SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

Carvair, anyone?

1357 views
8 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    April 2020
Carvair, anyone?
Posted by RickS on Monday, May 18, 2020 10:18 AM

I have a kit of the Carvair, a modified Douglas DC-4 used to ferry passengers across the channel in the early 60's.  I bought it off ebay because it is a unique and interesting subject.  Little did I know when I got the kit that I would actually lay eyes on the one remaining airworthy example in Gainesville, TX.  I don't know when I'll start the kit, but for now, here's an interesting bit about the airplane.  A google search will bring up a surprisingly large amount of info as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_Traders_Carvair

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsD09gfahU0

 

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Monday, May 18, 2020 10:35 AM

Would that be the Roden kit? Love to see it.

I'd forgotten about Freddie Laker, who was quite a character. Thanks for posting.

 

Bill

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Cincinnati, Ohio USA
Posted by Drew Cook on Monday, May 18, 2020 12:36 PM

Didn't the movie "Goldfinger" (1964) have a scene in it where Goldfinger's 1937 Phantom III Rolls Royce was being loaded onto a Carvair at an English airport - with James Bond (Sean Connery) watching surreptitiously? 

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Monday, May 18, 2020 12:39 PM

I think it was a British aircraft. I'll look it up...

EDIT: you are correct!

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    April 2020
Posted by RickS on Monday, May 18, 2020 1:25 PM

GMorrison, it is indeed the Roden kit in 1:144 scale. I'm happy to oblige with pics!

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Monday, May 18, 2020 1:53 PM

I was familiar with the Car-vair, but sure didn't realize it was a modified DC-4.  Now that I look at it closely- sure!

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Monday, May 18, 2020 1:55 PM

Redesigned vertical fin.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 8:51 AM

GMorrison

Redesigned vertical fin.

 

Might that be a DC-7 vertical empanage?  I guess the big bump in forward lateral area would require a bigger fin.

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    April 2020
Posted by RickS on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 9:38 AM

Don Stauffer

 

 
GMorrison

Redesigned vertical fin.

 

 

 

Might that be a DC-7 vertical empanage?  I guess the big bump in forward lateral area would require a bigger fin.

 

 

 

From the Wiki article, apparently the fin was a completely new design, although it needs a citation...

 

The conversion of the original aircraft entailed replacing the forward fuselage with one 8 feet 8 inches (2.64 m) longer, with a raised flightdeck in a bulbous "hump" (akin to the later Boeing 747) to allow a sideways hinged nose door. It also entailed more powerful wheel brakes and an enlarged tail, often thought to be a Douglas DC-7 unit, but actually a completely new design.[citation needed] The engines, four Pratt & Whitney R-2000 Twin Wasps, were unchanged.

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.