sr71? where?

[dudleybloke]

hi all...

i'm up for doing a model and have been looking for an SR71 blackbird kit.
the main reason is i'm crap at painting and stealth black is easy!
i'v got 2 model shops nearby but neither have got what i want.
they dont have a clue about getting one either!
so then... who makes a decent 1:72 blackbird?

its been over 20 years since my last attempt and hopefully my 15 years engineering experience will mean a half decent job!

[Zad]

Hannants have these:

http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/index.php?CATEGOR...

Antics also have a similar selection http://www.anticsonline.co.uk (fussy search engine so I can't like the search).

I don't know which is the best, but two of them have photo-etch available, which is often the sign of an "enthusiasts" kit (or a rubbish one which needs improving, you decide). I'm sure a handy Eric will be along shortly to help you decide

[Eric Mc]

You don't say what scale. Italeri also do a Blackbird in 1/48.

An alternative would be the Italeri 1/72 YF-12A - which is a close relative to the SR-71 but has some significant differences.

As for Blackbird "black", in reality, the paint used exhibited a slight blueish tinge and it is actually quite difficult to get the "black" of a Blackbird just right in model form.
But that's probably just exhibiting an example of "geekus extremus".

Edited by Eric Mc on Wednesday 18th November 09:27

[dr_gn]

Here are a few others (some not Black though!):









Tamiay did one too. Here is a good resource for you, with reviews of the best models:

http://www.72scale.com/aircraft/Lockheed/SR-71.htm

BTW I believe the colour of the 'Blackbird' is in fact a very dark shade of purple.

[Eric Mc]

I think the Revell SR-71 is a rebox of the Italeri example. Revell tend to feature better decal sheets than Italeri and are often on sale at a similar price.

[dr_gn]

Eric Mc said:

You don't say what scale.

He asked for 1:72, but there are all sorts from 1:700 upwards.

[Eric Mc]

dr_gn said:

Eric Mc said:

You don't say what scale.

He asked for 1:72, but there are all sorts from 1:700 upwards.

The old eyesight is playing tricks with me again (also a handy excuse for ropey looking models).

[dr_gn]

Eric Mc said:

I think the Revell SR-71 is a rebox of the Italeri example. Revell tend to feature better decal sheets than Italeri and are often on sale at a similar price.

Revell did one in the 1960's, which was presumably their own. It would almost certainly be available on EBay, so there is plenty of room for confusion re. which kit you were actually buying when dealing with 'Revell'

[Eric Mc]

Revell are definitely the worst culprits in that department. Their current new models are some of the best there are - but their back catalogue contains some clunkers from the 1950s and 60s. And they also rebox so many other companies' products that it is easy for the unaware to get caught out.

[dr_gn]

Eric Mc said:

Revell are definitely the worst culprits in that department. Their current new models are some of the best there are - but their back catalogue contains some clunkers from the 1950s and 60s. And they also rebox so many other companies' products that it is easy for the unaware to get caught out.

Here is an Ebay number for the original Revell version:

300366123017

[Eric Mc]

Having spent a small fortune at Scalermodelworld the weekend before last, I think I'd better not start browsing eBay for more kits.

Edited by Eric Mc on Wednesday 18th November 17:42

[dudleybloke]

cheers for the replys....

im going to hunt down the revel kit i think.

time to find some very very very very very very dark purple paint!

[Eric Mc]

dudleybloke said:

cheers for the replys....

im going to hunt down the revel kit i think.

time to find some very very very very very very dark purple paint!

I'd check to see if it is the Italeri one first.

Apparently there are TWO Revell SR71s. One, (referenced H-206) is a very, very old mould which started life as a YF-12 and was later reshaped (not very well) into an SR71.



This is the current kit (04636) which I am pretty sure is the Italeri kit reboxed

[dudleybloke]

was the ital kit also available with the experimental top mounted probe thingy?
i remember wanting it when i was a kid.

[Eric Mc]

Yes.

It was also available as a two seater and in the YF-12 version.

[dr_gn]

Eric Mc said:

Yes.

It was also available as a two seater and in the YF-12 version.

So is that the same as the Academy version with the D-21 drone (first picture, fourth post)?

I've seen the Italeri version with the drone at the LMS loasd of times and been tempted.

[dr_gn]

dudleybloke said:

cheers for the replys....

im going to hunt down the revel kit i think.

time to find some very very very very very very dark purple paint!

Having just looked at some photos of the one at Duxford to jog my memory, I'd say you'd be hard pressed to realistically see any blue or purple in there at all. Scorched black would be more appropriate!

[pstruck]

I picked up a Testors 1:48 kit a couple of years ago off of e-Bay. Not made it yet though!

[Eric Mc]

dr_gn said:

dudleybloke said:

cheers for the replys....

im going to hunt down the revel kit i think.

time to find some very very very very very very dark purple paint!

Having just looked at some photos of the one at Duxford to jog my memory, I'd say you'd be hard pressed to realistically see any blue or purple in there at all. Scorched black would be more appropriate!

I think the special paint used on the SR71s reflects back tom some extent the ambient light from its suroundings. In other words, it has faint pearlescent atributes. I've seen a real SR71 parked up in very bright (and hot) sunlight (Mildenhall 1984) and there certainly was a blue tinge to the colour. I'm pretty sure that was as much to do with the deep blue sky that day. In reality, the colour is indeed black - but just painting it black often makes the model look plain and uninteresting.

There is a somewhat similar effect with models of the X-15 and Mercury/Gemini space capsules.

From reports on the web, the Academy kit is the most recent of the models and the only one with recessed (as opposed to raised) panel lines. It seems to be based on the Hasegawa kit.

[dr_gn]

Eric Mc said:

dr_gn said:

dudleybloke said:

cheers for the replys....

im going to hunt down the revel kit i think.

time to find some very very very very very very dark purple paint!

Having just looked at some photos of the one at Duxford to jog my memory, I'd say you'd be hard pressed to realistically see any blue or purple in there at all. Scorched black would be more appropriate!

In reality, the colour is indeed black - but just painting it black often makes the model look plain and uninteresting.

Maybe using random panel shading it would look better? Perhaps followed by a light promodeller wash?