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L-1049 Connie - where are they?


Codger

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Gents I am a regular denizen of the Vehicles (civilian) section but came here to learn from the experts in this field.

I have long craved a Super Constellation in model form. Over the years I learned of the 1/72 scale efforts and the fine aftermarket bits once offered by Paul Fischer. Well I missed all of that because I was heavily involved in many projects including a 1:1 replica Cobra, 1/4 scale R/C aircraft and hundreds of model race cars over the decades. Near the end here I wrestled a 1/8 scale Pocher Rolls to completion.

But I have always felt the Connies were the most beautiful forms in the air.

So please tell me; why don't today's quality manufacturers don't offer one - any of the type would satisfy me but my ideal is the 1049. In TWA or Eastern livery, with NMF. Surely licensing can't be the reason. ? And being committed to arcane subjects like fantasy and movie space ships, superheros and creatures I understand this even less.

With great models offered by HK, Zoukei, Trumpeter and Tamiya, a 1/48 size (yes a 30+" span) would please me greatly. And the popularity of the huge HK's (B-17/B-25 / Lancs) indicates to me that there would certainly be a market.

OK, I'm asking for the moon but beyond speculation can anyone inform why there's no manufacturer interest in offering one?

Thanks./ C

 

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I think civilian 1/72 aircraft is mostly to much for some manufacturers no big market either I think in that scale..

Today with the Heller offerings and Plusmodel detail sets they will be good enough for most ...

Decals from Vintageflyer for the Connie are the recommended ones..

http://www.vintageflyerdecals.com/l-1049-constellation.html

 

https://www.plusmodel.cz/1-72

I agree with you that a new tool would be very welcome (if you read this Zvezda)
 

cheers, Jan

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In 1:72, your choice is Heller, Heller or Heller. The Plusmodel kit is the Heller EC-121 with extra resin. It doesn't have all the cabin windows of the L-1049, but is worth having because the extras correct the most egregious errors in the base kit (the engines and props, which are frankly horrible), as well as adding much more detail. The cabin windows on the L-1049 kit aren't that great a fit anyway, so the lack of them shouldn't cause you that much grief. I usually fill everything and rely on decals for the cabin windows - gives a nice smooth fuselage, and even with the kit transparencies in place you can't see anything of the interior anyway. As to decals - if the sheet doesn't have a flying kangaroo it's not worth having ...

 

EDIT: And I'm with you 150% on the need for a new, decent L-1049 (and a -749, for that matter). Zvezda, are you listening?

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A nice response from you lads. Crazy about the liveries on the sheets supplied by Jan - especially my faves plus Flying Tiger. Many thanks.

Surely the Heller and its correction bits are the only game just now but Alan P says my thoughts exactly. There are more far-fetched kits out there like hulking HK offerings.

And I'm sorry to say I feel only 1/48 can do its beauty justice. The engine and surface detail just is not available in 1/72.

Any one here a hobby business owner that has the ear of kit mfgrs?? Like Mr Hiro or such?

I know - I'm asking a lot...:mental:

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As someone who did his first flight in a Qantas Connie just recently in 1958,

I'm with you, I have built the Heller one twice, even got some of the Fisher parts, but not all.

my very first overseas buy was the Rareplanes Connie, also a recent purchase in1972 I think, still it have and think it's about time I built it.

I think probably it's more accurate than the Heller, and a combination of both might be the way to go.

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17 minutes ago, Richard E said:

Well if you are feeling very brave, Tigger Models list/listed a 1/32nd scale vac form, I think @Iain Ogilvie may working on one as a long term project.

GULP! Err-thank you Richard. I looked at your link to the unorthodox (to say the least) Tigger site and then clicked to build of Mr Lain. Although exceeding my desired size (a good thing) I will sleep with the light on at the thought of those assembly techniques. I imaging, unless you fill that with expandable foam as you build, it will be huge and fragile. That gentleman has my undying respect. And the Tigger text tells you that their kits are like a blank canvas to which you can display your professionalism. Mine is many notches short of that level.

I seem to have uncovered a small nest of Connie Crazies and very glad to see that. Thanks to all for the input.

 

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I could go for a 1/48 1049 Connie but seeing what Zvezda did with the 1/72 C-130, I'd be most enthusiastic about them doing a Constellation series and if not a series, a nice series of 1049s as there was more than the 1049G that TWA used. Oh and a 1649 would definitely float my boat!

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59 minutes ago, SAT69 said:

I could go for a 1/48 1049 Connie but seeing what Zvezda did with the 1/72 C-130, I'd be most enthusiastic about them doing a Constellation series and if not a series, a nice series of 1049s as there was more than the 1049G that TWA used. Oh and a 1649 would definitely float my boat!

