ATI DC-9-32 - updating the Airfix classic

[Skodadriver]

Here is the good old Airfix DC-9-30 in the colours of ATI circa 1991.

 

Although it has been around for the best part of 50 years the Airfix kit is realistic and the foundation for a good model. According to DC-9 authority Jodie Peeler, it is considerably more accurate than the much newer Fly kit which I strongly disliked the one time I built it.

 

The main issues with the Airfix DC-9 are the lack of the “lobe crease” between the upper and lower fuselage segments, the poor representation of the cockpit roof and windscreen and the difficult join down the middle of the engine pylons.

 

Short of moulding a new fuselage it isn’t really possible to make a totally accurate lobe crease but an illusion can be created by scribing a line 6mm below the cabin windows then carefully scraping and filing the lower part of the fuselage.

 

I used Oyumaru and superfine Milliput to clone the clear cockpit section from a Minicraft MD-80. A fair bit of packing, filling and sanding was needed to blend this to the DC-9 fuselage but I think the final result is an improvement on the original. While working on the fuselage I drilled out the pressure relief valve and the APU exhaust and re-scribed the raised detail where appropriate.

 

The easiest way to deal with the engine pylon issue is to cut the pylon segments from the nacelles, attach them to the stubs on the fuselage, fill the joint then re-attach the nacelles. Before you cut anything and before you join the fuselage halves, it makes re-assembly much easier if you attach the engines to the fuselage temporarily (Kristal Klear works well) and drill from inside the fuselage right though the pylons into the nacelles to take plastic rod locating pegs. That gives a final assembly a bit like the Minicraft MD-80.

 

Still with the engines, the actuators for the thrust reversers are poorly represented and I made replacements from thin plastic guesstimated from photos.

 

Small parts such as aerials, pitots, replacement undercarriage doors and the nose wheel FOD guard were fabricated from thin plastic.

 

As usual the white is Halfords Appliance White. Metallics are by AK Interactive,Tamiya and Revell. Exhaust staining is done with artist’s pastels and, yes, I-RIKT was dirtier on the right because of the APU!

 

Decals are by Classic Airlines. I’d guess they were designed for the Fly kit but a bit of minor bodging persuaded them to fit the Airfix one. The decals are annoyingly incomplete - they don’t include the ATI titles for the upper wings or the crests which should go above the aircraft name on the nose. I printed my own crests and sourced the wing titles from a spare V1 Decals MD-80 sheet. The V1 blue is too dark (which is why the sheet was in the spares box) but it’s better than I could do by any other method. I also replaced the Classic Airlines wing registrations which were too small. The windscreen is by Authentic Airliners and detail decals came from the spares box.

 

Thanks for looking and as always constructive criticism is welcome.

 

Dave G

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Shashman]

Great little airliner!

 

I've always had an affinity for ATI aircraft. My father worked for Alitalia back in the day and whenever I'd go to his office there was a model of an ATI MD-80 which I'd always beg him to let me take home 🥺

[busnproplinerfan]

Good to know the tweaking you did to make this a nice model. I'll have to remember these.

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

What a wonderful, skilful treatment you have bestowed upon this old kit, to a great result.

Clever solutions.

Well done!

Cheers

[Eric Mc]

Lovely. Does anybody do the pre Alitalia based scheme as a decal set?

[Max Headroom]

2 hours ago, Shashman said:

Great little airliner!

 

I'd go to his office there was a model of an ATI MD-80 which I'd always beg him to let me take home 🥺

Seconded!

 

Did you ever get the model?!

 

Trevor

[Shashman]

14 minutes ago, Max Headroom said:

Seconded!

 

Did you ever get the model?!

 

Trevor

No... I had to settle for Alitalia MD-80s 😂

 

I have actually got a set of Alitalia MD-80 decals from V1 on the way, waiting to build a Minicraft MD-80. It'll be my first ever airliner model

Edited March 3, 2020 by Shashman

[Turbofan]

Hi Dave,

 

What a superb result! Your improvements have made the world of difference. Admittedly the engine pylon fix just eases construction but the work on the nose and the lobe crease really are noticeable. I'm glad I've still got a couple of Airfix DC9s in the loft so will be putting your improvements to work in the near future. Lots of great DC9 liveries to do!

 

I currently have an EE DC9 on my bench and, although I know your thoughts on EE models, I think it is the best injection moulded DC9 kit out there in terms of shape however, your improvements make the Airfix DC9 every bit as good at a fraction of the price.

 

I flew in an ATI DC9 in this livery in the mid eighties between Brindisi and Rome and I'll never forget the cockpit door was open through the whole flight and as I had an aisle seat fairly near the front was able to see a bit of what went on. Those were the days!

