Aircraft in Miniature 1/72nd scale Boeing 747-300 'KLM'

[Trojan Thunder]

This is a great build to follow Tom, I am getting some great hints at attacking the wings on my AIM 737 when I get around to it. Looking forward to the rest of the build.

[DavidGreer]

Tom , you are very brave.

It is a real pleasure to see the progress.

I want one, too.

[TommyP]

I added some car body filler yesterday and allowed 24hrs for it to harden right up.

This morning I got the wings sanded and blended in... I'm pleased how they went, with no major problems at all. The join is now very strong and I can comfortably lift the model by the wing-tips without any problems... there's even a realistic wing flex too!

After a quick coat of primer it'll be final detailing before I can commence with paintng.

Edited December 22, 2011 by TommyP

[Commander Botha]

Tom,

I am THOROUGHLY enjoying your build and dedication to keep working on it. She will be truely spectacular when completed!!!

It looks like you have some very good reference material. I've also come across a walk around section on the Cybermodeler website. It shows a -400 and a 100/200. I just thought you might like to take a look if you need any extra information.

I've just finished the Revell 747-400 which I did in Qantas, Wunala Dreaming colours. An interesting thing I noticed is the leading edge of the wing and where it meets the fuselage/wing box is more blended on the 400 series and the earlier models like the one you are doing look more butt joined. If I think about it I'll post some picture on this forum.

Cheers and Merry Christmas,

Jarrod

[TommyP]

Tom,

I am THOROUGHLY enjoying your build and dedication to keep working on it. She will be truely spectacular when completed!!!

It looks like you have some very good reference material. I've also come across a walk around section on the Cybermodeler website. It shows a -400 and a 100/200. I just thought you might like to take a look if you need any extra information.

I've just finished the Revell 747-400 which I did in Qantas, Wunala Dreaming colours. An interesting thing I noticed is the leading edge of the wing and where it meets the fuselage/wing box is more blended on the 400 series and the earlier models like the one you are doing look more butt joined. If I think about it I'll post some picture on this forum.

Cheers and Merry Christmas,

Jarrod

Thanks Jarrod.

Thanks for the heads up on the reference material too, I'll have a look.

You are spot on regardng the wing root - the -400 had a modification to improve aerodynamic efficiency. However, some late build -300s also had them fitted, and other earlier aircraft have had the fillet added as a modification. It is not unusual too see -200s and -300s in still service with the more aerodynamic wing. I am yet to see a -100 modified though.

As for your Wunala Dreaming... post pictures please! I built one years ago and hand painted the entire thing, but I've since got Brasil Decal's sheet for both Wunala and Nalanji Dreaming. I do plan to do them both soon, but need to modify a Revell -400 or Airfix 747 -200 to get the correct -300 model for Nalanji. Should be fun!

Regards,

Tom

[viper494]

Hi Tom

it looks like your sailling along nicely now,I just have to say that the aerials on the ends of your wings are not quite right as to all the ref piccies i have on 747-300s the aerials are alligned with the ends of the wings not how you have them here are a few pic's to show what i mean.Other than that she looks a beaut merry xmas To you.

Clive

[TommyP]

Hi Tom

it looks like your sailling along nicely now,I just have to say that the aerials on the ends of your wings are not quite right as to all the ref piccies i have on 747-300s the aerials are alligned with the ends of the wings not how you have them here are a few pic's to show what i mean.Other than that she looks a beaut merry xmas To you.

Clive

Thanks Clive, I appreciate the feedback.

As for the wing-tip aerials... I knew when I put them in that they should be right at the tip, but also knowing how clumsy I can be and the fact that this will be in and out of the car when going to shows etc I decided to cater for the fact they would get a beating! Therefore, I have moved them slightly inwards to make their attachemt stronger, as sod's law would dictate they'd get knocked off in no time at all. Considering how many times the tips have hit my desk or the wall when putting the wings on, I'm glad I did!

Not 100% accurate I know, but I want this model to stand the test of time, so I thought a little bit of poetic license wouldn't harm.

A Merry Christmas to one and all!

Tom

[TommyP]

I've had a go at making the wing to fuselage fairing seen on 747 Classics today. I have used Milliput to form the basic shape and then this will be sanded and blended further. I simply rolled the Milliput into a thin sausage and pushed it into the join. Then, with a wet finger I blended the whole thing in:

I'm slowly getting there, the next task will be to tackle the vents seen on the rear underside of the fuselage.

[Phrogger]

If you're taking artistic license, leave them off. There are 747-300 and earlier aircraft that have the coversion to the HF ant in the vertical fin - like the 747-400 & -8 have.

Like this Varig -300

or this Air Bridge freighter conversion

[David Hingtgen]

Just a note: A 747's wing-body fairing is not continuous across the upper surface. There's a distinct "lack" of fairing in the middle. It shows up well in photos of bare-metal planes----the WBF of a 747 is ALWAYS painted as it's fiberglass and can't be bare metal (the main gear bay doors are often bare though). Any bare metal above the wing there is the basic fuselage skin itself:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Japan-Airlines--/Boeing-747-446F-SCD/1035535/L/

There is a small long thin fillet fairing (which you've just added in milliput) but note the "main" fairing doesn't cover the entire upper surface.

[TommyP]

Slowly plodding on... adding the fiddly details takes some serious time!

I've sanded in and blended the wing-root fillet and given it a quick spray of primer:

A couple of little blemishes to clean up but nothing too major.

