C-130CrewChief Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I just started an R6D-1 Loadmaster. For those like me who don't usually do Navy subjects, that translates to a Navy DC-6 or Air Force C-118B. I'm looking to depict a plane from the early 50's. The base museum has supplied the model, one picture, and I will supply everything else. :( I will be building this from a 1/72 Heller DC-6B. I couldn't find a place to ask to join, so I just started a thread! I hope that's okay Ken? I started basic construction today. Pics to come! Curt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rotorhead Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Looking forward to the build Curt. I've got 2 in my stash I've wanted to get started on. Pretty close to my favorite plane. Those engine cowlings turned me off of it once. Bought some AM cowlings but still stalled. You gonna do a "Coal Hauler" or a -1Z? Regards Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I just started an R6D-1 Loadmaster. For those like me who don't usually do Navy subjects, that translates to a Navy DC-6 or Air Force C-118B. I'm looking to depict a plane from the early 50's. The base museum has supplied the model, one picture, and I will supply everything else. I will be building this from a 1/72 Heller DC-6B. I couldn't find a place to ask to join, so I just started a thread! I hope that's okay Ken? I started basic construction today. Pics to come! Curt Curt - looking forward to see it. And that's how you "join" - start a thread Quote Link to post Share on other sites
C-130CrewChief Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 Awesome! I'm glad to find a fan of these grand old birds! Nice Rotorhead! Cool beans Ken! I guess... I'm counting myself in! Now to the project.... I conversed with the museum guys some more and we decided she will be White top, silver bottom and wings, with a red tail. She will have a cheat line, but I'm not sure whether the line is black or blue.... The squadron will be VR-4 out of Moffett NAS around 1952. Curt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
C-130CrewChief Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 These are pictures of pictures, but this is the plane I'm building. Here's the start of this beauty. She's HUGE! Curt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rotorhead Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Hey Curt, I'm not expert by any stretch of the imagination but i did some research on the -1Z's (the VIP birds). The plain -1 was the PAX and cargo hauler. I corresponded a bit with R6D-1Z drivers and maintainers to try and figure out what was what. 1952 is certainly an early timeframe as they still had the "New Car Smell" to them. I've seen photos of the "coal haulers" as the non VIPS seemed to be called by some of the crews, delivered and operated in all BMF. I can't speak for them. My interest was of 128424, an R6D-1Z VIP, now sitting at the Navy Museum. VC-118 (R6D-1Z) 128424 128423-128433 were delivered to the Navy 1951 to 1952 128423 was first built but retained at the Santa Monica Facility for performance testing. 128424 was the first delivered R6D (C-118) to the military (other than the “Independence†for Harry Truman. 128424 was delivered to VR-5 Sept 6, 1951. Donald Douglas rode on the plane flown by Douglas pilots for the acceptance ceremony at Moffett Field. All 11 A/C were delivered to VR-5 and VR-3 (MATS). 1954: 6 of the aircraft were converted at NARF Corpus Christie from PAX/Cargo to VIP. (R6D-1Z) (VC-118). 424 was completed and reassigned to VR-21 Barbers Point, HA. Remained at VR-21 until VR-21 was decommissioned in 1976. 424 was then assigned to VC-1 and remained there until it was retired to NARF Pensacola for DEMIL and transfer to the Naval Aviation Museum in 1983. Now for the Colors. That white top started out above the cabin windows and moved down to below the windows, exactly when I'm not sure but it appears to have happened in the early 70's. Here is a quote from a VIP pilot on his recollection of colors. "The top and bottom wings painted a very light gray. Yes - polished aluminum edges. the belly was painted gray on a line from about two to three feet below the crew entrance door starting at the point that the cockpit section starts. That extended back to the tail but I can't remember where it started to narrow somewhere aft of the wings. That patch of gray was primarily for protection from the nose wheel aft. The wings were painted gray to the wing root both top and bottom with a black rectangle around the leading edge just forward of the outboard main fuel filler access panels. That was to visually see icing conditions on the wings. The top of the cabin was painted white from the top of the cabin windows up extending to the bottom of the cockpit windows and the frame below the forward cockpit windows. There was a flat black painted area just above the pitot tubes to prevent glare in the cockpit. The radome was painted glossy black and the aircraft side numbers painted the same color. The wheel wells and landing gear were painted white as were the wheels. At the point where the white starts above the windows, there was a two inch Navy Blue line separating it from the polished aluminum skin. The engine cowling was polished as was the prop spinners and the prop blades. The tips of the prop blades had two inch stripes of Red, White, and Blue in that order from the tip going inboard on each blade. At the very tip of the prop spinner was a rubber plug about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. At the aft starboard side where the APU exhaust was there was no paint, that area was titanium and was always stained a rusty yellow because of it but it was a rectangular space with the gray paint around it from the forward belly to tail." R6D-1Z VR-21 1959 R6D-1Z VR-21 1969 R6D-1Z 1959 showing tops of wings and gray paint. I believe that the "Red Tail" R6D-1 you mention is in the very early Navy participation in MATS. A definate "Coal Hauler". Curt I hope this helps some. Wish you luck on the build and will definately be watching. Regards Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rotorhead Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Hey Curt, You said you don't normally do Navy subjects. You know the Marines operated a VC-118B. I took this pic in 1975 at MCAS Futenma of the Commandant's Jeep. The pic stinks but that plane Sparkled. That crew certainly knew how to Field Day it. I'm interested to see how you tackle the Heller wheel well from H***. Regards Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
C-130CrewChief Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 Thanks for the info, I'm well under way with this build. I have closed up the appropriate windows, and scribed the cargo doors. I'm not going to tackle the gear wells as they will not be visible from the planned display case. I need to concentrate more on the paint and finishing. Any ideas on what the standard markings were on the tops and bottoms of the wings? Curt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rotorhead Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Curt, The write up I posted above gives a hint at the wing markings. It kind of depends on just what your doing, and timeframe. You said you wanted the orange? Not sure if they had any VIP birds at Moffett. The one photo you had appeared to be a PAX/Cargo hauler. For VR-21 the wing markings appear to be "Star/ VR424" (424 being the last of the BNum). Later "reworks" had the whole wing painted light gray, Polished leading edge and no step lines. Earlier versions had Light gray "strips" around each engine. Some no step lines. The photos I posted show a hint of what I just described. I have photos of these things in full BMF/navy markings; Partial BMF, white tops/navy markings; White top, gray bottoms/ navy markings. Regards Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
C-130CrewChief Posted January 14, 2011 Author Share Posted January 14, 2011 I know, it's nuts how many paint schemes that were applied to these planes! I'm looking to do a coal hauler from NAS Moffett in the 50's. I am hoping to do one with the high Vis. red. This is the scheme so far... No spinners Standard white top Navy blue cheat line Bare metal sides Light gloss gray bottom. Gloss gray around engines with the rest of the wing bare metal. Gloss or satin black nose cone Flat black anti glare panel before the windscreen that goes nearly to the nose cone. (I saw that on a few birds and liked it.) Standard (as I can find) MATS high Vis red tail. (Were the wing tips painted red like I have seen on some R5D's?) I plan on putting LOTS of oily soot trails behind the engines in the appropriate places... I have a question about the tail numbers... Any good ideas on what planes were stationed at Moffett? I take it I would have to put VRXXX on the wings? Another question... In the high Vis scheme, what all was painted? Wingtips and horizontal / vertical stabs? Thanks for all the help Rotorwash! Curt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rotorhead Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 (edited) I actually take that as a complement being confused for RotorWASH. LOL. He ALWAYS finds hard to find photos. I know that most of the first R6D initial deliveries were made to Moffett. Most left. What they hauled there, I don't know. There was a squadron or 2 from each coast involved for a period of time. There is MATS, which the navy participated in. Then NATS. Then to VRs. I'm NOT an expert. Far from it. Bureau Numbers at least in early 50's a little easier. Later on the AF and Nav traded planes back and forth, sometimes changing from BN to SN and back again. For instance..........do 128424, the very first delivery to Moffett. Douglas drove it up himself, or maybe was at the cash bar in the back. I think it was a VIP bird straight from the factory, but i do not know the paint scheme. No orange, thats for sure. let me look around in my stuff. I hope this Thread attracts some former crewmembers who might shed some more light on this. New Delivery MATS participant Later Steve Edited January 14, 2011 by Rotorhead Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rotorhead Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 (edited) As promised here are a FEW details. 128424 was the first delivered R6D (C-118) to the military (other than the “Independence†for Harry Truman. 128424 was delivered to VR-5 Sept 6, 1951. Donald Douglas rode on the plane flown by Douglas pilots for the acceptance ceremony at Moffett Field. All 11 A/C were delivered to VR-5 and VR-3 (MATS). 1954: 6 of the aircraft were converted at NARF Corpus Christie from PAX/Cargo to VIP. (R6D-1Z) (VC-118). 424 was completed and reassigned to VR-21 Barbers Point, HA. Remained at VR-21 until VR-21 was decommissioned in 1976. 424 was then assigned to VC-1 and remained there until it was retired to NARF Pensacola for DEMIL and transfer to the Naval Aviation Museum in 1983. At VR-21 one VIP R6D-1Z was dedicated to CINCPACFLT, One to another Billet (cant find that one) and one was a floater for other Admirals plus FMFPAC. Bureau Numbers First Navy order 128423-128433 1951ish Next run, no VIPpers. 131567-131620 153691-153694 Former USAF given Navy Bureau Numbers Various Bureau Numbers/Serial Numbers traded around over the years. Sometimes they changed them to match thier particular system, sometimes not. Moffett VRs VR-3 VR-5 Regards Steve Edited January 14, 2011 by Rotorhead Quote Link to post Share on other sites
C-130CrewChief Posted January 29, 2011 Author Share Posted January 29, 2011 My build on this, has slowed quite a bit. I am having NO fun filling the required windows. No matter how soothe it feels they show up under paint... I work on it here and there, but i'm mostly at a stand still. By the way, this is a huge model! Bigger than a P-3 for sure! Here's where I'm at right now. I already built a AH-1S OOB from the old Monogram kit for stress relief! I am about to start a AV-8B also for fun! I'll keep the updates comming, however slow they are! Thanks for all the help Rotorhead! Curt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
C-130CrewChief Posted February 27, 2011 Author Share Posted February 27, 2011 Hello, I got back to work on this beast this weekend. I painted the top white, and started the fancy Hi-Vis tail, and wing tips. I fear my white top is going to peel off with the tape. I'll cross my fingers! Onward I go! Now to let this dry for a few days! Maybe I'll start another Navy plane... Curt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 looks good Curt - it is a big beast! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
C-130CrewChief Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 Thanks Ken, It is HUGE! A bit larger than a P-3! Curt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yardbird78 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Nice work so far. I love those old prop-liners, especially the tri-tailed C-121. The DC-4, DC-6, DC-7 series are a VERY close second. Darwin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
C-130CrewChief Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 I have a feeling my next museum build will be a 121! I love all versions of that plane! Truly a beautiful aircraft! Thanks for the comment! Curt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jonathan Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 hey now, bumping this thread for extremely valuable information. I'm starting a similar project in 1:144. Here is a very interesting photo from the early 60's http://hiavps.com/images/1960s_Oahu/H-0095%20C-118%20BPNAS%20small.jpg several color images in there as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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