C-47 Skytrain/Dakota/DC-3 GB

Looks like a sweet thread - I'll be along soon. Having trouble with getting email response, so I rejoined. This happened a couple of months ago to everyone I think.

Eric

EBergerud

Looks like a sweet thread - I'll be along soon. Having trouble with getting email response, so I rejoined. This happened a couple of months ago to everyone I think.

Eric

 

I never get emails from FSM, lol.  I don't check my email that often either.  I just pop onto the forum at some point.  Usually in the morning while I'm drinking coffee. 

Only a few days to wait!  I'm currently trying to finish up a 1/200 Hasegawa AC-130H. 

Keavdog, I don't know how you are going to do a DC-3 that small!  I lost itty bitty parts, they seemed to of just vanished!

Ha!  The flashlight and the optivisor are your friend.  And never, ever work over carpet.  Looking forward to the build - cool little natural metal finish job.

Keyda81

Keavdog, I don't know how you are going to do a DC-3 that small!  I lost itty bitty parts, they seemed to of just vanished!

 

GMorrison

 

 

Keyda81

Keavdog, I don't know how you are going to do a DC-3 that small!  I lost itty bitty parts, they seemed to of just vanished!

 

 

 

 

The beauty of that is...who knows?

 

 

Only me and whoever I tell!  Lol.  I figured no one would notice those itty bitty pieces were missing. 

At least I shouldn't have that problem with the "Mini Whiskey" build. 

I've got my work bench all cleaned off and ready to start this thing tomorrow! 

It's Dec 1st!!!!!!!  I'm ready to rock!  Loving this GB!  Thanks for hosting it K!

I'm off to build!  Progress pics soon.

That's a classic Bobbie.

GB time!

First off...a hearty shout-out of thanks to Keyda for hosting the GB! It looks like we've got a good group, and it should be great fun.

It will be a while before I can get to my build, but I thought I'd show the obligatory 'it's not already half-built' shots of the kit I'll be using. It's Roden's new-ish 1/144 C-47 (which conveniently comes already-molded with the 'civil' DC-3 tail-cone in place, making commercial conversions a bit easier). I've built a gaggle of the grumpy old Minicraft kit in this scale, but this will be my first Roden one, and it looks quite a bit more 'refined.'

With a wingspan in the eight inch range, there's not a lot to it...no interior, for example, though I might add a basic one. Here are the goodies:

Looks like nice panel-line detail over-all:

Instructions pretty basic...though they obviously overlooked something, since they included a small 'errata' sheet:

Still puzzling over what colors to build her in...though I'm leaning toward the colorful British United Airways livery, c. 1967, with some home-printed decals:

I do have...ahem...a few others to choose from:

I do have one of those wretched old Minicraft F-104s in the same scale...so I could hack off the nose to use for an RCAF 'Pinocchio' radar trainer:

Also have some neat Israeli options:

We'll see. In the meantime...just to get in the spirit of 'GB fever'...I offer a few shots of some of my previously-built tiny-scale fleet from the recent '1/144 Fly-In' at 'Photographic Backdrop International Airport.' (All are the old Minicraft kit.)

The ex-C-47A 'Vera Lynn,' from the much-loved early-80's British TV series 'Airline':

An ex-RAAF Dakota operated by Air Niugini in the late '70s:

A 1940s USN R4D-4 in the markings of the United States Naval Attache Canberra, which someone...probably our cheerful Aussie allies... decorated with a tiny 'Roo on the tail:

A 'Raspberry Ripple' bird from RAE Farnborough:

This one just flew in 'under the radar'....

And probably my all-time favorite DC-3 livery...the elegant Trans Australia Airlines 'Sunbird' colors flying routes to Papua, New Guinea in the '60s and '70s.

Thanks again, Keyda...and I look forward to seeing what we all build!

Eagle90, I'm glad someone is as enthusiastic as me!  I got started this morning, on the same kit you have.  I'll post stuff when I'm done for the day, it's dinner break time for now.

gregbale, No problem!  I'm glad to have others building the same thing with me!  I don't think I'd be able to pick between all those decals!  Looks like a nice kit though.  The Monogram I'm working on is looking pretty good so far.  Barely any flash, and it looks like the fuselage halves will join up pretty well. 

I'll pop back in later with some progress to report!

Thanks for starting this GB Keyda - fun that we're all building the same airframe. 

Gregbale - what a collection!  Very nice.

