thorfinn Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Here she is: Williams Brothers classic 1/72 Boeing 247D airliner, modified to the original 247 (no 'D') configuration. That conversion included modifying the kit's 'straight-line' fin/rudder to the earlier 'notched' style, and detailing the hinges; cutting off the kit engine nacelles and scratchbuilding new smaller-diameter ones (from Monogram 1/48 F4U-4 drop tanks); and using the engines and speed-ring cowlings from an Airfix 1/72 Ford Trimotor to replace the kit's late-style NACA-design fully-enclosed engine cowlings. (Both real aircraft utilized the same Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp engines, so it was an easy swap...just requiring new scratchbuilt exhaust collectors.) The kit includes the early-style 'forward slant' canopy as an option; though I had to cut out the centerline pilot's hatch and replace it with an acetate piece, since the kit canopy is a two-piece affair with the seam running right down the center. I added the early-style tall aerial mast forward of the canopy from a shaped section of bamboo barbecue skewer, to give it enough strength and rigidity to stand up to the tightly-stretched EZ-Line aerial. Details on the finish can be found in the WIP here. Decals were all made up on my PC and printed on my faithful HP inkjet, using Testors decal paper and their Decal-Bonder spray to seal. The decals included something I tried for the first time: 'printed' panel lines. Uncertain of how visible my usual 'pencil' technique would be against assorted shades of silver, I made up a bunch of straight and curved lines in various thicknesses and colors, to apply as decals. I used the charcoal-grey versions exclusively---the black were much too high-contrast---and it worked fairly well, particularly on the 247's complex curved nose panels. There were two main drawbacks: homemade decals tend to want to curl, and with tiny strips of panel lines this became an exercise in patience in some areas. The other drawback comes from putting mainly clear-film decals over a silver finish: even with a Future undercoat and liberal use of Solvaset, there were some 'silvering' areas that remained invisible until the final finish-coat was applied. Most could be dealt with, but a few rough areas frustratingly remained. The aircraft I chose to depict---NC13304---was the fourth production machine of the total 75 built, and went into service in April 1933; it is the same one shown in a well-known overhead photo taken over the Chicago World's Fair in the summer of that same year. Here's the same aircraft as it might have looked on the evening 0f 10 October, 1933: United Airlines' regularly-scheduled 'Trip 23'---they didn't yet refer to them as 'Flights'---preparing to depart following a twenty-minute refueling stop at Ohio's Cleveland Hopkins Airport, on the next leg of her trans-continental route from Newark, New Jersey to Oakland, California. Now headed for Chicago, the ill-fated airliner was about to enter the annals of aviation history...but for all the wrong reasons. At approximately 8:49 PM, the pilot radioed his regular position report, with all normal and the aircraft on-course for the Windy City. When the next scheduled communication---twenty minutes later---wasn't made, it raised no particular alarm, since radio communication was still highly subject to weather and/or occasional technical difficulties. Alarms were raised a short time later, as confused reports started to come in from ground witnesses: an explosion had been heard in the night skies over the rural farm area near Chesterton, Indiana. A short time later, wreckage was found: the aircraft had been torn apart in mid-air---by what authorities later determined was most likely a nitroglycerin bomb planted in a lavatory storage cabinet---with the loss of all aboard: four passengers (the aircraft could have carried as many as ten) and three crew, including pilot, co-pilot and stewardess. This first-ever bombing of a commercial passenger aircraft---an act of what we would now call 'terrorism,' though then it was merely referred to as 'sabotage'---was extensively investigated by the FBI and civil aviation authorities. Despite pursuing numerous seemingly-promising leads and an ever-widening list of possible suspects who had any potential connection with the airline, the flight, or its passengers or crew, no credible motive for the act was ever determined...no probable suspect(s) firmly identified...and no credit claimed by any individual or organization, for having brought the airliner down. The puzzle of the ill-fated United Air Lines 'Trip 23' remains the oldest 'cold case' in commercial aviation---and one of the most frustrating and elusive 'unsolved' cases in the entire history of aviation. 38 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
109 fan Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Beautifully done, Thorfinn, I love the look of these early airliners. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Great model and great piece of sad history. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 It's nugget post such as this one that makes browsing RFI every day well worth the time taken from, er… modelling, and such. A convincing miniature, a creative and highly interesting presentation of a (for me) new way of representing panel joints and, to top it off, a (for me) previously unknown history connected with the project. Top marks on all aspects. Thank you for sharing! Kind regards, Joachim 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Excellent, really beautiful conversion... And the horrible story behind. Congrats! J-W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 A stunning model backed up by a great but tragic story. Hard to belive it’s 1/72, there’s so much attention to detail in the paint job and decalling 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Fantastic model and a very interesting story. