alhenderson

In the early 70s the USAF started receiving their first batch of C-10 Jetstreams ordered from the UK company Handley Page. With the US still mired in the Vietnam war, an urgent requirement was identified to replace the EC-121R "Batcat" sensor relay aircraft that formed the aerial segment of Operation Igloo White - the monitoring of traffic on the Ho Chi Minh trail. The EC-121s were deemed too vulnerable so a smaller aircraft was sought. The newly arrived Jetstreams fitted the bill perfectly. A special operations flight was formed within the 166th TAW/Delaware ANG to operate a small number of early conversions to the role - designated RC-10B "Rivet Jenny". These Jetstreams were modified by E-Systems Inc in Greenville to have a number of highly specialised workstations in the cabin. This necessitated the need to blank out all the windows on the starboard side. The aircraft were flown by a flight crew of two, plus 3 mission specialists in the cabin who operated the sensors and relay equipment. This is the Airfix Vintage Classics Jetstream, bought from Sywell Aviation Museum - they sell them to raise funds for the restoration of their own Jetstream G-RAVL. The kit went together pretty well, its taken me over 6 months mainly due to the building of the interior, plus a break to decorate the spare room! This was my first ever "what if" and proved very enjoyable. I started out just doing the aircraft, but then @TEXANTOMCAT offered me a PSP base that he didn't need and before I knew it I was trawling the internet for jeeps and oil cans 🙂 Also my first time spraying camo - so might as well make it a 3 tone camo, right? Paints were the ever reliable Mr Hobby, except the black was Tamiya I think.. Build thread is here is anyone's interested: Some pictures: (Lets all ignore the sink mark on the front landing gear door!! 😲) After suffering a technical problem on a mission over the trail, aircraft 67-362 had to divert to a US Army forward operation location as a precaution. Here the flight crew are attempting to ascertain the location of the nearest 5* hotel with a pool 🙂 They appear to have stepped in some very strange animal droppings as they left the aircraft. As ever, thanks to the community for the support and ideas along the way, its been a blast, and quite refreshing to not have to care too much about reality! Al.

It's been a while. Had to wait a week or so while I got my hands on some oil drums and various "stowage". £10 on eBay for me more than I'll probably ever use! Painted olive drab and weathered. I quite like the oil drums, and they'll never really get noticed when it's on display, so here's a close up 😁 Also made some chocks for the front wheels. Think I've not got everything I need so just a case of putting it together. Can't quite decide on the best layout, though. Maybe I'm overthinking it, or not thinking enough, but it kind of just looks like a bunch of stuff randomly sat on the display board.. Oh yeah, I was going to do a fire extinguisher, wasn't I?.. 🤔 Al

Nice result there TT! What a lovely looking little plane.. Al.

I did that to the windscreen, I think it ended up looking nice and shiney. Didn't do anything to the cabin windows, as I didn't want to go too near them as I'm not convinced they're that securely glued in.. 😬 A handheld fire extinguisher might be more do-able than a trolley one, just a bit of sprue like I did for the interior.. 🤔 Al.

Right then, the sum total of the last few days work - door attached 🤣 have deliberately made it 'very' ajar in the hope that looks like a deliberate decision rather than a badly fitting door! Had a go at the window with some IPA and it cleaned up a bit so I've left it. The bloke climbing the rear ladder looks like he's falling into the plane so needs to be positioned better, and I'm not sure about the other guys who look to be just randomly standing around. Think it needs something else, but not sure what. I could certainly try and make some chocks out of sprue, a fire extinguisher might also be good. Ideally on a trolley but that's a bit ambitious from a scratch build perspective.. will have a think. Won't be long now until she's safely tucked up into the Sywell Aviation museum display case 🎉 Al

Unfortunately I don't have any clear plastic sheet. I think, though, I'll take @TEXANTOMCAT 's advice and fix it ajar. Extra coming for all the equipment in the heat of the SEA jungle 😁 I can also now see many more colour schemes for Jetstreams - USCG, USAF European one camo, Canadian military VIP scheme... Al

Looks good to me - especially considering now small that thing is!!! Nice job 👍 Al.

This door is a truly terrible fit 😡 Have been thinning out from the inside which is helping but not there yet, it's also quite flimsy and I think has a crack round the window somewhere. Speaking of which, I can see glue or filler (or both) on the window. Wondering if I might paint it red and make out the window blind is down 🤔 not sure why, but I have it in my head that red window blanks or blinds were a thing for sneaky planes.. So close... Al

Grandmother wearing high end trainers!! Great analogy 🤣 Maybe I'm more concerned about the sheer amount of noseweight that thing would need! Al.

Looking good. I must go upstairs and peer in the windows of my Shack and remind myself of all that work that went into the interior 🤣 Having done one, I'd also love to do another, prob an AEW as well, I don't like the MR.3s, they just look wrong. Al.