 

Whilst you had your artist's pastels out you should have weathered the wings a little I bet they were never that clean!

 

Cheers,

Ian

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by Turbofan

[Shashman]

Is this 'Appliance White' paint the go-to for airliner models? It's not the first time I've seen it used. I just googled it but could only find Gloss White at Halfords?

 

Is this the same as Wilko's 'Appliance and Radiator Spray White', which was one of the search results?

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by Shashman

[stringbag]

Superb finish Dave.  I tend to agree with you on the issues with the Fly kits, but |I would rather try and address those issues and have te benefit of recessed panel lines and a nicely moulded lobe crease. I don't think I could replicate the latter and achieve a result comparable to yours.

Lovely job all round  👍

 

Chris.

[Abandoned Project]

Absolutely superb! 

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Very nice build Dave. Lovely scheme too!

 

[SAT69]

Very nice build. I like the way you handled the exhaust stains. Gives the model a very realistic look. 

[Skodadriver]

Thanks for the comments and "likes" everyone. They are much appreciated and make it all worthwhile. 

 

16 hours ago, Shashman said:

 

I have actually got a set of Alitalia MD-80 decals from V1 on the way, waiting to build a Minicraft MD-80. It'll be my first ever airliner model

 

11 hours ago, Shashman said:

Is this 'Appliance White' paint the go-to for airliner models? It's not the first time I've seen it used. I just googled it but could only find Gloss White at Halfords?

 

Is this the same as Wilko's 'Appliance and Radiator Spray White', which was one of the search results?

 

Make sure you post your MD-80 it in RFI when it's finished. Airliners are always welcome! V1 decals make a decent product and I was surprised that the colour of their ATI MD-80 sheet was badly out. Ben sent me a replacement but it was no better so both ended up in the spares box. I have the Alitalia sheet in my stash and it looks good.

 

Most of the UK-based airliner builders who post here use Halfords Appliance White. I've never seen the Wilko paint so I can't compare the two. The Halfords paint is readily available and you can get it in 500ml cans which keeps the cost down.

 

12 hours ago, Turbofan said:

Hi Dave,

 

What a superb result! Your improvements have made the world of difference. Admittedly the engine pylon fix just eases construction but the work on the nose and the lobe crease really are noticeable. I'm glad I've still got a couple of Airfix DC9s in the loft so will be putting your improvements to work in the near future. Lots of great DC9 liveries to do!

 

I currently have an EE DC9 on my bench and, although I know your thoughts on EE models, I think it is the best injection moulded DC9 kit out there in terms of shape however, your improvements make the Airfix DC9 every bit as good at a fraction of the price.

 

I flew in an ATI DC9 in this livery in the mid eighties between Brindisi and Rome and I'll never forget the cockpit door was open through the whole flight and as I had an aisle seat fairly near the front was able to see a bit of what went on. Those were the days!

 

Whilst you had your artist's pastels out you should have weathered the wings a little I bet they were never that clean!

 

Cheers,

Ian

 

Thanks Ian. Jodie Peeler certainly liked the EE kit when she did her three-way comparison but I still have several Airfix kits in the stash (two of which are earmarked for a Swissair DC-9-50 at some future point) and the cost of the EE kit plus my general aversion to their products means it's unlikely ever to feature on my shopping list. Weathering? Hmm. Most photos of I-RIKT show her looking pretty "manky" as we say in Scotland and I did think about trying to do some serious weathering. However the fuselage decals are one single piece from front to rear and I can never get weathering to work over decals. My attempts to weather round the main door were less than successful and trying to do rain streaks below the cabin windows was hopeless. In the end I just did the exhaust and outlined the control surfaces in pencil as usual. I might revisit it at some point.

 

9 hours ago, stringbag said:

Superb finish Dave.  I tend to agree with you on the issues with the Fly kits, but |I would rather try and address those issues and have te benefit of recessed panel lines and a nicely moulded lobe crease. I don't think I could replicate the latter and achieve a result comparable to yours.

Lovely job all round  👍

 

Chris.

Thanks Chris. The lobe crease isn't really that difficult. It's 6mm below the windows which is the width of the narrowest Tamiya yellow tape so you don't even have to measure it. Obviously you have to take it easy and be careful (once you have removed plastic you can't really put it back!) and I found constant checking against a Minicraft MD-80 was very helpful. Fitting the replacement cockpit section was much more of a challenge.

 

Dave G

 

[Shashman]

1 hour ago, Skodadriver said:

Most of the UK-based airliner builders who post here use Halfords Appliance White. I've never seen the Wilko paint so I can't compare the two. The Halfords paint is readily available and you can get it in 500ml cans which keeps the cost down.

