XB-39 Conversion sets in 1/72 scale - anybody know of any such thing?

[GrumpyOldCrewChief]

There are several decent, recent kits available for the B-29 in 1/72 scale, but I cannot find even a reference to an old conversion, such as might have gone to the old and rathersorry Airfix offering of decades past. Anybody know of such a thing, or am I on my own for the sole W-3420 powered beast? With so many "Luft '46", and other "paper" aircraft that have been kitted, this seems passing odd...

 

[MIflyer]

Well, why not just buy the kit?

SORRY! Someone on ebay is selling "What If" box art!

 

[GrumpyOldCrewChief]

Nah, I don't want one of those "box scale" kits from antiquity. Thanks for trying, though!

 

[MIflyer]

Well, I would want one if they had ever made it. Others in that nonexistent series include:

 

[GrumpyOldCrewChief]

Yeah, it would really be slick to have the XB-38 and the XB-39 models sitting next to one another! There are so many what-if and other X-planes out there, why not these? And yes, I know the XB-38 crashed relatively early in its career...

 

[nuuumannn]

I loved those big scale Monogram kits, their 1/48 scale Short Stirling was the best.

 

[MIflyer]

Well, I have thought about taking a Monogram 1/48 B-17G and using the engine nacelles from a 1/48 P-38 to build an XB-38, because while you are at it, why not build it in the XB-40 configuration?

Similarly, a XP-72 would be nice, combining a P-47 kit with an F7F cowl, but if it had been gone into production it probably would have been built based on the P-47N.

Too bad Monogram never produced a 1/32 B-36; I understand the reason they did not was that the FAA would have required each one be issued an N number.

 

[Tom Fey]

Topping of Akron, Ohio made a one-off 1/32 scale wooden model of the XB-39 for the Allison Powerama collection in 1953. After a landing accident, this model is currently under restoration by the volunteers at the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust Allison Branch in Indianapolis, IN.

 

[GrumpyOldCrewChief]

Hey MIFlyer, the F7F was powered by the same R-2800 as the P-47, so the cowlings won't help. The XP-72 was powered by that monster R-4320, corn-cob, 28 cylinder beast. There is a resin kit of the XP-72, though it is long OOP. I have one, so I know...

 

[MIflyer]

The cowling on the F7F is long, circular, and tapered - like the P-72, while the front of the P-47 is Oval. I've measured things out, and by cutting off the P-47nose at the right spot, forming the lower lip into that airscoop, and then putting the F7F cowl on the front I am pretty sure you could make an XP-72. The diameter of the R-2800 and the 4360 were the same. Unfortunately the P-61 cowl does not look like it will work, which is too bad because I have a spare cowl for one of those.

 

[Tom Fey]

Does anybody know why the XB-39 was named "Spirit of Lincoln"?

 

[GrumpyOldCrewChief]

Lincoln was a city near the Boeing plant, where the testing occurred. Patriotic appeal and all...

 

[TbirdsRGo]

Lincoln was a city near the Boeing plant, where the testing occurred. Patriotic appeal and all...

Grumpy, regarding the lack of conversion sets for so many aircraft THAT ACTUALLY FLEW, I totally agree. Paper studies are fun, but they're just fantasies.
The XB-39 is actually next on my list of resin conversions to make. I just need to get hold of an Academy B-29 - they are surprisingly pricey on-line!
I had an Airfix B-29 but I gave it away at our local IPMS kit exchange - it just needed too much rehabilitation.
I've been working on a resin Fisher P-75 based on the Rareplanes vacuform, which is actually pretty good (infinitely better than the Valom plastic kit), so I got interested in the Allison V3420. The P-75 is kind of tricky because there were so many variations on it - at least a half dozen. So that has moved to the back burner (have to build ALL of them, of course).
So maybe this year I will have an XB-39 resin nacelle set available! I'm thinking three resin slugs and one vacuform nacelle that can show off a V3420. There's a nice V1710 resin engine available, so you would just need two of those.
Regarding the discussion on the Republic XP-72, I already sell a 1/72 resin conversion for that on ebay. I think it's a lot more accurate than some of the conversions that I have seen. It includes both the 4-blade prop spinner and the contra-prop spinner. That was really a fascinating aircraft! There's an excellent book on the R-4360 corncob engine (by Graham White), for all you gearheads (it's not cheap, but it's a great resource). The Revell-Germany P-47D/M is an excellent bubble-top kit, BTW. The Johan kit has finally been bested...

 

[TheRealMrEd]

Well, I have thought about taking a Monogram 1/48 B-17G and using the engine nacelles from a 1/48 P-38 to build an XB-38, because while you are at it, why not build it in the XB-40 configuration?

Similarly, a XP-72 would be nice, combining a P-47 kit with an F7F cowl, but if it had been gone into production it probably would have been built based on the P-47N.

Too bad Monogram never produced a 1/32 B-36; I understand the reason they did not was that the FAA would have required each one be issued an N number.

Okay Build Thread Here

Ed

 

[TheRealMrEd]

Can't help with the P-72, but you can build an XP-47J with No aftermarket parts:

Build thread here: XP-47J

Ed

 

[Wurger]

 

[GrumpyOldCrewChief]

Sharkit of France - I believe it was a one-man operation - long ago offered a complete resin kit of the P-47J. I was lucky enough to snag one of apparently the last available. The creator sent a lovely note along with the kit, with some remarks on the delay in shipping being caused by health issues he was experiencing at the time. He had quite a catalogue of odd-ball things. too!