Cutting Edge Modelworks

1/144 NB-52B Mothership "Balls Eight" decal sheet

Product # CED44004 for $7.99

Product Article by Steve Bamford on Dec 3 2003

 

 

 

This is a new decal sheet from Cutting Edge Modelworks.  The sheet includes markings for 4 versions of the same NB-52B in 1/144 scale.  The particular NB-52B featured on this decal sheet (Serial #52-008) was a critical part of many of NASA's flight Test programs.  This NB-52B was used for the X-15 program (as well as other programs) with the X-15 being carried under the wing until launch altitude was reached.  Other aircraft include a variety of "Lifting Body" type aircraft.  These are basically small one person aircraft with little or no wing and instead the specially designed fuselage has lifting properties due to it's design shape.  View this article to see 1/72 Lifting Body aircraft models by Patrick Hawkey

Before the NB-52A, NASA was considering mounting the X-15 in the bomb bay of a B-36 Peacemaker as the X-1 and X-2 vehicles had been mounted in B-29 and B-50 Superfortresses.

The modifications that a modeller will want to be aware of are a pylon under the starboard wing, inboard of the engine nacelles. The pylon provided three shackles for the support of the X-15. The No. 3 main fuel tank located in the wing above the pylon was removed.  The model kit you'll be using will be the 1/144 Crown/Minicraft B-52H.

To accommodate the vertical stabilizer of the X-15, a notch was cut into the trailing edge of the starboard wing directly behind the X-15 pylon. Cutting Edge supplies a resin set to accommodate these modifications.  Closed circuit television, film motion picture cameras, and lights were installed on the starboard side of the fuselage. Tail gun turrets and tip tanks were removed.  

Of note is the fact that dayglo orange was used to paint one of the versions of #52-008 on this sheet, because any wreckage would be easier to spot in the desert.  As the program progressed more and more of the dayglo orange began to peel and was eventually removed from the aircraft.  This plane began life as natural metal with an orange rear fuselage band and orange cockpit section and wing tips.  But slowly some of these areas were over-painted in silver.  Eventually the baremetal airframe was all painted in silver to better protect the metal.

The first version of this plane is from Feb 24 1961.  In this version it has an orange fuselage band and orange/white/black nose.  It also features launch markings and Bald Eagle nose art.

The second version of this plane is from Apr 1962 to May 1963.  In this version it has an orange fuselage band and orange/white/black nose.  It also features launch markings and Bald Eagle nose art...but different nose art from the first version of this plane on this sheet and a different Squadron crest on  the nose.

The third version of this plane is from October 3 1967.  In this version it has different markings from above with the addition of some interesting nose art of a B-52 standing on it's hind legs and throwing a missile like a darT player in a pub.  . 

The fourth version of this plane is from July 2001.  In this version it has the same nose art as version 3 above.  The big difference is the launch markings are so plentiful that they travel halfway down the side of the fuselage.  The paint scheme for this one is silver overall instead of bare metal airframe.  

The decals were flawlessly printed and the clear carrier film is trimmed very close to the crisply printed colored areas, which is always good to see.  Because some of the paint schemes are partly baremetal, you may want to consider carefully trimming off all clear carrier film on these decals to give your Bare metal NB-52A the best look.  Colours are solid and will cover very well.  This decal sheet has a good variety of noseart and colour schemes.  

My choice would be to build would depend on which underwing aircraft I found the most interesting.....it would be a very difficult choice as the selection is large and quite varied.

 

The instructions are clear and an extra page of text instruction is included with a small bit of info about this plane.

A very nice product and highly recommended.

Click on images below to see larger images of the instruction sheets

For a very good selection of photos of this plane with various "Lifting Body" designs.....click on the image to the right.

I would like to thank Cutting Edge Modelworks for providing me with this review sample.

Steve

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford