THE DOSSIER:  MINICRAFT'S NEW TAKE ON ITS CLASSIC B-52 PROVIDES AN ABUNDANCE OF EXTRAS FOR THE MODELER WITH AN EASYGOING BUILD IN 1/144 SCALE!  THIS IS THE MOST VERSATILE AIRCRAFT KIT IN 1/144 SCALE AND MAY BE ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE MODEL KITS EVER MADE.

INTRODUCTION BY BILL ENGAR

In 1/144 scale, Minicraft Models offers multiple versions of three iconic aircraft that have flown for more than half a century in the USAF.  You can add different versions of the KC-135 and C-130 to your collection.  Now, you can build just about any version of the B-52 that you want with Minicraft’s tall-tail B-52 D/E!

Minicraft's new, bigger box shows two possibilities for early B-52's that you can build from this kit!

Pardon us while we digress for a moment with some history of this kit.  ​Circa 1970, a quirky Japanese model kit company named Crown released a B-52H in 1/144 scale.  “Quirky” Crown put a few items into the model that were generally not done in a 1/144 aircraft kit at the time such as recessed panel lines, cockpit interior including seats and console, dropped flaps, deep landing gear wells, and multiple choices for external weapons.  A Quail decoy drone was even included that would have been carried internally in the B-52.  There was also included a handful of clear stands for the Quail and the weapons you didn’t use on the model.  Up to that time, such an effort in a 1/144 scale kit had never been attempted.  Since then, no other 1/144 kit has been released that matches all these features.

Two new sprues distinguish this kit.  The sprue at top-left is so packed with new, early B-52 goodies that a bigger box is required.  The second newly tooled sprue is that new tall-tail fuselage.  That fuselage almost looks lost amongst the huge array of parts - but the model when built is 13.5 inches long with a 16-inch wingspan.  Small scale.  Big model.

Here's a closeup view of the tall-tail B-52D/F fuselage, newly tooled by Minicraft.  Also available is #14745, B-52D/E.  Same plastic.  Different decals.

​Crown’s B-52 was only sporadically imported into the USA.  If I did see it as a youngster, it wasn’t on my buy-list since the import-price would have been out of range of my paperboy-money budget.  However, Revell released their version of the kit in 1982 and it was easy to find throughout the mid-1980’s at a reasonable price.
 
In the early 1990’s, Minicraft Models bought much of the Crown tooling and re-released the B-52 as their top-of-the-line 1/144-scale model kit at the time.  Quality of decals from the get-go was better than either the Crown or Revell versions of the kit and as time went on, each subsequent re-release got even better decals.

In the early 2010’s, Minicraft added new parts to make a “modern” tactical-gray B-52H.  A silver-and-white cold war “H” version was available, too.  The quality of Minicraft’s decals made by Cartograf rivaled anything that could be purchased from the aftermarket and life was good for modelers who wanted to add both versions of this iconic aircraft to their collections.

WING IT:  Not many aircraft models come with a dropped-flaps option.  And it's got to be extremely rare in 1/144 scale.  The classic Minicraft B-52H has always had dropped flaps - and they continue here!

In the year 2017, the Minicraft B-52 got its biggest release yet in the form of 14734, the B-52D/F with a picture of a Vietnam war-vintage tall-tail B-52 in SEA camouflage on black.  14745 is a B-52D/E in natural-metal and white Cold War guise.

The extra bits on this tail-sprue are used for the "Current Flying" B-52.  Add 'em to your spares box.  They don't apply to the B-52D/F.

At bottom center of this clear parts sprue lies the new rear gunner's window!  We've been waiting so long for this!!!  Note FIVE clear stands that can be put to work with the unused ordnance and Quail missile to make a knock-your-socks-off display.

Significant modifications to the kit include a new fuselage with the tall tail and rear gunner’s station depicted with clear windows.  THREE engine options are included (although only two engine sets apply to the kit) and all the weapons from previous releases are there!

BRAND NEW-SPRUE:  This huge sprue contains newly-tooled parts needed to make a tall-tail B-52.  Early turbojet engines (note two sets of intakes), conventional bombs and wing racks, 3000 gallon fuel tanks, and new four-gun tail turret.

The easiest way to identify the latest B-52 kits is by the size of the box.  Did Minicraft put the new kits in a bigger box to give the illusion that there is more stuff in there?  No!  The bigger box is needed because there’s no way it would fit in the older, smaller box!

