C-47 Skytrain/Dakota/DC-3 GB

Whiskey 7 is finally home from Ohio.  After sitting there for 2 months, she got her rebuilt engine installed this past weekend, and safely made the flight home on Sunday.  So to celebrate I decided now was a good time to start on Mini Whiskey 7 #2. 

I'm finding I'm being even more picky about accuracy since I know Whiskey 7 quite a bit more now.  She doesn't have the standard C-47 interior.  The bathroom that used to be in the back many ages ago is long gone.  In it's place are a few storage compartments.  I know this now, cause I've dug through them, lol. 

modelcrazy

Those are some nice shots there Keyda

 

Thanks! 

Those are some nice shots there Keyda

Finally got to go on my first away event with Whiskey 7 last weekend.  We went to Conneaut Ohio for their big D-Day reenactment.  Whiskey 7 did a flyover on Friday and Saturday.  So I was able to get tons of pics.  Unfortunately Whiskey 7 suffered some mechanical issues after the flyover on Saturday, and she remains in Ohio until she can be fixed. 

I hope to return to the bench after all the summer festivites and the weather starts to change.  It will be my winter life line.  I plan to do 2 more "Mini W7's" and even a "Mini Movie Memphis Belle".  Anywho, here's some pics from the trip.

Everyone wave to the pilot!  Lol.

Nothing but water.  I think we were a mere 100ft up.

This pic was taken by the pilot, pretty neat.

W7's crew, and a few of the airport crew(I'm pretty well right in the middle wearing the brown W7 polo and hat.)

fotofrank

I've been watchiing the EAA live feeds from Oshkosh all this week on YouTube.

The warbird camera: https://youtu.be/L-PGb9zqa34

The video feed includes the tower to aircraft communication.

Anyway, I counted this morning and there appears to be fifteen C-47/DC-3 aircraft in attendance this week. Some of the airplanes at Oshkosh flew the D-Day commemeration last month. Ten of the airplanes flew in formation during the airshow the other day.

Just thought I'd pass thhis along.

 

I seen there was quite the turnout of C-47/DC-3's at Oshkosh.  They've all returned home now, except for one.

"Luck of the Irish" attended National Warplane Museums airshow back in July.  They suffered an engine failure while they were there, and are currently stranded in Geneseo.

I took a pic while working on finishing up an oil change on the #4 engine of Movie Memphis Belle.  They are currently working on coming up with the cash to replace or rebuild the engine.

I've been watchiing the EAA live feeds from Oshkosh all this week on YouTube.

The warbird camera: https://youtu.be/L-PGb9zqa34

The video feed includes the tower to aircraft communication.

Anyway, I counted this morning and there appears to be fifteen C-47/DC-3 aircraft in attendance this week. Some of the airplanes at Oshkosh flew the D-Day commemeration last month. Ten of the airplanes flew in formation during the airshow the other day.

Just thought I'd pass thhis along.

B-36Andy

Keyda--

I posted a reply to the DC-3 group build and it accidently was sent as a new topic in group builds---I don't know how to fix it

My mistake

 

No biggie, just repost it here.  I'm sure the mods can remove the other post.

Been super busy lately, still no modeling time for me.  It's been quite some time since I've been at the bench. 

I was camped out at the museum for a few days helping get ready for the airshow.  We had a few visiting C-47's.

Virginia Ann, Luck of the Irish, Second Chance, and Whiskey 7.

Luck of the Irish

Second Chance

Whiskey 7

Keyda--

I posted a reply to the DC-3 group build and it accidently was sent as a new topic in group builds---I don't know how to fix it

My mistake

Not a thread jack at all!  That's awesome!  Come to think of it they had a vendor at the airshow in Geneseo last year that had wooden planes.  I don't recall seeing a C-47 though. 

Side note, the Virginia Ann is currently in Genseso and is going to be staying for the airshow.  I'm going to be camping out there with my daughter to help out with set up and whatever else I can do.  So if I don't pop in here between the 10th and 15th of July you'll know why, lol. 

I hope this isn't too much of a thread-jack, Keyda. I just wanted to share this with you and the folks in your group build. My wife presented me with this mahogany C-47 for my birthday yesterday. A beautiful sculpture, I think, by a furniture maker in North Carolina. That's all.

