Half Time Show - Northrop's proto-F-5

[CammNut]

First things first, I was massively impressed and inspired by Mat's Northrop N-102 Fang [ https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=51868.0 ]. I have always liked the Fang but did not think it was possible to make a model. Mat's kitbash of a B-58 into an N-102 lit a bulb above my head. I had to try it too. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, they say. I hope Mat thinks so!

This is a departure for me. I don't usually post works in progress. My builds either go blazingly fast or glacially slow and that does not fit with a WIP. This build has blazed along but is about to slow to glacier pace as I haven't decided on a colour scheme. But, I thought, why not show it in an interim state, one that represents something that actually existed? That will buy me time to prevaricate.


This is Northrop's full-scale mockup of 1954.

To show how I got this far, I took some pictures of the model before priming. You can see that almost no two pieces of the original model are still touching!


I started with a 1/1144th-scale B-58 Hustler. I widened the fuselage with plastic card, trimmed and reattached the fin, cut down the cockpit area and deepened and flattened the forward fuselage with more plastic card. I cut the trailing edges off the wing, adding a little at the cambered tips to get straight trailing edges.


To make the engine pod I used the engine nacelle from a larger-scale Hustler for the front part, adding the splitter plate and cutting back the inlet lips. The aft part is constant-section tube from a missile booster. The horizontal tails are shaped from scrap plastic. I used a piece of narrow-diameter plastic tube for the gun on the lower forward fuselage. The cockpit is still a work in progress, and not quite a fit yet.


You will notice the tail serial is not the right number. I did not have a decal sheet with four 2s and six 7s of the right size! And the markings will all come off when I decide on a final colour scheme anyway. I may still add the little "Fang" logos on the nose if I can home-print them.

[Nick]

Fantastic!   

You could easily get away with painting the stand, putting some ladders and toolbenches around it and saying it's your model of the mock up.

[chrisonord]

   wow, I am liking that.

[Steel Penguin]

the white airframe looks well smart 

I will certainly agree with Nick and say you could do the mock up and do it proud. 

[perttime]

Looks good.
I'm a little distracted by the thicker panels on top of the B-58 wing. Chaff dispensers? But I suppose a fighter can also have them.

[Mossie]

Cool bash.  Looks the part. 

[Leading Observer]

the white airframe looks well smart 

I will certainly agree with Nick and say you could do the mock up and do it proud. 

Is there a GB in that idea? Prototypes and Mock Ups?

[zenrat]

We did prototypes in 20/21.  Could do it again though.  I'll add it to my list and suggest it when Chris is collating themes for the vote.

[PR19_Kit]

I'm a little distracted by the thicker panels on top of the B-58 wing. Chaff dispensers? But I suppose a fighter can also have them.

IIRC they were to make enough room for the weird landing gear, which turned itself upside down before folding into the wings.

[CammNut]

I didn't intend for the gear fairings to be as prominent as they are. I started sanding them down, got distracted and didn't finish the job. I did remove the underwing fairings, but only one and realized the other was still there at the last minute before priming! I also need to redo the stand using thinner-diameter plastic rod. Sprayed white as it was later it looks too sturdy.

[perttime]

Ahhh. It is a landing gear fairing - but also:

"A chaff dispensing system was installed in each upper main gear fairing, with chaff being ejected through mechanically actuated slots in the tops of each wing fairing."
https://www.b58hustlerassn.net/b-58-history/in-service/

[NARSES2]

That does look good sir   

[su27rules]

      

[Vulcan7]

          

[mat]

First things first, I was massively impressed and inspired by Mat's Northrop N-102 Fang [ https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=51868.0 ]. I have always liked the Fang but did not think it was possible to make a model. Mat's kitbash of a B-58 into an N-102 lit a bulb above my head. I had to try it too. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, they say. I hope Mat thinks so!

Great build. I'm certainly flattered.    And to the differences between your model and mine, my explanation will be, that yours build shows the mockup and mine is the production version.