Gallery: Freedom Models new 48th scale Northrop Grumman X-47B UCAS

As always we are lucky enough to have someone talented build a recently released kit we thought you would want to see. It’s our turn to as Gary Wickham “where’s the cockpit?” in his latest build of Freedom Models new 48^th scale Northrop Grumman X-47B UCAS

Northrop Grumman X-47B UCAS

Freedom Models

1/48^th scale

Available from Freedom Models distributors worldwide.
X-47B UCAS - Build Review Pt I.PT II Painting and finishing

The U.S. Navy’s X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) program was designed to demonstrate the ability of a tailless, fighter-sized unmanned aircraft to land on and be launched from the flight deck of a Navy aircraft carrier while underway at sea, one of the most challenging aviation environments. Under a contract awarded in August 2007 by the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Northrop Grumman designed, produced and is flight testing two autonomous, low-observable relevant demonstrator aircraft designated the X-47B UCAS.

 This is one of the pictures used for the inspiration of this dio build. Note the tractor and crewmen on the deck

This 1/48 kit of the X-47B is manufactured by Freedom Models (kit FD18001). My model is built 99% out-of-box with only some minor detailing added to the landing gear and tail hook. The fit of the kit is excellent and based on my research is very accurate. I chose to model the X-47B as it appeared during carrier trials. Being a demonstrator airframe the specific configuration varied a lot.

The whole kit and dio

The A/S32A-32 deck tractor is from Skunkmodels and the figures are from Verlinden and CMK. The display base is pre-printed cardboard from Uschi van der Rosten. The model was finished with Gunze Mr Color laquer paints.

And in closer detail

The detailed build of this model can be found in the next few days here on “The News”.

Gary Wickham

Available from Freedom Models distributors worldwide. 

See more of Gary’s models at his website www.scalespot.com