Beyond The Sprues
Modelling => Completed GBs => Group and Themed Builds => Beasts of Burden' (Transport/Airliners etc) GB: 1 Apr - 30 Jun => Topic started by: Spey Phantom on April 07, 2019, 03:44:27 PM
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after buying a 1/72 Hasegawa EP-3E Orion last weekend, i was wondering what to do with it.
after seeing this GB, i just had a good idea.
with many surplus US Navy P-3's in storage, what if Lockheed offered a conversion of these frames for freight and passenger transport. the orion itsself is already a conversion of the Electra airliner (with a shortened fuselage), so why not do it in reverse, MPA to passenger liner.
it would be called the "Baby Electra", due to its shorter fuselage.
as for a color scheme, im currently looking at a few options, including Lufthansa, Sabena and JetAir/TUI colors.
still working out some details, but work could start shortly 8)
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Should be interesting. I believe some of the P-3 operators have made similar conversions for VIP transport.
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Sounds cool!
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Should be interesting. I believe some of the P-3 operators have made similar conversions for VIP transport.
The RAAF kind of did that with their TAP-3 aircraft, though I wouldn't use the term VIP. These were ex-USN aircraft purchased to be used for aircrew training/transport to extend the life of the P-3C fleet. They were essentially gutted inside though didn't look too different on the outside.
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Then there is always P-3 fire bombers.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cjpalmer/4962285243/in/photostream/lightbox/ (https://www.flickr.com/photos/cjpalmer/4962285243/in/photostream/lightbox/)
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Update:
im almost done with my research on the dimensions of the windows and cargodoors, all i need to do now is convert them into metric and the scale them down to 1/72 format. from what ive noticed, some of the orion windows will have to be filled up or modified, as they are not straight alligned.
as for a color scheme, i was first planning to paint it in Lufthansa markings, but the decals i have are too modern for the old airframe, thinking a classic airliner scheme (with a bare metal lower fuselage) would be more fitting.
i was thinking of a fictional airline by the name of "Trans Belgian Airlines" (TBA, based on TWA). i already have a possible logo in mind.
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i was thinking of a fictional airline by the name of "Trans Belgian Airlines" (TBA, based on TWA). i already have a possible logo in mind.
Or go with the WTA logo from one of the Chuck Norris movies (Delta Force?).
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@Nils - A new set of propellers would also be a nice addition to your project if you can find some C-130J 6-blade or E-2 8-blade propellers to work with.
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@Nils - A new set of propellers would also be a nice addition to your project if you can find some C-130J 6-blade or E-2 8-blade propellers to work with.
You can get these on Shapeways
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Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if the Electra had its APU, assuming it had one, in the same location as the APU on the P-3 (crossways in the lower lobe, just in front of the wing, exhaust on the starboard side through an opening panel)?
In any case, this "Baby Electra" could have that to allow it to operate out of fields that don't have start carts and such. Not quite as good for unprepared fields as a Hercules, but definitely able to operate out of more fields than an aircraft that did not have an APU.
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No APU mentioned in this Flight description from 1957.
https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1957/1957%20-%201605.html (https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1957/1957%20-%201605.html)
" ... four identical pneumatic starters, one mounted on each engine. The first engine is started by
coupling an air hose from a ground supply trolley and the remaining three by air bled from the
compressors of engines already running."
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In one of the Ice Pilots episodes, it was mostly on Buffalo Air's Electra being used to haul fuel "up north". It was mid-winter and extremely cold the day of the filming and while at the "up-north" airstrip, the APU wouldn't work. So for most of the episode it was about the mechanic trying to fix it. The APU was in a small compartment in the rear of the aircraft below the cabin deck. It could be moved out into the open from the compartment on rails.
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I have to presume that the Orion moved the APU to the location I mentioned to allow sonobuoy chutes and the MAD boom in the rear of the aircraft. An Orion converted to a "Baby Electra" would probably still keep the same APU location.
