AMT / ERTL
XB-70 model in 1/72 scale
AMT/ERTL kit
North American made a really fast MACH 3 strategic bomber prototype back in the sixties, called the Valkyrie. It never was taken into production, and prototypes were known as the XB-70.
ERTL AMT issued a very good kit (no. 8907) in the eighties in 1/72 scale. Also, it was issued as a "pre-issue" special, but the kit was the same. It is huge! Over 30 inch long!
The biggest challenge of the kit is handling this big kit. Getting a smooth joint of the forward fuselage and rear fuselage with wing needs quite some sanding and filling. As the base paint scheme is white, everything uneven is visible so take care here to get perfect invisible joints.
The assembly manner of the main parts can be changed to improve alignment of the big parts.
- Glue the wingtip first to the main wing parts.
- Add large amounts of weight in the nose!
- The upper fuselage parts in stage 10: glue and fill / sand straight but do not glue the parts 3 and 4 together yet as to make alignment later simpler to the rest of the wing/fuselage tail.
The tail pipes! 6 of them!
You can make some small detail improvements:
- remove a small part of the canards
(parts 28); remove a triangle shaped piece of the canard at the trailing
edge near the fuselage junction.
- re-scribe the main undercarriage
doors outline in the lower fuselage (part 13).
- add smaller pitot tubes, etc. I made some with metal wire and needle.
..
- main undercarriage misses a small wheel between the two larger ones as anti-skid control. (there is some strange shape, but replace with a wheel part from the spares box).
main u.c.
nose u.c.
Finished is the model in white. Apply several coats and polish with rubbing compound. Finally mask and add the required black panels and metal areas near the exhausts.
A spray gun is really needed here!
Decals are provided for a USAF prototype and the research aircraft of NASA. These were set on the model. A final gloss varnish was airbrushed to get an even sheen and protect the decals.
The end result is a large, eye catching model!
- Air international magazine Vol 44 , page 288
- XB-70 Valkyrie, Steve Pace, Aero series no.30
- XB-70 Valkyrie, Jenkins and Landis, Warbird Tech no.34
(c) Copyright Meindert "designer"/ All rights reserved. Your comments are welcomed by webmaster
Created February 3, 2001