Boeing 747-100 50th Anniversary, Revell 1:144

[neilg]

I've just opened this kit, which is labeled NEW on the box.

 

I saw it on the shelf of the model shop's warehouse, and thought I had to get it.  It's been a while since I have built a 747, and I've got a set of 747-400s for the various British Airways liveries, an E-4B, a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, and a 747-400 for United Airlines.  

 

I thought I'd start with the -100 and work my way up.

 

It looks like there's nothing new about it, other than a new decal sheet and the new-style instructions.

 

The kit appears to be identical to the 747 from the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft kit, which I've built before.

 

 

 

 

On first inspection, there's quite a lot of flash on the sprue, on the nose, in the windows (too much if this kit were actually "new'), and a mix of raised and recessed panel lines.  Well, the panel lines are raised, and the door frames are recessed.

 

The windows are supplied as decals on the red cheatline, so I'm going to fill the windows, and be careful when I sand them so I don't erase the panel lines.

 

I don't think I've seen a kit this glossy however!

 

 

This should be a fairly simple build - there is no interior or flight deck to build, with the only two parts to assemble before the two fuselage halves to together being the nose gear bay and body gear bays.

 

 

 

[neilg]

Here's a clue that this kit is not "new":

 

 

[Back in the Saddle]

What a great place to add that text...!🙄

 

I'm building the Revell 747-400 at the moment - it needs a bit of work, but I guess you know that if you've build a few yourself!

[neilg]

9 minutes ago, Back in the Saddle said:

What a great place to add that text...!🙄

 

I'm building the Revell 747-400 at the moment - it needs a bit of work, but I guess you know that if you've build a few yourself!

 

It's been a while since I made any of the 747s, and I didn't make any modifications at the time.

 

I've just followed your build so I can see what I'll need to do!

 

I've got four kits, so I want to do Negus, Landor, BOAC, and Chatham.

 

The only two I can remember flying in were -VJ and -VO.

 

VJ is now just down the road from me in Kemble.

 

I never got to see -LY after it was repainted and I don't know where it is now!

 

 

 

[Skodadriver]

Hi Neil

 

I'm surprised you're surprised. Revell have been recycling "new" old kits for as long as I've been building model airliners. The 747-100 might be 37 years old but it's still a good starting point and much more accurate than the -400 which needs major surgery to correct the wing incidence among its many faults.

 

Are you planning to use the kit decals or do you have something else in mind?  

 

Following with interest.

 

Dave G

[neilg]

41 minutes ago, Skodadriver said:

Hi Neil

 

I'm surprised you're surprised. Revell have been recycling "new" old kits for as long as I've been building model airliners. The 747-100 might be 37 years old but it's still a good starting point and much more accurate than the -400 which needs major surgery to correct the wing incidence among its many faults.

 

Are you planning to use the kit decals or do you have something else in mind?  

 

Following with interest.

 

Dave G

 

Well I was surprised because they used the word NEW on the box, along with the Boeing Officially Licenced Product seal.

 

I assumed this meant new tooling, based on Boeing drawings.  Which they may well have done way back in 1983 I suppose.

 

With the 1:72 Concorde for example, they didn't brand it in the same way - and it wasn't until I opened the box that I discovered it was the same as the Airfix product.

 

I'm not too fussy when it comes to the kits - I pretty much build them as they are, and as long as they look good hanging from my ceiling, I'm happy.

 

I will use the kit decals for this one - they look superb:

 

 

There's no window frame decal though for the flight deck - only solid black window decals, which is a bit of a shame, as all my other airliners have clear flight deck windows.

 

Just as well there is no interior for the flight deck!

 

[71chally]

56 minutes ago, neilg said:

I never got to see -LY after it was repainted and I don't know where it is now!

This is her this evening, at Cardiff with thirteen of her sisters, including G-CIVO

Boeing 747 -436 G-BNLY by James Thomas, on Flickr

 

'VO is amongst this little lot,

Boeing 747 -436s G-CIVZ, G-CIVC, G-BYGG, G-CIVW, G-CIVF & G-CIVO, G-CIVU & G-CIVV by James Thomas, on Flickr

 

 

Great to see this old classic being built, I actually thought it dated from before 1984.

Be interesting to watch this build and how you go about it.

Is there a reason you are going to fill the windows, rather than leave as they are or glaze with clearfix?

 

 

 

[neilg]

Just now, 71chally said:

This is her this evening, at Cardiff with thirteen of her sisters, including G-CIVO

Boeing 747 -436 G-BNLY by James Thomas, on Flickr

 

'VO is amongst this little lot,

Boeing 747 -436s G-CIVZ, G-CIVC, G-BYGG, G-CIVW, G-CIVF & G-CIVO, G-CIVU & G-CIVV by James Thomas, on Flickr

 

 

Great to see this old classic being built, I actually thought it dated from before 1984.

Be interesting to watch this build and how you go about it.

Is there a reason you are going to fill the windows, rather than leave as they are or glaze with clearfix?

 

 

 

 

I think the Landor livery is the most elegant design - if you've seen my Concorde builds, you'll know I like it a lot!

 

It's very clear in that picture the "pearl grey" compared to the white.  I'm not sure how to colour match that!

 

I'm filling the windows because they are represented by decals on the red cheatline stripe.

[71chally]

Apologies I was writing my post when you did your previous  one, I can see now with the windows!

Personally speaking, with the cockpit windows I would paint silver frames on the transparency, or use silver decal.  But I also get the advantage of using decal, there are some really good 'life like' cockpit decals available.

 

I like the Landor livery, it stands out because of the light grey finish I think.

I still haven't seen the Nequs retro jet yet, and unfortunately there's only one way that I will.

[neilg]

4 minutes ago, 71chally said:

Apologies I was writing my post when you did your previous  one, I can see now with the windows!

Personally speaking, with the cockpit windows I would paint silver frames on the transparency, or use silver decal.  But I also get the advantage of using decal, there are some really good 'life like' cockpit decals available.

 

I like the Landor livery, it stands out because of the light grey finish I think.

I still haven't seen the Nequs retro jet yet, and unfortunately there's only one way that I will.

 

I've only seen it once:

 

 

This was actually taken from inside -VO.

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

 

Found on the Net

[neilg]

 

Lots of cleaning up required.

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

12 hours ago, neilg said:

 

 

Lots of cleaning up required.

A splash of flash!

Is it the photo (or my aging eyes) or the compressor blades are braced in the one on the right and not on the left?

[neilg]

You do have good eyes!

 

Now you pointed it out, all but one set of the engine blades have clappers:

 

Here are the other two:

 

 

[neilg]

It's been too warm for doing anything other than slobbing on the couch and trying to cool down.

 

Today is much cooler, so I managed to crack on with some assembly:

 

 

Hopefully if tomorrow is dry, I can put primer on, then carry on with the most fun activity - fill and sand, fill and sand, fill and sand...

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Nice work Neil,

 

I have pulled a very old started Revell 747 off the shelf, it was the E-4 version but I have removed the engine to fit a spare set of JT-9s. I have spent the last few day removing what must be about 6-7 layers of paint and primer to start with a fresh canvas.  Tanks for the inspiration.

[neilg]

7 hours ago, Romeo Alpha Yankee said:

Nice work Neil,

 

I have pulled a very old started Revell 747 off the shelf, it was the E-4 version but I have removed the engine to fit a spare set of JT-9s. I have spent the last few day removing what must be about 6-7 layers of paint and primer to start with a fresh canvas.  Tanks for the inspiration.

 

I have an unboxed E-4 as well - the last one I made lost all of its antennas during a house move.

 

I remember the engines being terrible!  Very little detail on them and I don't think it had exhaust openings.

 

Did you get the JT-9s from another kit, or did you source them from somewhere else?

 

[neilg]

I am really annoyed with the way that this kit has been designed - it has protrusions in all of the wrong places, and in many cases, they are very difficult to remove:

 

 

In the upper and lower left of the picture are the gear doors, with protrusions all over.  These are easy enough to slice off because they are on flat surfaces.

 

However, look at the inner surfaces of the engines - they are also covered in protrusions of different sizes, which might interfere with the engine core parts.

 

These are on tight curved surfaces, and are difficult to remove with a blade.

[wombat]

I feel your pain. Still intermittently wrestling with revells 400 and it’s an absolute pig.

[neilg]

25 minutes ago, wombat said:

I feel your pain. Still intermittently wrestling with revells 400 and it’s an absolute pig.

 

Which one are you building?

[neilg]

All primed and filled and sanded...

 

 

[71chally]

Looking good Neil!

[neilg]

2 minutes ago, 71chally said:

Looking good Neil!

 

Thanks, I spent all day today on the seams and wing roots - filling, sanding, filling, sanding...

[71chally]

..yep, that sounds like a large Revell kit of the period!

[neilg]

2 minutes ago, 71chally said:

..yep, that sounds like a large Revell kit of the period!

 

I was going to try to sand around the raised panel lines, but they're all long gone now 😄