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Holden Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 A great effort ! This is a conversion I plan myself and have been collecting info on for years. The anodised finish is the best representation I've seen to date and also your method for reproducing the recessed louvres in the nacelle sides has neatly overcome one of the most problematic aspects to the conversion. I believe the 247 and later 247D had different cabin interior trim colours. According to an original 1933 United brochure in my collection (which gives a detailed description of the cabin), the original cabin interior was done in sage green. The restored 247D aircraft is done in blue, which may be the 247D's colour, (but it may have been done much later). The cabin door interior surface was lined on all airliners, not the bare structure WB provides. On the early aircraft it was lined with a dark-coloured linoleum, but the 247Ds all show a light-coloured linoleum, in both cases with small 'United Airlines' titling. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorfinn Posted February 13, 2018 Author Share Posted February 13, 2018 Thanks to one and all for your gracious and supportive comments! 1 hour ago, Roger Holden said: I believe the 247 and later 247D had different cabin interior trim colours. According to an original 1933 United brochure in my collection (which gives a detailed description of the cabin), the original cabin interior was done in sage green. The restored 247D aircraft is done in blue, which may be the 247D's colour, (but it may have been done much later). The cabin door interior surface was lined on all airliners, not the bare structure WB provides. On the early aircraft it was lined with a dark-coloured linoleum, but the 247Ds all show a light-coloured linoleum, in both cases with small 'United Airlines' titling. Many, many thanks, Roger, for your very useful information. The blue interior actually wasn't based on the restored aircraft---which I know can be 'dodgy' as a reference source for such things---though, having studied those photos so often, I don't doubt I was subconsciously 'nudged' in that direction. I actually ran across an unpublished contemporary passenger account describing the 247's interior as something like 'a soothing palette of colors, with dignified deep-blue upholstery and baby-blue walls.' That account didn't give the airline or exact date...but since blue had early-on been a color associated with UAL, it seemed a plausible choice, so I took the leap...and naturally guessed wrong! Likewise the door: with the usual whimsy of the 'modeling gods,' I ran across this photo, literally within hours of having posted: I thought it might have dignified my guess about the interior color...though it reminded me I needed to cover the interior structure with a flat panel. Fortunately, I always 'back up' my home-made decals with 'extras.' so that's an easier fix than the interior scheme. I confess I have quite fallen in love with this largely-forgotten aircraft...one I confess I didn't know diddly about, before I started researching this build. I will definitely be building at least one more of the Williams Brothers kits...sometime...so I made a careful listing of the changes made and things added to the basic kit, so I won't have to start from 'zero'---or rely on hazy memory---next time `round. Thanks again for your kind words, insights, and taking the time to comment! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ c Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Fantastic job on that, really really nice work. Great pic`s too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Holden Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Very interesting. So it sounds like blue could indeed be the 247D cabin colour. The photo you show there is a 247D door and the liner could well be 'baby-blue' coloured. The early 247 door is similar, but dark coloured, with white 'United Airlines' lettering. I have photos on my computer here, but can't post them directly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince1159 Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 A beautifull looking aircraft and a lovely build,it'd be nice to see a United Ford Tri-Motor next to her.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson Duvalier Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Excellent model and fascinating (if tragic) story. I recently acquired one of these kits. Although I model military subjects more or less exclusively I just couldn't pass it up for the price. Maybe I could convert it to a C-73? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorfinn Posted February 13, 2018 Author Share Posted February 13, 2018 I dimly recall a feature on military versions of the 247 in my collection of old IPMS/USA periodicals. If you're interested, I might be able to dig it out and scan it for you. Can't remember off the top of my head which egines the C-73s used...but I do recall they had T-6 style cowlings and twin-blade props. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Great Model!! Well done! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha Delta 210 Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Excellent model and an interesting story. Thanks for posting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinSK Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Great model with realistic looking finish. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearmatt Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Great job and interesting technique with those custom made decal-panel lines. Cheers b. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invidia Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 lovely looking model. great subject. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorfinn Posted February 21, 2018 Author Share Posted February 21, 2018 Thanks to all for your comments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzby061 Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Excellently done, those 30s propliners certainly had something about them. A fascinating piece of history as well. Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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