Viking Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 Aviation Traders Limited Carvair. 1:144 Roden kit with Classic-airlines.com decals. The Carvair was developed to replace the Bristol Freighters used to transport cars & passengers across the English Channel to France, hence its name (Car-via-air). Modified from C-54/DC-4 airframes it was considerably cheaper than an all new aircraft would have been. The modifications consisted of a completely new forward fuselage, relocating the cockpit on top, much like the later Boeing 747, and a new tail fin to counter it. Its has been widely thought that the fin was from a DC-7, but apparently this is not true, they were new build units. The Roden kit build very well, although I did have to shim the upper inboard wings to avoid a gap where they meet the fuselage. The main gear legs were way too short, initially resulting in the rear of the fuselage almost touching the ground. I removed them and inserted a platform about 4mm deep to attach the legs to, in order to achieve the 'sit' you see here. I wasn't too keen on the kit supplied colour scheme for British Air Ferries, but found this 'British United' scheme at Classic-airlines.com, which I really like. There are also several others available. They are laser printed on constant film, so you have to cut each subject out individually. I can heartily recommend them though, they went on superbly and were easy to use. Enough chat, time for the photos (ugly innit?) ; 'With something else - an easy choice - A Welsh Models Bristol Freighter. Thanks for looking, John 49 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 Wow, a couple of nice builds there! The dirty nacelles on the Carvair look great, and to think in such a wee scale. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchem Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 3 minutes ago, Viking said: Enough chat, time for the photos (ugly innit?) ; In a word - Yes (Vintage A380 IMHO John, but you've still managed to make it look respectable). mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cngaero Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 Two beauties there John. They look really smart next to each other. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbofan Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 I love it! Yes it's ugly but beautifully finished in probably my favourite Carvair livery, nice mucky engine weathering too! Do the props rotate John? Just thinking you could get the hairdryer out for some action shots! What else are you working on? Cheers, Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skodadriver Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 Another splendid model John, thanks for sharing. The Carvair is a weirdly attractive machine and you've certainly done it justice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajmm Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 Beautiful builds! Love those and it looks great next to the Welsh Freighter. I've never seen one of these Carvairs built up and yours is superb. I've built the C-124 that Roden released around the same time as this and found a wealth of fit and other issues - a world away from their more recent releases. Great work and thanks for showing us! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viking Posted May 1, 2017 Author Share Posted May 1, 2017 3 hours ago, Turbofan said: IDo the props rotate John? Just thinking you could get the hairdryer out for some action shots! What else are you working on? Cheers, Ian Hi Ian, the props did rotate but kept falling out so I dabbed a bit of white glue on each shaft to lock them in. Better that than to lose them! As I was impressed by Classic-airlines.com decals I ordered some more. Because it makes an interesting comparison with the Carvair, I've got this DC-4 coming up next on the production line; Cheers John 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 I think the Carvair is rather cute - maybe because my nose is almost as big...!! That's another cracking model John, beautifully finished as usual! Thanks for the heads up on the u/c legs. I've got one in the stash with a Thunderbird Models sheet for an Eastern Provincial Airways machine. I now can't decide whether I prefer those B.U. decals...ho hum...!! That DC-4 is going to be a belter too...!! Keith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stringbag Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 Certainly looks good in the pictures John. You have made a cracking job of it. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinky coffeeboat Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Another very nice build John. Thanks for the landing gear advice it'll come in very handy as I've begun construction of one of mine - can't decide between British United here or Ansett-ANA, both schemes I recently bought from Classic-airlines.com (along with the Aer Turas decals too). I like the dirty streaked nacelles on both the Carvair and the Freighter. That's another cracking little model too. Good choice for your next build. Hopefully we'll see it on here before too long. Jeff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horatio Gruntfuttock Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 A lovely job John, clean and beautifully executed. Well done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme H Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 A really terrific job on that John, and the Freighter fits in so well 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 (edited) One I'd love to do, these guys plied Cook Strait for a while before the powers that be shut them down, when the Carvairs were parked at our local airport for quite a long time, I really liked them in this scheme. Photo while at Nelson Airport. Steve. Edited May 2, 2017 by stevehnz 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Aer Lingus Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Nice work as always John love the exhaust stains thanks for sharing Eamonn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Very, very nice Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FortyEighter Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Two great builds! I used to see lots of Bristol Freighters in the 60s but had totally forgotten about the Carvair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natter Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Shades of Goldfinger where the Rolls Royce was transported on one of these. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sosezi Posted September 15, 2021 Share Posted September 15, 2021 never found carvair UGLY it's literally CUTE Flying Walrus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndM Posted September 15, 2021 Share Posted September 15, 2021 Very nive builds. The Carvair will stand out in an aircraft collection for sure. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyJammedKenny! Posted September 16, 2021 Share Posted September 16, 2021 Wow! I missed this one, but seeing as it was posted in 2017, no surprise that. This is beautiful work! What became of the DC-4? I understand it's a really good kit, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viking Posted September 19, 2021 Author Share Posted September 19, 2021 Always nice to see an RFI from a few years ago spring back into life! On 16/09/2021 at 01:33, TheyJammedKenny! said: Wow! I missed this one, but seeing as it was posted in 2017, no surprise that. This is beautiful work! What became of the DC-4? I understand it's a really good kit, too. It is a lovely little kit, I reckon Minicraft did a good job on all the Douglas airliners, and botched all the Boeing ones (The 737's aren't bad though). The DC-4 got finished a few years ago, here are a couple pf photos from that time. Oddly enough, after not having built a Minicraft 'Big Doug' since this one, I currently have a DC-6 underway on the workbench. Cunard Eagle Airways is the intended livery. Cheers John 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerotechi Posted September 19, 2021 Share Posted September 19, 2021 Really nice looking build. I’ve been pondering this kit for a while. Seeing your build it’s just moved from the maybe list to the wish list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyJammedKenny! Posted September 20, 2021 Share Posted September 20, 2021 Oh, so nice! Those Aer Turas colors are just perfect on this subject. I love the little vignette, too, with the Preiser figure in the foreground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Einar Posted September 20, 2021 Share Posted September 20, 2021 On 01/05/2017 at 15:27, Viking said: Aviation Traders Limited Carvair. 1:144 Roden kit with Classic-airlines.com decals. The Carvair was developed to replace the Bristol Freighters used to transport cars & passengers across the English Channel to France, hence its name (Car-via-air). Modified from C-54/DC-4 airframes it was considerably cheaper than an all new aircraft would have been. The modifications consisted of a completely new forward fuselage, relocating the cockpit on top, much like the later Boeing 747, and a new tail fin to counter it. Its has been widely thought that the fin was from a DC-7, but apparently this is not true, they were new build units. The Roden kit build very well, although I did have to shim the upper inboard wings to avoid a gap where they meet the fuselage. The main gear legs were way too short, initially resulting in the rear of the fuselage almost touching the ground. I removed them and inserted a platform about 4mm deep to attach the legs to, in order to achieve the 'sit' you see here. I wasn't too keen on the kit supplied colour scheme for British Air Ferries, but found this 'British United' scheme at Classic-airlines.com, which I really like. There are also several others available. They are laser printed on constant film, so you have to cut each subject out individually. I can heartily recommend them though, they went on superbly and were easy to use. Enough chat, time for the photos (ugly innit?) ; 'With something else - an easy choice - A Welsh Models Bristol Freighter. Thanks for looking, John Congrats John! You've realy nailed the ugly Carvair. Makes me want to build the same kit! Einar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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