Vulcanicity Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Hi all, I'm delving into the world of airliners for my next build as my girlfriend really wants me to make her a DH Comet for Christmas (No, I too am still trying to figure out why!) Anyway, I want to do to a Comet 4 in BOAC livery, and have the Airfix Comet 4b kit and TwoSix decal sheet for this purpose. I am fully clued up about the fuselage length difference and know where to cut. I also have a cunning plan for the prominent wing fuel tanks (involves some 1:72nd drop tanks!) However, all the sources I can find say that the 4b also had its wing shortened as well as the wing fuel tanks being deleted. The difference is 32.87m compared to 34.98m, which works out to 1.4cm in scale. For the life of me I can't work out where the difference in span comes from-can anybody tell me which bit is longer? Ta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stringbag Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 I have the info somewhere Phil. Bear with me while I check it and I'll drop you a PM when I sort it out. Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulcanicity Posted November 29, 2013 Author Share Posted November 29, 2013 Cheers Chris, would be very useful! Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessica Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 IIRC it's the wingtips outboard of the tanks. There are conversion kits available if you prefer to go that route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viscount806x Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 The 4C had the longer body of the 4B. Might save surgery in that area. Fuselage lengths according to a source on my shelf: Srs 4 111.5 ft / Srs. 4B &4C 118 ft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessica Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 The 4C had the longer body of the 4B. Might save surgery in that area. Fuselage lengths according to a source on my shelf: Srs 4 111.5 ft / Srs. 4B &4C 118 ft. True, but BOAC's Comet 4s were shorter. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulcanicity Posted November 30, 2013 Author Share Posted November 30, 2013 As Jessica says, I'm keen to do a BOAC Comet, and have no qualms at all about chopping the fuselage! Thanks for at least narrowing down the location of the wing difference, what I really need is some good comparative views of the wingtips of 4b and 4/4C! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garryrussell Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 Not definitive but a bit of an idea Got a Matchbox Stuka? http://home.clara.net/robertkeddie/Trials.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richellis Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 Im sure I have a resin conversion for the wings here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulcanicity Posted December 1, 2013 Author Share Posted December 1, 2013 I believe the LGW resin conversions are OOP and almost impossible to get hold of now, but if you'd be willing to part with one that'd be great (and save me some work-unfortunately I haven't got a Matchbox Stuka!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 BOAC Comets were 4's. Except for the ex Mexicana 4c in BOAC Gold Speedbird colours, used only as an apprentice trainer (and didn't fly for BOAC)at Heathrow after the withdrawl of the ex BOAC and WAAC Argonaut G-ALHJ. I think that ended up as a fire trainer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessica Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 Russel Brown's AHS lists a Comet 4 conversion. There's no picture available though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garryrussell Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 (edited) The ex Mexicana at Heathrow was ex BOAC Comet 4 G-APDT leased to Mexicana, returned to BOAC long afte the airline stopped flying the type and used for training replacing Canadair Four G-ALHJ. It was the only Comet 4 in the Mexicana fleet as all their own were 4C as mentioned. The only Comet 4C to wear BOAC livery was the ex Mexicana/ Dick Drost done up by Boeing in the US. It never flew for BOAC. Edited December 1, 2013 by garryrussell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 I have the LGW 4/4C wing tips, but whilst they have the tanks, I think they are still too short on span. (They don't extend any further than the Airfix kit) but extending the wings with plastic card is relatively simple Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garryrussell Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 How about using the outer wings and pods from the Welsh 1/144 Nimrod? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Thanks Gary Not bad that, I managed to confuse two different Comets! I remembered the Comet coming back to Heathrow and assumed (yeah, I know) it was a 4c without looking at it properly and kept that thought in my head until tonight. I don't believe it was leased out at the time I was spotting at LAP just about every day and still missed the fact Mexicana had a 4 in the fleet. Well learn something every day, even if its 47 years too late! Cheers again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garryrussell Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 (edited) It was Mexicana that cased the 4C They wanted a bit more capacity and were interested in the longer 4A but that had a reduced range due to the smaller wing. When Capital folded the 4A went too. BEA picked up a further extended fuse and the 4A wing...the 4B. Mexicana approached DH about a higher capacity version but keeping range. DH offered a quick fix in mating the 4 outer wing with the 4B fuse and inner wing, There was a slightly different inner wing on the 4B and so was born the 4C. Oh...and I forgot there was a second Comet 4 with Mexicana also leased from BOAC. G-APDR was sold to Channel for spares when Mexicana finished with it. I think they were four year leases. Edited December 4, 2013 by garryrussell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 (edited) I found that out about 'PDR last night while eating the production list! Edited December 4, 2013 by bzn20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippiebg Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Trust of help... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Nice drawings. Just for reference, here is one of the LGW tips against the Airfix Comet wing. Note they are the same length. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulcanicity Posted December 5, 2013 Author Share Posted December 5, 2013 (edited) SkippieBG, you're a lifesaver. Thanks a lot, that's precisely what I needed! Dave, thanks also-that input stopped me wasting time on trying to hunt down those wing tip conversions! Edited December 5, 2013 by Vulcanicity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippiebg Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Well, depends where you measure from... Taking the inboard end of the aileron as reference point changes things somewhat, though I agree the expra span is om the short side. Also, the pinion tanks are too small. The likely amount of work using plastic card and a drop tank (Airfix 1/72 Harrier comes to mind) is hardly any more than using an aftermarket part, is cheaper, and is likely to give a better result. Incidentally, beware the claim that the Comet 4 series' wing trailing edge was straight. It does have a small kink in it. But that's another matter... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippiebg Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Phil, you're welcome! I have owned three resin pinion-tank-wingtip conversions and one vacform one for the Airfix Comet, and none has been any good, though all were pricey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Well, depends where you measure from... Taking the inboard end of the aileron as reference point changes things somewhat, though I agree the expra span is om the short side. Problem is, if you line up the aileron, the chord of the inserts is too thick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 What we really need is a new IJ Comet 4!! (Welsh is a bit procey if you want to do a line up!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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