Minicraft Boeing 707-320

[madaboutmodels]

Hello Everyone

I have the Minicraft Boeing 707-320 in the TWA boxing, im just looking at it and it appears to have rolls royce engines.

i want to do a BOAC 707-320 Cargo plane, but im not sure if ot has the right tngines, i need JT4's, but they look more like rollers.

Thank Bradley

[Kev1n]

the early PW's look very similar to RR Conways tho' there are some differences

best way to use airliners net and google - you'll find lots of info

[madaboutmodels]

i think i have the wrong looking engines for the minicraft 707-300, they used the other jt engines

[garryrussell]

The RR (420) had the turbo compressors on all four engines where as the 320 has them on only three.

But as Kev1n suggests research is the best way forwards, you should easily see which ones you have

NEVER even think of even starting a model without researching

[Jessica]

The Minicraft 707 kit is a little famous for having the wrong parts in the box because of all the various options. Send an e-mail to Sharon at minicraft.com and she'll help you get sorted out. She may ask for a few dollars for parts and postage.

There are also aftermarket engines vailable from Contrails (click "engine sets") if you want to go that way. I think they look much better than the kit engines. You can see a picture of them in my 707 review here. While you're at it, the Contrails cockpit replacement part is very much worth your while.

[madaboutmodels]

i dont need replacement engies, the kits engines are right, they are just the wrong version for what i need, these are a jt4s, i need jt3's.....

i have sorted the nose as well, i have replaced it with a 737 canopy.

[Kev1n]

your heading in the right direction but without wanting to put you off, the 707 can be a nightmare

there are so many variations, the best I can say is repeat my post about research - dont put a drop of glue or paint on anything until you have as much as you can get hold of.

BOAC Cargo did not use the 707-320....they used the 707-320C

big BIG difference between the two sub-types

Edited August 23, 2012 by kev1n

[Jessica]

BOAC Cargo did not use the 707-320....they used the 707-320C

big BIG difference between the two sub-types

Luckily the Minicraft kit is a -320C out of the box (unless the -420 wings got in there by accident).

Bradley, let's look at the important identifying points of a 707-320C and make sure that your kit matches them.

Engines: Most -320s had JT-3D engines with a distinctive forward fan cowl as seen here.http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/be/JT3D_on_VC-137B_Museum_of_Flight.JPG Some had JT-4s, which had a different cowl that was externally similar to the Conway's cowl except for a small chin intake. The only pictures of BOAC -320s I've found on Airliners.net show JT-3Ds. Turbocompressor hoods are only on the #2, 3 and 4 pylons. #1 is always without it. If your kit has JT-4s, then you do need replacement JT-3s. The Contrail ones I pointed out are correct for the version you want. You could also rob the ones from a Revell 707 and make that one into a -220 with your JT-4 engines.

Wings: The -320C wing was the largest 707 wing. It had an extended trailing edge and an enlarged wingtip as compared to the preceeding -320B wing. The Minicraft kit is offered with both types of wing. The clue to look for is the trailing edge. If it meets the fuselage at a 90 degree angle with no curve, it's the -320C wing. If there's a small fillet curving aft to meet the fuselage it's the -320B/420 wing.

The -320C has a small door right at the trailing edge of the wing. The Minicraft kit has that door already engraved.

I will not say that the -320C was never fitted with the ventral fin, but it was quite rare to see it. Certainly none of the BOAC aircraft I've found photos for show it.

Edited August 23, 2012 by Jessica

[stringbag]

I'm sure this will help a lot of us, so thanks for going to the trouble Jessica.

Chris.

[madaboutmodels]

Thanks Jessica.

Who ever came up with the 707 sub types should be shot......

[Jessica]

Who ever came up with the 707 sub types should be shot......

That's what happens when you encourage engineers. There's always some bright spark who says "You know, I think we can make this better..."

[madaboutmodels]

My wing appears to be a -320 wing, were the first engine mounting the wing gets wider by about 3mm.

Edited August 24, 2012 by madaboutmodels

[JMChladek]

Here is an excellent modeling oriented primer about 707s from Airlinercafe.com. Be careful as your popup blocker might go a little weird (mine did, but the direct link should work with no problems), but the article has some EXCELLENT content and helps to make sense of the plethora of 707 variants out there from the standpoint of wings (320, A/B/C etc), fuselage length, cargo door fits, engines, and turbo compressor humps:

http://www.airlinerc.../page.php?id=72

I consider it required reading for newcomers to 707 building.

Edited August 24, 2012 by JMChladek

[Jessica]

Aha! I went looking for that but I had forgotten where it was I'd seen it Yes, thats the definitive 707 guide.

[madaboutmodels]

does anyone have any JT3's they are willing to trade for JT4's?

This engine problem has sort of shot me down....

[Jessica]

I have a Revell kit in the stash that could become a -220. The problem is that I'm way over on the Left Coast of Canada. If you're willing, we could do a swap for the cost of our respective postage. If you find someone closer that would lessen your postage considerably. The Revell engines come complete with pylons, so you'd have to include yours in the swap.

[Viking]

See why I gave you that kit Bradley, it was doing my head in! You are making good progress with info though,

Cheers

John

[madaboutmodels]

John.....

You are going to make me bald with this kit...........

Jessica there is a pm in bound

[woody37]

I did the cargo one a while ago using a replacement upper nose part from somewhere in america and two six decals. Not sure if its fully correct, particuarly with the little intakes above the engines, but it looks like a 707!

[richellis]

Boeing made the 707 family as complex as it could!

[Jessica]

Just putting this into the thread so everyone can see it. Bradley and I are agreed that if someone from much nearer to him than Canada has a set of engines the postage would be easier on his pocketbook. Any takers?

Woody, your 707 is bang on. Those "intakes above the engines" are the turbocompressor cowls, and they're exactly correct; they were never on pylon #1

Edited August 25, 2012 by Jessica

[Kev1n]

Rich you never said a truer word....

Edited August 25, 2012 by kev1n

[KLP Publishing]

A couple of years back Jessica and I swapped Minicraft 707 engine parts so that I could do a Qantas V-Jet. It was an easy swap and Jessica was a pleasure to deal with. The mutual postage between Australia and Canada wasn't cheap, but still better than the price of another kit (assuming you could even find the right one).

Here's the finished article for anyone who's interested:

Kev

[madaboutmodels]

That looks good Kev.

Also if anyone has the engobes please pm me

[Jessica]

That looks lovely Kev

My BOAC 707 upon which your engines hang is still stuck in the eternal pile of half built kits. Here it sits, forlorn, bereft of attention.

Sharp-eyed viewers will note the inboard trailing edge and wingtips which distinguish the -320/420 wing from the -320C wing. I need to do some more filling and sanding on the fuselage seam before I can mask off the wings and get some white and bare metal on the fuselage. Seeing these wonderful finished kits may just have given me the the incentive to get this one back on the worktable.