View Single Post
Old 01-27-21, 02:06 PM   #5
ET2SN
ET2/SS
 
ET2SN's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 2,513
Downloads: 58
Uploads: 0


Default

I don't "do" pictures. Cameras tend to break if my face gets in them.
Besides, IMO this is a hands-on hobby. You really need to do this stuff live and in person. Pics tend to make people lazy and I'd rather see you try it rather than me showing off what I've done. I'll tell you what I use on my builds and how I do it, however.

Actually, I was goofing around with this kit last night and I think I nailed how to paint the engine fans. Its really easy, I used Tamiya Gunmetal (X-10), Tamiya NATO Black (XF-69), Tamiya Black Panel Liner, and a small brush.

Paint the fan blades Gunmetal and let them dry. Again, I did this using a brush.
Then paint the engine cone Nato Black. Once dry, add a touch of Panel Liner to the fan blades. That's it. I checked the colors using a color photo of a TF-33 engine from my copy of Squadron's Walk Around #6, B-52 and it looks about right. Remember these engine fans go a little deep into the pods. You don't want the fan blades super bright but you do want them to "poke out" a bit. If you want to weather/distress the engine cones, try dry brushing them slightly using Tamiya Titanium Silver (X-32) or a dark shade of Aluminum. These aren't big parts, so just a little of an effect goes a long way.

The engine exhausts are basically black. You could try using a darker jet engine exhaust paint or just go straight to flat black.

A couple of other build notes:

This kit includes the six air probes that glue to the side of the fwd fuse. They are SMALL and you'll need some good tweezers and a liquid-type glue. I also recommend gluing them in place early in the build, way before you do any painting. Just paint them in the final steps of your build using a color like Titanium Gold (X-32) or a darker shade of Stainless Steel or even a dark-ish brown metallic (these probes are heated in flight and tend to get some heat staining but are also really small).

The flight deck and interior parts of this kit are overkill. With that being said, paint the flight deck walls and floor(s) using a lighter gray (something like Gull Gray). The Inst Panel shroud should be painted Nato Black and this where it pays off to know someone who smokes Marlboros. Ask them to save the foiled pull-out tab the next time they open a new pack. This foiled paper is a very quick and dirty way to replicate the flash curtains that cover the cockpit windows. The bomb bay is mostly white. Don't go too crazy with weathering unless its the sides of the bomb bay. Pipes can be a darker silver for contrast and hoses are "gas station red/orange". The rotary launcher is mostly white, however, the framing that holds it in place should be painted black.

The landing gear bays are tricky. The normal way to build landing gear is to weather them up heavily and add streaks and stains. On the B-52, the main gear parts are painted gloss white and are inspected and cleaned prior to and just after flight. In other words, don't go overboard like its a Mig.

The Cruise Missiles in the kit are AGM-129s. These are the more modern, stealthy versions of the good 'ole AGM-86 ALCM (or later CALCM). I need to dig into this a little more, but I don't think the -129 was retro-fitted with a conventional warhead. Aside from the kit's painting guide, I don't think they are painted Olive Drab like the conventional bombs. In all the photos I've seen, they are painted a "stealthy black" or maybe a charcoal gray. You could try just painting them Nato Black or maybe toning it up slightly with just a hint of Gunship Gray (maybe one drop of gray to ten drops of black).

The walkway lines on the main wing are still bugging me. I'm 99% sure they SHOULD be there, I want to dig into this to prove myself wrong. The modern photos I have show Gunship Gray with a slightly darker gray walkway line and stenciling, but this may have changed recently.


Otherwise, take your time cutting the parts off the sprues and filing/sanding them. Dry fit the parts to make sure they fit (this kit basically "clicks" together so make certain there is no paint between parts that join together, like the bomb bay, flight deck, and fuse). After that, assembly goes quickly.
ET2SN is offline   Reply With Quote