North American B45A Tornado
North American B45A Tornado
This is a Gerald Elliott 1/72 vacform kit of this early Cold War bomber and clandestine operations aircraft. A small number were used by the RAF for flights over the USSR, flying out of RAF Sculthorpe in East Anglia. This was called Operation Jiu Jitsu. They managed to get away with it, but only just. The RAF flew a later version that was adapted for reconnaissance missions.
The kit is probably a former Contrail kit. Although it comes with some cast metal parts, the vacform parts are crude in the extreme. Any surface detail that was on the original Contrail moulding had been lost. I scribed the lines as best I could, though it's not something I have ever done well. There were no decals so these had to be made with some pieces coming from the spares box.
The aircraft has been available as an injection kit from Mach 2 and more recently by Valom.
The kit is probably a former Contrail kit. Although it comes with some cast metal parts, the vacform parts are crude in the extreme. Any surface detail that was on the original Contrail moulding had been lost. I scribed the lines as best I could, though it's not something I have ever done well. There were no decals so these had to be made with some pieces coming from the spares box.
The aircraft has been available as an injection kit from Mach 2 and more recently by Valom.
Re: North American B45A Tornado
That's a stunning build. Very well done sir.
All the best.
Greg
All the best.
Greg
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe.
The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.
Albert Einstein
The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.
Albert Einstein
- iggie
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Re: North American B45A Tornado
That's really very very nice indeed!
Best wishes
Jim
If you can walk away from a landing, it's a good landing. If you use the airplane the next day, it's an outstanding landing
"Never put off till tomorrow, what you can do the day after tomorrow"
Jim
If you can walk away from a landing, it's a good landing. If you use the airplane the next day, it's an outstanding landing
"Never put off till tomorrow, what you can do the day after tomorrow"
- gnomemeansgnome
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Re: North American B45A Tornado
Nice!
Ego no habeo consilium.
ICBM = Insatiable Collector and Builder of Models
ICBM = Insatiable Collector and Builder of Models
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Re: North American B45A Tornado
Excellent! My era, but I haven't built one yet. It's listed on Scalemates as a Gerald Elliot new tool 198?.
2012 A:12 B:13 C:0
Re: North American B45A Tornado
I have just checked in my 1986 edition of 'Vacuum-Formed kits' by John Burns - I don't see the B45 listed as a Contrail kit. So perhaps it was a Gerald Elliott original.
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Re: North American B45A Tornado
Very very nice. Beautiful presentation as well.
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Re: North American B45A Tornado
Nicely done, Vacant and an interesting bit of history regarding the type's use by the RAF - I shall make a point of looking up the said operation.
Doing - Tamiya 1/35th Universal Carrier.
Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
Re: North American B45A Tornado
Thats a real stunner. Lovely work indeed.
Regards, Paddy.
On The Bench
Fujimi 1/72 A-7E Corsair II
On The Bench
Fujimi 1/72 A-7E Corsair II
- skypirate
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Re: North American B45A Tornado
A much-overlooked aircraft of historical cold-war significance.
Great to see it modelled!
Cheers,
David
Great to see it modelled!
Cheers,
David
Re: North American B45A Tornado
Another vacform triumph,vacant.
- Clashcityrocker
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Re: North American B45A Tornado
Very nicely done. First time I've seen one modelled.
Nigel
Nigel
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Re: North American B45A Tornado
Both the aircraft and the kit are new to me - nothing unusual there then! Another of your excellent builds - you seem to be able to take any old lump of plastic, including bits which are incomplete, and make something really worthwhile from it. Marvellous!