1:72 Rockwell B-1B Lancer exhaust nozzles (conersion 4pcs) /REV,MNG,HSG

The real subject

The Rockwell B-1B Lancer is an American strategic bomber with a variable-geometry wing, that is with outer wing panels that sweep back. Its engines are arranged in pairs under the fuselage, so four separate nozzles emerge at the rear. These are precisely the places where a model is seen from behind and where a plastic part often looks too thick and too closed up.

What the set contains

Four exhaust nozzles for a model in 1:72 scale, that is the number matching the real subject. It is a conversion set: the original kit parts are replaced, which usually means cutting part of the plastic away and seating the new nozzle in its place. According to the name the set is intended for the kits of three makers, whose abbreviations the name gives, that is Revell, Meng and Hasegawa. The fitting sequence is given in the manufacturer's instructions for the set.

Building and painting tips

• Check the material of the parts before gluing: whatever is not polystyrene is bonded with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue).
• Cut the excess material away with a sharp blade a little clear of the part and sand the remainder down.
• Wash and degrease the parts before painting, because paint does not hold on a greasy surface.
• Try the nozzles dry in the opening before you reach for the glue.
• Seat all four at the same depth, because any asymmetry shows immediately from behind.
• The inside of the nozzles tends to be dark and sooty, so graduated weathering pays off.

Who it is for

For the builder of a B-1B for whom the shape of the kit nozzles is not enough and who wants a well worked-out tail. Work on a conversion calls for a steady hand with the knife. The kit, the paints and the glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.