I've also finished the rear end, and added the APU exhuast as well as the fillets seen above and below the stabilisers:

I've also made the pressurisation outlets on the rear of the fuselage. These are often open on the ground so I've done them as such. First I boxed in and added some fine mesh to the cut-out:

And then I added the small doors in the open position:

I've also finished the air intakes on the lower parts of the wing to fuselage fairing:

Finally, I've made a start on the main gear bays. These are basically cavernous open spaces for the huge undercarriage to retract into, with some framework and various pipe work visible. The doors remain closed on the ground (unless opened for maintainance purposes) so not a great deal of the bays can be seen. However, with a kit of this size I felt I needed to add some detail so I've started by adding some ribbing from Evergreen Strip:

Next I've added the huge mounts for the fuselage landing gear. This may be slgihtly over scale and not 100% accurate, but this thing weighs a ton and needs plenty of strength so support its weight:

Here are the bays after a quick coat of primer:

The main undercarriage will be attached after the model is painted, plus the brake pipes and hydraulic lines etc, so it should look suitably 'busy'.

I'm almost there... it'll soon be time to invest in gallons of paint!

Thanks for stopping by,

Tom

[TommyP]

Well I'm finally at the stage where I can begin painting this model. I bought this back in October, so it's taken just over 3 months to get to this stage... I don't think that's bad going considering the marathon that a build like this is!

Anyway, I've spent a couple of hours this afternoon adding a final few details, touching up any blemishes and rescribing any areas that needed doing. She's now had a final coat of Halfords trusty grey primer and is now ready for the painting process to begin.

The underside:

And top side:

The first area I'm going to paint is the corruguard on the wings and stabilisers. Using rattle cans is weather dependent so knowing the glorious English weather at this time of year... :lol: ... things may slow down a little.

Anyway, I think it's time for a well earned cold one:

I'll update as the painting progresses.

Tom

[cmhjets]

Impressive...most impressive.

[HOLMES]

Tommy p

Most highly commendable work...

[FokkerFan]

Very neat job and indeed most impressive. Looking forward to your process of applying the KLM blue. Will it get the 80's early 90's light blue or the later 90's deeper blue?

I also noticed that you made openings in wing near the wing root for the lights, so I assume that you will put transparant lights there. Will you also include the red and green (anti collision???) lights in the wing ends?

Good luck with the rest of the project. Cheers!

Ingmar

[TommyP]

Very neat job and indeed most impressive. Looking forward to your process of applying the KLM blue. Will it get the 80's early 90's light blue or the later 90's deeper blue?

I also noticed that you made openings in wing near the wing root for the lights, so I assume that you will put transparant lights there. Will you also include the red and green (anti collision???) lights in the wing ends?

Good luck with the rest of the project. Cheers!

Ingmar

Many thanks.

It will be the lighter blue as I have the two-tone blue tail logo. It will also have the natural metal fuselage undersides with Boeing grey fairings etc.

As for the landing lights, yes they will have small clear lenses inserted and then I will glaze them. The wing tip lights will be done with small lenses too when all the painting is completed.

Tom

[72linerlover]

Great, smart, clean and detailed construction on that big plane.

Congrats.

Euge

[TommyP]

She's in the paint shop!

As it's been mild over the last couple of days I've made a start on painting the 747. I've started with the stabilisers so I could check the colours are ok before commencing with the wings and engines.

First up was the corruguard sections on the upper and lower parts of the stabilisers, for which I've usd Halfords Rover Steel Grey. I like this as it varies in colour according to the light conditions just like corruguard on the real aircraft. Indoors it looks like a graphite grey, yet outside it looks more a silver... clever stuff!

Next was Halfords Aluminium for the natural metal leading edge sections, and finally Halfords Dove Grey for the Boeing grey sections to the rear. Again this grey seems to vary on the real 'plane according to light, but in my opinion this looks about right.

Lower:

And a couple of the upper in different light:

I'm pretty happy with how these have turned out so I've added the Aluminium to the leading edges of the fin and wings, as well as the natural metal sections on the engines and cowlings.

When the wings are completed I'll add some more pictures.

Fingers crossed for more mild weather!

Tom

[FokkerFan]

:thumbsup:Hi Tom,

Smart job on the paint. So far it all looks like a good job. Good luck with the rest of it, and let us know how many cans you needed of each color for the entire plane ;)

[viper494]

Happy new year Tom

I must say this is looking knockout mate first class.

Clive

[TommyP]

First up was the corruguard, which was once again Rover Steel Grey. This was then masked, and next the engines, pylons and leading edges were sprayed Aluminium. These too were masked and then the remainder of the wing was sprayed Dove Grey. Finally, the engines appear to have the centre of the cowlings painted Boeing Grey, with another shade of grey on the forward part of the cowl behind the intake ring, so this was done too. The engines do seem to vary greatly between aircraft, with some having all natural metal engines, others all grey, and others random mix of the two. I imagine that as parts are serviced or replaced, they are painted etc. Therefore, I've done mine as a generic mix of natural metal and greys. More variation will be added after the laquer.

Here she is masked up during the painting process. As you can see, newspaper, Tamiya tape and 1" masking tape are the key here:

Here we are with the masking removed.

Undersides:

Topsides:

Next up is the natural metal lower fuselage so I'll add more pictures when I've completed this.

Tom

[FokkerFan]

Beautifully done Tom! I always thought that the painted grey engines came when the all light blue logo was introduced. And that at the times of the two-tone logo the engines were just bare metal. But I could be wrong. Of course there must have been an interim period in while the updated corporate identity was introduced.

[TommyP]

Of course there must have been an interim period in while the updated corporate identity was introduced.

That will be my answer then if I'm ever asked!

Thank you for the kind words.

[viper494]

Crikey Tom that looks bloody great I almost want to go buy one but still need more convincing :D

Clive

[TommyP]

Crikey Tom that looks bloody great I almost want to go buy one but still need more convincing :D

Clive

Thanks Clive. Go on treat yourself... it's a long slog but certainly value for money considering the hours I've put in.

DO IT, DO IT, DO IT!