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Lockheed u2s upgrade kit

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Webby74
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Lockheed u2s upgrade kit

Post by Webby74 » Wed Jun 23, 2021 11:45 am

Hi all,
Friend of mine has just bought a 1/48 scale lockheed u2 kit and wants to update it with the asarsII nose conversion and spine mounted data link hump.

Could anyone please offer any ideas of where to aquire.

Many thanks

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seven
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Re: Lockheed u2s upgrade kit

Post by seven » Wed Jun 23, 2021 12:37 pm

Wait for Italeri 2812 which is due later in the year. It'll have most of the bits required in it, and will be far cheaper than sourcing the OOP and very rare Cutting Edge upgrade sets.

ASARS nose keep an eye on ebay, but you'll have to fight for it, including with me ;)

7
#KeepFightingMichael #banthebulls

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Knife 04
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Re: Lockheed u2s upgrade kit

Post by Knife 04 » Wed Jun 23, 2021 1:02 pm

An extremely nice (if old) build here along with details of the update sets used

http://hsfeatures.com/u2sda_1.htm

http://hsfeatures.com/features04/u2sdwa_2.htm

http://hsfeatures.com/features04/u2sdwa_3.htm

ASARS II Nose Conversion review

http://acc.kitreview.com/cec48106reviewda_1.htm

best of luck with this - had mine sat in the drawer unbuilt for a number of years!

Darren

roger4
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Re: Lockheed u2s upgrade kit

Post by roger4 » Sun Jun 27, 2021 9:18 am

It has always struck me as odd that no kit manufacturer has released a U-2S in 1/72nd scale.

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Re: Lockheed u2s upgrade kit

Post by page_verify » Sun Jun 27, 2021 12:04 pm

A while back (2006ish) a model company did approach Beale about getting support for a revised U-2 kit to match the Squadron Prints poster created for the 99th ERS. However, back then the only external differences between a kitted up R and S (would've been the Block 20 S then) related to parts the USAF didn't want to discuss. I suspect there's probably enough high quality photos in the public domain now to create one, which is how most models are designed anyway?

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seven
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Re: Lockheed u2s upgrade kit

Post by seven » Sun Jun 27, 2021 3:04 pm

roger4 wrote:
Sun Jun 27, 2021 9:18 am
It has always struck me as odd that no kit manufacturer has released a U-2S in 1/72nd scale.
You missed Special Hobby's kit then? ;) :lol:
#KeepFightingMichael #banthebulls

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seven
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Re: Lockheed u2s upgrade kit

Post by seven » Sun Jun 27, 2021 3:13 pm

page_verify wrote:
Sun Jun 27, 2021 12:04 pm
I suspect there's probably enough high quality photos in the public domain now to create one, which is how most models are designed anyway?
No, thats asking for disaster! These days you'll ideally want to be able to LIDAR scan the subject, short of that a set of accurate plans and the ability to measure one up, before feeding the data into CAD. Then of course releasing said CAD images for the keyboard kit builders to moan about ;)

Hasegawas attempt at a MiG-25 was a classic example of modelling from photos. Certainly looks like a Foxbat but its pummeled into obsolescence by every other kit since.

Not that its perfect every time mind, would be interesting to know what AFV clubs designers were looking at when they did their U-2A/C/D kit..

7
#KeepFightingMichael #banthebulls

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Webby74
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Re: Lockheed u2s upgrade kit

Post by Webby74 » Sun Jun 27, 2021 6:25 pm

Thank you for the replies. Will pass the info on

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Re: Lockheed u2s upgrade kit

Post by roger4 » Mon Jun 28, 2021 8:42 am

seven wrote:
Sun Jun 27, 2021 3:04 pm
roger4 wrote:
Sun Jun 27, 2021 9:18 am
It has always struck me as odd that no kit manufacturer has released a U-2S in 1/72nd scale.
You missed Special Hobby's kit then? ;) :lol:
Wasn't their U-2S the NASA 2-seater, and their other kit a U-2R? In any case, they are no longer listed on Special Hobby's website.

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seven
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Re: Lockheed u2s upgrade kit

Post by seven » Mon Jun 28, 2021 11:17 am

No, same basic kit but with resin parts for the U-2S upgrade. I have both in the stash ;)

I don't recall NASA operating a two seat U-2, certainly not a second generation version.

7
#KeepFightingMichael #banthebulls

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Re: Lockheed u2s upgrade kit

Post by roger4 » Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:11 pm

Thanks 7, lucky you, having both in the stash!

Does the U-2S option include all the current sensors, e.g. the Senior Glass wing pods with the flat faces, the ASARS-2 or SYERS extended noses and the Senior Span/spur dorsal pod? I would like to build one of the ones currently at Fairford and fitted with all the latest goodies!

I was looking at a very small image of the box art of the Special Hobby U-2S/ER2 on line and the canopy looked like it had the raised rear seat of the TU-2S, but on enlarging the image I can see it is a single seater. I agree NASA's ER-2s are all single-seaters.

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Re: Lockheed u2s upgrade kit

Post by page_verify » Mon Jun 28, 2021 6:48 pm

Be careful, the jets at Fairford have never flown with Senior Glass, which looks quite a bit different to ASIP that they do now fly with. There's also a few other bits around the airframe which have only appeared in the last couple of years so I doubt they'll be in model kits yet.

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seven
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Re: Lockheed u2s upgrade kit

Post by seven » Mon Jun 28, 2021 7:47 pm

roger4 wrote:
Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:11 pm
Thanks 7, lucky you, having both in the stash!

Does the U-2S option include all the current sensors, e.g. the Senior Glass wing pods with the flat faces, the ASARS-2 or SYERS extended noses and the Senior Span/spur dorsal pod? I would like to build one of the ones currently at Fairford and fitted with all the latest goodies!

I was looking at a very small image of the box art of the Special Hobby U-2S/ER2 on line and the canopy looked like it had the raised rear seat of the TU-2S, but on enlarging the image I can see it is a single seater. I agree NASA's ER-2s are all single-seaters.
I wouldn't call it lucky with how much that ER-2 cost me :lol:

And I believe it has the ASARS nose in, but not SYERS (or maybe the other way round!). Cant remember if it had Senior Glass in sorry.

7
#KeepFightingMichael #banthebulls

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