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Revell 747/Enterprise Shuttle: took a punt


DMC

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Back in the ‘80s madam and I made five—if memory serves—transatlantic trips flying BA 747s.  I’ve been looking at the various Revell kits with the idea in mind that—someday—building one that would fit into that particular time frame with BA or Virgin livery.  Still researching the 747 but it seems as though these flights would have been on either a -200 or -300. 

 

With that in mind, and if it would suit, Revell’s fairly recent offering of the UPS -8f, with no cabin windows to fill, seems as though it might be a good candidate for a little backdating.  However, I’m unsure about the dimension differences between the earlier marks and the -8F.  

 

The he question is, is it doable?  The appeal of this particular kit is the absence of cabin widows to fill but a kit more suitable with widows to fill wouldn’t scare me off. 

 

Would I ever get around to building a Jumbo?  Not sure, but everyone needs a new kit now and then if only just for the pleasure of opening the box for the first time and having a look.

 

Any 747 cognoscenti out there willing to help sort this out for me? 

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

 

 

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Hi

There is quite a bit of difference between the earlier 747s and the 800. Mainly the hump length and engines. Aswell as the wings. It all depends in if you want it to be accurate or not. Airifx and revell did make 747- 200 kits. It may be better to source one of them.

Cheers 

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2 hours ago, feoffee2 said:

There is quite a bit of difference between the earlier 747s and the 800.

Thanks for that.  I (should) have a book in the post that will point out the differences between the types.  

 

2 hours ago, Turbofan said:

Revell are rereleasing their original 747-100/200 kit some time this year 

Thanks, Ian, waiting for the reissue is the sensible thing to do.  Meanwhile, plenty of work on the 727 to get on with.

 

Thanks again guys.

 

Dennis

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Hello Dennis,

 

The 747-8 is a completely different animal. The fuselage is extended both fore and aft if the wing, the wing itself is new, as well as completely new engines. You could just about get away with backdating the -8 to a -400, providing you source engines and winglets, but doing the ‘classics’ would be more tricky. 

 

To replicate a BA 747-136/236 (they never flew the -300) as others have said you’d be best starting off with the old Revell kit as a starting point. 

 

The -136s were fitted with Pratt and Whitney JT9-D engines, with the -236s having the early RR RB211Cs. Braz does both in resin - the current issue of the Revell -200 comes with the GE CF6 engine so is no good for a BA machine. 

 

There’s also the Welsh Models vacs which are beautiful, but obviously a bit more work. 

 

Hope that helps. 

Tom

 

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3 hours ago, tomprobert said:

Hope that helps

Helps immensely, Tom, right to the heart of the matter.  I will be on the lookout for one of the older kits.   Always pleased to learn something new.  I know a little about WWl & ll props and the early jets but not a lot about the civil stuff.  

 

Incidentally,  I have your VC-10 vac build bookmarked as I thought it might be useful when(ever) I get around to taking on the Airfix kit I have on the shelf.  First jetliner I ever flew on back in the day.

 

Cheers and thank you.

 

Dennis

 

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On 2/16/2019 at 3:56 AM, Turbofan said:

Hi Dennis,

Yes it is doable with some work but Revell are rereleasing their original 747-100/200 kit some time this year so you might as well wait for that.

Cheers,

Ian

..and here is Ian's lovely said conversion!

 

 

There is also a thread on Airliner cafe where a 747-8i was converted to a 747-400

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5 hours ago, Romeo Alpha Yankee said:

and here is Ian's lovely said conversion!

Ah yes, that one.  I remember having a good look at it well before I decided to switch to civil.  Even left a ‘like’.  Interesting comments about painting, etc.

 

Thanks, R.A.Y.

 

Dennis 

 

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Just to add a few comments about the Revell 747 Classic.