Heres a new, beautifully-tooled 4-gun tail turret. 

Adding the new rear gunner's window to the existing clear sprue keeps costs down, but a concession is those ejector pin rounds.  They're really not too intrusive unless you're a picky contest-modeler.  They shouldn't be too hard to sand/polish off.

There are two significant changes in the new kits.  First of all, there is a completely new fuselage.  A new fuselage had to be tooled to depict the earlier tall-tail B-52.  The earlier B-52 variants also had a stubbier nose radome, and Minicraft depicted this item on the new fuselage as well.

Only ONE PART from this sprue went into Brudder Dick's B-52 as you'll see later!  He did put the Hound-dogs and Quail decoy on stands.  But there is a lot of fun stuff you can do with all these extra parts in other projects!

Here's another sprue that carries over from the legacy version of this iconic 1/144-scale military kit.  You won't use the turbofan engines seen here for a B-22D-F.  There's the flaps, landing gear bay, engine pylons, flaps, and smaller wing fuel tanks that you won't use either.

A number of additional parts had to be tooled to depict earlier B-52’s (D-F).  Earlier turbojet engines, large (3000 gallon) wing fuel tanks, new weapons racks, a new 4-gun tail turret, and a set of 24 conventional bombs made a brand-new sprue that was too big to fit in the old box.

Here's a closeup look at the nose of that new fuselage.

New engines for the B-52F.  The "D" version has its own set of correct intakes as well.

With all this stuff, you also get the weapons that came with the previous version.  This means that you’ll have plenty of leftover munitions for your other 1/144 projects including the Quail decoy, four Skybolt missiles, two Hound Dog missiles, and a dozen SRAM’s with pylons.  Another great idea is to build the unused ordnance and display it alongside your finished B-52 on any of the included five small, clear stands.

Minicraft doesn't compromise the important details.  These decals are made by Cartograf--best in the industry.

Both of these aircraft options have a black bottom designed for night attacks with conventional bombs.

Speaking of clear stands, Minicraft includes their versatile Minicraft Clear Stand along with the tall-tail B-52 kits.  If you decide not to use it since the B-52 kit includes full outrigger landing gear, the stand may be used for other projects.  It’s designed with a post that can be cut to whatever length is needed for your project.  If you have limited display space, you can adjust the height to “fly” one model above another, but not so high that it hits the shelf above.

This version depicts a mostly natural-metal B-52 flying from Guam in 1966.

December, 1972 and B-52's in this scheme are remembered for Operation Linebacker II.

Another interesting tidbit is that the parts to the modern version are included with the horizontal tails sprue.  These parts were tooled circa 2012 as part of the late-version B-52, and they are included here!  Of course you won’t be able to build a B-52H from this kit since the fuselage halves are the tall tail/short radome version, but you’ll want to get the separate kit 16461 B-52H “Current Flying Version” anyway.

#14641 is a contemporary B-52 with modern terrain-following hardware in the nose.  Minicraft added new parts to create this kit in 2012.

#14615 is a Cold War SAC aircraft.  It represents the classic "H" version of this iconic 1/144 scale military model kit.

So how does it go together?  General fit of the kit is good.  Model kits engineered in Japan in the 1970’s were often better than their counterparts from other places and this generalization holds here for the most part.  Brudder Dick will deal with specifics since he built the model.
 
I noted a handful of ejector pins and sinkholes, mostly in out-of-the-way places that will only bother contest modelers.  Under the extended flaps and the backsides of the main landing gear tires are examples.

Let's turn this article over to Brudder Dick, who will show you how he built his Minicraft B-52.  While the previous photos show #147834, Dick's model is built from #14745, Minicraft's B-52 D/E.

MINICRAFT B-52 BUILDING PROCESSS

BY DICK ENGAR

Brudder Bill has already broken down the kit parts for you.  So it is time for me to describe the process of building the model, which was generally fun and not that difficult, other than some modifications made to show the model in flight.  You will learn why as you read my account!
 
