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    XB-70s WIP

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    Post  Guest Sat Mar 13, 2010 5:21 am

    I started my XB-70s tonight, and have discovered that I will have quite a bit of seam work to do on this kit. I have two of these kits, one from AMT and the other the "new" release by Italeri (actually the old AMT molds) To start with the cockpit seat don't fit well and leave a large seam down the middle of the seat.. (see picture below) going to have to find a way to fix that. Putty will be difficult as the seat is recessed in the ejection capsule for the crew members. So thumping my brain right now on a way to fix that. The seat are also to wide for the space for them in the cockpit and they will have to be sanded down to squeeze into the space allotted. The decals are quite amusing. The AMT decals are bare minimum but Italeri did their homework and added a nice set of decals to their kit. I have emailed Italeri if they would be willing to sell me a set of decals, we will see.

    XB-70s WIP 100_5797

    One other thing I noticed is that it is obvious that the kits are from the same molds, ever the flashing is the same size and in the same place.
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    Post  Guest Sat Mar 13, 2010 7:58 am

    My solution to the seat seam problem was to "reupholster" the seats with .5mm sheet styrene. The ruler is there to give you scale of the pieces...

    XB-70s WIP 100_5800

    XB-70s WIP 100_5801
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    Post  Guest Sun Mar 14, 2010 6:41 am

    Here is the final cockpit before I put it together and install it in the fuselage..

    XB-70s WIP 100_5809

    XB-70s WIP 100_5810

    I redid the seat, added seat belts (masking tape) and hit them with a quick sludge wash. I didn't do anything with the backs of the seat as you will not be able to see then once built.

    XB-70s WIP 100_5812

    XB-70s WIP 100_5814

    XB-70s WIP 100_5813
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    Post  AdriaN Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:55 pm

    Interesting build!
    I wish you luck in spraying an all-white camo Twisted Evil
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    Post  Guest Sun Mar 14, 2010 5:26 pm

    AdriaN wrote:Interesting build!
    I wish you luck in spraying an all-white camo Twisted Evil

    I think I have that worked out already...
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    Post  Guest Sun Mar 14, 2010 5:52 pm

    AdriaN wrote:Interesting build!
    I wish you luck in spraying an all-white camo Twisted Evil


    more than the color, the headache will be how to handle this beast during spraying cause at 1/72nd scale it is really big Shocked . Looks that it is going to be another great build wedfactory.
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    Post  bcauchi Sun Mar 14, 2010 6:13 pm

    looking forward to seeing this done.
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    Post  Guest Sun Mar 14, 2010 6:48 pm

    The paint job doesn't scare me at all, I believe I have that liked already. I am going to use this rattle can paint...

    XB-70s WIP 100_5671

    this is the finish it gives even over flat paint after just 2 thin coats....
    (this is a 1/48 scale F-15 I am working on)

    XB-70s WIP 100_5674

    XB-70s WIP 100_5681


    The biggest hurdle I see on these kits is the construction. Every build review I have read *#&%&#*@'s about the poor fit of parts and the seam and gaps to fix. So I believe the build here is the true key to this kit. We will see.

    For giggles and grins read up on a build review or two of this beast and see what I have gotten my self into. Exclamation
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    Post  Guest Mon Mar 15, 2010 1:11 am

    Here is the latest on the 70's

    I have both cockpits built and installed in the "goose neck" part of the aircraft.
    At this point the model is about 11 (27.5 cm) inches long.

    XB-70s WIP 100_5815

    Spent the rest of the afternoon sanding down the seams top and bottom, re-scoring raised panel lines and adding the rest of the neck to the cockpit on the gray model, now have to repeat on the white model.

    XB-70s WIP 100_5817

    XB-70s WIP 100_5823

    XB-70s WIP 100_5821

    She is now about 24 inches (60 cm) long!
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    Post  Guest Mon Mar 15, 2010 4:59 am

    Both XB-70 cockpits are now at the same stage, full goose necks, next come the hardest part of the builds, the wings and fuselage...will really have to take my time there....

    XB-70s WIP 100_5825

    XB-70s WIP 100_5827

    XB-70s WIP 100_5828
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    Post  slingshot392 Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:48 pm

    Wow, this thing is just huge! Can't wait to see how this one progresses. I haven't heard anything about this model so I will have to look it up.

