Airborne refueling scene.....

Here are some 1/72 choices for a Tanker.

DC-10 with the basket trailing behind (for USN aircraft and some USAF), with the probe for USAF Phantoms and later USAF aircraft

C-130 Hercules with the basket or baskets

KA-3B Skywarrior
A-3B Skywarrior with the the tanker package (different than the above)
A-1H or A-1J Skyraider with refuelling store (Douglas D-704)
A-7 Corsair II with refuelling store (D-704)
KA-6D Intruder (with or without an extra refueling store on the centerline)( D-704)

A-6A or A-6E with the D-704
A-4 Skyhawk with refuelling store (D-704)

FJ-4 Fury with a different earlier refuelling store

F/A-18 Super Hornet with yet another different newer refuelling store

Aircraft receiving the fuel from baskets are all Navy types that served during the same years as each of your tankers, except for the Skyraiders.

The USAF probe fits in receptacles in the spine of the jet, such as the Phantom, the A-7D, etc, right up to the Stealth and F-22. (the Phantom and Corsair II were somewhat unique, the USAF couldn't refuel theirs from a Navy basket, and the Naval versions couldn't refuel from a USAF probe)

hope this helps you with search terms to find photos with

Rex

oh, I forgot,,,,,,,,,you can get the D-704 in resin, or in the Fujimi KA-6D tanker kit, there is a resin late Super Hornet refuelling store coming soon from Modern Hobbies,,,and the KA-3B is a kit from Hasegawa

I think it is Flightpath in the UK that has the KC-130 refuelling pods and conversion, but someone else may have to chime in to clarify that,,,,,,,I am not positive.

Rex

Thanks for the info Rex, there are a few options out there for me to try and it seems most of the options you provided there are the fighter to fighter type refueling. And if I go down that path I really like the look of two 1/72 F-A-18F's because I can get the detail in there.

I think I am leaning towards a tanker somehow because it sounds like quite a challenge (which I seem to enjoy, don't ask why though LOL) I have found an interesting thread here, http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234942741-kc-30a-conversion-raaf/ which turns a REVELL thai airlines A330-300 into a KC-30A which are currently in service with the RAAF.

Or another option is a 1985 Heller 1/72 707 kit.... Which would be biiiiiiiiiig, but fun :-)

Eli

I bought a pair of A-6s (1:144)  with the idea of turning one into a tanker and then posing them in flight.  Maybe this thread will finally get me going on that.  Biggest problem for me is coming up with a way to build that drogue on the end of the hose.

Rex, you forgot the F-104 in your list.  Here is also an interesting tidbit of refueling history:

1967 MackayTrophy

http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/1158157.html

http://www.pacaf.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-090602-136.pdf

Or another option is a 1985 Heller 1/72 707 kit.... Which would be biiiiiiiiiig, but fun :-)

The KC-135 has a smaller fuselage than the 707, but you could use that 707 for the engines and tail fin on an Italerei KC-135R to backdate to an A or E model, depending on the engines. 

I didn't forget any aircraft,,,,,,,,there are almost 20 or 30 more, both Naval and USAF that needed to be refueled, I didn't intend to type out a complete list. (I would have had to describe the two unique ways the Banshee and Skyray received fuel, and then included the F-5A, etc)

And that first article is wrong when it talks about that Tri-level being the "first in history". (if they had said "first in USAF history" or "first time in Vietnam conflict" they might be correct)

There are quite a few photos in print of USN tri-level refuellings,,,one is Skyhawk to Skyhawk to Demon, one starts with a Skyraider, another starts with a Savage,,,,,,,,there are even a few "four-level" pics out there. They all pre-date the start of Vietnam,,,,,,and in some cases, the aircraft are still designated by the pre-DoD combined system.

Side note, I left the Savage out of the list of tankers, because of the expense or difficulty of the available kits,,,,,,,,one kit is expensive resin, another is difficult to fit plastic, another is a really great Vacuform,,,,,,,and another is a reallllly bad Vacuform. The Savage was turned into a tanker after the jet engine was removed from the tail, turning it into a two engine prop plane.

richs26

Or another option is a 1985 Heller 1/72 707 kit.... Which would be biiiiiiiiiig, but fun :-)

The KC-135 has a smaller fuselage than the 707, but you could use that 707 for the engines and tail fin on an Italerei KC-135R to backdate to an A or E model, depending on the engines. 

