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BOAC Boeing 707-436, Airfix 1:144


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Another classic airliner completed.  

 

This is the Airfix Boeing 707, which has tooling from 1963, and decals from 2015.  

 

There weren't really any issues with this build, other than the way the engines attach to the wing with little notches in the pylons that are designed to hook onto lugs in the wings.

 

These lugs were too large, or the notches in the pylons were too small, but they didn't attach easily.  I had to cut out the lugs and slot the pylons into the wings.

 

Also, the wrap-around decals of the nose were difficult to apply because of the tight curvature of the fuselage.

 

It also lacks some details, like fan blades, and the engine exhausts are solid.

 

I need to do some paint touch ups on the engine pylons because the BOAC decals don't fully wrap around the pylons, but I have run out of midnight blue paint.

 

Here it is for now:

 

IMG_3472

 

IMG_3473

 

IMG_3474

 

IMG_3475

 

IMG_3476

 

IMG_3477

 

IMG_3478

 

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Lovely

 

I'm in the middle of building the same kit although I'll be finishing it in the earlier BOAC scheme.

 

I concur with your problems concerning the engine pylon attachment points. Around 1980 or so, Airfix modified the 707 moulds to turn the kit into a so-called "Snap 'n Glue" kit. This was an attempt to make some kits easier to assemble. In my view, it made matters worse, not better. The Saturn V suffers from the same problem.

 

I'd be delighted if my model ends up as good as yours.

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8 hours ago, Eric Mc said:

Lovely

 

I'm in the middle of building the same kit although I'll be finishing it in the earlier BOAC scheme.

 

I concur with your problems concerning the engine pylon attachment points. Around 1980 or so, Airfix modified the 707 moulds to turn the kit into a so-called "Snap 'n Glue" kit. This was an attempt to make some kits easier to assemble. In my view, it made matters worse, not better. The Saturn V suffers from the same problem.

 

I'd be delighted if my model ends up as good as yours.

 

I was actually looking for the Negus British Airways version of this kit, but I couldn't find any.  I'm not sure i know what the early BOAC scheme looks like.

 

I am surprised the lugs and notches of the engine mountings just don't match up!

 

I had to cut the lugs out.  Even then, it was a tight fit - they wouldn't fall out even without cement.

 

Looking forward to seeing your 707!

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Brings back great memories. I built and painted that kit around 1969/70. I was about ten. It was a favourite. That kit and the Airfix 727 in TWA markings. 

 

One day my younger sister had a something like a 'show and tell' in school. So she took the 707 without telling me. On the way out the door she fell and snapped the fuselage. Completely unabashed she returned home and took the 727 instead. 

 

When I found the damage she instantly confessed. I didn't have the heart to be angry. She was quite innocent. We're still close and it's a fond memory but I still think she owes me a 707.😂

 

Nice build. 

 

 

 

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6 hours ago, neilg said:

I was actually looking for the Negus British Airways version of this kit, but I couldn't find any.  I'm not sure i know what the early BOAC scheme looks like.

From memory: The earlier BOAC scheme on the B707 had a blue cheatline which was constant width until it curved under the nose and back to the nose gear bay.  I'm not sure if the cheatline was gold edged, or if that only applied to the VC-10.  The BOAC titles were in blue against the white of the fuselage top decking.  The tail fin was blue with a white leading edge.  The registration was in white between two parallel white lines near the root of the fin and the speedbird was mid-fin in white.

Edited by JosephLalor
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The first scheme applied to the BOAC 707s was essentially as described above. The scheme was also worn by Argonauts, Britannias, Stratocruisers, early VC-10s  and Comet 4s. In effect, it was a "negative" of the previous scheme which had featured a white tail fin with dark blue markings.

 

 https://i.pinimg.com/originals/65/78/be/6578be6e125ab9c9c7b0bb904098ce4e.jpg

 

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/79/83/a0/7983a0cb34d4923155adc467eeb8c03f.jpg

 

https://www.aerotime.aero/aviation-blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/BOAC-de-Havilland-Comet-4.jpg

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What a beauty, I also built this fine kit last year, same issues with the engines.  I also grafted in metal pin replacements for the probes o the wing and the tail, they were warped and flimsy on mine and needed sturdy replacements.

 

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9 hours ago, Meatbox8 said:

Beautiful.  The BOAC scheme is just majestic.  I believe the recent last flight of a BA 747 was in this scheme. 

 

I have a collection of Revell 747-400s to do in the various liveries, one of which will be the BOAC livery.

 

It looks like the 747 belly is shiny grey, rather than a metallic finish on the original BOAC livery - but I haven't really studied many photos of it yet.

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11 hours ago, Hepster said:

What a beauty, I also built this fine kit last year, same issues with the engines.  I also grafted in metal pin replacements for the probes o the wing and the tail, they were warped and flimsy on mine and needed sturdy replacements.

 

 

I should have replaced those probes, but they're quite sturdy on mine.  Are they antennas on the 707?

 

I have the Revell 747-100, which has separate parts for the wingtip antennas - they WILL break off one day when I'm cleaning, I know it!

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The probe on top of the fin is an HF aerial (short wave communications used when out of line of sight with VHF radio stations).

The small protrusions lower down on the leading edge of the tail fin are sensors for the artificial feel system

 

The 420 had a wing tip probe as well which does not seem to feature on most other 707/720 versions so I don't know what that is. It might be a pitot. 

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