Jump to content

Minicraft 1/144 Boeing 707 kits questions


NZKIWI

Recommended Posts

I have not built an airliner or anything in 1/44th since I was a child , but have just found two Minicraft 707s in my stash . One is a 707-420 with Conways for Lufthansa kit No 14455 the other is is a 707-320G with P/Ws the "Pole Cat" kit No 14504 . How accurate are these ? Could either of these with new decals be made up to represent aircraft which carried BOAC/BA colours ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As to accuracy, the nose is dreadful - awful shape & completely spoils the look of the model. Resin replacements are available, such as by Contrail in the U.S.. Others who know more should be along soon!

BOAC/BA certainly used the -420 with Conways.

Such as;

http://www.airliners.net/photo/BOAC/Boeing-707-436/2574108/L/&sid=31566caaa6abcce5a687f1f4ac5b6105

http://www.airliners.net/photo/BOAC/Boeing-707-436/2573160/L/&sid=31566caaa6abcce5a687f1f4ac5b6105

http://www.airliners.net/photo/British-Airways/Boeing-707-436/1975946/L/&sid=6a5fa3dd1d2be3c5a5039b60071a3c91

Keith.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Conway-engined version is probably the least inaccurate of the three Minicraft 707s but all suffer from the dreadful nose shape mentioned by Keith. At the very minimum you must fix the transparent cockpit section. Most of us will use the Contrails part which is pretty much a drop-in replacement but it can be done with Milliput and filing/sanding. Have a look at the third link below. That will fix the most glaring inaccuracy but it isn't a magic bullet and others with more knowledge than me will be able to tell you the other things that need sorting. I've never seen the Pole Cat kit so I'm not sure which plastic it is. If it's the kit which was originally issued as the -320B in Pan Am colours the engines have too much of a nose-up tilt, annoying but fixable.

Here are some links which might be of help:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234924770-minicraft-boeing-707-320/

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/66313-boeing-707-436-boac/

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234950176-pan-am-707/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Apart from whats wrong with the kits,both can wear BOAC colours. They bought 707-436 and -465 (420) and -336B,-336C and -379C (320B and 320C).

-436 G-APF etc. and 'RRB and RRC

-465 ex British Eagle...G-ARWD and 'RWE

-336C.......................G-ASZF and 'SZG

-379C ex Saturn....G-AWHU

Edited by bzn20
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

I have now had time to read through everything posted and try and get my head around it . As well as the Minicraft 14504 Flying Tigers 707-320G PoleCat which is unopened I have found I also have a Minicraft 14484 Northwest 707-351B which according to Jessica's post and pictures would appear to have the 320C wing and JT3 engines , the Minicraft 14455 Lufthansa 707-420 with Conways , which has the other wing Jessica pictured , shorter with less width inboard of the engines , and the Airfix kit which has a wing with a similar shape to 420 kit but shorter again ? Compared to the Minicraft kit , the Airfix kit fin is not only shorter but also has less cord . I have the 26 decals and would like to make a BOAC aircraft . I had almost convinced myself the Minicraft 420 was the way to go till the last post above . Are the Airfix engines short or do they just appear that way because they are too fat ?

Edited by NZKIWI
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not an expert on the accuracy of the engine necelles on these kits. I've seen the Airfix 420 built up many times and it always looked good enough to me.

As far as I am aware, all the 320B/C family of 707s (i.e. those powered by P & W JT3D turbofans) had the highly modified wings. Earlier 707s (non turbofan and Conway powered) had the original simpler wings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Another option to fixing the dreaded nose problem is the Two Mikes Resin nose replacement. Two Mikes has restarted his online website but is not currently showing this piece on it. I have been able to purchase two from his Facebook page which is no longer being used. Here is a link to his site. https://www.2mikesresin.com/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re the nose, I used a 'drop in' resin replacement for my RCAF CC-137 that I bought from Hannants. It was the last they had at the time. I think it was by Two Bobs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Paul J said:

Re the nose, I used a 'drop in' resin replacement for my RCAF CC-137 that I bought from Hannants. It was the last they had at the time. I think it was by Two Bobs.

 

Hi Paul,

I'm not familiar with the Two Bobs part.  Do you have a link that shows what it looks like?  The only two replacements I was aware of were the Contrail windshield replacement that was drop in as you mentioned and the Two Mikes that required you to cut the front of the fuselage off and replace.  Here is a link that shows the piece I'm talking about.   https://www.scalemates.com/kits/114848-two-mikes-resin-accessories-144001-707-nose-correction

 

Here is the part on my E-8 JSTARS build.   IMG_0809_zpsgfjjl1yy.jpg

 

It's not cheap but it sure fixes one of the major problems with the Minicraft 707 kit.  I hope this is helpful.  

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...