First of all, Bill and I wanted to replicate the B-52 you see in the iconic dark comedy, Dr Strangelove featuring George C. Scott before he reincarnated General Patton.  Of more interest for this particular project is none other than Slim Pickens as "Major T. J. 'King' Kong," pilot of the doomsday flight, so I had to build the D model as it appeared in the 1950s and early 60s.  Most if not all 1/144 models do not come with figures and since I was going to use the fantastic Minicraft stand that comes with the model and display my B-52 in flight, I had to have the pilots in the cockpit as visible as possible.  So, how do you deal with 1/144 scale figures?

Yellow Fellows:  these figures came from a Heller 1/100 Alouette helicopter.

With a little modification, Major T.J. "King" Kong (left) is ready to board his B-52 bound for oblivion with his copilot.

I recently finished a Heller Cadet French Alouette helicopter in 1/100 scale which came with two pilot figures I did not use.  Although they would be a little large as the pictures show, I thought with a little bit of plastic surgery they would fit in the seats.  So I used all of my medical skills to successfully modify the figures to fit in their seats.  I fabricated a ten-gallon hat for Slim, painted the helmet and visor of the co-pilot as he appeared in the movie, seated them both, made proper harnesses, and you can see the results.  Of course Slim and his big hat barely fit in the cockpit as I glued the fuselage halves together. I did not see any need to add any further cockpit detail but I would later make sure both could easily be seen through the cockpit windows.

Rescribed panel lines.

Slim with his cowboy hat and copilot in the fuselage.

"But wait," you say.  "The B-52 in Dr Strangelove is a "G."  Yours is a "D".  You'll just have to wait and see why Dem Brudders intentionally did this.

I followed the instructions as far as general order of assembly.  As usual with any aircraft model, I had to ensure a seam-free fuselage top and bottom and had to rescribe the panel lines after getting a smooth transition and then fit the landing gear doors which required a little shim using Evergreen plastic strips here and there. The wings and tailplanes went together well with little need for any seam filling except at the wing tips and some spots where the retracted flaps had to go.  I used Advanced Model Products (AMP) White Putty which you can order from Jim Sorensen of Clinton, Utah and re-scribed the gear doors so all lines were even.

Dick's Minicraft B-52 at the "putty stage."

The kit comes with dropped flaps!  However, Dick's build will depict an in-flight aircraft in "clean" configuration, so flaps were glued in the retracted position.

The main challenge of the project was to fix wing seams.  This action is complicated if you want to pose the B-52 in flight since there is more dihedral than you see when the wings sag a bit when the plane is on the ground.  I used shots from the movie to determine the right amount of dihedral and used relatively large Evergreen plastic shims where the wings meet the bottom of the fuselage.  Of course the top seam was less of a challenge to fix but still needed putty.  The pictures show the progress in adding filler and you can see the dihedral achieved.  There were also some holes in the wings I had to fill since I was not using the AGM-28 Hound Dog air launched cruise missiles that come with the kit.  I had to cut a hole in the right spot for the stand – I did add some weight to the nose before gluing the fuselage halves together to get good balance since I anticipated a large aircraft having to rest evenly on the stand.

Dick did a shim-and-trim shuffle to provide some wing-flex to depict the model in-flight.

The engines fit together well enough but be sure to pick the correct ones for the version you are building since there are two options.  The same goes with the fuel tanks.  I set aside the 700-gallon tanks that were part of the original kit and used the new large-capacity (3000 galloon) tanks that characterize the tall-tail B-52’s.  It’s a good idea to pay attention to the instructions showing grayed out parts you are not supposed to use.  Ask me how I know!

The fuselage might need a little shimming to get the canopy to fit!  An even easier option is to fill the seam, sand and smooth over everything, and use the front window decal that comes with the kit.  But with Slim & Co. in the cockpit, we made the minor adjustments to keep the windshield transparent!

The engine mounts needed some filler to allow a good and proper joint since in this scale there would not be any gaps.  I decided to wait until final painting to put the engines on the mounts as it would make masking far easier.  I also added the canopy windows which, unfortunately, do not fit that well.  I had to do some careful bending and fix one side at a time so that I had a minimum seam and discrepancy to have to deal with.  I used white glue first followed by CYA.  I had previously coated the windows with Future which prevents fogging from my experience but I am still careful.  We’d recommend pulling the canopy off the sprue prior to finishing the fuselage so any appropriate adjustment for fit can be made before final painting is done.

Dick painted the bottom of the aircraft white prior to adding the engines.  Wing tanks had to be masked prior to painting the silver base for the top of the model.  Dick uses yellow Tamiya tape for masking.