Or he could do an RAAF 707 tanker. These were ex-Qantas 707's which were used in the tanker/executive transport role. If I recall correctly, they only had the wing mounted basket pods and no boom.

http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/707raafsmudge_1.htm

Another possible, if you can find one, is the Matchbox/Revell Victor K2

Phil_H

Or he could do an RAAF 707 tanker. These were ex-Qantas 707's which were used in the tanker/executive transport role. If I recall correctly, they only had the wing mounted basket pods and no boom.

Precisely what I was thinking, it is just hard to find that kit. And it is not cheap.

I believe it was at the 1992 IPMS Atlanta Nationals.  It was amazing!  

Go big! model a KC-10 fueling a C-5.

I think both are available in 1/144 scale.

Don, in 1:144 scale, would the tip of a Bic pen work? Cut it via the LAR method, trim the inside to scale thickness?

I used to have that C-5 model; sold it off to a guy needed it more than me. It was an excellent kit, but very hard to find anymore.

You'll probably need a decent amount of space to display the finished models, even in 1/72-scale, but it sounds like a different idea!

If you are interested in fighter-fighter, Wolfpack makes a 1/48 refueling pod for an F/A-18E/F as an AM resin piece.  It looks like they are planning to do one in 1/72 (towards the bottom).  

[The links look like they may not take you straight to the items, if not, go to resin at the top, and then select 1/48 or 1/72 and just hit ctrl+F and search for "refuel," they also offer probe kits that will be useful to you.]

It is worth noting that the pod itself is shaped differently (the little propeller thing at the front which would be easy to scratch) and the flared end at the back for the drogue (not so easy to scratch).  Wolfpack's drogue is in the closed/stowed position, but I imagine one could be pretty easily scratch-built with a little wire.

I've got one of these for an F/A-18E in my stash and it looks nicer than the pictures on the website.  Good luck!

Groot

That should be a KC-135R to be compatible with a C-17 as A models were long gone by the time the C-17 arrived.

Blairy

I stand corrected. More research i shall do.....

Go For broke!

Matchbox Victor K2 refueling an Airfix Vulcan during Operation Black Buck.

Academy makes a really cool KC-97G and the -97L with jet engines.

I found this while searching the web.

www.boxartden.com/.../Revell-SAC-Refueling-Team

I hope that was a real kit! I'm guessing it was a small scale. Maybe 1/200?

That is more likely Revell's old boxscale models, meaning that the model was designed to fit a standard-sized box with scale being not a standard scale like 1/200th. It could be something oddball like1/153rd or some such scale.

richs26

It could be something oddball like1/153rd or some such scale.

Definitely oddball - if the source kits are the ones I believe they are, the KC-135 is 1/139 scale and the B-58 is 1/94

After a further search it appears they are 1/240 scale.

I've found the KC-135 with a B-58 and a KC-135 with a B-47.

For the Super Hornet my source says the Buddy store setup as follows: A total of four 480 gallon tanks on stations on the two inboard hard points under each wing. On the centerline station its the same 330 gallon unit used for the buddy store on the Classic Hornet, and S-3. The E and F can both do it but the E carries more fuel.  One thing, if you want your Super Hornet to carry a heavy load of ordinance but are bumping in to your maximum launch weight, Cat with low fuel, and top your tank once in the air, and you are on your way. 

I don't think that refueling kit is real. Asked around a bit never seen by my friends.

Hustler was 1/94

here is an OOB kit that does what you want, it is a Legacy Hornet with the newest refueling store

www.zone-five.net/showthread.php

you get one to do the decals and the pod, and any other 1/48 to do the receiving aircraft.

It is a bit large,,,,,,,,but two 1/48 Hornets might take up less space than two of the larger jets.

Rex

If you want to go small-scale (1/144), there's also this set, if you can get your hands on one.

http://www.dragon-models.com/d-m-item.asp?pid=DRA4595