That looks great Gary!  Smaller decals are quite the pain.  Seems reducing size too much just makes them fuzzy and distorted.  I'll get a pic put up the finished page!  Thank you for participating!  I'm glad I could share the love of the C-47 with everyone.

I'm calling this done, though not complete.    This is the Walthers HO scale C-47 kit that is painted to represent an aircraft of the 1st Air Commando Group which served in the CBI.

I was hoping to do a nose art for the aircraft Lt. Col. Richard Cole (of Doolittle Raiders fame) flew in the group, but the small scale for the decal defeated my attempts at replication.  I'll keep at it, and perhaps in the future I can find a way to replicate the lettering.

First, here's a couple of shots of the real deal.

And here's my representation.

I think my photography skills are sorely lacking.  This model looks a lot "browner" in person.

I want to thank Keyda for running this Group Build.  Enjoyed a great selection of the variations on this great aircraft. 

Gary

Thanks, Keyda!  She's being finished up now, except for the "Hairless Joe" nose art.  I haven't figured out how to pull that off yet. 

But I'll get some images up later as she's about as complete as I can make her with my current skills and technology.

Gary

Looks great Gary!  Can't wait to see it all done! 

Thought I would post the last progress photos for the Walthers HO scale C-47 model.  Most of the decals are on.  The ID stripes were done with white decal paper I cut into strips.  They seem to have worked well.  The "?" insignia was from an image I found online and printed out, along with the serial number (printed in black instead of yellow as they seem to have been mostly black or perhaps red on most of the 1st ACG C-47s).  Still needs some touch-up paint, the side national insignia and the "Hairless Joe" moniker.  I may have to skip the "Hairless Joe" nose art as my attempts at replicating it (copied from a photo) have not been successful (it just looks bad).

Should be finished tomorrow as planned (not sure about the nose art).

Gary

Gregbale>  Thanks!  Got the decals ready last night and will print them out today to allow them to "cure" for a day or two before application.  Things seem about ready.

Gary

GAF

Weathering was done by applying wash with a stiff bristle brush, plus stipling with the same brush acrylic OD and khaki paint. Not bad, not great.

Gary, the colors and weathering on your bird look great to me! Looks like your project is almost ready for the flight-line.

Will do lewbud!

Keyda,

I finally picked up my kit for this build. Put me down for an ESCI 1/72 DC-3. The kit comes with markings for three airliners. A Li-2 from Aeroflot, a DC-3 from Lufthansa and a DC-3 from American Airlines.  I don't recall seeing a cargo floor in the kit, but it could be converted from the airliner floor by leaving of the seats and filling the seat mounting holes. Don't know what the markings will be as none of the kit supplied ones interest me, and the aftermarket US markings are all D-Day aircraft. May have to think outside the box and go international. I have some Guatemalan markings from Aztec, but I've not had the best of luck getting them to stay on the aircraft.  Will check the decal stash after work. Here's a pic of the box.

fotofrank

Keyda, is Whiskey 7 making the trip to fly over Normandy?

 

No, she won't be making the trip this year.  She'll be in Lynchburg VA next week 5th-9th.

Just about there Gary! 

I've been so busy lately I haven't even had time to look at my bench.  I was at the museum today. The kiddo and I took out flight on Whiskey 7 this morning, and watched Movie Memphis Belle go out for a flight.  She's finally back at the museum after being down south all winter.  I have started to collect aftermarket bits for building a Mini MMB.

Thanks Keyda!  Nice to see the young one is being shown the joy of flight! 

As for me, I've managed to get the C-47 into a reasonable shape.  The weathering is about done, and I have just a little more mud and some rust (on the exhausts) to apply.  The antenna are on, and I'll do an aerial wire later after the decals.  This is what she looks like at the moment.

I think the first picture gets closer to the actual color seen with the naked eye than the second one.

Weathering was done by applying wash with a stiff bristle brush, plus stipling with the same brush acrylic OD and khaki paint.  Not bad, not great.  Need to work on the decals, but she should be ready by the first GB end date (June 6th).

Gary

Keyda, is Whiskey 7 making the trip to fly over Normandy?