    I have tried some of that Krylon paint before, nice stuff. I also use their brush on primer that comes in the small can I picked up at Wal-Mart. I tried it right out of the can which gave a nice tough coat, but it also got some spider cracks and it was a nightmare to remove. I then started thinning it with water and it has worked pretty good. When it's thinned with water, it goes on pretty translucent but dries pretty opaque, I just brush it on and unless I get really carried away, I don't get any brush strokes in it, I have even started using it as a medium in my acrylic paints that I get from Wal-Mart and/or the craft stores with pretty good effects.
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    Post  Guest Tue Mar 16, 2010 2:36 am

    slingshot392 wrote:Wow, this thing is just huge! Can't wait to see how this one progresses. I haven't heard anything about this model so I will have to look it up.

    When done it is 31 inches long with a 18 inch wing span..

    here is a tape mock up I did with it (I parked a 1/72 MIG-25 on it's back for scale reference)

    XB-70s WIP 100_5368

    XB-70s WIP 100_5375
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    Post  Guest Tue Mar 16, 2010 4:26 am

    I think I have found the make it or break it part of this project, glueing the two upper halves of the wing together, made all the harder here by the warp in the pieces.

    here is how they come out of the box...

    XB-70s WIP 100_5834

    this is the warp I am contending with....(on the gray kit)

    XB-70s WIP 100_5380

    So right now after a healthy glob of superglue down 3/4's of the seam...

    XB-70s WIP 100_5832

    XB-70s WIP 100_5833

    letting that sit for several hours...
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    Post  jojjemannen Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:59 am

    I was about to comment on your work yesterday but I wanted to check out the X-70 so I knew what the plane looked like and I was caught on youtube.

    I love what you have done so far.. and I can't wait o see it competed

    /Joseph "Tiny"
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    Post  AdriaN Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:22 am

    On youtube youd find alot if XB70 videos. im sure youve checked already.
    I found 5 eposides worth watching:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIXkYPfn2Lk&feature=related

    It seems to have white/silverish wheels
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    Post  Guest Wed Mar 17, 2010 12:13 am

    AdriaN wrote:On youtube youd find alot if XB70 videos. im sure youve checked already.
    I found 5 eposides worth watching:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIXkYPfn2Lk&feature=related

    It seems to have white/silverish wheels

    Yes the wheels, like those of the SR-71, had alum oxides mixed in to them to reflect the heat of the aircraft in flight from the wheels so they wouldn't explode do to hot air expansion. Another thing they did on the SR-71 was fill the tires with nitrogen instead compressed air.
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    Post  AdriaN Wed Mar 17, 2010 1:34 am

    I just watched all 5 episodes and learnt so much about this beast and got to admire it as a plane.

    The beginning part of this vid, is about the second test planes sad crash (which i never knew about)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YhZxhYcKBA&feature=related

    Are you finishing both aircraft the same way??
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    Post  Guest Wed Mar 17, 2010 2:23 am

    AdriaN wrote:I just watched all 5 episodes and learnt so much about this beast and got to admire it as a plane.

    The beginning part of this vid, is about the second test planes sad crash (which i never knew about)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YhZxhYcKBA&feature=related

    Are you finishing both aircraft the same way??

    I am making one aircraft wheels down and wing tips up and the second one in flight with the wing tips down. This aircraft looks incredible both ways had to model it that way too. I am planning a base for the models need to find some brass tubing and would like to get some acrylic rods to mount the in flight beast. That model may take a while to get everything ready.
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    Post  AdriaN Wed Mar 17, 2010 11:52 am

    wedfactory wrote:
    AdriaN wrote:I just watched all 5 episodes and learnt so much about this beast and got to admire it as a plane.

    The beginning part of this vid, is about the second test planes sad crash (which i never knew about)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YhZxhYcKBA&feature=related

    Are you finishing both aircraft the same way??

    I am making one aircraft wheels down and wing tips up and the second one in flight with the wing tips down. This aircraft looks incredible both ways had to model it that way too. I am planning a base for the models need to find some brass tubing and would like to get some acrylic rods to mount the in flight beast. That model may take a while to get everything ready.


