Wall

Francky
Strange, the large raduius on the top view where the wings connect to the fuselage seems very wrong?

Gary Victory
Francky - The B-52 was part of the SALT negotiations with the Soviet Union due to ALCM capable airframes. I believe all the H models were capable and was identifiable by the Turbo Fan engines.
With the G model not all the airframes were brought up to that standard so to make the ALCM carriers 'visible' an extension was added at the wing root and also a fin like feature on the lower airframe by the rear undercarriage. See below which was added to the uploaded instructions on scalemates for this kit;
Especially make note of option 3.

There are only ALCM pylons and AGM-86C missiles in the kit. This is a problem, explanation
follows:
Option 1 – 58-0173 „Let´s Make A Deal" - the plane DID NOT carried the ALCM pylons in the
Gulf war. You need to obtain AGM-28 pylons from kit AMT 8633 "G early" (without EVS bulges)
or from Monogram D kit + scratchbuild I-BEAM adapter + add 2 x MER (e.g. from Eduard
672119). The plane was in „SAC" camouflage. The camouflage colors are wrong, replace FS
34201 with FS 34086 and FS 36118 with FS 36081. The FS 34201 faded a lot so check the pictures
for corret shade.
Option 2 – 57-6515 „Mohawk Warrior"- the plane DID NOT carried the ALCM pylons in the Gulf
war. You need to obtain AGM-28 pylons from kit AMT 8633 "G early" (without EVS bulges) or
from Monogram D kit + scratchbuild I-BEAM adapter + add 2 x MER (e.g. from Eduard 672119).
The plane was in „Mono" camouflage. The camouflage colors are wrong, replace FS 35237 with FS
36081.
Option 3 – 57-6473 „Hard T´get" - this plane was not ALCM modified, had no added „streaks" to
the wing roots, so IT IS NOT POSSIBLE to build it from the box. You need to obtain the front
fuselage halves from AMT/Ertl/Italeri B-52H kit. The plane did not carried ALCM pylons in the
Gulf war. It carried „stub" pylons + HSAB adapter. The plane was in „Mono" camouflage. The
camouflage colors are wrong, replace FS 36118 with FS 36081.
Option 4 – 58-0253. No idea why this option is in this kit as it was not in Gulf war. Do not use it.
You can find more info about loadouts, configs etc. on B-52G during Gulf war here:
www.dstorm.eu

Francky
Waw, you do know about the B_52 i SEE; Thanks a lot for the infop provided.

🙂
Fy

Treehugger
Do you know if there is any way to easily convert the MS to the older KM variant? The KM has a larger sensor dome at the front.

Checking photos, apparently the older K or KM (cruise missile variant) looks the same at the front but the bulge goes further back behind the canopy. I suppose that could perhaps be scratchbuilt without making too much of a mess.

Btw, it is unfortunate that kit makers keep making the propellers moulded into one big piece, as there are some interesting detailing at the root of each propeller. I've modeled the Tu-95KM in detail on a computer myself some years ago. 🙂 It was supposed to be for potentially a documentary but the other guy wasn't very engaging so the model was never completed. Finding references for the landing gear was abit tricky I remember.

Now that I think about it, the KM also had a bottom turret on the tail, which probably isn't included at all in the MS kit. The MS also had different sensors probably and the KM a somewhat different tail turret.

Gary Victory
Hi Treehugger.
I have looked at the Hannants web page and they have very little aftermarket in stock, so that would suggest not to much on the market because if Hannants don't have then no one will in the UK.

If you watch Phil Flory's review this kit is early Trumpeter so things are not quiet refined. I am a member of Flory models and he did a fantastic build but i don't think he has made it widely available outside of the forum.

So in reply to your question to update the kit to a TU-95KM Bear C, without resorting to scratch building then there is no other way to convert.
https://nuke.fas.org/guide/russia/bomber/tu-95.htm

With the props you could make up a template or remove the props completely to add the detail.
If you scroll down the page a link to a walk around from Primeportal is available.
http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/yuri_pasholok/tu-95ms_bear/

Also check this one out from Britmodeller.
https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235021254-tupolev-tu-142-bear-f/

Treehugger
Thanks for the feedback! 🙂

Gary Victory
58-0173 „Let´s Make A Deal"

Paweł W.
👍

Gary Victory
Thank you very much guys. 🙂

Bruce, i like to do my research look at pictures of the real thing. These things can really look beaten up. The modern French ones more so due to being grey.
I would recommend this kit. Nice to have something a little different on the shelve.

Neuling
Top painting, shading, weathering! 👍

Neil
Gosh Gary have just come across this one looking through other people's albums. Top job again from you here, I admire and applaud your skills 👏👏 it looks BIG and ace! 👍

Gary Victory
Neuling and Neil. Thank you for very kind comments.
Neil...Yep it's a BIGGY.... A really nice kit from Revell....You get a lot of plastic for your money. Just some careful clean up required and lots of test fitting.