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My understanding is that the majority of Electras did not have an APU fitted. Those that do/did were retrofits. In fact, even on the P-3 Orion an APU was not included at the start. APU's were installed from the 134th aircraft (152164) onwards after initial tests with 152140. Earlier P-3A's were retrofitted.
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Maybe it was an update when the Electras started being used as freighters and flying into some way out backwoods airstrips.
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On a case-by-case basis. Not a fleet wide fit.
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From what I recall from a TV series about Buffalo Airways the Electra had an APU in the tail between the trailing edge of the main wing and the leading edge of the tail, no reason why the baby Electra shouldn't have one. Please check this though my memory is fickle.
Mog
>^-.-^<
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Maybe it was an update when the Electras started being used as freighters and flying into some way out backwoods airstrips.
As it's stuck into the aft luggage-bay a retrofit seems most likely, and as Greg says on
a case-by-case basis. It's very possible that APUs were added to the airframes that
underwent conversion to freighters.
https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/545117-buffalo-airways-l188-electra.html (https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/545117-buffalo-airways-l188-electra.html)
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Liking concept of Baby Electra :smiley:
Got me interested to do scale measurements of P-3 to subtract length of tail boom. Getting ~3ft length reduction. Was hoping for more. Is shorter.
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And we are off 8)
starting with the most time consuming work, taping off and drilling all the holes where the windows are gonna be (white spaces).
after these pics were taken, the holes have been drilled in and the first 4 windows were filed out, loads more to go.
pictures:
(https://i.imgur.com/jrOf1Fh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/2BSbg0j.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/s3WHDzn.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/QjEM8N8.jpg)
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Now that is a masking job! Great start nils :smiley:
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Update:
After 3 days of filing, the windows are all there, although there are still some rough parts to be sanded out.
i also decided to make some changes on the project.
first off, i changed the name from baby Electra, to Junior Electra.
also, i reconcidered the color scheme, instead of a white/red trim with aluminium underside, i have decided to ge with a 60's Sabena color scheme 8)
more in-progress pics to follow later.
(http://sabena.alpe.be/CARAVELLE/CARAVELLE_OOSRF.jpg)
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Update:
Decals have been designed, here's a rough concept art made in Paint (dot) net 8)
just need to make some refinements before printing them out.
(https://i.imgur.com/dWh45yf.jpg)
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:smiley:
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That's very nice.
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Clearly a "what should have been"!!
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Update:
Windows are cut, once the wing assembly is done, the fuselage halves and the wings will be sprayed in a coat of primer.
(https://i.imgur.com/BQlRHZe.jpg)
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WOW -- Super duper work cutting out windows. :smiley:
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One minor point (though maybe not so minor for the passengers), don't forget to allow room for the toilet/galley area. ;) You can see where it is on a normal Orion (No. 41 and further aft), though that could obviously be moved a bit here.
(http://aviadejavu.ru/Images6/MM/MM-146/0283-02-2-13.jpg)
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Just a thought; if memory serves me correctly, the EP-3E has a somewhat shortened tailcone compared to a standard P-3 and you might want to use that here.
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Just a thought; if memory serves me correctly, the EP-3E has a somewhat shortened tailcone compared to a standard P-3 and you might want to use that here.
Not that much - and it looks to have just chopped off the MAD boom:
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/U_S_-Navy-Lockheed-EP-3E-Aries-II.jpg)
Actually it is a pity you can't do a nicely faired in arrangement like on the Electras:
(http://www.braniffpages.com/1968/images/N9709C.jpg)
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BTW, re my earlier comment re the toilet and galley, I would ignore my earlier suggestion of looking at what the P-3 has. Instead, here is the layout of an Electra used by Branniff that shows these on the starboard side just after the entry:
(http://www.wattsmedia.com/1968/images/l188tech.jpg)
I would probably keep something similar.
