B-29 “Silverplate” Turretless Conversion Set

1/48 scale for Monogram

Cutting Edge Modelworks

HyperScale is proudly sponsored by Meteor Productions

B-29s chosen for operation with the famous 509th Composite Group's "Silverplate" atom bomb carriers featured clean, turretless fuselages which made for better fuel economy and increased ordnance carriage capability. Fuel economy was especially important for the very long missions launched from Tinian in the Marianas. Circa 1967 as a young naviguesser, Bondo still remembers seeing those impressive eight parallel Tinian runways painting on his radarscope as his C-124C Shakey Bird headed westbound, climbing out from Guam. And, Silverplates weren't the only B-29s to get the cleaned-up treatment; not only were F-13 recce birds so modified, but, late in the war, Curtis Lemay ruled that the conventional ordnance B-29 fleet could also become turretless, due to the seriously weakened Japanese fighter defenses.

The conversion consists of two large fuselage replacement panels, six smaller ones (all in the characteristic Cutting Edge gray resin) and three tiny clear observation windows. Also included is a Black Magic set to mask the chromelike circular panels which replaced the turrets. All castings are very smooth, with no discernable bubbles or other defects.

Some modelers, when seeing this set might think, "Hey, this is no big deal; I could do this myself with plastic sheet." Well, with moderate difficulty, yes, you probably could, but some of us who in years past would've stepped right up to the scratchbuilding challenge, now have less time here on earth and are willing to accede to technologic progress in this, The Golden Age of Modeling.

Instructions

I always enjoy the specificity of Cutting edge instruction sheets, and this one is no exception. Follow the steps and notes very carefully, because there are discrepancies on the original Monogram fuselage halves, and Cutting Edge has, accordingly, made allowances for the variations in the parts for each half. Since cuts must be exact, six marked photos of fuselage areas to be cut out are quite helpful.

Knowledgeable modelers know that Cutting Edge does good stuff. If you like to build the "biggies" you need this set!

Recommended.