The BONE - a Cold
War relic revitalised into the new frontline hero of the footsoldier - able to
loiter for hours with a varied bombload, ready to carry out strategic, tactical
and even CAS duties all within the same mission. A truly versatile bomb platform
which accounted for 60% of all ordnance dropped in Afghanistan and Iraq. Bet you
didn't know that!
This is the
Ellsworth AB-based "Swift Justice" in a typical multi-mission config
as it would have been based at Thumrait, Oman in 2003. The paint is a
combination of Tamiya AS spray, Gunze Mr Color lacquer and White Ensign enamel.
The decals are from the excellent Fox One range and are just about the best
decals I've ever used.
The Revell kit
builds up to just under three feet long and takes some careful handling not to
sweep your workbench clear every time you turn it around! This build was
considerably modified from the kit, which portrays a typical Reagan-era nuclear
SAC bomber.
It's still a great
kit, by far the most accurate B-1 available, and was further enhanced with the
addition of the Eduard PE interior and exterior set.
Click on
images below to see larger images
I rebuilt the kit's SRAM
launchers into the current config conventional rotary launchers (CRLs),
and loaded them both with 4 standard JDAMs and 2 bunker busters from
Golden Dragon and the excellent Shawn Hull. I scratchbuilt the aft
conventional munitions carrier and loaded it up with 12 WCMD cluster bombs
(converted from Hasegawa Rockeyes.)
I also whiff'ed a
bit with the addition of a Sniper XR pod, also from Shawn Hull. (I'm not
sponsored by Shawn, he just makes great stuff!)
Click on
images below to see larger images
I needed to
scratchbuild many of the new avionics and sensor fairings and antennae, vents
and GPS bubble to bring the Bone up to date. Indispensable additions to
modernise this kit are Shawn Hull's ALE-50 decoy dispensers, which fit with
minimum fuss either side of the aft fuselage.
Click on
images below to see larger images
In addition I
rebuilt the engine nacelles to the correct length and added Cutting Edge burner
cans and nozzles. I also built a tail support to take the weight of the plane
off the main landing gear, which is very accurate but possibly not quite up to
the job in the long term!
There is a fantastic
thread in the Jet Modeling Forums on all you need to know about building and
modifying Revell's 1/48 kit. All in all, this was one of the most difficult
builds I've ever done and used up most of my reserves of plastic card, putty and
patience - but it was definitely worth it in the end to add this BIG bird to my
collection.
Alan
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