Mildenhall KC-135R........

[ghaynes]

I'd been wanting to build a Mildenhall tanker for a long time so, with the release of the Wolfpack decals, out of the stash came the Heller C-135FR.

Also from the stash came the True Details weighted wheels and galley sets and the Airwaves photoetch detail set.

A note on the Wolfpack decals (72-005).....it is not possible to build a current 100th ARW KC-135R with what is included on the sheet. To my dismay the 'Legacy Lives' badge on the nose is missing as is the scroll containing the crew names. I believe both have been carried since at least 2003 so why they are not included is a mystery. Apart from that, the decals are superb.

This will pose a headache when I evetually reach the decalling stage as I may have to produce these from scratch. The 'cop out' for the 'Legacy Lives' badge would be to do the CO's jet which carries 'Lets Roll' nose art.

Hopefully I will get to finish this one and resist the temptation to get diverted onto another build project! I have approx. ten kits 'in-progress' at the mo!

Will endeavour to make a make a start tonight!

Regards.

Graham

Edited August 1, 2008 by ghaynes

[David H]

Hi Graham,

Good luck on your upcoming KC-135R Project. Not to be the bearer of bad news, but just wanted to warn you that construction of the Heller C-135FR kit will be .....technically challenging.

It might be a little better than the AMT kit if Heller has switched to harder plastic, but be ready for fit issues between the lower wing/fuselage joint. Also, the wing as built has about half the dihedral it needs.

Its a good kit, but appearances on the sprues are misleading.

Cheers,

Dave

[ghaynes]

Hi Graham,

Good luck on your upcoming KC-135R Project. Not to be the bearer of bad news, but just wanted to warn you that construction of the Heller C-135FR kit will be .....technically challenging.

It might be a little better than the AMT kit if Heller has switched to harder plastic, but be ready for fit issues between the lower wing/fuselage joint. Also, the wing as built has about half the dihedral it needs.

Its a good kit, but appearances on the sprues are misleading.

Cheers,

Dave

Thanks for the heads up Dave. A quick dry fit of some of the larger parts has forewarned me of what to expect. The cabin floor is quite badly warped as well.

I will be following Chuck Davenport's method of assembling the wings......linky

Cheers.

Graham

[hatchet]

I've got some pictures of a 100th ARW KC from 2006:

[keefr22]

Thanks for the heads up Dave. A quick dry fit of some of the larger parts has forewarned me of what to expect. The cabin floor is quite badly warped as well.

I will be following Chuck Davenport's method of assembling the wings......linky

Cheers.

Graham

I used that method when I built my -135A, but went a bit further still. I used the same square section tube as Major Davenport, but also got a smaller section that would telescope into it, & extended it further out into the wing - as far as there was actually enough depth between top & borrom wing sections to do so. May have been a bit belt & braces, but it certainly makes for a strong wing construction. Didn't really have any other 'major' problems with the build. The strengthening bands around the rear fuselage are a bit of a pain, as you lose portions of them when cleaning up the wing seam - I masked them off individually after sanding & used Mr.Surfacer to build them back up. And the only other thing I remember is that the main gear doors appear to be a bit oversize - they touch the ground when the model sits on the deck - or it could be that I sanded too much of a flat on the main gear tyres!!

Overall though I found it a really enjoyable build that ends in a very impressive model. Shame I don't have anywhere to display it though....!!!

Keef

[ghaynes]

I've got some pictures of a 100th ARW KC from 2006:

Thanks Hatchet. Very nice reference pics!

Regards.

Graham

[ghaynes]

I used that method when I built my -135A, but went a bit further still. I used the same square section tube as Major Davenport, but also got a smaller section that would telescope into it, & extended it further out into the wing - as far as there was actually enough depth between top & borrom wing sections to do so. May have been a bit belt & braces, but it certainly makes for a strong wing construction. Didn't really have any other 'major' problems with the build. The strengthening bands around the rear fuselage are a bit of a pain, as you lose portions of them when cleaning up the wing seam - I masked them off individually after sanding & used Mr.Surfacer to build them back up. And the only other thing I remember is that the main gear doors appear to be a bit oversize - they touch the ground when the model sits on the deck - or it could be that I sanded too much of a flat on the main gear tyres!!

