Jump to content

Aircraft I've Flown Part I - A Tribute to the Mighty 747-436


Recommended Posts

10 hours ago, DMC said:

Reading the BBC news on my iPad this morning I am amazed to read that 8000 jumbos will be needed to distribute the upcoming virus vaccine worldwide.  Mightn’t destroying all these 747s being just a little hasty?

 

Dennis

I suspect that assumes a model where the vaccine (and profits) are made in the 1st world and globally distributed. While there will still be possibly one of the greatest logistical challenges ever, a more sensible approach would be to distribute the manufacture. This would not only distribute the wealth associated with the vaccine production but would probably be more profitable for the big pharma. Perhaps, as ever happy to be challenged / corrected. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Apologies, Matt, for cluttering up your thread with my failed replies.  Not sure how a reply I made over on the chat room ended up here but when I tried to delete it I made matters worse.  

 

Can’t speak for Pigpen’s reply.  The quote is from the chat room. 

 

Dennis

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Blimey

 

I am building this exact same kit and am a little further down the runway than you, man i feel your pain this is a kit that has fought me and given me trouble since i opened the box , you do seem to be bending her into shape !

 

Keep up the good work !!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

As you say the old girl must be resisting till the end!

She resisted, but has just landed at Kemble, albeit a day later than planned🙁

 

4 hours ago, DMC said:

Apologies, Matt, for cluttering up your thread with my failed replies.

No problem Dennis, at least it was 747 related!

 

I've had a look at the decals I hope to use and they are creased in one corner:

 

crease.jpg

 

Would a spray with liquid decal film be likely to save that area? Alternatively I could scan them and reprint onto fresh decal paper... Or perhaps try both methods and see what works best!

 

Any opinions welcome!

 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Back in the Saddle said:

She resisted, but has just landed at Kemble, albeit a day later than planned🙁

Typical, I waited and waited in the glorious sunshine last evening. 

Just caught her from the loft window as she departed at about 13:00 today.

 

50330159701_d3ef33d8c5_b.jpg

Boeing 747 -436 G-CIVO British Airways by James Thomas, on Flickr

 

50330335457_7349a95ee7_b.jpg

Boeing 747 -436 G-CIVO British Airways by James Thomas, on Flickr

 

 

With the decals, this might come down to expertise, cost and availability, but is it worth sourcing a new set?  Thinking that there is so much love going into this kit that some nice aftermarket might be a treat!

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Back in the Saddle said:

Would a spray with liquid decal film be likely to save that area? Alternatively I could scan them and reprint onto fresh decal paper... Or perhaps try both methods and see what works best!

 

I think with some care liquid decal film might help. I've found scanning and reprinting onto decal paper doesn't always reproduce the finesse of good quality decals. My approach would be get a decent scan first, then attempt to use the decals after spraying with some liquid decal film, and use liberal amounts of micro sol and set when putting them on. If the decal fails, you have the scanned version to fall back on, although the scan might also copy those creases? 

 

HTH

 

Terry

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Back in the Saddle said:

She resisted, but has just landed at Kemble, albeit a day later than planned🙁

 

 

Just checked on flight tracker and I can see the route she took. Must have been great to see over the Severn estuary at only 9000 ft max en route. Actually it looks like decent started just after Chepstow!

 

Terry

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, keefr22 said:

 

Am I right in remembering that that would make it a VFR flight?

 

K

Depends on the weather I guess and general visibility. I don't know what the weather was like but judging by the second photograph James shared, that looks like it's going into cloud/mist.

 

Terry

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, keefr22 said:

 

Am I right in remembering that that would make it a VFR flight?

 

K

...ordinarily that would be down to the crew to choose, the 090FL itself isn't a decider.

However I would be surprised if it wasn't VFR, it might be company procedure (Matt?), and you can see in my last shot that 'VO quickly disappeared in overcast (around 2000ft) so at 9000ft it wouldn't have been able to keep 1500m from cloud edges and remain in sight of the ground at all times!

 

Mind you I have seen some very cheeky VFR departures from us!

 

Edited by 71chally
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We had a lovely sight with 'VI's arrival on Tuesday, gin clear skies and it was held off by IFR arrivals to Cardiff, you could it see doing circles at about 050 over Jnc32 before making a lovely tight turn for St Athan RWY 25.

 

The 777 last Saturday also took an odd route in which the crew must have loved, again must have been 050 in clear skies turning circles over the M4 before breaking off and heading low-level down the Bristol channel for a tun into our RWY 07.

 

Some of the BA 767s that departed Cardiff to us also looked very 'interesting' on their short hops! 

It's good place to be in nice weather, in bad weather - well you just wouldn't arrive with us.

Edited by 71chally
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, 71chally said:

in bad weather

 

Which in my time there seemed to be at least 75% of the time! It would be glorious in Swansea, we'd bunk off afternoon lectures to go and do a couple of hours in 'our' Bulldogs, pitch up at Saints to find it completely socked in!

