Revell 1/72 B-36 Peacemaker, previewed by Spiros Pendedekas

Few aircraft have ever inspired the imagination like the Convair B-36 Peacemaker. Massive, elegant and revolutionary, it was designed during WWII to carry a devastating payload across oceans and strike distant targets without relying on foreign bases.

Entering service during the early Cold War, the B-36 became a symbol of strategic power. With unmatched range and payload capacity, it provided a vital deterrent capability before aerial refuelling and intercontinental missiles became practical.

Its enormous wings, six pusher-mounted radial engines and later four turbojets created the legendary “Six Turning and Four Burning” configuration. The Peacemaker represented the final triumph of the piston-engine bomber era while opening the way to the jet age.

Although it never flew combat missions, the B-36 remains a monument to engineering ambition: an extraordinary aircraft that pushed the limits of what seemed possible and became the largest piston-engined bomber ever produced.

THE KIT

It was back in 1980 when Monogram released its all-new 1/72 Convair B-36 Peacemaker. The kit immediately impressed the modelling world, not only because of the sheer size of the subject but also because of the ambitious engineering and level of detail offered. Over the years it has been reissued several times under both the Monogram and Revell labels, remaining to this day the only injection-molded kit of the B-36 in this scale. Somewhere along the way, additional parts were introduced to cater for different variants.

The example presented here was a gift from my fellow officers sometime around 2004, making it a particularly meaningful addition to my collection. As expected, the kit comes in a massive, relatively sturdy top-opening box, perfectly suited to the dimensions of the model. The very nice boxart is by artist Egbert Friedl, depicting 50-1092 machine flying in formation with another example some time in 1952.

Upon opening the box, I was greeted with 143 silver-gray styrene parts. The enormous fuselage halves are packaged separately, while the remaining components are neatly arranged on six large sprues. Molding is sharp with hardly any flash present. Surface detail consists of finely raised panel lines, entirely typical of a kit designed in 1980. Their placement appears accurate and, in my opinion, they remain perfectly acceptable, particularly for those who appreciate the character of classic Monogram kits. Overall shapes and proportions look convincing, reflecting the company's well-earned reputation for capturing the appearance of the real aircraft.

The cockpit is reasonably detailed without being overly elaborate. Nicely printed decals for the upper and lower instrument panels sre provided, together with four crew figures, while the remainder of the interior is sufficient for what will ultimately be visible through the extensively framed canopy. Given the limited visibility once assembled, Monogram struck a sensible balance between detail and practicality.

The defensive armament is also well represented. Both the nose and tail gun turrets are sufficiently detailed and designed to remain movable after assembly. The bomb bay is also adequately represented and includes the appropriate components for both the B-36H bomber and the RB-36 reconnaissance variant.

Landing gear looks good and is robustly engineered, appearing more than capable of supporting the considerable weight of the completed model. The six pusher propellers are nicely molded, while the four jet engines are also well represented, capturing the distinctive appearance of the later Peacemaker variants.

One additional aspect worth mentioning is the excellent structural engineering of the kit. The parts are designed and moulded with strength in mind (the massive box-style wing spar immediately springs to mind), giving the completed model a very solid and robust feel. This is particularly important for a subject of such enormous dimensions, where inadequate engineering can result in sagging wings or structural problems over time. Monogram clearly understood the challenges involved and incorporated sufficient strength into the design, ensuring that the finished model should remain stable and intact for many years.

Transparencies are well molded and crystal clear, with good representation of the distinctive extensive framing. Instructions are very nicely presented in the familiar Revell style of the 2000s, coming in the form of a 20-page, double-sided, black-and-white A4 booklet, containing a brief history of the type, a colour chart, a sprues map, with the construction spread over no fewer than 59 clear, concise and easy-to-follow steps. Colour call-outs are provided throughout wherever required, making the assembly process straightforward and logical.

