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Recreating prototype C-97 in 1/72 scale


Gooney Fan

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Gooney Fan,

 

That would be a very interesting conversion! A shame to use such  expensive kits as the OOP Academy B-29's and KC-97 or Boeing 377, but I think that's your only option. If you want to do one of the threee XC-97's  43-27470-27472, you just need to graft on the fin and rudder from a B-29 kit and remove all of the antennas, radomes, refueling housings and equipment. Props were Hamilton Standard, the same as the B-29- you can't use the props and spinners from any of the KC-97/377 kits. (I might suggest finding an Airfix B-29 as the donor kit, as you just need the props and fin, and the Academy kit is much more expensive, especially as you are going to use so little of it.

 

If you are going to do one of the YC-97's, be  aware that they had the 'Andy Gump' engine cowlings, which were also fitted to many postwar B-29's- they had a different cowl ring/lower cowling that eliminated the large chin intake for better streamlining, giving it a pinched-in chin reminiscent of the cartoon strip character Andy Gump.  I have attached a link to a photo that shows one of the YC-97's and the modified cowlings. There is a very colorful YC-97, 45-59588, that had red arctic  markings as well as a black wing motif and spear along the fuselage- see the bottom link for a photo of the actual airplane and a build article.

 

See the attached link to some good photos and description of the XC-97. This should get you started in the right direction.

Mike

 

https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/boeing-xc-97-stratofreighter/

 

https://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/HornDavid/9833.htm

 

https://modelingmadness.com/review/korean/us/usaf/cja97.htm

 

 

Edited by 72modeler
added text, added link, corrected spelling
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