A pair of Bravos, P-3s that is

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Been tinkering on these for a little while now. The TAP-3B is a resurrected shelf of doom RP-3D I was not happy with. So off came the gear, out came the nose weight and onto a pole it went. I will be using some Aussie Decals for this one. Still at the early paint stage, need to break up the all over grey with some faded panels and weathering.

The P-3B is a new build with Hamilton Hobbies (local Aussie producer) P-3B conversion and weapons bay sets. I will be using the DEKLs P-3B decals on this one. Also more painting to go, this one will be a lot cleaner than the TAP-3B

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Well I am done with the paint on the P-3B, Once the gloss coat sets it will be time for some decals - It will be A9-300

Then to secure the props and entry ladder and add the final clear bits

[The 3rd Placer]

Clean work Ray, looking forward to the finished product....I do like the boarding ladder!

What type is that twin in the background on your bench?

Ryan

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Thanks Ryan,

The twin in the background is Beech 200 (resin kit).

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Finally got motivated to start decalling after a lot of paint rework.

I am using the DekLs sheet ( local Aussie producer). He uses a reverse printing technique on continuous film. Colours looks good once applied.

I started by laying down the whites

I used 2 white disks for the fuselage roundel position as it went over the grey and white (the sheet gives you extras).

Then I added the roundels and flashes. I managed to damage some of the decals when cutting them out and trimming them. Not sure how I could have prevented this. Will have to ask Mr DekL next time I chat with him.

Overall, the decals look pretty good at this stage.

Will continue tonight

[snapper_city]

Looking good so far.

[The 3rd Placer]

Nice update Ray, crisp masking around the Windows, looking good.

Ryan

[Coors54]

Hi Ray, loving the P-3's but one question, are they the right props you have on in the earlier picture? I thought P-3's had the square cut Aeroproducts(?) props not the round tip Ham Standards.

Probably wrong as it's a long time since I had dealings with Allison 501's.

Can't wait to see the finished article.

Dave

[Pete in Lincs]

Looking nice.

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Hi Ray, loving the P-3's but one question, are they the right props you have on in the earlier picture? I thought P-3's had the square cut Aeroproducts(?) props not the round tip Ham Standards.

Probably wrong as it's a long time since I had dealings with Allison 501's.

Can't wait to see the finished article.

Dave

Thanks Dave,

Definitely round tips on the P-3s. Lockheed Electras had square tips

Link to the aircraft I am trying to model

[GMK]

Clean, crisp work as always, Ray. You choose some pretty tricky schemes as well.

[Coors54]

Yeah, you're right Ray, my time was on Electras and we only had one 'frame with round tips, an ex KLM machine, G-FIZU on the UK register. The props were a customer option and KLM were one of the only ones to go that way, wonder why the military a/c all have rounded tips? Better low altitude performance?

I seem to remember that ZU was reputed to have a better take off performance.......

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Dave, ask and you will find out...

Found this on another forum. Its all about prop tip speed and efficiency

The problem with fast, fairly high flying turbo-props with large propeller radii is that the propeller tips will be the first part of the aircraft to reach the speed of sound, with resultant significant loss of thrust for the power delivered to the propeller.

Compare the L188 Electra which was developed into the P-3. The L188 was optimised to fly fast (about TAS 330 Knots) and reasonably high (F/L 250). The L188 had square propeller tips, with a slightly broader blade than the P-3, i.e. the same propeller area to absorb the power. Some loss of aerodynamic efficiency was acceptable to avert the much greater loss of efficiency in having the propeller tips reach Mach 1.0 at fast and high cruise.

The P-3 on the other hand was optimised to spend most of it's mission time at low level, where sonic propeller tips are not a problem, and the higher aspect ratio rounded tip propellers provided the optimum efficiency. It still left the P-3 with a 'respectable' high speed / high altitude transit capability, but not in the same league as it's 'parent' L188. (This loss of high speed capability may have been compensated for in the increased power (by about 500 HP per engine) on the Allison variant fitted to the P-3).

Clean, crisp work as always, Ray. You choose some pretty tricky schemes as well.

Thanks Greg,, I like my different schemes, can't have a boring all grey display case

Yeah, you're right Ray, my time was on Electras and we only had one 'frame with round tips, an ex KLM machine, G-FIZU on the UK register. The props were a customer option and KLM were one of the only ones to go that way, wonder why the military a/c all have rounded tips? Better low altitude performance?
I seem to remember that ZU was reputed to have a better take off performance.......

The Electra is a nice aircraft, I have a conversion in 1/72, but wish I had more. There are so many nice schemes out there including the Atlantic Airlines ones.

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Decalling almost finished, just have the wing walkways to do, install some clear parts and HF wire antennas and it should be done (who knows when that will be!)

[Alpha Delta 210]

Absolutely beautiful! I've always had a soft spot for the Orion.

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Calling this done (after a final gloss coat) with one of it's RAAF Stablemates

[The 3rd Placer]

Good looking birds.