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Like this Greg (scroll to the bottom)
http://www.contrailsmodels.com/Conversion_s.html (http://www.contrailsmodels.com/Conversion_s.html)
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Like this Greg (scroll to the bottom)
[url]http://www.contrailsmodels.com/Conversion_s.html[/url] ([url]http://www.contrailsmodels.com/Conversion_s.html[/url])
:smiley:
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Update:
more airbrush work done today, started off with the blue for the tail and the trims.
everything went good, the blue is on very nicely, that was until i started on the aluminium for the wings...
i had to learn the hard way that spraying Humbrol and Revell metallic enamel paints is a real pain in the ***.
i didnt matter how much thinner i used, it was still to thick and almost gummed up the works.
when the time comes to spray the bottom of the fuselage, i think im going to go back to handpainting for that part.
anyway it was a nightmare to spray on and an even bigger one to clean up, as the nozzle of the brush started to leak.
in the end, i managed to get it done somewhat right.
the white will be sprayed on as soon as the fuselage assembly is done.
some pictures.
(https://i.imgur.com/NuZGnIo.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/HrSx89t.jpg)
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That paint looks great and there's something about that shade of blue that I find most appealing.
8)
Brian da Basher
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Update:
started on the cockpit assembly, before i can start on finishing the fuselage paintjob.
(https://i.imgur.com/XBzA3a9.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/qd8C2pl.jpg)
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UPDATE:
cockpit has been assembled and decaled, but since it wont be that visible from the outside, i didnt bother with the second layer of paint or the varnish on the decals. the cockpit was then mated into the fuselage halves. in the next session, will be starting on external details before preparing this thing to airbrush. work on the latter might be delayed due to other smaller planned projects getting the same while paint sprayed on. this is to save time and work on getting these sprayed seperatly.
decals have been printed yesterday, allong with those for other future projects.
pics:
(https://i.imgur.com/cbefaYw.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ET3mMmX.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/yeEQj9b.jpg)
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Update:
Hit a major SNAFU just now :icon_bofh:
I decided to put the noseweight in the fuselage, no problem until a few minutes later...
For some reason, the 5 second glue i used ti fix the weights started to vapor!
Result, my cockpit windows started to get clouded, while there was no glue anywhere near there?
Now i either have to find a way to fix it, or paint the windows over. :'(
So pissed off right now!
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Bugger!
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Can you pop out the cockpit windows and polish/clean them?
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I feel your pain, if you can get the transparency out you may be able to revive it with a toothpaste rub then wash off and dip it in klear.
Mog
>^-.-^<
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Update:
this project is turning into a disaster at a rapid pace :(
first thing that went wrong last week was that the cockpit windows started to cloud up due to paintfumes from fitting in the noseweights. the more i tried to fix the issue the worst it got, so i had no choice but to paint it up.
to make matters worst, less then a day later, the cabin windows were starting to cloud up too! after trying to fix it with clear, with no avail, i thought "f*ck it".
(https://i.imgur.com/ZeKOyzX.jpg)
now, i wasnt ready to give up just yet, thought i could make it at least presentable when the coat of white paint was sprayed on, but event THAT didnt go without problems. after removing the 1.25mm tape, i found out that the paint managed to creep through! i didnt have the courage to remove the rest of the masking tape, i will try to fix this by going over it with a fine piantbrush, but if anymore problems like these show up, im throwing the whole build in the trash and give up.
the rest of the build will be hand painted.
masking done:
(https://i.imgur.com/piCUssi.jpg)
windows masked with maskol.
(https://i.imgur.com/G8Kz6k6.jpg)
the issue from the 1.25mm tape after spraying, makes me go crazy!
(https://i.imgur.com/SrEPIOY.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/NLkUWwV.jpg)
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Man, that sucks! :icon_crap:
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I can feel the pain from here and it reminds me of problematic paintwork I've performed in the past.
Best of luck on the recovery, Nils!
Brian da Basher
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What was the brand of super glue you used Nils ?