Ready to get started.  One of the tiny props was off the sprue and one blade is bent.  If I can correct that with out breaking it I'll be amazed.  Pretty sure this will be the smallest model I've done :)  Nice little kit with amazing detail for the scale.  Recessed panel lines and very breakable antennas :o

Okay I started...

I must say the engineering and fit of this kit is pretty impressive.  Only issue so far is the fit of the wing on the underside of the fuselage - tiny step and at this scale should be really easy to fix. 

EDIT:  after looking at some pics online the flaps go accross the fuselage so the step may be a bit heavy, but accurate to leave as is - maybe sand it down just a bit.

Let her dry, then just a little clean up and polish and I'll put down alclad gloss black in preperation for her NMF

Quick little build - literally.

EDIT: Polishing up at this scale is quick!  Black on

Wow, that was fast!  Looks good!

Made some progress today, I'm still not a fan of PE.  We just don't get along, lol.  I lost one piece of the throttle levers, so I scratch made some.  Might be a bit out of scale, I'll figure it out later.  I may even do something different.  It's a WIP after all.  I'll keep at it until I'm satisfied with the looks of it.

Whiskey's interior is a bit different than factory.  I don't have enough pictures of the area behind the pilot and co-pilots seat, so I kind of winged it a bit.  It's not going to be seen at all once the fuse is closed up anyway. 

I feel like those throttle lever knobs are way too big, and I'm going to try something else. 

Just about finished painting the interior.  Still a few more details to add, then I have to start building the seats.  I'm pretty sure that is going to take me a while. 

I think this will be the 4th or 5th one I've built.  Of course the first 3 or 4 were when I was a teen.  I love this kit, I love this plane.  Of coursr I'm biased...my grandfather was a radio operator on the in WWII. 

Keyda81

Eagle90, I'm glad someone is as enthusiastic as me!  I got started this morning, on the same kit you have.  I'll post stuff when I'm done for the day, it's dinner break time for now.

gregbale, No problem!  I'm glad to have others building the same thing with me!  I don't think I'd be able to pick between all those decals!  Looks like a nice kit though.  The Monogram I'm working on is looking pretty good so far.  Barely any flash, and it looks like the fuselage halves will join up pretty well. 

I'll pop back in later with some progress to report!

 

It's a great kit K.  And I'm pretty excited about this GB and this kit.  I've done a few of them, but that was many years ago!  This one has to turn out better then those did.  LOL!

Keyda81

Wow, that was fast!  Looks good!

Made some progress today, I'm still not a fan of PE.  We just don't get along, lol.  I lost one piece of the throttle levers, so I scratch made some.  Might be a bit out of scale, I'll figure it out later.  I may even do something different.  It's a WIP after all.  I'll keep at it until I'm satisfied with the looks of it.

Whiskey's interior is a bit different than factory.  I don't have enough pictures of the area behind the pilot and co-pilots seat, so I kind of winged it a bit.  It's not going to be seen at all once the fuse is closed up anyway. 

I feel like those throttle lever knobs are way too big, and I'm going to try something else. 

Just about finished painting the interior.  Still a few more details to add, then I have to start building the seats.  I'm pretty sure that is going to take me a while. 

 

Spectacular interior work K!!!!!!  Looking great!

I got started on the build today and then life kicked in.  LOL!  Daughters sewing classes...teaching her to drive time!!!!  And my 7 yo keeps me busy.  But I did get some assembly done.

As you can see, I started off step 1 with a tragedy.....no bloody idea were piece 72 is.  LOL!  It is lost in the abyss...so I scratched one real quick.  You're not going to see it anyway once it's built, but I'll know it's there.  LOL!  I hope to do the interior painting tomorrow.

Eagle90

I got started on the build today and then life kicked in.  LOL!  Daughters sewing classes...teaching her to drive time!!!!  And my 7 yo keeps me busy.  But I did get some assembly done.

As you can see, I started off step 1 with a tragedy.....no bloody idea were piece 72 is.  LOL!  It is lost in the abyss...so I scratched one real quick.  You're not going to see it anyway once it's built, but I'll know it's there.  LOL!  I hope to do the interior painting tomorrow.

 

 

 

I could of sent you my piece, lol.  I'm not using any of that anyway, since Whiskey is set up a bit differently.  I won't be using the paratrooper seats either.  I'm going to attempt to scratch build the seats.  We'll see how it goes.  Scratch building is after all trial and error right?! 