 

K

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, 71chally said:

Just caught her from the loft window as she departed at about 13:00 today.

Pretty good for a spur of the moment photo!

 

3 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

My approach would be get a decent scan first, then attempt to use the decals after spraying with some liquid decal film, and use liberal amounts of micro sol and set when putting them on. If the decal fails, you have the scanned version to fall back on, although the scan might also copy those creases? 

Thanks Terry, sounds like a good plan!

 

1 hour ago, keefr22 said:

Am I right in remembering that that would make it a VFR flight?

Looks like IFR to me! However, it may have been VFR into Kemble during the latter stages of the approach...

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can’t remember the VFR/Special VFR rules anymore because I don’t need to, but I think there might be a weight limit. Many years ago when the naughty french controllers were on strike ( again ) some enterprising person came up with the idea of getting to Spain by flying just off the west coast of France at 5000ft Special VFR. It worked for a while and there were quite a few B737 sized aircraft doing it, but it  was eventually stopped, I think, because a weight limit was introduced.

 

John

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

I can’t remember the VFR/Special VFR rules anymore because I don’t need to, but I think there might be a weight limit. 

There isn't a weight limit (SERA VFR), but there are practicality issues which just makes things easier filing IFR if you're in a larger aircraft.  Maintaining the correct distances vertically and horizontally from cloud, remaining in sight of the ground, keeping to 140kt or less, under 3000ft, are all considerations.  So, something like the BBMF Lancaster VFR rules would be fairly easy to maintain, a 747 on a positioning flight would possibly struggle in most UK weather conditions that it might encounter enroute to maintain VFR rules.

Probably the most important issue is if the company that you're flying for might have a policy of filing IFR only, I'm sure Ryanair and Easy have (or did have) that policy.   

You can add into that VFR departures converting to IFR (AVIC) and radar to visual arrivals.

The rules can vary slightly in different countries mind.

 

The one I can never get my head around is SVFR!

 

 

 

Edited by 71chally
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Matt,

I brushed 2 coats of "Microscale liquid decal film on my Ooooold monogram decals and the cracks on it disappeared...

My F-84 is still on the paint booth, So I cannot tell how it will work but I already scanned it for security !!

Sincerely.

CC

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ve recently had a few dabbles at home made decals and used car lacquer to seal them. I tried the micro scale stuff and I just couldn’t get it to work. I spray a light coat first and wait a couple of minutes then do another 2-3 coats afterwards and it works a treat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/09/2020 at 07:24, Biggles87 said:

It worked for a while and there were quite a few B737 sized aircraft doing it, but it  was eventually stopped, I think, because a weight limit was introduced.

Hi John. Happy Birthday! There is no weight limit for VFR flights. However, for safety reasons IFR flights are preferred - VFR relies on pilots visually spotting other aircraft and visibility from an airliner is not as good as you might imagine... It’s much safer to be under radar control.👍

 

On 12/09/2020 at 09:37, 71chally said:

The one I can never get my head around is SVFR!

Haven’t used that for a while!

 

On 12/09/2020 at 22:08, 71chally said:

I've got a feeling that I'm going to be seeing this particular aircraft soon...

Indeed! 😉

 

On 12/09/2020 at 23:35, corsaircorp said:

I brushed 2 coats of "Microscale liquid decal film on my Ooooold monogram decals and the cracks on it disappeared...

My F-84 is still on the paint booth, So I cannot tell how it will work but I already scanned it for security !!

Thanks CC, sounds reassuring! I’ve made a scan and will get around to spraying the decals soon - more preparation work required first!😁

 

On 16/09/2020 at 19:09, 71chally said:

They keep coming, farewell 'VE.

Great picture James, always a bonus when the weather cooperates! 👍
 

On 17/09/2020 at 03:33, woody37 said:

I’ve recently had a few dabbles at home made decals and used car lacquer to seal them. I tried the micro scale stuff and I just couldn’t get it to work. I spray a light coat first and wait a couple of minutes then do another 2-3 coats afterwards and it works a treat.

Thanks Woody. I’ll bear that in mind if I have any issues👍
 

On 17/09/2020 at 10:40, keefr22 said:

Another due Saturday I believe.

Unfortunately delayed by a couple of days... 

 

On 17/09/2020 at 10:54, 71chally said:

There is, Matts' 'VP I believe, and at least one more after that.

Fate can play strange tricks sometimes - I’m actually going to be on that particular delivery flight! It was sheer luck that I was chosen to join the operating crew, but it will be great to have a final flight on the 747. In particular, it will be good to fly on the aircraft I’m modelling - even if she looks a little different now... Hopefully @71chally will be around with his camera!
 

On 17/09/2020 at 10:40, keefr22 said:

Where are they parking them all?!

I can probably answer that after Monday! 😁
 

 

  • Like 3
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...