B-32 Dominator – 1/72 Anigrand Full Resin
My latest completion is Anigrand's 1/72nd scale full resin kit of the Consolidated B-32 Dominator - the forgotten bomber of WWII.
The B-32 was conceived as an insurance policy in case the B-29 project ended in failure. Consolidated responded to the same brief to design and create a heavy bomber to replace both the B-17 and B-24 which were in current front line service. Consolidated used the Davis-wing mated to the same engines as the B-29 with a new, fully pressurised fuselage, remote control gun turrets and a twin tail set up similar to the Liberator. However, spooked by the complexity of the B-29, the design brief was changed early in development and the computerised gun turrets were requested to be replaced with manned turrets, meaning the pressurised fuselage also had to go. This change in direction delayed the project significantly, as well as stability problems which initially saw the use of a single fin borrowed from the B-29, and later extended to its final form seen here.
After the numerous delays the B-32 was actually beaten into service by the B-29, which proved to be an excellent aircraft. Eventually entering service in the Pacific in May 1945, the Dominator only saw limited use as a bomber - despite the overall good characteristics of the aircraft. With the B-29 now serving as the USAAF's front line bomber, the B-32 project was cancelled in September 1945 after the construction of only 118 airframes. The fleet was quickly consigned to the boneyards, and all were scrapped by 1947 with not a single example escaping the smelter.
The last allied airman fatality of WWII was actually in a B-32, when two Dominators on a reconnaissance flight were attacked by 14 Zeros on 18th August 1945 - well after the armistice. The story goes that the Japanese plots were concerned that the B-32s were there to bomb, but only after the war did Japan admit that their pilots couldn't stomach seeing USAAF aircraft flying serenely over Tokyo and attacked - although both Dominators returned home, sadly with the body of Anthony Marchione on board who'd died from his wounds.
The fit of this kit was very good indeed - I've heard some horror stories of warped and ill fitting parts, but my example was excellent and caused no problems. Construction only took a few evenings. I painted it a high-gloss black and then used Xtracolor Aluminium for the airframe.
Considering this was my first venture into an all-resin kit, I am pleased with how it has come out and be able to add this rare aircraft to the display case.
Best regards,
Tom
Excellent result out of the definitely challenging all-resin Anigrand kit, Thomas!
A rare subject!
Congratulations!
Many thanks, Spiros!
Well-done. Looks great.
Appreciated, thank you.
Well done, Thomas. The B-32 is special to me. My dad actually went to ground school in late 1944 on the B-32, having transitioned out of B-24's. He told me that a Consolidated employee told him that if he thought the B-32 was big, he should see the "monster" they were working on. This was the early work on the B-36.
Before his group completed their ground school, the brass canceled the whole program for new pilots and sent him on the B-29 school. He never got to fly the B-32.
Growing up, I remember Dad had scratched built a 1/48 scale balsa wood model of the airplane. It was in his home office for years.
Fantastic, Chuck - thanks for sharing. I wonder what your father would have thought of the B-32 had he got to fly it?
I’d love a larger scale one but the only option at the moment is a scratch build - I’ve seen one done in 1/48 using parts from the Monogram B-29, B-24 and B-36 - it was an impressive accomplishment but a LOT of hard graft!
Well done. Anigrand offers some interesting lesser-known subjects.
Indeed they do - I have their Rainbow in my sights next…
A beautiful build, Thomas @vacform
With all being resin, this has to be a challenging build, but you got a great result out of it.
An unknown aircraft to me, so thanks for sharing the background of it.
Thanks, John - it actually went together really well and I was impressed with the kit.
That August 18 encounter was led by Saburo Sakai, the last time he ever flew an airplane.
Very nice work (as usual) on this not-so-easy kit, @vacform. (although it was probably a breeze for you, considering your more "usual" projects)
Thanks, Tom. It was certainly a different build experience compared to my usual large scale vacforms - but a very pleasurable one!
Congrats on a successful build. By rep I've heard it's one tough kit.
I’d heard some horror stories, Dan, but I was pleasantly surprised. The resin was excellent to work with and I had no warpage or fit problems - I definitely got lucky! I did a few test fits and suddenly found myself building the thing - it was really addictive and I couldn’t put it down!
Excellent work, this is a great looking B-32.
Appreciated, Bob - thank you!
Well done Thomas, a rarity !
Thank you, Allan - it’s a shame we haven’t got a mainstream kit of the B-32 but it really does seem to have slipped into obscurity. Considering it has combat history and the last USAAF airman to die for his country was in a B-32, it’s a crying shame…
Excellent work on an interesting subject.
Excellent effort on a rarely seen subject! Well done.