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AIM 1/72 DC-7 B and C Resin Conversion Set


wallyinoz

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Hi fellow modellers,

I have been wanting a 1/72 DC-7 for ages and started a conversion a while back but the project hit the rocks when I realised the expensive conversion set I bought was awful. The project has been gathering dust for a while and to cut a long story short I have Neil Gaunt of AIM working on producing the engine / nacelle sets for me.. but he is also working on FULL conversion sets to enable the transformation of the Heller DC-6B kit to either DC-7B or DC-7C. Neil sent me this image of the engine / nacelle and slipper tank design. The sets will be available, like all his stuff through Hannants.

44612723904_a1ae930866_h.jpgDC-7C-Engines

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To clarify the differences this may help:

 

DC-7 & 7B

Fuselage same as DC-6B except for 40” plug aft of the wing at the trailing edge of the wing
Empennage same as DC-6B except for longer rudder tab.
Wing span same as DC-6B
New engine nacelles forward of wing fire wall


DC-7C

Fuselage same as DC-6B except for two 40” plugs, one fwd of the wing and the other at the wing training edge.
Empennage same as DC-6B except for longer rudder tab and fin was 24” taller.
Wing span same as DC-6B except for 60” insert in each centre section giving 10 foot increase in span.
New engine nacelles forward of wing fire wall
Saddle tanks on each nacelle

 

 

Edited by tnuag
correction
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Neil you are the man, i would love too have a full set for this...

I also have bought a dreadfull set from the states which is almost useless.....and expensive..

I don't mind expensive if it is well designed and casted.....and i know you do all of that😁

At the moment i have a 1/72 KLM 7c freighter decalset lingering on the bench for my project which i fear to start..

 

 

Cheers, Jan

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22 minutes ago, tnuag said:

I flew in an ex-KLM DC-7CF used for sanctions busting in Rhodesia - happy memories, thank Wally for persuading me !

TR-LOK TR-LNZ, VP-YTY ??

By the way the 7C is by far the most elegant Douglas propliner build in my opinion!!

Edited by janneman36
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I think it was TR-LOJ. From memory I think TR-LOK was the only DC-7C remaining and was used for spares.

I agree that the 7C is very elegant but the DC-6 had far more reliable engines. The number of times we saw an aircraft come in on three was incredible.

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14 hours ago, tnuag said:

I think it was TR-LOJ. From memory I think TR-LOK was the only DC-7C remaining and was used for spares.

I agree that the 7C is very elegant but the DC-6 had far more reliable engines. The number of times we saw an aircraft come in on three was incredible.

At least the engine stayed on in the early sixties a KLM DC7C had an engine fall off Mid Atlantic en route to Prestwick.

I think all the 67th ARS aircraft at Prestwick apart from one SC54 went off in a bit off a rush to escort it in to the airport.

There are some photo's of it on the net at SAL for repair, cant remember where though.

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Coming back to the DC-7C conversion, probably the most difficult part will be the wing modification and getting everything correctly aligned.

 

Incidentally, if anyone has any ideas for transfers/decals please tell us here.

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Thanks for the suggestion Michael - I will be producing laser printed decals so not everything is possible.

 

We are going to be busy, because there are two 'families' of conversions being developed concurrently, the Canadair series for the Mach 2 Britannia together with the DC-7 family for the Heller DC-6.

I agreed originally to help Wally with his engines, because the Canadair Argus and the Sevens both used Wright 3350 turbo compound engines and my thinking was that there was a common base to work from for the two families. The engines, nacelles and saddle tanks were certainly the most challenging to design. but that is now done.

 

To summarize the complete series, they are:

CANADAIR

TWC72029 . . . . . . . . . . CC-107 Yukon conversion - Tyne engines

TWC72030 . . . . . . . . . . CL-44 D conversion - Tyne engines

TWC72031 . . . . . . . . . . CL-44 J conversion - Tyne engines

TWC72032 . . . . . . . . . . CP-106 Argus conversion - 3350 turbo-compound engines

TWC72033 . . . . . . . . . . Britannia - accurate wing tips

DOUGLAS DC-7

TWC72034 . . . . . . . . . . DC-7 & 7B conversion - 3350 turbo-compound engines

TWC72035 . . . . . . . . . . DC-7C conversion - 3350 turbo-compound engines

TWC72036 . . . . . . . . . . DC-7 non-radar nose

TWC72037 . . . . . . . . . . DC-7 over-wing saddle tanks

 

The box art can be found on the Hannants web site if you search for the TWC..... part numbers.

 

The Canadair series are already on the Hannants web site and I have sent them details of the Sevens series today.

 

Again a question for fellow modellers - what airline decals would you like to see for these conversions ?

 

To finish, as an interesting thought for military modellers, the Rhodesians used a DC-7CF to drop paratroops - the rear freight door  was removed.

Edited by tnuag
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KLM 7c Passenger or frieghter variant ..

Martinair holland 7c

Aer Turas uc

Pan Am 7c

Airlift 7b or c

DC7c prototype colors

Schreiner Airways 7c

Seagreen freighter 7c 

Affret Air 7c

Trans Air Link 7c

BOAC 7c

Caledonian 7c

DELTA

AMERICAN

Eastern

SAS

 French air force

Ericksson airtanker

Butler aircraft (airtanker)

Sabena

Sudflug

Alitalia

 

These are the ones that i can recollect at such a short notice🤔

 

Cheers, Jan

Edited by janneman36
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These came through Salisbury regularly (so I remember them from my school days):

SAA 7B

Affretair 7F

Alitalia 7C

Sabena 7C

 

I also like:

BOAC (white & blue fins)

Pan Am

SAS

Thanks for all the suggestions - I may ask for photos by email for example the 7C prototype livery.

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Neil, will you be including a correction part for the underside of the rear fuselage? Heller got that wrong on their DC-6. (I have the old SAM article by Ian Huntley, which gives details, if that's any use).

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Pan American and SAA aircraft

 

I knew of the saddle tanks on these aircraft and that is why we will be making them available separately as
TWC72036 . . . . . . . . . . DC-7 over-wing saddle tanks

 

Thus anyone not needing them does not have to pay for unwanted resin parts which are expensive to produce anyway.

 

As an afterthought, the non-radar nose TWC72035 will also be necessary for the SAA aircraft.

Edited by tnuag
Afterthought
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Rear fuselage correction

 

It is not decided at present, but the SAM article by Ian Huntley would be useful, so if you could email a scan to [email protected] that would be helpful. So yes please and thank you for the offer.

 

One thing is certain, if we do produce a correction part, it will be a separate part and will not form a part of the conversions because not everyone will want it.

 

I did discuss this with a friend who models 1:72 airliners and he has not done the correction  His comment was; "It still looks like a DC-6".

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23 hours ago, Admiral Puff said:

Neil, will you be including a correction part for the underside of the rear fuselage? Heller got that wrong on their DC-6. (I have the old SAM article by Ian Huntley, which gives details, if that's any use).

The upperside of the fuselage at the rear is also wrong, the Revell DC4 is more correct in that area..

But in the end i don't mind it, as it is allmost neglectable if your plane is build up and shining to enter your cabinet....

As Neil's friend said, it still looks like a DC6..

Edited by janneman36
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