 

There isn't really any need to wait for the re-release since it's currently available as the E-4B. That gives you the standard 747 Classic fuselage, flying surfaces and undercarriage along with a set of exceptionally hideous GE engines. Since you'll be replacing the engines for a BA aircraft anyway, just sling them in the bin where they belong and follow Tom's advice to replace them with BraZ items - PW JT9s or RR RB211s to taste

 

It's basically a decent kit which really looks like a 747 but it's a thing of its time and not up to modern standards in terms of detail. For all except the very earliest aircraft the small dome behind the upper deck needs to be removed. The flap-track fairings could do with some reshaping aft of the trailing edges. Plastic card and Milliput are your friends. The detail is almost all raised and general refinement and rescribing will be in order. None of these jobs are difficult and certainly shouldn't put you off the kit. I have one making (very) leisurely progress across my workbench as I write. It's an enjoyable, straightforward kit and a pleasantly "old-school" build.

 

Dave G 

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Revell aren't known for producing a new kit when they can recycle an old one! The photos in this article show pretty clearly that it's the standard 747 Classic plastic and hence ideal for BA but I've never wanted a 1/144 Space Shuttle so I've no hands-on experience. It seems to come with PW engines. The Revell PWs are a lot better than the GEs in the E-4B (not exactly hard) but they're well short of modern standards and personally I'd replace them.

 

Dave G

 

 

 

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8 hours ago, DMC said:

Thanks for the tip @Skodadriver.  One other Revell 747 kit I’m curious about is the Shuttle mule.  Any thoughts on a -100 or -200 BA conversion using this kit?

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

Dennis, Out of the box the Shuttle carrier will give you a Pratt and Whittney powered 747-100/200

 

My stalled build

 

26016579508_364de0e9dc_b.jpg

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8 hours ago, Romeo Alpha Yankee said:

Dennis, Out of the box the Shuttle carrier will give you a Pratt and Whittney powere747-100/200

 

That might just be the one then.  Thanks for that, RAY

 

Dennis

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2 hours ago, DMC said:

@Romeo Alpha Yankee, I notice, incidentally, that you’be filled in all the cabin windows.  Putty or styrene strip?  Maybe you’ll finish it some day.

 

Dennis

Dennis,

 

I  taped on the outside of the fuselage along the window line and then ran medium thickness superglue into the window openings from the inside of the fuselage. I let that set and removed the tape. I still had some air holes to fill from the outside as you can see from this shot

35925126862_1424ff85cb_b.jpg

 

I hope to get it done when I finish a couple of 1/72 projects on the bench at the moment.

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Dennis, Ray's suggestion for filling the windows is a good one but another way of going at it is to roll a thin "sausage" of Milliput, apply it to the window line inside the fuselage and push it down so that it just protrudes through the window openings on the outside. You can then use a wet finger to smooth it and when the Milliput has set you should just need a light rub down with wet and dry to finish the job. Both techniques give good results but because I'm ham-fisted and inevitably end up with super-gluey fingers I usually use Milliput. Isopon P38 can be used in place of Milliput. It's main advantage is quick drying but it's very smelly. The most important thing is never to try to fill windows with any sort of solvent based putty (Green Stuff or the like) as I found out the hard way a long time ago.

 

Authentic Airliners Decals don't do a set of windows specifically for the 747-100/200 but when my 747 Classic is ready I intend to use one of their windscreens and the generic Boeing cabin windows.

 

Dave G

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Hi Dave,

 

That sounds easy enough and with all those widows on the 747 a fair amount of Miliput will be required.  Another way—from my Revell 727 WIP—that worked very, without much mess, is using styrene strip.  This is the Airfix-200 kit.

 

I had been wondering about the decals.  Taking note of what you’ll be doing.

 

Cheers, and thank you

 

Dennis

 

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7 hours ago, Skodadriver said:

.....

 

Authentic Airliners Decals don't do a set of windows specifically for the 747-100/200 but when my 747 Classic is ready I intend to use one of their windscreens and the generic Boeing cabin windows.

 

Dave G

 

Though they do a set for the 747-400 which would give you the main cabin window line, plus extras for the upper cabin.

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Well, after taking on board everything posted about my choices of the various Revell 747 kits—and I thank everyone for their input—it seemed as though one of the 747/shuttle combos might be a good choice—if I could get one without dropping a wad of cash.  After a quick search on the auction site I found one that fit the bill, but judging from the condition of the box top buying it involved a slight risk.  Would all the bits be there and if so what sort of condition would they be in: fractured or warped, or worse.

