Ford Trimotor

airbrats wrote:

Revell makes a 1/77 scale weird scale.

Yep I think thats the one I have seen at hobby lobby.

I'm not aware of a 1/48 Trimotor, but Airfix do one in 1/72. Most recently available as part of their Civil Aircraft Collection set. Not in the current Catalogue, but not too difficult to find. IN the UK, Antics, among others, have it in stock:

http://www.anticsonline.co.uk/1863_1_2162124.html

You also get the 1/72 DHC Beaver (nice kit) and the DH Heron (has potential but needs work. Includes stewardess  ) 

Alternatively, they can be found fairly frequently n eBay, where they tend to go for £5 or less.

I built one as a demo build on the UAMF in summer 2006 - check out my notes here:

http://gregers.7.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=1598

and remaining pictures here:

 http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=12309317&uid=4189935&members=1

With effort, and a little aftermarket, it can be made into a very nice model.

Cheers,

Chris.

airbrats wrote:

Revell makes a 1/77 scale weird scale.

The Revell Trimotor was origionally a 60s Monogram  "box scale" kit. 

As for the Tri-motor, I think those are the only games in town.  I have the FW-200 kit and it appeasr to be a real gem!  The detail is what one expects from Trumpy, and if you watch EvilBay, you can get a deal on it (I only paid $29 + shipping).

Brian  

chris hall wrote:

I built one as a demo build on the UAMF in summer 2006 - check out my notes here: http://gregers.7.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=1598

Your notes are great! The in-progress pictures do not show up any more. Do you still have them? 

and remaining pictures here:  http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=12309317&uid=4189935&members=1 With effort, and a little aftermarket, it can be made into a very nice model.

Chris. Your Tri-Motor turned out looking fantastic. Which PE set did you use?

I've got an interest in this plane now. About two years ago I took a ride in the EAA plane and pretty much fell in love. [:D ]

Thanks, 

Thanks, Drew,

sadly, I don't have the 'in progress' piccies any more. I had to dump them from my Pictrail site to make room for other stuff, and then lost the originals about 18 months ago, when my hadr disc crashed and got wiped, and I hadn't bothered to back them up.

I didn't use a specific PE set - I don't think one exists, becaue the base kits are farily old and basic, and, in the case of the Revellogram kit, in a non-standard scale. Most of what I added came from the spares box, or was scratchbuilt. However, this is a list of the 'bought-in' add-ons I did use:

Aeroclub 1/72 white metal Pratt & Whitney Wasps * 3 (these come with the front shields included)

Bachmann and Hornby OO-scale railway passenger figures

Presier HO-scale nude artist's model for the stewardess (from spares box) Dress was made from Tamiya tape.

Trim wheels from a generic 1/72 trim wheel and cockpit lever set (Reheat, of fond memory, I think)

Aeroclub 1/72 white metal 'hedgehog'-style exhaust pipes 9for Bristol Hercules radials, IIRC)

Suitable decal lining and lettering from the decal bank

Lycra rigging thread (Aeroclub)

Cheers,

Chris.

Chris,

It's a shame you no longer have the photos, but thanks for the list of after-market parts you used. Again, you did a great job on that kit!

Regards,

I'd love to see a 1/48th Trimoter, as I also built the 1/77th Revell kit long ago -- and saw a real one at a local airport where, it took off in as little as 200-feet!

Hey All;

Just an FYI did anybody know that the Ford Tri-Motor had a USAAC designation?

She was called the C-3, C-4 & C-9

I'm currently building a collection for the Lackland AFB H & T Museum and I'm currently looking for all (or any) 1/72 USAAC, USAAF & USAF Aircraft from 1920 to Present. So if you see anything that's out of the ordinary drop me a line. Right now I'm looking for a Ford Tri-Motor!

72cuda wrote:

Hey All; Just an FYI did anybody know that the Ford Tri-Motor had a USAAC designation? She was called the C-3, C-4 & C-9 I'm currently building a collection for the Lackland AFB H & T Museum and I'm currently looking for all (or any) 1/72 USAAC, USAAF & USAF Aircraft from 1920 to Present. So if you see anything that's out of the ordinary drop me a line. Right now I'm looking for a Ford Tri-Motor!

The USN used them as JR & RR.

72cuda wrote:

Hey All; Just an FYI did anybody know that the Ford Tri-Motor had a USAAC designation? She was called the C-3, C-4 & C-9 I'm currently building a collection for the Lackland AFB H & T Museum and I'm currently looking for all (or any) 1/72 USAAC, USAAF & USAF Aircraft from 1920 to Present. So if you see anything that's out of the ordinary drop me a line. Right now I'm looking for a Ford Tri-Motor!

I thought it would be cool to post some very interesting schemes of this classic bird.

So here's some of them.

Canadian specially fitted with skis in 1929, it was used for forest patrol and dusting. It is pictured with only the last two letters of it's full civil registration.

Tested as XJR-1 by the Navy in 1928 and then used as cargo and personnel aircraft. The Navy then bought 8 more (JR-1).

During Spanish civil war this aircraft was operated by Republicans as bomber, then it was captured and served in Nationalists AF as transport until 1948.

One of four aircraft supplied to Cia Mexicana de Aviacion (an affiliate of Pan American) in 1930.

Used by American Airways.... sorry no more info.

Possible the last Tri-Motor on the US active register, it was used for local pleasure flying till beginning of 1980s with Grand Canyon in colours of its previous owner Scenic Airways where this it served since 1929.

This aircraft was flow by Chile's Linea Aerea Nacional (LAN) in its route to the north part of the country, during the early 1930's.

Thanks to Wings Palette for info and schemes! :-)

Thanks for the paint shemes, Von Alfalfa (can you SING like Alfalfa too ?).  I especially like the Navy JR-1 and the Scenic Airways versions.

Does anyone have comments on the Revell Tri-Motor kit?

Of course I can.... ahem!.... You are so beauuuutiful...... to meeeeeeeee.....

Not you!.. that's how's the song goes... .anyways... Does anyone know's if theres available some blueprints to download of this trimotor? Im planing to scartch it in 1/48... not now but in a near future,... I hope...

Cheers!

Some Trimotor sites:

Simple Plan

Trimotor.org

Ford Trimoter Manual (for sale via Historic Aviation)

Great links aardvark!

Thanks! :-)

piperjoe,

Here are a couple pics of the Revell Tri-Motor I put together some time back. It was a very simple build and the only fit issue I had was the canopy, which took some sanding to blend in with the fuesalage. I also spliced the wheels in half because they appeared ridiculously narrow, to me anyway.

I also have Airfix's Tri-Motor, but it is still in the stash not even unwrapped yet.

Several months back I remember seeing there was a company producing one a Tri-Motor in 1/144 and appears to have far more parts and complexity than the Revell kit.

If Revell or Monogram put out a 1/48 Tri-Motor I would definately pick one up, not so much Trumpeteer only because safe bet it would be costly.

piperjoe,

Here are a couple pics of the Revell Tri-Motor I put together some time back. It was a very simple build and the only fit issue I had was the canopy, which took some sanding to blend in with the fuesalage. I also spliced the wheels in half because they appeared ridiculously narrow, to me anyway.

I also have Airfix's Tri-Motor, but it is still in the stash not even unwrapped yet.

Several months back I remember seeing there was a company producing one a Tri-Motor in 1/144 and appears to have far more parts and complexity than the Revell kit.

If Revell or Monogram put out a 1/48 Tri-Motor I would definately pick one up, not so much Trumpeteer only because safe bet it would be costly.

Bear in mind that the Monogram (now Revell) 1/77 and Airfix 1/72 Trimotors are of different versions of the aircraft. The Monogram kit has sloped cockpit glazing, and, IIRC, fewer cabin side windows and different engines. The original boxing of the Monogram kit, and some of he later re-boxings, came with skis and a dog sled team, complete with 1/77 huskies! The Airfix kit comes with pilot figures, wearing natty peaked caps!

Cheers,

Chris.

One in Florida

Survivors

piperjoe wrote:

Thanks, guys, for the  great pics and information on kit differences.  As I'm not too concerned about the scale I'll check our LHS for the Airfix kit and Michaels (can use the 40% off coupon ) for the Revell kit.  Guess I just like the old time nostagia effect one gets from building these 'ole birds.

And then there's the esoteric and expensive.

A search for the tiny tri-motor turned up VLE models 1/144 offering. It is far more difficult than other available kits, but take a look at all those tiny parts. A look at VLE's website unfortunately showed that the Tri-motor is no longer or not currently available.

http://www.internetmodeler.com/2007/july/first-looks/vle_ford.php

My Airfix Tri-Motor was purchased with the intent on converting it into a Bushmaster, but have since given up on that and will just build it OOB.

Hi Chris,

I am also trying to build the Airfix Trimotor just of nostalgia's sake. 

I noticed in another post you wrote "The cabin windows are at least 40 thou thick, and all have sink marks in them. They also don't fit very well. Replace with strips of clear acetate".

I have similar idea but am wondering how do you glue clear acetate to the fuselage? Clear acetate does not seem to react to Tamiya Extra Thin plastic cement or superglue. ...

Another note is that you said you use HO scale passenger figures. Aren't they of wrong size? I thought HO scale is like 1:86 scale or something like that.

Regards,

Peter.

Thats a fine kit. I just went out to the shop and looked at the one I've got built up. Fixing the cabin windows would be a worthwhile exercise, they are distorted. I'd glue the replacements in with white glue, the Elmers kind.

As for figures, Preiser makes all kinds of good ones in 1/72 standing. If you want sitting passengers, since all you can see is their heads, I'd chop up some folks and glue their upper halves into the seats. And I went with drop down shades at various heights, which seemed to be common.

HO is 1:87