wallyinoz Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 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. DC-7C-Engines 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Excellent! Neil does good stuff. I'm looking forward to these myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnuag Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 (edited) 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 October 15, 2018 by tnuag correction 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janneman36 Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnuag Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 I flew in an ex-KLM DC-7CF used for sanctions busting in Rhodesia - happy memories, thank Wally for persuading me ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janneman36 Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 (edited) 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 October 15, 2018 by janneman36 Info added Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Wow - I’m dead keen on one of these. It’ll save lots of labour in relation to the old vac I have in the stash somewhere! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnuag Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radleigh Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Put me down for two DC-7C's.... Finally, I also have the J&L vacform that I was planning on cutting within a week or two! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janneman36 Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Please forget the J&L vacform for your own sanity ..it is not so very correct the only usefull thing i kept from it were the props... But i do think that there is a market for a correct conversion...😁 Give it to me baby aha aha... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camper1 Posted October 16, 2018 Share Posted October 16, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albeback52 Posted October 16, 2018 Share Posted October 16, 2018 Now that this conversion set has been announced, we all know that someone will announce a brand new 1/72 DC-7 kit!! Allan 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnuag Posted October 16, 2018 Share Posted October 16, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted October 16, 2018 Share Posted October 16, 2018 1 hour ago, tnuag said: Incidentally, if anyone has any ideas for transfers/decals please tell us here. Braniff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnuag Posted October 16, 2018 Share Posted October 16, 2018 (edited) 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 October 19, 2018 by tnuag revised part numbers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTDavies Posted October 16, 2018 Share Posted October 16, 2018 Delta Air? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janneman36 Posted October 16, 2018 Share Posted October 16, 2018 (edited) 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 October 16, 2018 by janneman36 Info added Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnuag Posted October 16, 2018 Share Posted October 16, 2018 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janneman36 Posted October 16, 2018 Share Posted October 16, 2018 You may want to contact the man behind this site as he has some color and black and white pics of the prototype 7c.. http://www.zoggavia.com/Photo_Galleries.html Cheers, Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnuag Posted October 16, 2018 Share Posted October 16, 2018 Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish 251 Posted October 16, 2018 Share Posted October 16, 2018 Pan Am and South African DC-7Bs had the nacelle "saddle tanks" like the DC-7C. Douglas DC-7B ZS-DKE c/n 44911 South African AW 'Reiger' by Batman_60, on Flickr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Puff Posted October 16, 2018 Share Posted October 16, 2018 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). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnuag Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 (edited) 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 October 17, 2018 by tnuag Afterthought 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnuag Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 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". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janneman36 Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 (edited) 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 October 17, 2018 by janneman36 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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