Overall though I found it a really enjoyable build that ends in a very impressive model. Shame I don't have anywhere to display it though....!!!

Keef

Hi Keef,

Where did you get your square section tube from? Will be modelling my KC-135 with the gear doors closed so shouldn't have a problem with them touching the ground!

Graham

[keefr22]

Hi Keef,

Where did you get your square section tube from?

It was from our local model shop - when we still had one.....

I'm pretty sure its from a range called K&S metal sections - or something similar. You can usually get it in a model railway shop if you have one of them near you.

Will be modelling my KC-135 with the gear doors closed so shouldn't have a problem with them touching the ground!

Graham

Will you be displaying it refuelling something.....??

I really enjoyed building mine, I'm sure you'll have fun with it!

Keef

[ghaynes]

It was from our local model shop - when we still had one.....

I'm pretty sure its from a range called K&S metal sections - or something similar. You can usually get it in a model railway shop if you have one of them near you.

Will you be displaying it refuelling something.....??

I really enjoyed building mine, I'm sure you'll have fun with it!

Keef

Thanks Keef.

Nope, it will be displayed as in Hatchet's pics. On the ground (gear doors shut) with the crew and cargo doors open.

Graham

[Stuart]

Thanks Keef.

Nope, it will be displayed as in Hatchet's pics. On the ground (gear doors shut) with the crew and cargo doors open.

Graham

Hi there, crackin machine you got. I've got the AMT 135R waiting for paint!!!

If it's anything like the AMT, watch out for the fuse halves, the boom operator's window fitting and the turbofan outlets. Oh yeah and the APU exhaust needs VERY thinned down!!!!

Stuart

[ElectroSoldier]

Does the sheet represent the jet from the late 1990's?

Im thinking when they still had Air Fete.

[ghaynes]

Does the sheet represent the jet from the late 1990's?

Im thinking when they still had Air Fete.

Nope, it's supposed to represent a current KC-135R with the latest style of fin markings (narrow r/w/b stripes c/w RAF Mildenhall crest as opposed to wider r/w/b stripes c/w European Tanker Task Force crest). Problem is the 100th ARW 'Legacy' badge on the portside nose is missing from the sheet.

Will post some photos of the build when I get a chance over the next few days.

Regards.

Graham

Edited August 14, 2008 by ghaynes

[ghaynes]

A bit of an update on progress so far:

Fuselage together and all seams sanded, filled etc. Turned out to be a bit of a of a job but that was largely self inflicted! The two small windows on top of the fuselage, aft of the flightdeck have been blanked over with small squares of styrene sheet. Soundproofing material inside the cabin is several layers of tissue bonded together with thinned Kristal Klear. Galley set is from True Details. Thin metal tubing was added to represent the bar that the back of the removeable troop seats attach to. Interior given the Promodeller was treatment. EDIT: Just realised it's not visable in this pic so I'll upload another one later! Pic ain't that great either!

Rear fuselage after a thin coat of primer to check out seams and to identify areas that need re-scribing

Thanks to Stuart for the tip about thinning the APU exhaust. Fitted perfect eventually.

Close up of the deflected rudder which seems to be the norm on parked KC-135s at Mildenhall.

Now made a start on the wings using Major Chuck Davenport's method (as mentioned above). Doesn't look pretty at the mo but you get a perfect join on the underside. Just got to add the brass tube spar as mentioned by Keef above.

More photos as and when I get the chance.

Regards.

Graham

Edited August 14, 2008 by ghaynes

[davidsm]

looking good so far.

