Hasegawa's 1/72 scale
Boeing WB-47 Stratojet

by Roland Sachsenhofer

Boeing WB-47 Stratojet

Trumpeter's 1/72 scale Vickers Wellington Mk.X is available online from Squadron

Background

The B-47 Stratojet impresses till now: elegant lines, swept wings, slender engine nacelles under its wings- and she made history by being the USAF´s first six engine jet bomber. Its´ revolutionary design necessitated a long development: having been flown for the first time in 1947, the first batch of Stratojets were delivered in 1951. But it should be 1953 when the first front line units were equipped with that flying giant. The B-45 Tornado served as an interim solution until the new type had been perfected.

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From 1953 until the early 1960s the B-47 served with the Strategic Air Command before being replaced by the B-52. Tactical Air Command used the Stratojet even until 1969 for electronic warfare.

Construction

This model depicts a Stratojet adapted for the use in “Weather Reconnaissance Squadrons”. These machines did explore meteorological phenomena like thunderstorm and tornados but were also equipped, as cold war warrior, to analyse the impact of atomic bomb explosions.

My model depicts a WB-47B flowm by the 55th WRS from McClelland AFB in 1956.

Hasegawas offer is quite antiquated –in its original form going back to 1968- but still buildable. To be honest, fit of parts is quite good. You will find no detail whatsoever in the cockpit or in the wheel wells, but, and this is the good news, there is plenty of aftermarket stuff.

I used a gorgeous cockpit set, resin-made engine nacelles and wheels, all by Pavla. The decals are from “Warbird”; they proved to be of excellent quality as did those I had to use from the Hasegawa boxing.

I would repeat: it´s time for a new Stratojet! But the old Hasegawa kit is still, as “the only play in down” to recommend. Thaks to good fit and small parts number even a rooky can have a good time with it- and for the more detail-loving modeller there is plenty of room to have fun!

If you are interested in the building process, please have a look on the workbench at Scalemates:

https://www.scalemates.com/profiles/mate.php?id=10148&p=albums&album=35242

As ever, remarks will be appreciated: ro.sachsenhofer@gmx.at

Model, Images and Text Copyright © 2018 by Roland Sachsenhofer
Page Created 24 January, 2018
Last Updated 24 January, 2018

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