Caracal Models CD 48059: B-58 Hustler

Units: See review

Price

$19.99 which includes US shipping

Reviewer:

Scott Van Aken

Undoubtedly one of the coolest airplanes ever built was the Convair B-58A Hustler. Designed as a supersonic bomber that could dash into the target, deliver its payload (which at the time was a nuclear weapon), and then dash back, the aircraft turned out to be one of those weapons systems that pretty much lost its mission. As a result, few were built, making them expensive (yep, like the B-2A) and they eventually only equipped two bomb wings. Due to their high cost, they were only operational for a short time as things go, before being withdrawn and either scrapped to sent to museums.

As modelers, we have been pretty fortunate to have some really good kits of this airplane. Probably the earliest was the Monogram box scale version that had a button on the top of the fuselage so you could drop the fuel tank/payload. Italeri produced an very nice one in 1/72 and Minicraft did the same in 1/144. But the one that many modelers bought and few have built is the 1/48 kit produced by Monogram and reissued from time to time.

Though it is a very nice kit, the Monogram version has not done well in terms of aftermarket decals. Face it, other than a prototype or two with lots of red trim, most are several shades of unpainted metal and that is about it. Caracal Models decided that we need a reason to build this kit and so has produced a decal sheet that offers no fewer than 19 different markings options. Most of these options are aircraft names with the occasional fin marking of some sort. Also includes is a 'whiffer', the never photographed but often talked about SEA camouflage B-58 from Project Bullseye. In fact, your editor built his box scale B-58 in such a scheme, and it does look cool.

You have four sheets of varying sizes with this one and here is what is offered:

The sheet is superbly done and provides stencils and insignia/USAF markings for one aircraft. Like all Caracal sheets, it is printed by Cartograf so you know you are getting the best. Instructions are in full color and include information on each aircraft.

May 2014

Thanks to www.caracalmodels.com for the review sheet. Get yours today from this link or have your local shop order it for you.

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and fairly quickly, please contact the editor or see other details in the Note to Contributors.

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