SR-71 Blackbird

Mar 18, 2005 79 Replies
M

und DC kommt zuruck mit:

I'm afraid I don't know a lot about NASA's birds. Having read down the thread prior to answering this I think it's likely the lettering had to be replaced many times. It's normal for aircraft lettering to deviate from established practice or conform to an official revision.

On the subject of kits I think the Monogram is possibly the best SR-71 out there and I've built two of the old Revell's and the Italeri YF-12. I would never recommend the Revell kits except to collectors.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
A

KC-135Q or KC-135T only:

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
A

Microsol/Supersol (same thing), Solvaset, Testors, Mr. Mark Softener - just about anything I can get my hands on, actually.

That's probably too light. Add just enough white so that you can see it's not pure black.

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
A

AFAIK the KC-135Q was externally identical to the KC-135A and the KC-135T is externally identical to the KC-135R. AMT made both in 1/72 scale.

IIRC the refueling boom is retractable on the AMT kits.

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
G

Better yet, spray the whole thing overall "almost" black. Then highlight the individual panels by airbrushing soft patches of a "scaled-down" black. And use different scaled-down blacks. Lighten some with a *small* bit of white, others with a *small* bit of a lightish blue, and perhaps even others with a *small* bit of tan/flesh. The intent is to be oh-so-subtle about it, and to break up the monotone look of a solid color. Then...if your particular kit has recessed/scribed panel lines, apply a "darker-than-dark" pure black pin-wash to these scribed lines. The end result is a model that is basically overall black...but with a myriad of slight tonal varieties.

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
N

The Statotanker is almost square, with a span of almost 131 ft and a length of 136 ft.

If my math is correct that means that the span is about 22 inches and the length is a bit over 22 1/2 inches. Is indeed a big finished model.

Also is one bear of a kit to build well. I have tried twice and never finished either. Would be a good model to hang from the ceiling so no one can look close at it.

Norm

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
A

I dunno. Except for the Mr. Mark Softener, which I got from Rainbow 10 in Japan, I bought all my decal solvents locally.

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
A

I'd be very surprised if those fit the Monogram kit properly. You'd probably do better to spend the money on something else...

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
A

Still too light. Quit trying to develop a formula. Instead, open two bottles of black and start adding white to one of them just until you can see a difference. If you're using flat paints add a little more since it will darken when you add a gloss coat.

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required