1/72 Airfix B-29 Superfortress

by Don Bryans

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I built this model to represent an RB-29A 44-61999 "Over Exposed!".  I used the Airfix kit as the basis for the model, which was built straight from the box.  The only modifications I made were to delete the turret guns (apart from the tail) and add the 3 small camera ports underneath the rear fuselage. 

The model is a dreadful tail-sitter, so I packed the nose with a mix of Milliput, ball-bearings and lead scrap.

The aircraft was brush - painted with Humbrol enamels. Decals are from the kit, apart from the numbers, which are from a Techmod sheet, and go on beautifully!  The entire model was satin varnished to protect the transfers.  She is still awaiting nose-art 9 years after completion. (!) This will be home-made.

I hand-painted the black square and yellow letter 'F' on the tail fin.

The Airfix kit is old, and sadly, it shows.  I made good any imperfections as best as I could, but there are some aspects of the model that I am still not happy about.  Hopefully these don't show up too much!    

(This was only the second model I built after a LONG absence from model aircraft - My partner thought it would be a good idea to build models of crashed aircraft as they would have appeared before their demise. )

Click on images below to see larger images

  

The real 44-61999 was involved in the Bikini atomic bomb tests, acting as a camera ship, accompanying "Dave's Dream".  She ended up in the U.K. based at Scampton.  On 3rd November 1948, while being flown by Capt Landon P Tanner from RAF Scampton to BAD-1 at Burtonwood, "Over Exposed!" crashed onto high ground in the Derbyshire Peak District about 3 miles from the town of Glossop.  There were no survivors.  Large amounts of wreckage are still present at the crash site, which can be seen here: http://macr.moonfruit.com/#/rb29a4461999/4519391297 .  (I actually placed a very small piece of wreckage from the real aircraft inside the model.)

Don

Photos and text © by Don Bryans