1/72 Testors B-2

by Jirka Vrabec

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Testors kit is the only B-2 I could find in this scale.  Even though it is 1/72, its size (some 60cm (24 inches) wingspan) makes one happy, having “good hunk of a model” at home.  Since there is no other chance to have a large B-2, I will skip most ranting about the bad quality of this kit – large parts are warped, no details etc.  Panel lines are raised and thick so my first task was to rescribe the whole model.

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Due to warped wing/fuselage parts, to get the kit together at all I used probably the only working solution: First glue all top parts together (some brute force needed), then all bottom and at last glue completed top and bottom shells together.  Be prepared to use a LOT of putty and CA glue in the process.

Undercarriage and bomb bays are all empty, so I added some ribs, pipes and other details – made of wires and sheet plastic. Finishing is done with Tamiya acrylic paints – airbrushed. Camouflage, all symbols and emblems are made up by me and they do not represent any existing stuff.  Actually, the serial numbers on wings read as messages “to the other side” – bottom message is decoded as: “Presents for you, Catch!”. I’m sure the “bad guys” appreciate this message when the bomb bay door open above their heads… :o)

 

I think the B-2 is a beautiful and interesting aircraft.  And, I prefer having fun all around instead of trying to reproduce real life machines, so there comes my version.  If you don’t mind sanding, filling gaps with putty etc, I can recommend this kit (gives a lot of space for your own creative ideas), I did enjoy it.

Jirka

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Photos and text © by Jirka Vrabec