Best scale B-52

Aircraft Modern
1

Hey chaps, just asking in your experience, what would be the best B-52, most likely 1/72 scale, that’s relatively easy to build with no major fit problems…? Not looking for extreme detail, just a good build to add to the “ceiling hangers” as it were…LOL…!

2

You have three options at 1/72: Revell/Monogram, AMT/Italeri and Model Collect.

Don’t have any or built them but based on your requirements I would say Revell, Italeri then Model Collect.

http://modelingmadness.com/review/korean/us/usaf/bomber/kol52.htm

http://kits.kitreview.com/italeri1262reviewme_1.htm

HTH

3

I built the Revell/Monogram one a bunch of years ago. It looks pretty good for a ceiling hanger. Well detailed and plenty of extras (depending on type) like bomb bay load, ALCMs for the wings, bombs for the wings, etc.

Of note though, at 1/72, it is still pretty huge. The wingspan is amost 3 feet wide.

4

Ah, that kit does bring back memories. Built my first one as a kid in the late sixties. Built another almost thirty years later for a pilot at Carswell when it was still a SAC base.
It’s impressive, but the nacelles need work to get them smooth. the second kit was one of my first forays into using CA as a filler, which made the job go a lot quicker. Fill, spray, sand. Repeat.
There used to be a lot of aftermarket out to make it one of the later models. Or you could go to one of the smaller scales and get a later version right out of the box.
But back to the Monogram kit - you can still make a fine kit with a few simple but effective tweaks. There are numerous vortex generators you can add to the upper wing surfaces very inexpensively with Evergreen strips. The other thing is the stressed skin - pretty much a trademark of the old beast, which reminds me, if I were ever to do another I think I’d do it described in Flight of the Old Dog.

1 Like
5

Flight of the old dog… great book.

2 Likes
6

Thanks for all the info guys, much appreciated. I priced out the Model Collect version…YIKES…!!!..Many bucks for that beast, so I’ll check out the Italeri and Revell
kits at LHS. But I guess the MC version will be a better mold/fit for that price.

unclepine