The legendary B-52, still in service today, over sixty years after it first entered operational service with the U.S. Air Force, is one of the most versatile and successful aircraft in aviation history. The D-model was the most produced B-52 variant (170 built) and it was the core of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) fleet in the late 1950's, later carrying the burden of the conventional bombing campaign in Southeast Asia. They first saw service over Vietnam in April 1966, originally flying 10-12 hour missions from Guam and later from bases in Thailand. The Vietnam War culminated with the so-called Eleven Day War, or Linebacker II, a concentrated bombing campaign against previously off-limit military targets in the Haiphong-Hanoi area of North Vietnam from 18 to 29 December 1972. During this period, a force of B-52Ds with a few Gs flew a total of 729 sorties against 24 target complexes, delivering 15,000 tons of bombs. Fifteen B-52s were lost to the surface-to-air 'SAM' missiles launched at some of the most heavily defended targets in the world and, anachronistically, at least three MiGs were destroyed by B-52 gunners (two more were claimed but not confirmed). Just twenty-seven days after the final Linebacker II mission, the North Vietnamese signed the peace accord which ended American participation in the War.

Pit-Road issued 1/700 injection molded models of the short-tailed B-52G and H but we think that this is the first model of a Vietnam-era B-52D ever produced in this scale. The detail of the 3D printed model offered here compares very favorably with the very fine Pit-Road models and it doesn't require any assembly. We've posted high resolution photos so you can judge for yourself. The B-52 is, of course, a HUGE airplane and even in 1/700 scale, the size of the model is impressive with a wingspan of over 3 inches. While photography of these little gems is a challenge for our equipment and limited skills, check out the large, well proportioned model including the fuselage with detailed canopy, that massive tail and even the tail guns; the swept wings with pylon-mounted engine pods and bomb racks complete with twenty-four bombs.

While the surfaces are not perfectly smooth (3D printing is done in layers), the plastic used can be sanded and painted much the same way you would handle resin or styrene. The models may still have some powder and oil-like agent on them that needs to be removed by washing in warm water with a drop of detergent added to it.

NOTE: While we currently maintain limited inventories of most items, some items may be "printed on demand", which usually requires 10-15 business days from order to shipment.