Tried to put it on closed yesterday and it's not a great fit, needs a bit of fettling. Not ideal given where we are, but hey ho, see if I can avoid trashing anything 🤞 Al

Final assembly almost complete now, props on, new rear door strut painted silver: Only thing left is the other door which needs to be glued in the open position. However.. It looks rubbish, you can see the join between the window insert and the rest of the door. Really don't want that on show detracting from everything else. Was thinking that I need to fill and sand that joint at the very least. Bit then I thought, maybe that door doesn't need to be open at all? After all there are no stretchers or cargo etc that can be loaded.. although that will mean you will see practically nothing of the interior that I built all those months ago 🤔 Al

She's a lovely big old bird 👍

@TEXANTOMCAT i found a really good Facebook group for a local museum that's got one of these things - you should check them out 🤣 they had just the picture I needed, hence I now have the arm for the door: Lick of grey paint and that'll be good to go. Just the props and I'm done 🎉🎉 oh, and attaching the other door! Al

Thanks for the kind words, although I can't take all the credit for the idea, @TEXANTOMCAT was instrumental 👍 Al.

It's just occurred to me that I've got a length of brass rod that I can use to fashion a new handrail for the stairs. Happy days - that's what happens when I get up early for a run 🤣 Al

On a proper roll now 👍 final assembly nearly done - wheels, landing gear doors, wing lights and the big cargo door are all on. I thought about using crystal clear for the wing lights, but actually the kit parts weren't too bad. Bit of sanding round the edges and they fit pretty well. Probably didn't need all that nose weight 🤣 not entirely sure what Airfix were thinking with the rod that's supposed to attach the door to the fuselage and form the handrail.. It's not nearly long enough! I've got an inkling that stretched sprue is probably the answer here, which is not something I've ever done.. 😬 The jeep crew have also had their helmets camouflaged 👍 Al

Thanks for that info, I'll have a look for some pics and see what I can do 🙂 Al.

Ventured out to the garage to check on the 'stream. Was a little nervous, I've not got a great track record with spraying varnishes. Happy to report all is well and I have a nice matt finish: Feeling emboldened, I then unmasked the windows another nervous moment in the life of the kit. I used maskol on the side windows, not something I've used a great deal and there's always the worry that you miss a bit. Happily all was well there: Could maybe do with a little touch up around the canopy, I'll have another look later, don't want to make anything worse. She looks really quite nice now. Hopefully I can crack on and get her finished in the coming days 👍 Al

It seems the closer I get to the finish, the slower everything goes. Have just tonight finished the Matt varnish on the jetstream having had to do some repairs earlier in the week. Spent way too much time trying to spray the yellow tips on the props. Humbrol acrylic yellow with humbrol acrylic thinners but I just can't get it to work - just sputters horribly. Must be possible cos loads of people do it 🤷‍♂️ anyway, the tips are yellow now and that's all that counts. Not entirely happy with how the matt went on, either. Seemed to go on very thick, maybe not thinned though. I stepped away and left it, no point trying to do anything about it, will venture up there tomorrow morning and take a peek 😬 Meanwhile, I've glued the amputated crew into the jeep. As long as they don't need to get out (or use the pedals) they'll be fine. I think the only markings it really needs are white stencils on the bonnet, but I don't have anything that small so we'll have to go without. If the matt is acceptable on the jetstream (it'd better be, cos I don't have a backup plan!) then we'll get some final assembly going shortly 🤞 Al

Not to make you feel old, but I was -11 🤣

Ah yes - that's really good advice! I had a nightmare trying to get the inner nacelles flush with the bottom of the wing. Al.

I'm no expert but I think Hasegawa is about the best bet for Bs in 1/72nd. I built one last year and it goes together well, I found the assembly of the front fuselage overly complicated but I guess that was a deliberate decision to allow hasegawa to get as many versions out of the moulds as they could? Those are fab looking markings, though.. Al

Man, I bet it was grim in there! Metal tube not the best place to be on a day like today! Hoping it'll be a little cooler next Sunday when I'm on 🤞

Had some time to myself yesterday so planned to get a coat of Matt on the 'stream and finish off construction. All was going swimmingly until, whilst tidying up, I managed to get a drop off levelling thinner onto the wing 😡 Deciding discretion was the better part of valour I walked away for the day. Wasn't that hard a decision, it's like a furnace in my garage at the moment anyway. Came back to it this morning, quick rub down with some wet and dry, copious masking and we're good to start repairs.. Although it's even hotter in there today so not sure I'll make it back up there too do any more.. There's always something to bite you on the bum when you think you're approaching the finish line!! Did have a pleasant dinner and a couple of beers in the local pub and then a nice walk home the scenic route with my buddy, so all was good in the end 👍 Al