Before I spray paint, I use brush paint at the canopy joint to make sure there are no small openings where paint could get where you don’t want it!  I also try to get a good, smooth joint before final painting, but that was hard with the stubborn canopy.  Pictures show that you can see Slim and the co-pilot through the windows and they look even better with the final paint on the plane.

Dick masked off some sections of fuselage to paint varied metal shades.  Note that the forward fuselage and rear portion have been painted with polished aluminum.

Dick has applied the cartograf decals.  While they went on very well, Dick recommends trimming off the large central area of the wing line decal.  It's a big expanse of empty decal carrier film and will look better if trimmed away.

I used non-buffingTestors Model Master Metalizer paint – again I have bought up a stash to last me a while – on the upper fuselage and wings.   I had previously masked the areas on the engines painted white, and let the paint dry overnight.  I masked again parts of the fuselage with post-it notes and then used Alclad polished aluminum which worked well going directly over the Testors Metalizer to mimic the brighter polished metal areas visible on the B-52 used in Dr, Strangelove.  Pictures show the subtle results I was able to attain.

The model on its Clear Minicraft Stand!  While it's a big model with a lot of detail, Dick reported that the build was fast and easygoing.  Of course the in-flight option made it easy, and it would have gone even quicker had Dick not added cockpit figures.  This kit provides many opportunities for the builder to be flexible with the many extras provided!

Then it was time for decals.  The Cartograf decals went on very well.  Interestingly the 1950s scheme I portrayed had no decals on the white flash areas on the bottom of the aircraft so I did not have to worry about applying any gloss coat there.  There are wing and tail walk lines and the mistake I made was not cutting the clear center portion away which created some problems especially on the wing areas.  I considered cutting that part of the decal off after looking hard at the wing surface but decided that would not be worth the effort.  Instead, I carefully masked off the black line with post-it notes so I would not pull the decals off and sprayed carefully with my aluminum metalizer.  Once that step was done, I did a very slight amount of weathering, added black to the engine fronts to synthesize depth, and then mounted the large airplane on the wonderful Minicraft stand after adding the Minicraft logo off the decal sheet for good measure.

You can tell that this is an early B-52 by the smaller nose radome 

Minicraft's "D" engines!  Making a set of these from the engines from the "H" required a difficult conversion.

I took several pictures at different angles and outside to simulate the model in flight as well as inside as I put it on top of its new home, a display case in my new model museum.  Although the final result is an impressive large model, since I planned on building an in-flight version I did not have to deal with the landing gear steps which saved a lot of time and the model did not take that long to build.  It was a fun project as well and now I am happy to have a B-52D in my collection.  Thanks to Minicraft for furnishing the kit, and the model is not too large to fit on your display shelf or case.

A rear quarter-view shows the tall tail and all-new gunner's station that define the early B-52.

Early B-52's had a crew station with plexiglass gunner's windows.  Minicraft's new parts look great on the finished model!

The cockpit decal would have made this project a lot quicker, but note how transparent that front window piece is!  It's thin and smooth, allowing whatever you decide to scratchbuild inside the cockpit to be visible.

Dick's display case shows off the Hound Dog missiles and Quail decoy drone on stands as built from the Minicraft kit.  This demonstrates one option you have with the parts that don't go on the model.

Minicraft models did an exquisite job with the rear 4-gun tail turret.  Creating a tall-tail B-52 in 1/144 scale used to involve a difficult conversion since engines, tail, radome, and the rear gun represented some substantial changes if you tried to backdate the "H" variant.

​As you can see, even in 1/144 scale, Minicraft's B-52 is a nice-sized model.  And with all the extras included, you can build just the model you want with plenty of cool stuff left over for other projects.  If you like 1/144 scale military aircraft models, or the B-52, this kit is a must-own!  Dem Brudders give it a very enthusiastic 4-thumbs up!

MINICRAFT 1/144 B-52 NEWS

Minicraft Models is not done with the B-52!  A "G" model is currently in development!

Here's an image from the most recent Minicraft catalog.  Additional new tooling will provide authentic parts to build a B-52G with options for early and late versions!  As if Minicraft's B-52 isn't already one of the most amazing 1/144 aircraft models available, new details and building options you haven't seen before may be in the works!  Be sure to check out Minicraftmodels.com for news, and we'll tell you what we can!
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