Boeing 707

[Paul J]

I want to build a Boeing CC-137 for my Canadian collection to 1/144. Now I know of three kits and I think I know which is best but it is the most expensive.

I have a Minicraft kitf rom the Presidents set. (anybody want Air Force 1 decals??) And also an Airfix one which I don't really want to touch as its in a old boxing. But I have compared the two and there are quite a lot of differences in shape particularly, The fins and wing plan form being the more notable. But which is the more accurate?

The Minicraft one I know has a horrid nose and the fin looks too parallel in profile. I am leaning to the Welsh models kit feeling that this one would be the best but at a price.

So if anyone can point me in the direction of producing a decent looking Husky, That will be great.

By the way I have a very nice set of decals for a CC-137 so don't need those.

[RNoAF Aerobatic Team]

Will you be doing the Wolf/Husky-tail?

Remember having taken pictures of that 707 in a snowblizzard at NAS Keflavik in early 2000 i think.

Edited September 25, 2012 by RNoAF Aerobatic Team

[Paul J]

Will you be doing the Wolf/Husky-tail?

Remember having taken pictures of that 707 in a snowblizzard at NAS Keflavik in early 2000 i think.

Most likely! The JBOT decals I have include the retirement scheme and serials for ALL the 137s. In fact everything I need. But I really want to know my best option to get a decent looking model from the available kits.

Edited September 28, 2012 by Paul J

[garryrussell]

The Airfix kit is a Rolls-Royce Conway powered -420 series so does not translate directly to a C-137

[jenshb]

What about Authentic Airliners? THey do a full resin kit, and it looks gorgeous as well as very accurate in shape. Not the cheapest, but it should be the most easily built AND accurate kit of the 707 in this scale. If you only intend to build one, then price should be less of an issue than if you're building a collection. Save up or sacrifice other purchases of kits and hobby items...

Jens

[Paul J]

The Airfix kit is a Rolls-Royce Conway powered -420 series so does not translate directly to a C-137

Hi Garry. Well aware of this issue. But would have been prepared to swap the engines around if I could be sure of its outline to be reasonably accurate.

And I know the ventral fin would have to be lopped off!!

[Jessica]

Your only options for a proper CC-137 are Minicraft or Welsh. If you don't have the necessary corrective parts for the Minicraft kit then the Welsh kit is the way to go. The Airfix kit has the earlier -320/420 wing, which is not correct for the RCAF's 707s; they have the larger trailing edge.

[Kev1n]

I would go for welsh

Minicraft's kit does need a lot of fixing but if you are prepared to do all the work then it will do.

But my first choiuce for a 707-320 of any sub-version would be welsh

[madaboutmodels]

I have a Minicraft kitf rom the Presidents set. (anybody want Air Force 1 decals??)

By the way I have a very nice set of decals for a CC-137 so don't need those.

Good Luck with this.

Just an idea which is what im doing with my minicraft 707 is to use a dac0/minicraft 737 canopy as a replacement.

Also can i have the decals please

Thanks

[Paul J]

Good Luck with this.

Just an idea which is what im doing with my minicraft 707 is to use a dac0/minicraft 737 canopy as a replacement.

Also can i have the decals please

Thanks

Good idea for the cockpit nose suggestion. Maybe chopping of the relevant noses and swapping the better nose for the dodgy one would work. Hmm.

PM sent re the decals.

Edited September 25, 2012 by Paul J

[Paul J]

I would go for welsh

Minicraft's kit does need a lot of fixing but if you are prepared to do all the work then it will do.

But my first choiuce for a 707-320 of any sub-version would be welsh

Hi Kev.

Just HOW much work is needed? I know the nose is yuk, and I'm not sure about the fin. But I really would like to know what else is involved, as well as the fin, before I spend £40.00 plus for the Welsh kit.

[madaboutmodels]

Thanks Paul

[Paul J]

Have decided to go for the Two Bobs replacement nose at this stage. But I really would like to know more on the Minicrfat kit The fin looks undernourished to me. I did a dry run of lining up the fin with the tail fin art on the decal sheet and this is wherre I noticed the undersized looking fin. It could be the decals but comparing the art of the decal with photos of the real thing, they look spot on so I really would like to know hwhere the fin should be cut about to correct it.

So, I'm eagerly awaiting for the cognescentii here to come up with some help or a guide.

But..... Still debating whether I should fork out big money for a little kit though.

