"new" nasa wb-57f

[SMWulph]

Originally Posted by murphyaa

*Digs out WB-57 files from storage*

Going to make it look like now w/o the NASA pint job?

[Swampfox]

Originally Posted by abbycat

Thanks for posting. I'm thinking that will be the next model I build.

If your interested I did a build thread of this kit. Here's the link.

WB-57F Oddball-1:48 build

swampfox

[abbycat]

Thanks Swampfox!

[charleswlkr54]

"New" like those old Grumman S-2's the CDF rebuilds as air tamkers!

[Swampfox]

Originally Posted by charleswlkr54

"New" like those old Grumman S-2's the CDF rebuilds as air tamkers!

Very much like that kind of "New".

41 year old "New" to be exact. Plus or minus:-)

SFX

[charleswlkr54]

I used to live near Fresno, where they used to keep all the ones awaiting rebuild and wher they did the re-working at Fresno-Yosemite International Airport (They get 1 flight a week from Mexico!)

[Wad Cutter]

Swampfox, that link you posted had some beautiful photos of the C-47 I', building or at least trying to. The landing gear struts have been a major hang up for me but now that I can see I have a much better view of what I'm cutting. Thank you very much for posting that story and the link. wc

[Swampfox]

Originally Posted by Wad Cutter

Swampfox, that link you posted had some beautiful photos of the C-47 I', building or at least trying to. The landing gear struts have been a major hang up for me but now that I can see I have a much better view of what I'm cutting. Thank you very much for posting that story and the link. wc

Wad, your welcome, glad to be of help...........except I've never built a C-47!! Do you mean the WB-57F? Very different than a C-47 but glad I am able to assist.

Post a pict or 2, I'm curious to see what your building.

keep building,
SFX

[scon10]

Interesting. I believe NASA was doing high altitude research with these aircraft when they were in normal operation. What is the purpose of this Snowhite resurection, are they to be a historic flight, or will they even be used for research again?
Anybody any information?

[Swampfox]

Originally Posted by scon10

Interesting. I believe NASA was doing high altitude research with these aircraft when they were in normal operation. What is the purpose of this Snowhite resurection, are they to be a historic flight, or will they even be used for research again?
Anybody any information?

NASA has been using, up to about 4-5 years ago, 3 WB-57F for various types of research. These WB-57F ac were under USAF control (58th WRS. Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, NM) until 1974-76 (can't recall exact date) when they were retired because of stress cracks in the main wing spars (Design flaw). At that point, NASA asked to use 2 or 3 of them. As I said earlier, they use these 3 until about 4-5 years ago.

Recently they asked for a replacement and this aircraft was taken from storage near Tuscon, AZ. sometime in 2011, trucked to somewhere in the Denver area and completely rebuilt for "NASA and probably USAF" use. The pictures that I linked to are photos of the first test flight that took place Aug 8, earlier this month.

Another WB-57F was removed from static display at Warner-Robbins AFB, Georgia last March and is also undergoing similar treatment. It will however not fly. It will be used as a training artifact for future NASA crews.

Hope this helps,
SFX