Scratchbuilding a 1/48 Mini Guppy

Ordinarily I build scratch fuselages the old "solid model" way, solid wood.  However, for sure a 1:48 model would be enormous and a piece of balsa or basswood that big would be pricey and maybe a bit hard to find.

I would go at it like a flying model- formers and stringers, then "cover" the framework with sheet styrene for the constant cross-section areas.  Maybe do the very front and rear with solid wood, and the former and stringers for the whole area between the nose and tail.

Don,

I did the quick conversion last night to scale and it looks like 31.75 inches long. Wingspan of 35.25 inches with a height of 9.5 inches. My plan is to use the 1/48 B29 wings and tail. I've been studying pictures of the Mini-Guppy and converting them to scale on CAD. So far so good.

Will

Adaster

Don,

 

I did the quick conversion last night to scale and it looks like 31.75 inches long. Wingspan of 35.25 inches with a height of 9.5 inches. My plan is to use the 1/48 B29 wings and tail. I've been studying pictures of the Mini-Guppy and converting them to scale on CAD. So far so good.

 

 

Will

You may be able to use the tail portion of the fuselage from the same kit instead of carving a new one.  I suspect, however, that the nose will still have to be scratch, so still recommend the composite method- formers and stringers of strip and sheet wood, with a carved or built-up nose section.

Don,

I lopped off the wings and the tail on an old B29 kit and glued them to a gallon jug of milk. Looks about right :)

Will

Will, as you probably know, the Mini Guppy originally had R4360's, not 3350's, which are completely different. And the B-50/ B377 wing which visually could pass muster but is different than the 29. And a B50 tail, much larger than a superfort's.

Later she had Allison turboprops.

If you were to switch to 1/72 then you could use an Academy B50, C97 or 377 kit, which would greatly simplify things.

An open swing tail would be great.