Jump to content

RC-135W Rivet Joint


Nigel Bunker

Recommended Posts

I intend to build an RAF RC-135W Rivet Joint. I have an AMT KC-135R, some cheek fairings from Spectre Resins and assorted after market goodies and Xtradecal do the transfers.

What I lack is the nose. Does anybody make a resin nose or alternatively can anybody point me to some accurate plans so I can build my own?

Cheers

Nigel

Edited by Nigel Bunker
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For one, there are no accurate plans, period. The ones I've drawn over the years (and which were used by AMT/Ertl for their kit) are pretty much it. Especially so for the RC. Here's a side view, but the real thing has a very subtle triangular cross section that will be difficult to do. You'd be **FAR** better off just finding an AMT RC-135V kit and starting from there. You'll pull a lot less hair out...

Screen_Shot_2014_09_07_at_9_47_13_AM.jpg

Edited by Jennings Heilig
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The SPECKLED TROUT has all *kinds* of lump-bumpies on it. It's got the LAIRCM system installed (see below) plus about twenty dozen other things...

And for the record, the AMT CFM engine pods are pretty bad. Airfix got it much closer to the mark, but getting Airfix's pylons to fit the AMT kit is going to be a right b**ch. Same with the (very heavy) Flightpath ones.

5476340677_0e76598b61_o.jpg

Edited by Jennings Heilig
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nigel Are you coming down to Modelfest next week, only I had some Maintrack RC-135U conversions I was looking for, for someone else on the forum which I think must be mixed up with Pats stock. I won't know for sure until next week though. cheers chris

Edited by chris57
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Iain,

What are the chances of a scan or a close up picture of that 3 view picture of the AMT EC-135V instructions that are in the picture above that you posted above please? So that I can use it as a painting guide for my 1:144 model please.

Cheers

Ian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

I'm resurrecting an older thread here, but I finally picked up a RC-135V kit, and started taking a close look at it with the view to update it to current standards. I realized that the Hog nose as kitted is too flat on the top. There is much more of a curve on the top side of the real nose than as kitted.

You can really see it where the nose joins the rest of the fuselage below the canopy, on the kitted nose it is almost completely flat and goes straight into the bottom of the canopy. The real nose as you can see here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/62382288@N04/5678346507

the nose curves down much more on the sides, resulting in the "bulges" below the windscreen where it meets the hog nose. Its hard to explain without having a picture of the kit nose. I've been sanding mine back and trying to reshape the top, but capturing the transition from the canopy is proving tricky to capture accurately.

Cheers,

Hoops

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Externally at least, they have the same antenna fit as the current baseline RIVET JOINTs. I'm sure that there are lots of differences internally, but after lots of work looking at current US RIVET JOINTS and other RCs I think you can come up with everything you need as far as references go. Getting from the plastic in the box to representing any of the above is a lot trickier.

I've got a KC-135R that I want to turn into a RC-135U COMBAT SENT, and I have the RC-135V kit, that I want to bring up to current standards, but the engines are being a sticking point. If I can't solve that problem, I'm halfway considering doing the NC-135W (12666) as it still has the old TF-33 engines instead. It has all the modern antennas and a weird mix of external protuberances from various versions of the RCs.

Cheers,

Hoops

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I purchased a AMT RC-135V last year and struggled to find decals to replicate current flying examples. I even posted here http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234961067-decals-for-amt-rc-135v/but didn't get anything.

Thanks to seeing this post I purchased Mark's RC-135W decals today, so can finally start to get the model built!

One question I do have is whether anyone has successfully added the HF wire that goes from the tail to around the center of the fusealage?

If so how did you do it?

Thanks,

Darren

www.raf-fairford.co.uk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is an elastic line, I got mine locally from Red Roo Models here in Australia. I am sure you can google and find somewhere more local. It can be stretched up to 7 times its original length though I don't stretch it that far. I attach it with superglue.

HU16AlbatrossSM09.jpg

HU16AlbatrossSM04.jpg

C-130A_17.jpg

KC135100ARWSM09.jpg

SpitfireIaDecalling3.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I purchased a AMT RC-135V last year and struggled to find decals to replicate current flying examples. I even posted here http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234961067-decals-for-amt-rc-135v/but didn't get anything.

Thanks to seeing this post I purchased Mark's RC-135W decals today, so can finally start to get the model built!

One question I do have is whether anyone has successfully added the HF wire that goes from the tail to around the center of the fusealage?

If so how did you do it?

Thanks,

Darren

www.raf-fairford.co.uk

Not sure if you may have seen these decals hitting the streets soon too, Xtradecals RAF RC-135...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xtradecal-1-72-Decals-72216-RAF-2014-Update-/231482212489?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35e56a4089

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bobe's Hobby House (actually physically located in Pensacola FL USA) sells rolls of 100' of the EZline on Ebay

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Models-Kits-/1188/m.html?item=200405607941&hash=item2ea91ae605&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&_ssn=bobemt

It's actually a decent brick and mortar shop, and buying from them off ebay was painless.

Cheers,

-Hoops

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...