Testors 1/48 U-2C as Rudolf Anderson's U-2F

[jeaton01]

This one one is going to be done in flight for an exhibit at the Rowland Freedom Center museum in Vacaville, California.  Though it is an older kit the shapes are good and with a little help it looks pretty good.  Here's a U-2A I did some years ago as Gary Powers' airplane.

A bulkhead was fitted to block off the back of the cockpit. Since this is for an flight museum display I did not do much in the cockpit.  Previously I have adapted parts from an F-104 cockpit. Some 9/16 OD K&S brass tubing made up an exhaust duct.

This U-2F had a short spine fairing so the back portion of the fairing was removed. A sheet of plastic was glued inside the fuselage, visible on the previous page, and the aft fuselage was reshaped using
Aves Epoxysculpt with final touching up done with Tamiya grey putty. The initial shaping was done with a mill bastard file, followed by a machinist file, then several grades of sandpaper. The
same process closed up the landing gear wells and the depression for the air sampler duct. Rescribing was done with a JLC saw and a Tamiya fine scriber.

The decals from Caracal sheet CD 48118 have the markings for Major Anderson's U-2F.

Rescribed wings. The holes for attaching the wing tanks and pods were filled with plastic rod.

[stikpusher]

Nice choice! Didn’t Testors change the Hawk U-2A molds for a U-2C with the full length fuselage spine, so some surgery is needed to convert it to an F?

[keavdog]

Love the first pic - great looking build John.
Guessing this requires some effort to get a decent result, but you have the skills for sure!

[jeaton01]

Thanks, John!

Yes they did, Carlos. You missed that on my post about Aves and files being involved.  The full black look is because it has a coat of Gunze black primer/filler.  The cart was also added as well as the larger intakes. I stole the cart from a U-2C kit for the U-2A build, it wasn't in the U-2A version.

[stikpusher]

Nov 4, 2024 19:26:46 GMT -5 jeaton01 said:

Thanks, John!

Yes they did, Carlos. You missed that on my post about Aves and files being involved.  The full black look is because it has a coat of Gunze black primer/filler.  The cart was also added as well as the larger intakes. I stole the cart from a U-2C kit for the U-2A build, it wasn't in the U-2A version.

I read it, but I guess the words didn’t sink in. 

[jeaton01]

Well, the Comprehension Police will let it pass just this once!

[kyledehart5]

Nice!! I’ll be watching!!

[TJ]

Great start John. Gonna look different in that blue

[Tobi]

Recently I watched the movie "Bridge of Spies" with my wife again. The U2 is a fascinating aircraft.
I've heard somewhere she was built in such a way for the high altitude, that she'd been leaking from all ends while on the ground?

The Testor kits achieve princely sums at the Bay, I was stunned.

[crown r n7]

Very promising my friend . I built the same kit some time ago very cool plane, are you going with the deep blue finish?

[handiabled]

Very well done modifications John! I'll be following this one.

[jeaton01]

Tobi, the U-2 was a pretty tight ship, it was the SR-71 that leaked fuel on the ground, and in the air until it got up to speed and the heating of the airframe expanded everything.

Crown, yes, is will be sea blue. Of course I always wonder if I should use dark sea blue. Almost as bad as deciding on which olive drab. I do have a bottle of Model Master Sea Blue.

I have added a fairing to the tail cone that seems to be fitted to the CIA U-C's, made from a slice of brass tubing attached with superglue followed by epoxysculpt filler. The engine air inlet ducts have been added, with green zinc chromate sprayed in the interiors before the front of the duct was added. More Epoxysculpt and filing and sanding here as well.

[406 Silverado]

I have yet to see any of these in any other color than black so this will be interesting to see one in blue John. Progress is coming along well on this one and hats off to you for the opportunity to show your work in a museum. You'll have to take photos of it once it's there.

[crown r n7]

That is some good stuff. I used Vallejo glossy sea blue on this F4U-5 night fighter it seems to be dark enough, it's difficult to find blue U2's in color.

[Real G]

Nov 6, 2024 2:02:46 GMT -5 Tobi said:

Recently I watched the movie "Bridge of Spies" with my wife again. The U2 is a fascinating aircraft.
I've heard somewhere she was built in such a way for the high altitude, that she'd been leaking from all ends while on the ground?

The Testor kits achieve princely sums at the Bay, I was stunned.

The U-2's odd (and dangerous) quirk was that at high altitude, the aircraft's minimum speed approached the speed of sound.  The pilot would have to fly a thin line between falling out of the sky and generating shock waves that would damage the aircraft.  I read somewhere that this airspeed corridor was somewhere in the order of 50 MPH.  That must have been pretty tough to keep tabs on while overflying enemy territory!

I think I paid $2.00 when I bought the Hawk U-2A new, and $20.00 a few years back at a show.  How much are they going for now on eBay?

[jeaton01]

It was called coffin corner and the range depended on how brave the pilot was as the range between the stall speed and Mach limit converged to nothing.

[Tobi]

Nov 7, 2024 15:04:33 GMT -5 Real G said:

Nov 6, 2024 2:02:46 GMT -5 Tobi said:

Recently I watched the movie "Bridge of Spies" with my wife again. The U2 is a fascinating aircraft.
I've heard somewhere she was built in such a way for the high altitude, that she'd been leaking from all ends while on the ground?

The Testor kits achieve princely sums at the Bay, I was stunned.

The U-2's odd (and dangerous) quirk was that at high altitude, the aircraft's minimum speed approached the speed of sound.  The pilot would have to fly a thin line between falling out of the sky and generating shock waves that would damage the aircraft.  I read somewhere that this airspeed corridor was somewhere in the order of 50 MPH.  That must have been pretty tough to keep tabs on while overflying enemy territory!

I think I paid $2.00 when I bought the Hawk U-2A new, and $20.00 a few years back at a show.  How much are they going for now on eBay?

I saw the cheapest starting at around 50.-€ and the average between 60.- and 65.- with some exemptions to the top.

[Medicman71]

Very nice! I've used brass tubing for exhausts as well.

[Real G]

AFV Club did an awful U-2A in 1/48 scale, but it has parts that could be used to improve the Hawk kit.  I'm not sure how accurate the bits and pieces area, but the cockpit, wheel bays and tailpipe look salvageable.  I plan to try this myself one day.