Guillow's Boeing B-47 Stratojet By Al Superczynski

Wow! Talk about getting back to basics! Done in approximately 1/100 scale, this 'kit' is really old school - it's not even what was known back in the day as a 'solid' model, which is what most wooden scale models were called to distinguish them from flying models. This Stratojet is copyrighted 1952 and by then solid models had progressed to the point where the better ones contained pre-shaped fuselage blocks that required only minimal sanding. Some even had pre-shaped wings and a few plastic detail parts, the best of those being the Monogram Superkits.

So what did the modeler of the early 50s get for his hard-earned cash? Actually, not a whole lot in this case: four sheets of precut balsa parts, another plain sheet for the bottom of the fuselage, a colored paper sheet of ill-proportioned national insignia and other markings in too-light shades of red and blue, a printed paper instrument panel and pilot's head, and a pitted clear vac-formed canopy bearing little resemblance to an actual B-47 canopy. Like I said - 'wow'. I sure hope the retail price of this jewel was less than 25¢...

The instructions are less than informative. There are no cross-sections to assist in shaping the parts, no templates, no scale drawings, and no suggestions as to how one was supposed to make acceptable landing gear from the enclosed flat shapes. I'm still trying to figure out how one is expected to make an essentially circular fuselage out of four flat sides, and there's no mention of the fact that the wings, stabilizers, engine nacelle struts, and vertical fin would probably have airfoil sections on the real thing. Built 'out-of-the-box' one would have a very strange-looking B-47 indeed. In fact, built OOB one could be forgiven for not realizing that the Stratojet had a tail gun, RATO, and a crew of three. Outside references are a definite must!

I picked this up off eBay (for only a few bucks, luckily) after the seller advised me it was near 1/100 scale - I like that scale and had hopes that someday I could build this as a companion to my Tamiya B-52s, realizing that it would never look nearly as good. I think I'll pick up a block of high-quality pinewood and a good set of five-view plans instead. This one is not recommended as even a non-serious nostalgia build. Anyone know what scale Strombecker's solid B-47 was? Anyone wanna buy a Guillow's B-47?

Until next month, "Build what YOU like, the way YOU want to" (and I don't want to build this one!), have fun, and be sure to visit Al's Place while you're surfing the 'Net!