modeler85 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 (edited) Here's an inflight display I just finished. This is a big display in 1/72, 4ft in length and 31 inches wide. I didn't concentrate on building an accurate KC135 or B52, just focused on the inflight refueling display. I epoxied a strip of aluminum to the upper half of the wings on the B52 to simulate the upward sweep of the wings when inflight. This is going on display at the Wings Over The Rockies museum here in Denver. http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu34/hurri1000/IMAG0255.jpg,http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu34/hurri1000/DSC01630.jpg,http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu34/hurri1000/DSC01640.jpg,http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu34/hurri1000/DSC01637.jpg Edited March 10, 2012 by modeler85 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
modeler85 Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share Posted March 10, 2012 (edited) Ok one more time with the photos. http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu34/hurri1000/IMAG0255.jpg,http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu34/hurri1000/DSC01640.jpg,http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu34/hurri1000/DSC01630.jpg,http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu34/hurri1000/DSC01640.jpg. Edited March 10, 2012 by modeler85 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
modeler85 Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share Posted March 10, 2012 Ok I'm having internet connection problems, sorry guys. [img]http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu34/hurri1000/IMAG0255.jpg[/img] Quote Link to post Share on other sites
modeler85 Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share Posted March 10, 2012 . Ok last photo. My backdrop was even too small. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dehowie Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 That is way cool...great result and good thinking around the engineering in it.. Brilliant! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
balls47 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 (edited) Yessir, Great job on this display. It belongs in a museum, where so many people will be able to appreciate your hard work and the hobby in general. It will give people an up-close view of something that happens every day, but is usually not visible to the naked eye. Where I live, we do have a military route where they re-fuel the big boys on occasion. Several years ago, I was lucky enough to see a KC-135 gassing up a C-141. I couldn't believe that they were that low, but they were low enough that I could make out the aircraft types. Again, great job, and if I ever get out that way, I will definitely stop in at the Wings Over the Rockies Museum in Denver. Added: What models did you use? Edited March 10, 2012 by balls47 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
markmarples Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 thats fantastic well done Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twhite80 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Holy buckets that's cool! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
modeler85 Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share Posted March 10, 2012 Yessir, Great job on this display. It belongs in a museum, where so many people will be able to appreciate your hard work and the hobby in general. It will give people an up-close view of something that happens every day, but is usually not visible to the naked eye. Where I live, we do have a military route where they re-fuel the big boys on occasion. Several years ago, I was lucky enough to see a KC-135 gassing up a C-141. I couldn't believe that they were that low, but they were low enough that I could make out the aircraft types. Again, great job, and if I ever get out that way, I will definitely stop in at the Wings Over the Rockies Museum in Denver. Added: What models did you use? The KC135 is the Italeri kit and the B52 is the AMT kit. Both went together very well, no major issues. The KC135 is nicely detailed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ixgr1 Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 (edited) oh, so cool,.....! I have always wanted to do that ! Edited March 11, 2012 by ixgr1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
markmarples Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 youve gave me ideas now of a vulcan and victor on the black buck missions Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spölle Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Very nice diorama! I am also planning on a similar dio like yours, only with a fighter jet behind the KC-135R. Could you maybe show us all how you made the connection of the rods inside the aircrafts? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
modeler85 Posted March 11, 2012 Author Share Posted March 11, 2012 Very nice diorama! I am also planning on a similar dio like yours, only with a fighter jet behind the KC-135R. Could you maybe show us all how you made the connection of the rods inside the aircrafts? Basically I used square aluminum tubing epoxied into the fuselage. Once I figured out where I was going to mount the tubing, I built a slot inside the fuselage using 1/4 wide angle styrene to keep the tubing from moving around and hold it stationary. Once the tubing was inserted I cut it flush with the bottom of the fuselage. I next took 1/4 round clear acrylic rod and squared the end, with my bench grinder, so it would slide snug into the aluminum tubing. The aircraft are removable from the stand for transport. I'll have to take some photos of how I constructed this and post them here. Stay tuned for further information. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aircommando130 Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Very cool! I've got a lot of time under the boom in the C-5A/B and MC-130. I'd like to do the same with a KC-135A "steam jet" and a E-3A. Nice job on the B-52 wings too...will look very good in a museum. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fulcrum1 Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Always wanted to do one of those and hang it from the ceiling. Nice Job! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 FANTASTIC.. STUNNING way to show off BRILLIANT Modeling .. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ST0RM Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 My favorite angle ;) Excellent work on the dio. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bradebaugh Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 overall nice job on the models. one comment though, you have missed a very important technical part of air refueling, the boom sighting window in the boom pod has to be open in order for the boom operator to make contact between aircraft and to fully see the other aircraft. without the window open, hydraulic fluid is cut off to componets of the boom and its impossible to make a connection. I used to be a -135 instructor pilot and receiver instructor also. Attached are photos of what it looks like coming into the contact position on a -135. The a/c I'm flying is a RC-135S Cobra Ball. Bruce Radebaugh Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jinxter13 Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 :worship: A more brilliant aerial dio will likely not be found...hat's off to a masterful job of planning, crafstmanship and completion. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bradebaugh Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 here are a couple more photos that might come in handy for models. they show the boom pod with the sighting window open and one that shows the markings that are on the extended part of the boom. Bruce Quote Link to post Share on other sites
modeler85 Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 here are a couple more photos that might come in handy for models. they show the boom pod with the sighting window open and one that shows the markings that are on the extended part of the boom. Bruce Bruce, Yes you are correct and I realized my mistake after assembly and looking at some other reference photos and I wasn't about to correct. Thanks for the information and photos. I could've used that photo with the different colors on the boom itself. Do you know what the different colors mean? Brian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ST0RM Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Brian, The markings are a visual reference as to the fore & aft position on the boom. If they drift too far aft, they will see more red and get a forward light on the Pilot Director Lights and vice versa if too far forward. Plus the verbals "Back 4!" I noticed the boom sighting window also, but since this wasnt the Critique Corner, I held off. Bruce is correct though. -Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bradebaugh Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 (edited) here is a graphic of what Jeff was saying. As a receiver aircraft, you have an imaginary shoebox that you try to stay within (the air refueling envelope). the pilot director lights and verbal corrections from the boom operator keep you there. If you go outside the envelope either the boom or the system will disconnect the two aircraft. Bruce Edited March 15, 2012 by bradebaugh Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KRI76 Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 That's an awesome display! Congrats! /Kristian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Keith Diamond Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Very impressive display! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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