/72 B-36 some 30 odd years ago, 'Hmmmm, if you plan on hanging that up you better get some brighter light bulbs!' 

I solved that problem by not actually building it...........................yet. 

[KiwiZac]

The late Mrs_PR19 said about my newly purchased 1/72 B-36 some 30 odd years ago, 'Hmmmm, if you plan on hanging that up you better get some brighter light bulbs!' 

Brilliant! Or not...

A 1/72 B-52 whif has to be good. I'm excited!

[sandiego89]

Wow, the weather around here has been killing this bulid- high winds and cold making spray painting difficult.  Anyhow, finally got a chance to put some color down.

Natural aluminum for the main fuselage, anti-flash white undersides.



Flap work. The kit has some great flaps that slide out and down. My second shade of natural aluminum turned out too dark.  Needs a respray.



While the new paint dries, lets' take a look at the F-104's.  Decals very yellowed    Will try the putting in the window trick...

[The Rat]

This is madness, sheer madness.

And I'm LOVING IT! 

[loupgarou]

This is madness, sheer madness.

And I'm LOVING IT! 

It was Napoleon or Nero that said:
"In madness lies greatness" ?

[Old Wombat]

This is madness, sheer madness.

And I'm LOVING IT! 

It was Napoleon or Nero that said:
"In madness lies greatness" ?

Yet, for either of them, the corollary "In greatness lies madness" held more truth.

[sandiego89]

Thanks guys!

Re-sprayed the natural metal.  Used Rustoleum rattle cans from Home Depot aluminum (shiny), Nickel Matte (dull) and Testors Magnesium (dark on wings) for the three metal shades used on A-F model B-52's.  G and H models used some differing metals for their skins. Gloss White anti-flash undersides. LOTS of painters tape was sacrificed. 

Engine pods commenced. 



Two seat Harrier for scale. 

[kitnut617]

Lovely job on that paint work sandiego   

[Old Wombat]

LOTS of painters tape was sacrificed. 

Well worth it! Great job!

[zenrat]

"Beyond madness lies greater madness"

[NARSES2]

Lovely job on that paint work sandiego   

Very much so