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Update,
as i said before, im not ready to give up on this thing just yet.
i pulled of the larger masks and it came out somewhat alright, i tried to fix the runners on the thinner lines with blue paint and a very thin brush, it fixed it a little, its not perfect but i think ican live with it. the end of the tail is unsavable, so im gonna paint that part over with the same aluminium paint im using for the underside. the cockpit windows are also gonna need a little rework but its do-able.
i might be able to save this build from the bin.
Kitnut, i used some cheap dollarstore 3-second glue that same in a pack of 8, i used it before a few times and never had any real problems.
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Kitnut, i used some cheap dollarstore 3-second glue that same in a pack of 8, i used it before a few times and never had any real problems.
I was following a thread on the What-If forum about who uses what for super glue, mainly the topic was about how the glue all dries up in the bottle. A good portion of the replies were, 'having found this out the hard way (pun intended), they always buy the glue from the dollar* store ( * insert whatever currency you use) because it's cheap so you're not wasting money.
I went and bought a couple of tubes from the local dollar store, but what you have just said will have me being very careful where I use the cheap stuff. I'm wondering if it's related as I don't recall the "expensive" glue doing that when I've used it on canopies.
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I've found that glues, like medications, are better when bought from brands that invest in R&D. They may be more expensive but they work better & have less negative side-effects.
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Update:
despite the paint damage and many problems during the last update, i have managed to save it from the garbage can.
3 days ago, i fitted on the tailplanes and the nosecone. she is really getting that retro SABENA look.
(https://i.imgur.com/abMInwx.jpg)
over the last 2 days i have mostly been working on the last sub-assembly's, mostly paintwork and assembly of the landing gear.
the propellors are currently ungoing paintwork, with 3/4 blades now in grey. spinners have been painted in a light silver.
last night, the landing gear struts have been fitted, with no problems.
(https://i.imgur.com/31skTzV.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/pcXGpGL.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5cMjZWH.jpg)
although i did hit one snagg last night, with the white circles on the tails, ive used white decalfilm to avoid the messy paintwork and to save time. however, as there was no gloss coating sprayed on the paper, it started to stretch and curling up (very thing film indeed), i had to remove them and cut them out again, luckily one of my last aliexpress purchases was a circle-cutter, i had to cut out and re-apply new circles 5 times before i got the application right, the large size made it quite difficult to apply.
all in all, in the end, the results were satisfactory.
(https://i.imgur.com/xDmPmoK.jpg)
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Looking good.
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Great recovery Nils
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Now that's one fantastic save!
Way to go, Nils!
:smiley:
Brian da Basher
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:smiley:
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Kudos for saving Junior Electra from the paint demons. :smiley: Fine color scheme.
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Update:
im approaching the end of this build, as later today, i will start on decals on the fuselage and final-assembling all the parts.
all sub-assemblies are now done, the project should be completly finished this weekend.
wheels are on....
(https://i.imgur.com/0M0GwdU.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/MN4rJBy.jpg)
propellors are done, ready for decals and detailing....
(https://i.imgur.com/7yHd4B9.jpg)
...and the Sabena logo has been applied on the tail.
(https://i.imgur.com/c0l8KOO.jpg)
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You keep on movin'! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE8fYd0FevI) :smiley:
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and we are done, im quite happy with the results, despite the setbacks 8)
(https://i.imgur.com/K3z5Y9Z.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/YkhpHyK.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/OABxfzn.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/sBkh3V7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Hu2dEjV.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/7JXrRod.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/xAus8Rt.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/8hLW1yR.jpg)
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Woh! :icon_surprised:
Fast & funky! Nice build, nils! :smiley: 8)
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Beautiful!! Quite impressive!
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Well done Nils! Looks great!
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That's turn out a cracker Nils :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:
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That turned out great! Hard to tell that it was a P-3!
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That sure finished up a treat, Nils!
8)
Brian da Basher
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Cuz my eyes were not tuned to differences, been looking at Electra and P-3 and your model pictures. Must say, we are seeing a "Junior Electra". Color scheme and its quality are right on. :smiley: