Popular Post Turbofan Posted March 20, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted March 20, 2018 (edited) Needing very little introduction the iconic Laker Skytrain, one of the pioneers of low cost operations, operated the DC10 during the 70's and early 80's. They were familiar to anyone who frequented Gatwick, Manchester or Prestwick airports in the UK. I bought an MD11 from 26 last year as Ray was selling them at a good price and had originally intended to build it as an MD11 but, as I already had an Authentic Airliners MD11, decided that I would try to convert it into a late model DC10. The conversion wasn't too difficult, the main differences are a shorter fuselage, larger tailplanes, different tailcone, no winglets and different engines. The latter also required some work on the number 2 intake as the DC10 I wanted to model had the straight intake not the larger more rounded one of the MD11. Some later DC10s did have the same intake as the MD11. I took the GE CF6 engines from an Airfix A300 which were going spare as I intend to finish my A300 as an Iberia aircraft which used P&W engines, these were attached to the kit pylons with no problems. The hot section of the number 2 engine was cast from one of the Airfix ones. Despite some modellers experience with this MD11 kit I found assembly straight forward, fit was good and, with only a little adjustment, the wings attached nicely with the wingspar providing a good strong joint. The front fuselage was shortened simply by removing a plug from the constant diameter section, however this was not possible for the rear fuselage so I had to make some longitudinal cuts in the forward part of the rear fuselage to reduce it to the diameter of the rear part. This worked quite well and only needed a little Milliput to fair it in nicely. The tailcone was removed and the new one sculpted with Milliput. I used some acrylic tubing for the forward part of the centre intake and there was a little filling further along the intake where the engine sits just to reshape it a little. The tailplanes were perhaps the hardest part as I had to increase the length and the chord this was achieved with a couple of styrene inserts some Milliput and sanding to shape. Decals are from Flightpath and went on beautifully, windows and windshield are Authentic Airliners. I had to do a little adjusting of the centre windscreen sections as the EE kit part is wider in this respect. Paint is Halfords Appliance White with the grey belly Mr Color 315. The engines and wing leading edges are Mr Metal Color Aluminium 218 and the Coroguard my own mix of any old dark grey with a drop of silver. Of course half way through this project EE/MikroMir announced they were releasing a DC10! Regardless of that I enjoyed the conversion and at the time of completion this is the only way to build an injection moulded late model DC10. Having said that if you are after an earlier DC10 without the large forward wing fairing I recommend the AA kit. First a few WIP pics. Sorry about the messy workbench! Now the finished model. Hope you like it and thanks for looking. Cheers, Ian Edited July 12, 2020 by Turbofan 74 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swamp Donkey Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 I love it! Happy days SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha Delta 210 Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Absolutely awesome result. Your efforts have really paid off. I love the windows! Brings back memories of family holidays in the '70s. I think I have an (unused) Skytrain sick bag and Parker pen in the loft! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinky coffeeboat Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Wow, great model Ian and well done on the conversion. How did you feel when you learnt a DC-10 was being released later? I think I'd have cried!! Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 That's simply superb Ian, beautiful model! Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stringbag Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 I'm off for a lie down now. No wonder you've been quiet of late Ian. That's an absolute stunner Mate The second best livery ever seen on a DC-10. Hats off to you with that one Ian. Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbofan Posted March 20, 2018 Author Share Posted March 20, 2018 Thanks for the replies everyone! Everyone loves a Skytrain! Jeff, I did feel a bit miffed but it's quite satisfying to have done the conversion though. I'm glad I got it finished before they released theirs otherwise I probably wouldn't have finished it. Don't know which version they are going to do either. Chris, I promise I'll do my next in the best livery ever seen on a DC10! I forgot to mention I'm doing a Gatwick Handling tug to go with this one, I'll update the pics when it's finished. Cheers, Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stringbag Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 5 minutes ago, Turbofan said: Chris, I promise I'll do my next in the best livery ever seen on a DC10! I forgot to mention I'm doing a Gatwick Handling tug to go with this one, I'll update the pics when it's finished. Cheers, Ian I hope we're both talking about the same thing here Ian. Something from the Far East I hope? Will look out for the tug when push-back is approved. Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skodadriver Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Wonderful work Ian, congratulations on such a fantastic result. Your "taxiway" shots remind me of spotting at Prestwick circa 1980 although before anyone points it out I know Laker normally used the DC-10-10 from Scotland. I am very definitely not a fan of the EE MD11 but it's amazing what can be done with it in the right hands. Thanks for sharing. Dave G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viking Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Wow, what an astonishing piece of work! It looks absolutely right on, those engines & pylons in particular. Brilliant work Ian. Do me a favour - rework a Minicraft 757 into something that looks like a 757 - it'll be bound to get Zvezda to release a state of the art model once you are half way through! Cheers John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith in the uk Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Wow , what a beauty , that sir is a stunner . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Very, very nice work. Remember them at Gatwick....but I am not so sure about the registration marks on your model.... I don't ever recalll G-BGXH..? EDIT: One I missed, just checked it out. I only ever saw the older ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Fantastic build and thank you for sharing it with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Lovely. Memories of days spent on the roof terrace at Gatwick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbofan Posted March 21, 2018 Author Share Posted March 21, 2018 Thanks for the positive comments everybody! 15 hours ago, stringbag said: Something from the Far East I hope? Yes it's definitely from the Far East Chris! You never know you might beat me to it though! 6 hours ago, Viking said: Wow, what an astonishing piece of work! It looks absolutely right on, those engines & pylons in particular. Brilliant work Ian. Do me a favour - rework a Minicraft 757 into something that looks like a 757 - it'll be bound to get Zvezda to release a state of the art model once you are half way through! Cheers John Cheers John, I'm quite pleased with the way the engines have come out too. I really like the look of Mr Metal Color aluminium especially after it's been polished. As it happens I am working on an old Minicraft 757 at the moment. Just need to paint it and scratch build some steps. Then we'll have to see what Zvezda come up with. 6 hours ago, Paul J said: I don't ever recalll G-BGXH..? Yes Paul, I think this was one they operated towards the end. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/registration/G-BGXH Cheers, Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goggsy Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 That’s phenomenal work. I had to look twice to check it wasn’t the real thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchem Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Smack my gob Ian 'cos that is extraordinarily good ! (Beats Mr Kipling by a country mile. ) (Far East colour scheme is rather good but I'm still rather partial to the African one !) mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stringbag Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 3 hours ago, Turbofan said: Yes it's definitely from the Far East Chris! You never know you might beat me to it though! Cheers, Ian Stranger things have happened Ian. You never know. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandboof Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Awesome result Martin H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
replicant Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Looks great! wow!!! Cheers, Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Absolutely gorgeous Ian, great conversion and in the BEST scheme too! Don’t know what Chris is talking about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlamgat9 Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 On 20/03/2018 at 5:57 PM, pinky coffeeboat said: Wow, great model Ian and well done on the conversion. How did you feel when you learnt a DC-10 was being released later? I think I'd have cried!! Jeff Are EE doing a DC-10?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbofan Posted March 22, 2018 Author Share Posted March 22, 2018 Thanks for all the compliments everyone I really appreciate it! On 21/03/2018 at 5:39 PM, mitchem said: (Far East colour scheme is rather good but I'm still rather partial to the African one !) Mike, do you mean ASA or Air Afrique? They are both nice, the ASA aircraft is also a late model so you could do this conversion yourself! On 21/03/2018 at 6:00 PM, stringbag said: Stranger things have happened Ian. You never know. Mmm....could we have a possible RFI entry in the near future Chris? What's the saying.....expect the unexpected! 23 hours ago, woody37 said: Absolutely gorgeous Ian, great conversion and in the BEST scheme too! Don’t know what Chris is talking about Thanks Neil, I know you like a conversion yourself! I think they're both great liveries so I'm not taking sides on this one 23 hours ago, Vlamgat9 said: Are EE doing a DC-10?? Apparently they are Vlamgat9. Although I can't find anything on the web about it anymore but Jeff knows about it too so I can't have dreamt it! Cheers, Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave N Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Absolutely stunning. Superb work...masterful result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark4700 Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Love it. Superb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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