Edited September 26, 2012 by Paul J

[Eric Mc]

The 707-420 is a very different aircraft to the 320. The best starting point for any 320 derivative is NOT any 420 model.

The main areas of difference, apart from the engines, are the wings.

[Kev1n]

what needs doing on minicraft's 707?

hmmm....I dont have any of the later versions released by Minicraft, only the first one, the -320.

But as to that -

the panel lines have all the delicacy of drainage ditches so fill them

the cockpit piece looks like it's been inflated from the inside

the engines point upwards at a very strange angle

the main wheels are too far apart

the wing chord (the distance between the leading and trailing edges is too great

the plastic is hard and brittle so fixing these things is harder than it needs to be.

but it can be done - all in all though there is probably more work in fixing it than there is in sanding etc on the welsh kit

so the effort is less as the welsh kit is more accurate. As you say tho' it does cost more.

You get what you pay for I guess.

[Paul J]

Cheers Kev.

I think I can cope with all that. Have ordered the 2 Bobs resin nose to correct that area. (That cost £14.00QUID!!!!) As for the wings and engines , I'll have a look at it to see what I can do.

[F-RSIN]

The 707-420 is a very different aircraft to the 320. The best starting point for any 320 derivative is NOT any 420 model.

The main areas of difference, apart from the engines, are the wings.

I beg to differ. The 320 and the 420 are similar, the only difference being the engines.

I believe you meant the 320B or 320C, with new wings and engines and no ventral fin.

Minicraft offers the 320, 420 and 320B/C by combining different wings and engines to a common fuselage (or so I believe, but I haven't seen a Minicraft 707 for ages)

Laurent

Edited September 28, 2012 by F-RSIN

[Paul J]

I really just want to know if the fin of the Minicraft kit is anywhere near accurate. As I have mentioned above, in profile it looks a bit narrow but if so, by how much?

The nose area I'm sorted with now. The wing is right for the CC-137 I want to build in the kit I have to hand which is from the Presidents set and is of the wider chord towards the root.

I know there are fit issues with the engine to wing fit as I have built one before in BOAC colours but wasn't too concerned about much else

[Eric Mc]

Yes - I was referring to the turbofan powered 320 derivatives.

[Paul J]

Part way there now before build starts. Just recieved my Two Mikes ( NOT Two Bobs as mentioned above----ooops!)resin nose for the project.

[Jennings Heilig]

The vertical fin on the MC 707 is only vaguely 707-shaped. Leading and trailing edge angles are wrong, as is the curve at the base (in other words, it's all wrong).

The Authentic Airliners 707-320B/C is *the* only way to get a really accurate 1/144 707-320B/C, period. Welsh is okay, but not remotely in the same league as Kurt's AA kit.

[Paul J]

Thanks for the fin info Jennings. Any chance of a scale plan/drawing of this ..?

I had a look at the Authentic Airliners website. It does look a beauty but so is the price and shipping from Germany to the UK!! The Welsh Models one is equally expensive and to be honest, I can't bring myself to spend over £40.00 for a small scale kit... no matter how good. But I'm prepared to do some work mainly to the fin as long as I have a decent drawing to work from.

Edited September 30, 2012 by Paul J

[Jennings Heilig]

I don't have a drawing that shows how bad it is, but I've drawn the whole 707 family (and the C-135 family) based on thousands of pages of tech manual stuff and gazillions of photos. I'm 100% sure the MC kit tail is rotten...

I'm fairly sure you can't fix it, because if you fixed the sweep angles, the chord of the tail would be wrong. I'd just graft the tail off a Revell kit onto it and be done. Revell's 1958 kit is far more accurate.

Edited October 1, 2012 by Jennings Heilig

[jenshb]

I think Kurt will be at Scale Model World in Telford, and I am sure you can pre-order a 707 and save on postage. It will still be fairly expensive, but as I mentioned...if you are only going to make one, why not make some sacrifices to other hobby items?

Jens

[Paul J]

I think Kurt will be at Scale Model World in Telford, and I am sure you can pre-order a 707 and save on postage. It will still be fairly expensive, but as I mentioned...if you are only going to make one, why not make some sacrifices to other hobby items?

Jens

Hmmm. Thats a good thought. I can't make the trip but know someone who may be able to pick one up for me. But need to sell more from my stash thats listed in the for sale coulumn here.