How to make a B-1R?

SebastianP · March 10, 2006, 09:15:19 AM

I found an interesting little blurb about Boeing's contender for the "Regional Bomber" project while cruising through the Wikipedia - the B-1R, which would be a B-1B airframe with F-22 engines for Mach 2.2 performance, and the ability to carry external conventional ordnance (on the cruise missile hardpoints), and - get this - air-to-air missiles. Naturally, this intrigues me quite a bit - I love the B-1, and I don't yet have one in my collection...

Now, there are some issues with building one of these - first of all, I don't have a clue what "F-22 engines" would look like with conventional nozzles, since I pretty much doubt they'd be thrust-vectoring. Second, the only kit available to me is the Airfix one, and I don't know if that has the external weapons pylons...

Aside from going whole-hog and loading it up with half a dozen or so AMRAAMS and external JDAMs, how else can I represent a B-2R in 1/72 scale? Any ideas?

SP

noxioux · March 10, 2006, 09:44:20 AM

I don't know about the engines, but you will have to scratchbuild the hardpoints. To my knowledge none of the kits will have them.

Hobbes · March 10, 2006, 10:10:24 AM

You could look up the performance difference between the engines, and increase the area of the intakes and exhausts by that percentage.

cthulhu77 · March 10, 2006, 10:19:45 AM

Hmmm. Too bad they don't have the platypus type exhaust...but if this is going to be a whif...

elmayerle · March 10, 2006, 12:20:00 PM

Use X-32 or X-35 exhausts as it's the same basic engine. For the inlets? Brign together two F-22 or YF-22 inlets with a common splitter between them.

Hatchet · March 10, 2006, 01:42:23 PM

QuoteI don't know about the engines, but you will have to scratchbuild the hardpoints. To my knowledge none of the kits will have them.

One of the 72nd kits had the external ALCMs. Can't remember which one, but I think it was Monogram.

rallymodeller · March 10, 2006, 02:49:46 PM

Quote
QuoteI don't know about the engines, but you will have to scratchbuild the hardpoints. To my knowledge none of the kits will have them.
One of the 72nd kits had the external ALCMs. Can't remember which one, but I think it was Monogram.

It was the 72nd Monogram one. Came with a boatload of folded-up AGM-86's, too; like a dozen of them. I've still got some in the parts bin.

Shasper · March 11, 2006, 11:02:37 AM

Make sure to ditch the RCS stuff in the intakes. I have a pic of the Ext load somewhere, I'll try to post it later.

Shas B)

SebastianP · January 28, 2010, 03:58:37 PM

Time to bump this old thing, since I've finally got the plastic for this project... I bought a Revell 1/72 B-1B this morning, and I'm done with airframe assembly now. I'm stuck due to lack of putty at the moment, I couldn't get clean seams between the upper and lower halves of the fuselage basically anywhere, so PSR is a must. I'm a bit miffed that you can't close the forward bomb bay using the kit parts, but I'll manage, somehow.

I like the ALCMs, they're much nicer than the ones in the AMT (and Italeri?) B-52H kits, as in they actually have definition to their folded up fins. There are seventeen of them total, three for the rotary launcher in the bomb bay and fourteen to load externally. Their racks are actually single mounts that you put two of in the same mounting holes at an angle, but they may be usable as adapters for mounting other weapons externally with a bit of ingenuity and spare parts.

Speaking of the ALCM, that's one big missile - it's something like 20% longer than the two kinds of european cruise missiles I've got (Taurus and StormShadow from the Revell Typhoon), in fact it's even bigger than any of the drop tanks I have on hand in that scale. Seeing as there's more than enough to outfit a B-52 in the kit, I'm going to have to ask for some ideas as to where else they might fit, as an external load... F-15E, perhaps? :-)

Cheers,

SP

(PS: and fix this annoying bug that makes the post input window jump up and down once you get to a certain length, please...)

PR19_Kit · January 29, 2010, 04:57:23 AM

Quote from: SebastianP on January 28, 2010, 03:58:37 PM
(PS: and fix this annoying bug that makes the post input window jump up and down once you get to a certain length, please...)

You've not recently 'upgraded' to Win7/IE8 have you?

I have and my posts do exactly the same on here now, and they don't when I try and do it on my older WinXP/IE7 system.

proditor · January 29, 2010, 07:25:16 AM

I think it's "just" an IE 8 issue as I have the same problem and I'm running XP/IE8

Back tot he main point, I can't wait to see this sucker, it should be a beast!

chrisonord · January 30, 2010, 07:25:56 AM

Quote from: JP Vieira on January 30, 2010, 01:42:40 AM
The B-1R was feature in the last DogFights (History Channel) episode...?

Yes I have seen that episode a few times now it is very good too how they envisage a future engagement. It made me think about doing a B-1R too.
Chris.

SebastianP · February 10, 2010, 01:51:00 PM

The project is slowly taking shape. I tried to take the beast apart to add more noseweight, but it didn't work - the main seams split (too) easily, but the nose and tailcone wouldn't come back off with the force I dared use, so I had to reglue it again. There's enough weight at this point to keep it balanced with the wings extended, but not when they're swept - I console myself with the knowledge that the real thing has the same problem.

I'm considering alternatives to finishing it as a B-1R right now, including an RAF or USN version, seeing as I have decals that would work for that purpose (a Revell Tornado GR.1 sheet for the RAF version, and lots of spare Navy markings for the USN version). The final option is to build it OOB, *with* all the cruise missiles, which would be a what-if in itself, since the real thing never got to carry them. That would actually be the easiest to do, really...

Cheers,

SP

TallEng · February 10, 2010, 02:05:23 PM

Don't, just build the B-1R version!
I'd like to see one finished!

SebastianP · February 10, 2010, 04:58:43 PM

I'm thinking the B-1R mod will have to wait until my next bone, sadly. I'm missing some critical parts (weapon racks and weapons, mostly), and I can't redo the bomb bay since the plane has been closed up. That's why I've been considering other options.

I'm going to leave the plane to dry for a couple of days, since I've just given the white parts a second coat. I hate that color... I also need to pick up a tube of filler, which I'll do on friday since I'll be in town on other business anyway. (Dentist will be using a bucket of filler on me that afternoon...)

Cheers

SP