David

[Mike]

Oooh! Crazy paving on the inside of the wing!

Interior looks nice too

[ghaynes]

Oooh! Crazy paving on the inside of the wing!

......was kinda theraputic gluing all them shims in

Just realised after studying Hatchet's pics that I need to add a pair of APU inlets (?) just above the exhaust.

Graham

[ghaynes]

Hopefully this pic will show the cabin interior a bit better!

Regards.

Graham

[ghaynes]

Another quick update:

Added the APU inlets and what looks like a circular strengthening plate in Hatchet's photos.

Added a strengthening plate on both sides of the rudder midpoint hinge and two trim tab actuators.

On the starboard side I added a couple of small triangular strengthening plates to the trim tab.

Wasn't happy with the fit of the cockpit transparency so spent a bit of time filling and sanding to make a neater job of it.

Graham

Edited August 15, 2008 by ghaynes

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Nice progress Graham, I have 2 ...well 3 in the stash and like what you are doing. I also have the same decal sheet but I think I will use them as is.

Now I have a question for those in the know. Were the 'R's in use when the F-111s were operational in the UK and did the Rs wear this scheme at the time?

I would like to mine in flight with an F-111 in tow, if the chronology is not right then an F-15E will have to do .

Edited August 16, 2008 by TrojanThunder

[ghaynes]

Nice progress Graham, I have 2 ...well 3 in the stash and like what you are doing. I also have the same decal sheet but I think I will use them as is.

Now I have a question for those in the know. Were the 'R's in use when the F-111s were operational in the UK and did the Rs wear this scheme at the time?

I would like to mine in flight with an F-111 in tow, if the chronology is not right then an F-15E will have to do .

The 100th ARW were activated at Mildenhall on the 1st February 1992 and the last F-111F departed Lakenheath on 16th December 1992. The last F-111E left Upper Heyford on 7th December 1993 so it would be possible to model a 100th ARW KC-135R 'towing' an F-111. At that time the -135s would be have worn the 'shamu' scheme with the 'European Tanker Task Force' markings on the fin.

Regards.

Graham

[ghaynes]

Another update.

Added the spars to strengthen the lower wing joint. Had intended to use brass tubing but I decided that two sections of the kit sprue looked more than adequate for the job.

Upper wings added. Wing to fuselage joint had a few minor gaps. Nothing that a bit of filler couldn't sort out

View of the beast with the wings attached......correct dihedral and no drooping!

View of the rear fuselage...................

Will sand the wing/fuselage joints tomorrow.

Graham

Edited August 18, 2008 by ghaynes

[keefr22]

Another update.

Added the spars to strengthen the lower wing joint. Had intended to use brass tubing but I decided that two sections of the kit sprue looked more than adequate for the job.

Good thinking!! Wish I'd thought of that - cheaper than the brass tube....!!

She's looking good!

Keef

[ghaynes]

Good thinking!! Wish I'd thought of that - cheaper than the brass tube....!!

She's looking good!

Keef

I have the brass tube on order Keef. I was just too impatient to wait for it to be delivered! Hopefully I'll find another use for it

Thanks for the comments.

Graham

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Good thinking!! Wish I'd thought of that - cheaper than the brass tube....!!

She's looking good!

Keef

Great idea!, I will store that one away when I start mine, I was sure where I was going to get the brass tube for my build. You have just saved me the effort.

Great progress Graham.

[ghaynes]

A quick update on the build so far...................

The small intake at the base of the fin was replaced with a new one using a small needle and a section of brass tube (yes, I managed to find a use for it! ). The original was broken off and eaten by the carpet monster not long after starting the build! Think the new one looks better as it has the look of the real intake. The original being a solid moulding.

Here's an overall view.......

This shot shows the underside wing/fuselage join. Came out pretty well. Just got to re-scribe the lost detail.

Next stage will be the engines....................

Graham

Edited August 30, 2008 by ghaynes