Looking good Gary!  I did hear of Lt. Col. Cole's passing.  Fortunately there are people out there keeping the history alive, and he won't be forgotten.

Me and the kiddo were supposed to take a flight on Whiskey 7 on Mother's day for a fly-in pancake breakfast in Oswego, but the weather decided to rain on our parade.  So it's postponed until they can reschedule it.  It was going to be my daughters first time on a plane.  She didn't land up flying on Whiskey 7....yet.  But she did go up in the L-21 and the L-16.  She loves flying!  The weather was good on Saturday at least.

Keyda> Good to see you found a couple of kits of the Monogram C-47 to continue.  Waiting to see what you do with these. 

I haven't forgotten my own build, though I've been busy with other projects.  Progress has been made, and I hope to finish up before the old deadline of June 6th.  I also have a couple of Monogram 1/48th scale C-47 kits in the closet, so maybe I'll do a second one after this.  We'll see!

When we last left the HO scale C-47 build, I had just applied a coat of Testors OD as shown here.

I wanted something a bit "browner" for the appearance, so I found a can of spray paint called "Nutmeg" and resprayed the model.

It had a nice brownish coat now, but overall too even.  So using some Model Masters acrylic OD, I wet it down and brushed the surface with a soft, wide paintbrush giving it a streaked appearance.  This looked pretty good.  Afterwards, I installed the props and landing gear after the appropriate paint jobs.  This is how she sits now.

(Sorry for the last photos!  Not enough light.)

She's still got a ways to go.  I want to give the paint job more weathering, lighten up the cloth control surfaces, and then I'll finish attaching the small parts such as lenses and antenna.  Hopefully, it won't be long now!

Gary

PS> On a sad note, Lt. Col. Richard Cole (ret.) whose aircraft "Hairless Joe" I am recreating passed away last April.  The last of the Doolittle Raiders.

GMorrison

That's agreat photo, Christine. The person at the forward door is about three stripes tall, which confirms they are each 24" which was the multi-engine size.

But I think it looks really dumb on that particular a/c.

You got the DC-3 bug bad, my friend. 

 

I'm not a big fan of them on the Herc either.  It just doesn't look right to me for some reason.  I'll probably still build a model of one with the invasion stripes on it anyway.  Just for the fun of it.  I already have a J model in the stash.  I think the ones with the W7 on them are stretched Hercs though.  Looks like it anyway.

I will admit I'm addicted to Whiskey 7, lol.  I've been at the museum every Saturday.  I'm usually not a morning person, but I've been getting up and making the hour and a half trip.  Me and the kiddo will be out there all this weekend.  Sunday is a Mother's day fly in pancake breakfast in Oswego NY.  We'll be flying in Whiskey 7 there and back. 

That's agreat photo, Christine. The person at the forward door is about three stripes tall, which confirms they are each 24" which was the multi-engine size.

But I think it looks really dumb on that particular a/c.

You got the DC-3 bug bad, my friend. 

Well I have everything collected for my next two Mini W7's.  I just need to find the time to build them.

This one will be static.  So I've got aftermarket decals, resin wheels, metal gear, interior and exterior PE, PE flaps, PE seats, and LED's. I landed up buying packets of LED's, so I have plenty to do both. 

This one will be in flight.  I have aftermarket decals, interior and exterior PE, PE seats, LED's and two little motors that I stole from one of Hubby's quad copters.  This one will be lighted, and have spinning props. 

Not sure when I'll be able to get them though. 

jeaton01

The strips are probably the same width they were in WW II, but they do look pretty skinny on such a big airplane, as does the W7.  Artistic license may be called for on the model.

 

They do look skinny.  It probably is because they are on a larger plane.  I managed to get a pic of one back in November that had the invasion stripes.  Looks a little better when your closer.

The strips are probably the same width they were in WW II, but they do look pretty skinny on such a big airplane, as does the W7.  Artistic license may be called for on the model.

Hmmm, I do have a 1/72 C-130J in the stash.  Lol.  Thanks jeaton, I would of never thought of that.  I have seen a pic too.  There's at least two Hercs with those markings.

Is it just me or do the invasion stripes look odd?  I don't know what it is, they just don't look right to me for some reason.