Two marking options are provided, #50-192 machine, belonging to 98th Bomb Squadron, 11th Bomb Wing, as it stood in Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, June 1952, and #49-2719 reconnaissance bird, assigned to 72nd Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, as it stood in Ramey Air Force Base, Puerto Rico, 1955. Color shades are provided in Revell codes and in generic terms, with Federal Standard (FS) numbers included where applicable.

The decal sheet is truly impressive, occupying a large portion of the box and matching the enormous dimensions of the model itself. Printed by Cartograf, it features excellent colour density, sharp printing and perfect registration. If kept well preserved, it should provide no problems during application. Among the many stencils included are the distinctive wing walk lines, an important feature on the B-36 due to the enormous size of the aircraft's wings.

Construction begins with the cockpit assembly, where the instructions call for the nose wheel bay and the nose landing gear leg to be attached to the cockpit floor at the outset, after which the remainder of the cockpit and crew compartment is assembled. The upper and lower crew stations are completed as separate subassemblies.

Construction continues with the assembly of the bomb bay on the fuselage halves, the configuration depending on whether the bomber or reconnaissance version is being built. The nose and tail gun turrets are also assembled and installed in their respective positions, followed by attachment of the six visual targeting mechanisms used by gunners to aim the aircraft's remote-controlled defensive cannons.

The impressive wing spar is finally trapped in between, before the fuselage halves are joined, trapping all the above subassemblies in between. Approximately 60 grams of nose weight are installed in a well-defined compartment immediately aft of the crew stations to ensure the completed model sits correctly on its landing gear.

The horizontal stabilizers are next assembled and attached, before attention turns to the massive wings. Their construction begins by attaching the six engine air intakes, the propeller spinner bases and the remaining internal components to the lower wing halves, after which the upper wing halves are fitted. Although the number of parts may initially appear intimidating, the process is actually quite straightforward, with the engineering guiding the modeller towards a positive fit.

Construction then moves to the landing gear, where you can build the model either with the landing gear extended or fully retracted. Assembly then proceeds to the four jet engine pods. Some care is required at this stage, as the fit has been reported by several builders to require a little extra attention. The bomb bay doors are fitted next, either in the open or closed position depending on the chosen configuration. The optional crew access ladder can also be added at this stage, providing an attractive touch for those wishing to display the aircraft on the ground.

Instructions then call for adding external details, such as the various antennas, aerials and fairings specific to the selected variant. Care should be taken during this stage to ensure the correct components are used, as the B-36H bomber and RB-36 reconnaissance versions differ in several external details.

Although the sheer size of the Peacemaker may initially appear intimidating, construction is actually far less complicated than one might expect. The engineering is logical, the assembly sequence is straightforward, and the large parts are generally easy to handle. Rather than being an overly complex project, it is simply a very large one.

CONCLUSIONS

The Monogram/Revell 1/72 B-36 Peacemaker remains one of the most impressive and ambitious aircraft kits ever produced. One cannot help but admire the boldness and confidence required to release such a massive project, especially back in 1980. Even today, it stands as one of the largest and most impressive injection-moulded aircraft kits available.

Despite its age, the kit continues to impress with its accurate overall shapes, good molding quality and sharp detail. The raised panel lines are typical of the era but are neatly executed and perfectly acceptable for many modellers. The cockpit and crew areas are sufficiently detailed, especially considering how little will be visible through the framed canopy, while the landing gear, transparencies and comprehensive decal sheet are well executed.

Combined with straightforward engineering and a sensible price, this kit represents remarkable value. Of course, its enormous size requires space and some dedication from the modeller, but for those willing to accept the challenge, the Monogram/Revell B-36 is a project well worth tackling. A true classic that rewards the effort with a magnificent centrepiece.

KIT #:	04632
PRICE:	€70 in 2003
DECALS:	Two Options
REVIEWER:	Spiros Pendedekas
NOTES:	Monogram tooling