Beyond The Sprues
Current and Finished Projects => Physical Models => Aero-space => Topic started by: ScranJ51 on April 02, 2020, 10:31:09 AM
-
Some time ago I came to thinking I might like to add a RAAF AEW aircraft to my "collection".
I found a 1/144th B737 - but it was an -800 - too long:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48420476697_7a1f47925f_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2gLKAM8)wedgetail 01 (https://flic.kr/p/2gLKAM8) by David Freeman (https://www.flickr.com/photos/153018533@N06/), on Flickr
Wedgetails are much shorter - around -500 or -600 size, so:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49381872737_cb731db1ec_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ieH1jV)raaf e7a-2 (https://flic.kr/p/2ieH1jV) by David Freeman (https://www.flickr.com/photos/153018533@N06/), on Flickr
counting windows, I worked out the rough length and cut two plugs out of the fuselage.
Next task was to scratchbuild the canoe and radar head:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49517941148_ee0e2dbdda_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2irJoJ1)e7-6 (https://flic.kr/p/2irJoJ1) by David Freeman (https://www.flickr.com/photos/153018533@N06/), on Flickr
The angle down is 7 degrees and working out the scale of the radar length:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49664649798_d6fb84bd4b_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2iEGj6u)e74 (https://flic.kr/p/2iEGj6u) by David Freeman (https://www.flickr.com/photos/153018533@N06/), on Flickr
then clean it all up:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49725954061_6a0719ea39_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2iL7vHx)Wedgetail-2 (https://flic.kr/p/2iL7vHx) by David Freeman (https://www.flickr.com/photos/153018533@N06/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49725409288_30b878e053_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2iL4HLU)Wedgetail-1 (https://flic.kr/p/2iL4HLU) by David Freeman (https://www.flickr.com/photos/153018533@N06/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49726268782_149fa633c7_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2iL98gL)Wedgetail-3 (https://flic.kr/p/2iL98gL) by David Freeman (https://www.flickr.com/photos/153018533@N06/), on Flickr
Shade of grey is a little dark, but that's to cover the putty and repairs
8)
-
The 737 AEW&C is based on the Boeing 737 Next Generation design, roughly similar to the 737-700ER.
-
Nice work
-
I'm curious about the odd intake shape ???
-
They are the intakes from the kit.............................. ???
There are several "Issues" with the accuracy of my model.
The length is an approximation, made by counting windows (for god's sake) so I had a rough idea where to cut. Not sure if it is just this kit, but when joining the front to the "revised" fuselage wing section, they are a slightly different diameter (the front being larger). The Radar canoe length is pretty accurate (from my calculations) as is the angle, but the mount is probably too thick and might not be perfectly positioned. The front of the fin base is probably incorrect. The wingtips are - the "real"thing has ESM mounts there, as well as under the nose and on the tail. I may add those in later if I can find stuff in the spares box to make the approximation.
For all I know, the RAAF Wedgetails may use a different engine to that of the original kit. The real aircraft is painted much lighter with dark letters. I had those, but old decals that fell apart when I tried to use them, hence the compromise here of darker airframe, plus it covers the joins a little better.
Look, it is FAR from perfect, but as it sits in the display cabinet with the 1/144th B707 tanker conversion, 1/144th Caribou, 1/144th BAC-111 and 1/144th Canberra, it looks ok.
Cheers
;)
-
Yet more proof (as if any more were needed) that few things spice up an airplane like those famous red 'roos!
I like the wedge-tail radar too.
Brian da Basher