 

 

 

Dave G

 

Hi Dave,

 

I still can't find this Appliance White paint you mention, just 'Gloss white' on the Halfords site. Are they the same?

 

P.S.

Loving the avatar 😁

Edited March 4, 2020 by Shashman

[Skodadriver]

7 minutes ago, Shashman said:

Hi Dave,

 

I still can't find this Appliance White paint you mention, just 'Gloss white' on the Halfords site. Are they the same?

If it's available in 500ml cans it's probably the same stuff. I haven't bought any for a while (I tend to buy 3-4 cans at once) but the can on my workbench says "Appliance Gloss White". It's possible Halfords have changed the name but their website isn't always 100% accurate. Best bet is to pop into a branch and have a rummage. Incidentally Halfords Racking Grey is a good match for so-called Boeing Gray. I use it as an all-purpose light aircraft grey for most of my airliners.

[Shashman]

7 minutes ago, Skodadriver said:

If it's available in 500ml cans it's probably the same stuff. I haven't bought any for a while (I tend to buy 3-4 cans at once) but the can on my workbench says "Appliance Gloss White". It's possible Halfords have changed the name but their website isn't always 100% accurate. Best bet is to pop into a branch and have a rummage. Incidentally Halfords Racking Grey is a good match for so-called Boeing Gray. I use it as an all-purpose light aircraft grey for most of my airliners.

 

Ah that's very handy info actually, as what exactly constitutes "Boeing Grey" seems to be quite a divisive issue from what I've read! Thanks!

[Viking]

That really is lovely Dave, the improvements have made a huge difference, particularly domed cockpit top.

That is a brilliant idea for dealing with the seam line along the engine pylons, I'll be using that. (I have started using your previous idea from an earlier post, to pin mark the windows before painting, so you know where they are when decalling starts.)

 

Best of all is that you are a fellow improver of old Airfix Airliners, we are an endangered species I think, and you have just made me push my Airfix DC-9's further up the priority list.

What's next on the assembly line?

 

Cheers

 

John

[Skodadriver]

On 3/4/2020 at 6:35 PM, Viking said:

....

 

Best of all is that you are a fellow improver of old Airfix Airliners, we are an endangered species I think, and you have just made me push my Airfix DC-9's further up the priority list.

What's next on the assembly line?

 

Cheers

 

John

Thanks very much John. It's pure coincidence that the DC-9 appeared a matter of a few days after your splendid BKS Trident but like you I do enjoy improving old kits. I've already done the Airfix Caravelle and sooner or later I'll get round to the BAC 1-11, Trident and Boeing 732. As I mentioned earlier, I'm also planning a DC-9-50.

 

It's only about seven weeks until the Scottish Nationals and I have several projects coming to fruition just now. The next RFI appearance is likely to be another golden oldie - a Revell 727-100 in Hapag Lloyd orange/blue. It could just be pipped at the post by a Minicraft DC-8-63 which at the moment is planned to be Icelandair although if I have any decal issues it is liable to emerge as something else altogether!

[pommie commie]

On 3/4/2020 at 6:55 AM, Eric Mc said:

Lovely. Does anybody do the pre Alitalia based scheme as a decal set?

Eric.........Classic Airliners also do the delivery scheme. Sheet # is CA 144-102

 

Paul in Napier

[Eric Mc]

Thank you. It's the earlier scheme I remember from my plane spotting days.

[desert falcon]

Beautiful model of a beautiful aircraft !! Just as we remember seeing them 👍 (only maybe not quite as clean 😉) 

[Scotsman07]

Great finished model Dave, absolutely stunning. The little attention to detail you have put in is evident. I think I grew up in the wrong era, I’ve not always been a fan of the ‘Classic’s’ having grown up in the era of the modern Airbus and Boeing Jets. I think I am slowly coming around to appreciate the greats and the pioneers of the airliners we know and love today.

 

looking forward to your next finished product 👍🏻.

 

Regards,

 

Alistair

[russ c]

Great build and finish, really nice work

[stringbag]

On 3/4/2020 at 10:35 AM, Skodadriver said:

Thanks Chris. The lobe crease isn't really that difficult. It's 6mm below the windows which is the width of the narrowest Tamiya yellow tape so you don't even have to measure it. Obviously you have to take it easy and be careful (once you have removed plastic you can't really put it back!) and I found constant checking against a Minicraft MD-80 was very helpful. Fitting the replacement cockpit section was much more of a challenge.

 

Dave G

 

You make it sound easy Dave.  I'll have to give your method a try onthe old Airfix B727-100 that has been pattially complete for goodness knows how long.

I noticed you mentioned that you're considering the same subject in the old Hapag Lloyd  livery.  I have the old Flightpath decals if you don't already have them.

 

Chris.