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A 1/72 Cessna T-37 Tweet? Anyone?


hsr

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Is any company working on an accurate 1/72 T-37? I have the Hasegawa one working to the top of the pile and it is really an A-37 not a T-37 so will take a lot of work to get it close, but only close. This would definitely be in Swords wheel house but they are silent on the subject. Anyone hear any rumors?

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Been thinking about a T-37 for a long time. Spent enough time researching shapes to have built a couple. Finally concluded that you can make one from an Academy A-37. Mostly involves leaving parts off (thank you Academy for a thoughtful parts breakdown). The real challenge comes with the engine bays. Those on the A-37 were bigger than on the T-37 due to larger engines. But where? Seemingly endless gazing at photos has convinced me that the bulge is on the lower side. Upper side contours seem unchanged. I think the Academy plastic will allow for for quite a bit of reduction on the lower side. Of Course splitter plates are required on the T-37. My candidates come from the Hasegawa F8F-8 Cougar. They are just about the right size and they were not used on all Cougars. I have a selection left over from a 5 Cougar build.

 

That’s my plan and I’m sticking to it! Any wisdom or corrections welcome.

 

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11 minutes ago, Trenton guy said:

That’s my plan and I’m sticking to it! Any wisdom or corrections welcome.

Why the Academy and not the Hasegawa, what are it's advantages?

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The Academy is a much newer kit. It has recessed panel lines, clearer and more precise clear parts, the conversion friendlier parts breakdown and the parts to do an open canopy.

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8 hours ago, Trenton guy said:

Been thinking about a T-37 for a long time. Spent enough time researching shapes to have built a couple. Finally concluded that you can make one from an Academy A-37. Mostly involves leaving parts off (thank you Academy for a thoughtful parts breakdown). The real challenge comes with the engine bays. Those on the A-37 were bigger than on the T-37 due to larger engines. But where? Seemingly endless gazing at photos has convinced me that the bulge is on the lower side. Upper side contours seem unchanged. I think the Academy plastic will allow for for quite a bit of reduction on the lower side. Of Course splitter plates are required on the T-37. My candidates come from the Hasegawa F8F-8 Cougar. They are just about the right size and they were not used on all Cougars. I have a selection left over from a 5 Cougar build.

 

That’s my plan and I’m sticking to it! Any wisdom or corrections welcome.

 

The F9F-5 was the Panther and it had straight wings.  The Cougars were all swept wing aircraft. 

Later,

Dave

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24 minutes ago, e8n2 said:

The F9F-5 was the Panther and it had straight wings.  The Cougars were all swept wing aircraft. 

 

You must have taken a short cut in the reading.

Though there is a typo in the type (F9F-8), Trenton is just saying that he has some intakes splitter plates left from his 5 previous builds as all Cougars did not use them, the Blue Angels for instance. And so, is able to use them on the T-37.

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22 hours ago, Trenton guy said:

Been thinking about a T-37 for a long time. Spent enough time researching shapes to have built a couple. Finally concluded that you can make one from an Academy A-37. Mostly involves leaving parts off (thank you Academy for a thoughtful parts breakdown). The real challenge comes with the engine bays. Those on the A-37 were bigger than on the T-37 due to larger engines. But where? Seemingly endless gazing at photos has convinced me that the bulge is on the lower side. Upper side contours seem unchanged. I think the Academy plastic will allow for for quite a bit of reduction on the lower side. Of Course splitter plates are required on the T-37. My candidates come from the Hasegawa F8F-8 Cougar. They are just about the right size and they were not used on all Cougars. I have a selection left over from a 5 Cougar build.

 

That’s my plan and I’m sticking to it! Any wisdom or corrections welcome.

 

 

Except for the Cougar bit, that I do not know, I agree with every bit you write. I've started such a conversion, but creating those belly panels isn't so easy. I don't have decent photos to show unfortunately.

 

Rob

 

 

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There was a brief description of a T-37 conversion for the Hasegawa A-37A in Replica in Scale Volume 3 Number 1 in 1975. This was deletion of the fuselage lumps and bumps, filling the holes in the lower wing panels, removing the wing tanks and building up the wing tips, and replacing the undercarriage , though the last isn't that obvious. As there is also a conversion to the A-37B involving building up the engine area and exhausts, it sounds like the original Hasegawa kit might be a better place to start, though as they sell it as an A-37A/B these days, there may have been alterations made to the mould.

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3 minutes ago, Rob de Bie said:

Here's my conversion, partly done, with the original Academy kit shown too

Interesting. Are you doing a WIP?

Thanks

Howard

 

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4 hours ago, hsr said:

Interesting. Are you doing a WIP?

 

 

No, I don't, mainly because some projects take years, and that doesn't work on forums. But I will eventually put a report on my own website. But that could take a few more years - too many projects, too little time!

 

Rob

 

 

Edited by Rob de Bie
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The Academy kit's out of the box:

 

The aerobatic team:

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/16181535774/in/photolist-qi8apF-qDUvzh-qDUAQ7-qXv1S3-AWNmpJ-2kvganD-dEKPcU-rAU9XB

 

and the strike aircraft:

 

here from ROKAF: 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/16803856025/in/dateposted/

 

and here too:

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/16380630862/in/photolist-qi8apF-qDUvzh-qDUAQ7-qXv1S3-AWNmpJ-2kvganD-dEKPcU-rAU9XB/

 

with a new owner.

 

modelldoc

Edited by modelldoc
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7 minutes ago, CarLos said:

Here are some photos that may be useful. I took them with the same conversion in mind.

Very helpful

 

Thanks

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Having the Hasegawa "Willie Tweet" boxing in the stash, a conversion (or hope for an accurate kit) has been on my wish list for well over a decade.  In digging for the partial cutaway image I remembered seeing that illustrates the T-37 profile brilliantly, I discovered that it was actually from an old thread on ARC with major contributions by nome other than @Rob de Bie

 

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/285344-any-former-t-37-mechanics-in-the-house/

 

(The particular photo I remembered is the second one in this post)

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This thread inspired me to do some more work on my conversion. Earlier I had tried to sculpt the exhaust with Apoxie. But I realised it would never work - the thin edges would be too delicate. Luckily I had 4.0 x 3.0 mm brass tubing, and I ground the wall thickness down to 0.2 mm. This gave me 3.6 mm internal diameter exhausts, just like I had built with Apoxie. These brass tubes were installed in the enlarged holes. It was followed by lots of puttying and sanding. Comments are welcome!

 

t37-18.jpg

 

t37-17.jpg

 

Rob

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On 1/2/2023 at 1:12 AM, e8n2 said:

The F9F-5 was the Panther and it had straight wings.  The Cougars were all swept wing aircraft. 

Later,

Dave

I was trying to say a build of 5 (five) Cougars, not a build of a -5 Cougar. You are correct that there is no such thing.

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