British Airways McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30, Airfix 1:144

[neilg]

The DC-10 is one of my favourite airliners, but unfortunately, I've never been able to fly on one.  My first exposure to the DC-10 was a Thai Airways Matchbox toy that I played with so much the paint came off.

 

I've already built the Airfix DC-10 in SAS colours, but as you may know by now, I really like the British Airways Landor livery.

 

I really wanted to have a DC-10 in my collection in this livery, and I'm glad to say that now I have one.

 

There were no issues with the kit, except I bought it some years ago second hand - and discovered only after I started to build it that the landing gear was missing.  And so was one of the flap actuator fairings, which on the same sprue as the landing gear, and I had to recreate one from plasticard.

 

I really wanted to have the landing gear down (as is the case on my other airliners), so I ended up buying another kit (sealed, this time) just to get the landing gear.

 

As was the case on the other DC-10 that I built, the only modifications were filing away the engine mounting points on the wings (which would have made the engines sit too close to the ground), and the center landing gear is repositioned to be in the correct place.  The kit has mounting holes too far forward, and the landing gear doors are two pieces - they should be four, like the nose landing gear.

 

I used Humbrol 15 gloss midnight blue spray, and Revel 371 light grey spray.

 

The decals were 26 Decals, and were great to use.

 

Being from Gloucestershire, I chose to make this G-BEBL Forest of Dean:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[VG 33]

Hello

 

This is very nice and your way how you display them at home remember when I was a young boy. There is plenty of space to add more airplanes from the ceiling.

 

Patrick

Edited September 11, 2022 by VG 33

[VolkerR.]

It looks great. Its so much more difficult to achieve the clean finish of an airliner compared to the weathered surfaces of a warbird.

 

[Mig88]

28 minutes ago, VolkerR. said:

It looks great. Its so much more difficult to achieve the clean finish of an airliner compared to the weathered surfaces of a warbird.

 

I agree! That's why I have hardly built airliners. Lovely work indeed, well done!

I actually did get to fly on a DC-10 once. It was an Iberia flight in 1989 (I think) from Bogota to Madrid with a stop at Caracas.

 

Miguel

[tMikha]

Very accurate and neat surface and nice-looking livery as well.

Congratulations with completed work! 

[Alex1978]

Very very nice Neil.

The DC-10 is an awesome aircraft and its rare to see one in BA livery.

Very well done.

 

I was fortunate to fly on a DC-10  in 1995 from Zurich to Mombasa.An unforgettable flight,on the returnflight I had the pleasure of a 2 hour visit to the cockpit,the most spaceous cockpit with the largest windows I ever saw.

The view was breathtaking.

I also remember seeing a BA DC-10 flying past on my BA flight to LHR.

We were on approach over the channel when the DC-10 flew a bit lower past us,I dont know if it had departed from LHR or Gatwick.

 

Those were the days

 

Thanks for sharing

Alex

[Zulu Hotel Alpha]

Lovely work, always a joy to view it here.

- I have had the pleasure of flying DC-10 a number of times- Pakistan International, SAS and Lufthansa (even visited the cockpit - and photo asa bonus).

 

I think the BA DC-10 used to belong to British Caledonian.- perhaps I am wrong. 

 

So now you have an extra model.. what are you going to do with it?

 

Edited September 11, 2022 by Zulu Hotel Alpha
added extra information

[stever219]

2 hours ago, Zulu Hotel Alpha said:

 

I think the BA DC-10 used to belong to British Caledonian.- perhaps I am wrong. 

 

 

You’re not wrong @Zulu Hotel Alpha, they were ex British Caledonian, in whose markings Airfix issued the DC-10 kit.

[stringbag]

Nice model indeed Neil.

I may well have a set of gear legs and wheels for the Airfix kit.  I'll have a look as soon as I can get time to venture up to the loft and let you know.

 

Chris.

[Ad-4N]

My goodness, that’s gorgeous.  It’s the Margot Robbie of DC-10s for sure.  Well done, my man.

[SAT69]

Very impressive work!

[Bertie McBoatface]

Outstanding!

[neilg]

On 11/09/2022 at 08:34, VolkerR. said:

It looks great. Its so much more difficult to achieve the clean finish of an airliner compared to the weathered surfaces of a warbird.

 

 

I haven't learned the skill of weathering - I am not brave enough to risk ruining the finish if it all goes wrong!

[neilg]

On 11/09/2022 at 16:24, Zulu Hotel Alpha said:

Lovely work, always a joy to view it here.

- I have had the pleasure of flying DC-10 a number of times- Pakistan International, SAS and Lufthansa (even visited the cockpit - and photo asa bonus).

 

I think the BA DC-10 used to belong to British Caledonian.- perhaps I am wrong. 

 

So now you have an extra model.. what are you going to do with it?

 

 

My parents have the first DC-10 in Scandinavian colours.  It has yellowed badly over the years, so I will probably give it to them as a replacement.

[neilg]

20 hours ago, stringbag said:

Nice model indeed Neil.

I may well have a set of gear legs and wheels for the Airfix kit.  I'll have a look as soon as I can get time to venture up to the loft and let you know.

 

Chris.

 

I would be most interested if you have a set of gear legs and wheels!

[stringbag]

I'll try and get into the loft over the weekend and have a look Neil.  Bear with me.  👍

 

Chris.

[Maginot]

Very nice work.

 

I was lucky enough able to fly on at least one DC-10. A memorable flight with PIA from Australia to the Middle-east back in the early 80s. I remember the good food, passengers applauding and heatedly chattering every time we landed, fluid streaming off the starboard wing at cruising altitude and a 12-hour turnaround at Karachi terminal sitting on the hard floor; no water, no food, no nothing. Ah... the joys of cheap (relatively) flights 40 years ago. At the start of the journey, I wasn't too pleased to see that our aircraft was a DC-10 after a series of accidents over the previous decade.