OK, how's your Polish, or Latvian, or what every those boys are at Zvez? Can we chat them up about this? I think we can assure them at least 7 customers immediately...:devil:

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Given that Zvezda is big on producing airliner models, 1/144 scale, and that the 1/72 C-130 will most probably be a huge selling item, the Connie has some potential for being in their future plans list, (1/144 or 1/72) given its broad use when it was active. But then we could speculate forever and be totally surprised by what they actually do. Whatever it is, we can be sure it's going to be good. They don't produce shabby models.

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23 hours ago, dalea said:

Thanks for the tip regarding propellers. Have ben too scared to open my Auskit one.

Dale, check the Plus Model site - I think you can buy their engines and props as stand-alone items. They'll fit your Auskit one, because it's (yet another) Heller repop.

 

And it is a great pity that Paul Fisher seems to have decided to call it a day - his stuff was astoundingly good, and not just for the Connie. But after what he's been through, you can't blame him.

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Well thanks to all for the info presented here.  :worthy: This thread proves that there's plenty of interest (300+ views in 2 days)  in this classic gem, but sadly all we can do is mourn the loss of earlier efforts and wish for new tools.

I'll keep hoping..:shrug:

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If you need just the nose correction you could try https://dmold-modelworks.com/contents/en-us/d1.html

I haven't seen the parts in person but the nose looks pretty good. I know I need to get a few noses or make my own. Plus Model parts are good. I have the engines and props.

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I very much doubt we will see an all new 1/72 IM Connie from a mainstream manufacturer, depsite its shortcomings the Heller kit sates what ever appetite the market has for one, which is highly  likely not large. Its more likley that a 1/144 kit will be forthcoming from the likes of Zvezda or Roden, but I won't be holding my breath.

 

Tommo.

Edited by The Tomohawk Kid
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For the sake of the record, Rareplanes did one, and someone won a Stoneleigh nationals with a stunning build of it (down to the perforations in the bog rolls ...). It's long OOP, but examples still come up on the second-hand market from time to time. IIRC there were some shape/dimension problems with it.

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I think your best bet for a big one is those fine folks at HPH. If they can do a 1/48 Valkyrie, Concorde and B-36, a Constellation should be easy.... 😜 It'll probably have a fiberglass fuselage and wing halves, and lots of resin if they do it, though.

 

http://www.hphmodels.cz/hph/

 

I've been watching Iain's 1/32 build progressing through over at least a decade behind the the 32 Scale SIG stand at Scale Model World. With a year between visits, I can detect progress, but it's a labour of love... I think it's because when it's finished, Iain will disappear in a puff of smoke, declaring "My work here is done." I can't remember at this remove from the Paleolithic Era when it began whether Iain's building one of Tigger's kits, or whether Tigger used Iain's model as the master for his vacforms...

 

But thanks to you @Codger and the Heller GB, I have recently acquired an Airfix Quantas boxing of the Heller 1049, and some Eastern Airlines decals.... my favorite of all "Classic Airline" liveries...

 

best,

M.

 

 

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1 hour ago, Admiral Puff said:

For the sake of the record, Rareplanes did one, and someone won a Stoneleigh nationals with a stunning build of it (down to the perforations in the bog rolls ...). It's long OOP, but examples still come up on the second-hand market from time to time. IIRC there were some shape/dimension problems with it.

Forgive an ignorant Yank Admiral but could you define the 'perforation in the bog rolls'? I think I actually suffer from that after a heavy meal...:wall:

24 minutes ago, cmatthewbacon said:

I think your best bet for a big one is those fine folks at HPH. If they can do a 1/48 Valkyrie, Concorde and B-36, a Constellation should be easy.... 😜 It'll probably have a fiberglass fuselage and wing halves, and lots of resin if they do it, though.

 

http://www.hphmodels.cz/hph/

 

But thanks to you @Codger and the Heller GB, I have recently acquired an Airfix Quantas boxing of the Heller 1049, and some Eastern Airlines decals.... my favorite of all "Classic Airline" liveries..

 

You caught me sneaking over here Matt but good to see you and thanks for the HPH idea. I'll ask again, maybe someone here has their ear? Your logic is perfect...:devil:

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40 minutes ago, Codger said:

Forgive an ignorant Yank Admiral but could you define the 'perforation in the bog rolls'? I think I actually suffer from that after a heavy meal...:wall:

I'll forgive you - you have, after all, had a bit of a kerfuffle going on over there in the past little while ...

 

"Perforations in the bog rolls" = perforations in the toilet paper in the heads. The level of detail in that model had to be seen to be believed. It got extensive coverage in Scale Models at the time; if I can find my copy I'll post a reference.

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25 minutes ago, Admiral Puff said:

"Perforations in the bog rolls" = perforations in the toilet paper in the heads. The level of detail in that model had to be seen to be believed. .

YIKES! That's really detailed - thank you Admiral.

And our kerfuffle is finally getting sorted now...:phew:

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Is that the one done as a partial cutaway  with an engine removed and one opened up? I have three of the rareplanes kits not built. They look pretty good but I haven't put it on a scale drawing yet. I know the cockpit roof is good.

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