707 Astrojet

[Plumbum]

I scored big finally. A Revell 1/139 707 Astrojet kit complete and in shrink wrap. I

am doubly happy as it's mold date is 1964, the year I started building models. I

will need to replace the decals, look a bit yellowed and suspicious. I will order new

ones from Vintage Flyer which has American Airlines in 1/139 and 1/144.---John

[rob Lyttle]

Nice one, @Johnv....

Now, the odd scale makes me think that this is an example of what's referred to as a Boxscale kit. 

Where revell sized the moulding to fit a standard dimensions box. Am I on the right track?? 

I've done a couple of them and I wanted to say about the decals. 

The first one, DC7C got all the mods, and then the decals, which looked OK ish, were a complete wash-out. Just disintegrated upon trying to slide. 

But recently, I did the Constellation with the TWA decor. The date moulded into the fuselage inner is 1958. 

The decal sheet looked dodgy and I took a scan of it as backup and had it printed. 

Original at the top 🔝

No need.... The originals worked faultlessly! All the yellow discolouration stayed on or in the backing paper and they slid on like they were made last year! 

So don't dismiss them out of hand. 

Is there a part of the sheet you can do a test on? May surprise you...... or may confirm your worst doubts 😲

 

I see they left off with the rivets on this one. You should've seen the state of the Connie. Looked like Brunel had riveted boiler plates together!! 

Mind if I tag along? 😇

[Plumbum]

Thanks Rob and follow if you like. Even if the decals were in great

shape I would want aftermarket just for then advanced details and

modern printing. This was a "boxscale" kit which makes absolutely

no sense at all, who in their right mind makes a model a certain size

to fit a box company's box size!!!!????? It didn't last all that long thankfully.

I also never agreed with "quarter scale". I worked in industry and one

quarter is 1/4 NOT 1/48. Odd how you NEVER hear a 1/48 kit today

called "quarter scale". I will build it pretty much OOB with some scratch

built antennas and such.---John

[rob Lyttle]

7 minutes ago, Johnv said:

makes absolutely

no sense at all, who in their right mind

HA, I know, but it probably seemed like a good idea at the time.... 🙄

The quarter scale thing always seems a bit USA to me, and I took it to mean "quarter inch to the foot". 

 

There's no doubt that a modern decal sheet is a major improvement in details and technology, although they can still disappoint on occasion 

[dnl42]

1 hour ago, rob Lyttle said:

HA, I know, but it probably seemed like a good idea at the time.... 🙄

The quarter scale thing always seems a bit USA to me, and I took it to mean "quarter inch to the foot". 

...

It makes sense if your look at an architect's scale. This notation is not uncommon in wooden model ships.

 

Having written that, I greatly prefer 1/48.

[Plumbum]

I had that when I did board drafting. That went the way of the mechanical

pencil and T square. It's all CADD today.---John