 

The vendor had posted a picture of the box top and all the parts present and listed it as possibly incomplete.  No mumbo jumbo, right up front about it.  So it was clearly a case of ‘you pays your money, you takes your choice’.   As the price was right, a bargain as it turned out, it was time for a leap of faith.  So, as it’s been said on here, I pulled the trigger and bought the kit.

 

Huge package arrived this morning—impossible to slip past madam—with the sad remains of the box top and the kit wrapped in a mile or so of bubble wrap.  Taking the greatest care, I unwrapped the bubble packing and, holding my breath, inspected my purchase.

 

To my surprise and delight everything was there and in like new condition.  No flash whatsoever except for a small bit on one of the engine halves.  This kit was one of the first issues, 1977, so the moulds were practically new or in very good shape.  Couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to the box without damaging the kit itself.  No teeth marks so have to rule out a dog or animal of any sort.  A mystery.

 

Sometimes in life you’ve got to take a chance.  Sometimes it works out.

 

Thanks for your interest and thanks again for the advice and information.

 

Dennis

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi Dennis,

Good buy! And you can sell the Shuttle on eBay too.

Looks like you're good to go but remember to send off the small bump behind the upper deck, they had gone by the eighties. Which BA livery are you planning Negus or Landor? They're both available from 26

 

http://www.26decals.com/epages/62035508.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/62035508/Products/STS44131

 

http://www.26decals.com/epages/62035508.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/62035508/Products/STS44180

 

Cheers,

Ian

 

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1 hour ago, Turbofan said:

Which BA livery are you planning Negus or Landor?

Hi Ian,

 

Not sure really.  Just checked my old cancelled passport and my first visit to the UK, out of Nassau, Bahamas, was in July ‘83 so whatever is appropriate for that date.  Thanks for the 26 links.  Very useful and I will choose one or the other.  

 

Regret now, of course, not being a little more of an anorak back in the day and taking a few more notes about the aircraft I have flow on.  I suppose information about the BA fleet in ‘83 is available but, after a cursory look online, I’ve hit a brick wall.

 

I’ll keep the shuttle for a little while.  Our son was a big fan and had a few books and a large plastic toy model that played recordings.  “Go for throttle up” etc.  I wish I had it now.  

 

Thanks again, Ian.

 

Dennis

 

 

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Nice find Dennis, if you had been missing landing ear parts I could have offered mine being a wheels up build. But no need now.

 

I have an Airfix kit 'near' the bench part started that is slated for BOAC markings (though I have the Negus scheme decals as well and may change my mind yet). Then again I could do both as I have an E-4 kit and spare set of PW engines that I could use to build he BA Negus jet.

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21 hours ago, Turbofan said:

Which BA livery are you planning Negus or Landor?

Hi Ian,

Ray over at 26 says that the Landor livery didn’t come in until ‘85 so it looks as though it’s going to be Negus.  Incidentally, mentioned to Ray that you had pointed me in his direction.  

Cheers

Dennis

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17 hours ago, Romeo Alpha Yankee said:

Nice find Dennis,

Thanks, pleased to get a 747 with the P&Ws.  No doubt the BraZs are superior in every way but the kit ones will do for me. 

 

Interesting treatment of the P&Ws about eleven photos down.

 

 http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/239689-revell-1144-747-sca-with-enterprise/

 

17 hours ago, Romeo Alpha Yankee said:

Then again I could do both

Nice to have choices.

Cheers

Dennis

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Great project. British Airways 747's are personally my favorite. 

 

I think you should do a -236B with early RB211 engines. This is a quintessentially British combination and appropriate for your pre-1984 flights. G-BDXA through -BDXL would all be accurate for you to build using the Negus livery. Keep in mind, some of the -236B's wore "British Airtours" livery, so you would need to check specific airframe before building. G-BDXM, N, O & P were all built in 1987-88 and wore the Landor livery, NOT Negus. 

 

G-AWNA through -AWNP, BBPU & BDPV were -136's that all wore Negus livery. 

 

Go with RR, you will be happier :) 

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