Roden 1/72 C-123B

[jeaton01]

I finished the Roden C-123 today.  While it is rewarding to have it done and ready for the display case, it made me work for it, because of all the little details and the decals.  The only way I could get the decals to settle down was to use a Top Flight heat gun that I normally use to shrink mylar film on my R/C models, but they still did not adhere well so I applied a clear coat of Alclad Matt.  It gives the airplane the look of an older oxidized skin, and I think I like it.  Not going to trap myself with Roden decals again anytime soon.  I am pretty sure I used the kit decals on my Roden Sea Gladiator, maybe they had a different maker then.  The fiddley bits have been added, on to the pictures.  If you look close you may be able to see that I painted the rubber surrounds on the windows that had them, that's what I remember most about the first time I saw a C-123, windows held in like the back window on a 53 Ford Pickup.

 

 

 

 

And next to a C-46.  Both had Pratt and Whitney R-2800's, but the C-123 had 300 more horsepower per side.  Cruise speeds are about the same according to the usual sources.

 

                                   

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Lovely job John,  I like the finish and detail you have added.  your C-46 looks great as well. Nice to see more transports gracing these pages.

 

 

How did you find the assembly side of things?

[feifeitim]

Just added the Roden C-123B to my stash to join a C-46 there!  You’ve done a brilliant job with both of these kits  - well done!  The C-123 is one of the great examples of an aircraft that did so much and rarely gets the accolades it deserves.  It was found in some many places in Vietnam and Laos during the Vietnam War and its Air America exploits are probably what most would associate it with.

 

Love the finish you’ve achieved, really top notch! 👌🏻

[kapam]

Excellent model.

Quite a handsome looking aircraft (in my opinion) and you have more than done it justice.

👍👍

[roginoz]

Very nice builds, John !

Is the C-46 also a Roden kit ? There's a big hole in my stash marked "C-46" but I've has some disappointments with Roden kits, especially in the decal dept.

Nevertheless, for a C-46, I'll make an exception. It'll go nicely alongside my Spec. Hobby Digby/Bolo.

Rog

[hsr]

I built the AC-123K version of that kit and I can attest to it being and awful kit with worse decals. You did a great job on it.

[Kampartiger]

Very nicely done C-123,a plane of which I grew to like when it first appeared in one of the National Geographic issues in the late 1960s.(The picture showing the C-123 whicch later crashed killing all the ARVN troopers and crew).Used to have the same Roden kit but sold it off when I realized the Jet-pack modification was not included.So,at the moment I am saving for the the AC-123K instead.

Edited December 17, 2019 by Kampartiger

[Graeme H]

Very well done of both of those, I assume the C-46 is the Williams Bros kit?

[Jackson Duvalier]

Good looking models the both of them, too rarely seen.

 

Any way to get a head-on photo?  The number decals on what I presume is the radome are a great detail.

[Baldy]

That's lovely John - the dulled metal effect looks just right. Worth working through the problems you had with the decals.

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[RidgeRunner]

Oooo..., John. I saw "C-123" and just had to take a look!  She is magnificent! The kit looks pretty accurate too! A great build!

 

Martin

 

[F-32]

Great work, that's a very cool build

[jeaton01]

Thanks for all the supportive comments, everyone.  Yes, the C-46 is a Williams Brothers kit I built some years back.  The Roden kit is almost real nice, and if the mold making technology that they are using was as good as their design it would be much nicer.  Some parts, like the nose landing gear are built in such fine detail that they are under strength.  But, what is most important to me is that they do a good job on getting the shape right, and that helps make the work worth it.

 

There are build logs on my website for both of these models.

 

http://www.yolo.net/~jeaton/mymodels/c123/1c123/1c123.html

 

http://www.yolo.net/~jeaton/mymodels/c46/1c46/1c46.html

 

And a head on photo.  The 9 is a bit off but it just barely ended up on the model.  I'd make a stencil and paint it if I did it again:

 

[Wulfman]

Never seen a C-123 built before, you’ve done a beautiful job on the old workhorse. Great Looking C-46 too.

 

Wulfman