    Good idea. I would give the flying one some peeling paint. when the aircraft went from super sonic to subsonic the paint would peel off because of contractions. its in episode 3 or 4.
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    Post  Guest Fri Mar 26, 2010 3:20 am

    After finishing the Stuka I got back on the XB-70s. I have successfully glued the 4 wing pieces together. I also scribed the raised panel lines on both sides of the wings. I have to scribe the wing tips and tails yet. I puttied the seams on the plane tonight. It looks worse than it really is but I want to make sure I get a smooth surface for the white paint.(am both excited about and dreading that step) so without further adue here is the current stage...

    XB-70s WIP 100_5859

    XB-70s WIP 100_5860

    XB-70s WIP 100_5861

    XB-70s WIP 100_5862

    XB-70s WIP 100_5863

    XB-70s WIP 100_5864

    Will start sanding everything back down tomorrow night...
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    Post  Guest Sun Apr 04, 2010 8:23 pm

    The progress on these kits goes as follows:

    1. cut piece from sprue
    2. sand oversize connections down
    3. test fit
    4. sand some more
    5. test fit
    6. sand some more
    7. test fit
    8. give up on sanding to fit
    9. glue 2 pieces together
    10. let dry
    11. putty
    12. sand some more
    13. putty again
    14. sand some more

    repeat steps 1-14 for EVERY piece....

    case on point... the wings and fuselage. I have now been working on them for about 2 weeks on and off...

    XB-70s WIP 100_5862

    XB-70s WIP 100_5861

    XB-70s WIP 100_5860

    You can see the putty required on the main sections of the wings. I have the leading edges done and the topside done, have to putty and sand the flaps at the back again then rescore the panel lines to remove the putty.

    I pressed on with the bottom fuselage, took about 30 minutes to sand and shape to this point (and only 3 pieces!)

    XB-70s WIP 100_5876

    XB-70s WIP 100_5875

    as you can se I have some fun putty and sanding to do here again. 3 large seams, 2 on the lower surface of the intakes and the side seam near the front edge of the splitter. Had to sand that to a point or it would have scaled flat about 8" thick on the front edge. I will also have to putty down the side of the intakes next to the fuselage wall, but the putty knife should be good enough to push the putty into the seam and require minimal if any sanding. Right now the bottom fuselage is setting on the wings to make sure everything dries in place correctly before I glue it together.

    Here you can see the amount of sanding it took to make the front upper surface of the intakes work. (3 coats of putty latter)

    XB-70s WIP 100_5874

    XB-70s WIP 100_5871

    XB-70s WIP 100_5870

    While not the most difficult build as far as straight construction goes it has been a headache in the clean up section of the build. If all goes well though the headache should be worth it in the end with a good looking XB-70 from a mediocre kit. (actually I will probably have a migraine after the second kit goes together....)
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    Post  Guest Wed Apr 07, 2010 4:47 am

    After I cut the tail feathers apart I put her together....starting to take shape now...

    XB-70s WIP 100_5901

    XB-70s WIP 100_5900

    XB-70s WIP 100_5899

    XB-70s WIP 100_5897

    XB-70s WIP 100_5896

    next the wing tips... mask canopy... then paint...then landing gear....
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    Post  Guest Mon Apr 12, 2010 1:58 am

    Ok now it is looking like an airplane....

    XB-70s WIP 100_5904

    XB-70s WIP 100_5905

    the wings tips are standing under the model..

    part count only 32 (including cockpit) time so far about 40 hours...lots of putty and sanding, but several more hour and it will be ready for first coat of white and see all the areas that need more sanding...

    It's going to be worse on the next one as I want to put in the 5 degree dihedral the second plane had in it's wings, plus I have to figure a way to mount it to a base in flight....
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    Post  slingshot392 Mon Apr 12, 2010 2:46 am

    Great job on this so far! Really coming together nicely. Can't believe how fast you seemed to go through these, mine just seem to drag on...
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    Post  Guest Sat May 22, 2010 8:43 pm

    I now have the main form of the XB-70 done. I have 3 coats of white on it right now. I see several places I have to touch up with putty yet. At this point I have rescribed panel lines and added missing ones, Rubber cemented the landing gear temporarily so it doesn't have to sit on its belly. It is a big kit and heavy too.

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