Progress — but not on the kit yet.  Hobby desk is in position, model is on the desk but, as you can see the whole area is a bit of a disaster.  All my paints, glues and other tools are in separate Ziploc bags also on the desk.  This moving stuff really puts a kink in the modeling time.

Life puts a kink in modeling time, lol.  I didn't get any bench time today.  Spent the afternoon with my cousins.  Hopefully tomorrow I'll get back to Mini W7. 

I have the WIP posted to a few pages on FB as well, and one of the people that works on Whiskey 7, I think he might even be one of the pilots is watching the progress.  So now I'm nervous about it, lol.

Deattilio, moving messes me up for a few weeks. It just takes time to get stuff back where you want it and for me, it's the last thing get streightend out after the rest of the house.

Keyda, at least you have an expert to consult with.

Keyda81

 

 

Eagle90

I got started on the build today and then life kicked in.  LOL!  Daughters sewing classes...teaching her to drive time!!!!  And my 7 yo keeps me busy.  But I did get some assembly done.

As you can see, I started off step 1 with a tragedy.....no bloody idea were piece 72 is.  LOL!  It is lost in the abyss...so I scratched one real quick.  You're not going to see it anyway once it's built, but I'll know it's there.  LOL!  I hope to do the interior painting tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I could of sent you my piece, lol.  I'm not using any of that anyway, since Whiskey is set up a bit differently.  I won't be using the paratrooper seats either.  I'm going to attempt to scratch build the seats.  We'll see how it goes.  Scratch building is after all trial and error right?! 

 

Thanks K I appreciate the tought.  Very kind.  But as you know, most of that will not even be seen.  So I scratched the table and pressed on.  LOL!  I want to detail the interior so much, but keep thinking it will never be seen.  I do have a couple (or more) of these kits.  Might have to do a build where I take the halfs and detail and leave them open!  Never know what I'll do.  LOL!  Thanks again!

modelcrazy

Deattilio, moving messes me up for a few weeks. It just takes time to get stuff back where you want it and for me, it's the last thing get streightend out after the rest of the house.

Keyda, at least you have an expert to consult with.

 

I thought about that when it came to the area behind the pilot and co-pilot seats, since I don't have enough pics, but I hate bothering people, and that area won't be seen at all once she's closed up. 

Eagle90, It's impossible to see, lol.  I'm just going to stick with scratch building the seats, and adding the anti-slip strips to the floor, and I think that's about it.  I still need to finish up the cockpit too.  Still lots of work to be done, but other stuff keeps pulling my bench time away from me. 

I still need to order my kit.  I may have found a subject.  Two members whom I had flown RC with for a number of years both flew in the CBI (China Burma India) known for the famouse "hump".

So now I am going to research to find a C-47 that either these two guys may had flown.  

Good choice!  The CBI gets so little recognition.

I'm planning on doing one fromt the 1st Air Commando Group, as shown here:

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/298135-319th-troop-carrier-squadron-commando-1st-air-commando-group-10th-aaf-cbi-theater-made-question-mark-insignia/

Gary

Managed to get a little bit of bench time in today. 

I scrapped my first set of throttle levers, and used some stretched sprue to make new ones.  I just took a lighter to the end, it burned until I blew on it, and formed a ball on the end.  Worked better than I thought.  Might be a little out of scale, but looks better than flat PE parts, that I lost anyway, lol.

Painted on the anti-slip strips.

Pretty well finished with the cockpit I think.

Side windows got glued in and masked off as well.

Tomorrow I'm going to try and figure out how I'm going to make the seats.  Still scratching my head a bit at how I'm going to pull that off.

Good C-47 action in "Island in the Sky" with the Air Transport Command in WWII. Great movie!

B-36Andy

Good C-47 action in "Island in the Sky" with the Air Transport Command in WWII. Great movie!

 

I'll have to watch that one of these days. 

Didn't get a whole lot done today.  I tried to figure out how I was going to make the seats, but failed miserably and decided to order some PE ones that I should be able to modify a bit to work.  I'll still have to make the framing and bottom portion of the seat.  Only other thing I managed to get done was cutting out the flap pieces so I can add the photo etch. 

Still have tons to do while I wait for the PE seats to come in the mail. 

Hey everyone, I'm still here, just having major issues with the log on stuff.  Hopefully FSM can fix this soon....I'm having to use IE! 

Anyway, I have some progress pics, but need to set some stuff up on IE to do it.  More to come soon...I hope. LOL!

Bobby, same thing happened to me. You have to clear your cookies and I got back on. Going on incognito mode works too.