Mike J. Idacavage Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 I thought I might as well start the first build thread for this GB. As I mentioned in the thread on declaring a subject, I decided on the retro look and picked one of the NASA C-47 aircraft based at Dryden/ Edwards AFB. I wanted too select a build subject that will get many non-Real Space modelers to consider NASA in a different light. Here's a little background on the not so well known space agency's jack of all trades aircraft. The C-47/R4D Skytrain was a workhorse at NACA and then NASA from 1952 to 1984. I was born within a couple of months of when NACA first took charge of their first C-47 so I can appreciate how long this aircraft wore NACA/NASA markings! Three different R4d/C-47 aircraft were used in this time period. I am planning on building the middle aircraft which served NASA for about 23 years. Yup, the NASA Gooney Bird was operational during the first Shuttle launches! Didn't you see it as one of Columbia's chase aircraft? ;-) While it likely did not play a role during the early shuttle landings. one of it's roles was to test the landing strips for X-aircraft/test aircraft to make sure the dry lake bed was ok for landings. Other uses of the NASA C-47 was as a tow plane for the lifting body aircraft, wing vortex programs and as a general all around agency hack aircraft out at Dryden. I plan on building the NASA C-47 as it looked in the mid 1960s during the X-15 test program. The C-47 was used as one of the standard support aircraft for the X-15 program. Here are a few shots on how it will (hopefully) look: Here's the C-47 in action: By the way, you will see the NAS C-47 listed a both a C-47 and a R4D-5. Both are correct as the same aircraft wore both designations during it's time with NASA. The next post will have the kit details as I still need to take some photos. Have fun modeling! Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
X-Plane Fan Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Cool project. Here are a few more shots to help keep you motivated. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike J. Idacavage Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 Outstanding X-Plane Fan! :banana:/> These are great shots, especially the first one with the C-47 banking away from the camera. This is the first decent photo I have seen of the underside of the C-47 in this particular scheme. Thanks for posting them! Have fun modeling! Mike :cheers:/> Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike J. Idacavage Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 Well, with all this talk on the real NASA C-47, I should start the actual build. I will be using the ESCI DC-3 kit as the base as this kit is actually a C-47 as molded in the box with extras to convert it over to a DC-3. I'll just keep it as a C-47 and I will be set. Here's the kit: I will be using decals from IPMS Antelope Valley (located near Edwards AFB) that I believe they released at the 2001 Desert Classic model contest. Here are the Alps printed decals: This will be a slow build on my part as I have two other builds in progress with earlier deadlines than this GB. I'll be posting some work as I go along but it will be sometime before I can kick this project into high gear. Have fun modeling! Mike :cheers:/>/> Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Awesome choice! I love the look of the NASA markings on this thing, truly beautiful. I can't wait to see your progress. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 What scale is this Mike? 1/24? 1/35? ... And is the red striping gonna be masked and sprayed or decal? And that X-plane Fan guy doesn't build much, but he does have some nice photos ... and loves to share 'em with us! Thanx Tony! You're capturing the essence of this GB Mike ... atta boy! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike J. Idacavage Posted March 9, 2014 Author Share Posted March 9, 2014 Thanks Pete! I forgot to mention the scale when I first posted this build. Duh! :doh:/> The NASA C-47 will be in 1/72. I had kicked around to do this in 1/144 (alongside a 1/144 NASA T-38 build), but decided to go a bit bigger as I have not yet built a 1/72 DC-3/C-47 kit so far. The red striping will all be masked and painted. This is where I suspect the real challenge will be! It should be an interesting summer at my spray booth. Have fun modeling! Mike :cheers:/> What scale is this Mike? 1/24? 1/35? ... :whistle:/> And is the red striping gonna be masked and sprayed or decal? And that X-plane Fan guy doesn't build much, but he does have some nice photos ... and loves to share 'em with us! Thanx Tony! You're capturing the essence of this GB Mike ... atta boy! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike J. Idacavage Posted March 23, 2014 Author Share Posted March 23, 2014 It's time for me to start working on this puppy. Like most aircraft models, I'll start on the cockpit and interior. After looking at the plastic, I suspect that we will not see very much after the fuselage is assembled as the interior is dark and the windows rather small. I decided to do minimum work on the interior as most of that would be wasted. I did use a PE cockpit panel for a DC-3 that I had in my stash, but other wise I assembled the interior and did a rough paint job on it. Here are a few photos of the interior before I close this up. I also epoxied the fuselage windows into their fuselage holes and then polished the interior of the windows and coated them with future. I'll do the same for the exterior part of the windows later in the build. I do know that I will have a tough time getting the fuselage halves together as I realized that they are pretty warped while I was working on the cockpit. Have fun modeling! Mike :cheers:/>/> Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 I do know that I will have a tough time getting the fuselage halves together as I realized that they are pretty warped while I was working on the cockpit. Have fun modeling! Mike I'd love to see how you get the fuse halves to co-operate Mike. Don't be shy about showing how you do it! Thanx! I'm havin' fun watchin'! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike J. Idacavage Posted March 29, 2014 Author Share Posted March 29, 2014 I took a really deep breath and started to wrestle the C-47 fuselage halves together. I am taking it slow and will glue a small section at a time (maybe 3 or 4 inches) and then let that section dry before I move along to the next section. Here's how it looks with the first part (tail section glued). What you can't see in this photo is the large gap between the blue tape sections on top (and bottom) of the fuselage. I did not realize that I missed taking a photo of that section until I was loading the photos on to Photobucket. To give you an idea of how warped the model (and modeler? :sunrevolves:/>/> ) is, here is a photo of the unglued nose after the tail section has been glued. Fun, eh? I am thinking of using 5 minute epoxy when I get to the point of glueing the nose and just squeezing it in my hands for 5 or 10 minutes until the glue takes hold. Have fun modeling! Mike :cheers:/>/> Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 (edited) YIKES! :o/> With a gap like that in front, can't you just make it into another intake? I think your Epoxy idea is a good one! Thanx for showing it to us Mike! Pete Edited March 29, 2014 by K2Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike J. Idacavage Posted May 27, 2014 Author Share Posted May 27, 2014 I am back from the shadows again! I have had an intense travel schedule (both business and some pleasure) this past 6 weeks, so almost no modeling was done. I am now back and ready to dive into this build. I have now completed getting the @!$#&!!! fuselage together so here is how it now looks: It actually looks worse in real life than it does in these photos, most of the panel lines will be destroyed in getting the seems smoothed over. Ah, this is definitely modeling! Now where is my gallon size can of putty........ Have fun modeling! Mike :cheers:/> Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ralf Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Seems that you have some tough sanding job in front of you. I will be watching you progress... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 I have now completed getting the @!$#&!!! fuselage together so here is how it now looks: Mikey, Mikey ... Mikey ... such language!! Nothing wrong with erasing a few panel lines ... now you can secretly carve your own initials into the fuselage, and whose gonna know?? And how did you fill that large gap on the nose ... a lot of styrene? ... Heat and clamps? or just putty, or a combo? And it doesn't look too bad in the pix ... looks pretty good! Now, go find that Gallon of putty and by all means ... have fun! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike J. Idacavage Posted May 31, 2014 Author Share Posted May 31, 2014 Thanks Pete, now THAT"S an inspirational speech!! :lol:/>/> And I thought the tough part of this build was going to be the paint scheme! I have been making some progress and here is an update. The center section for the fuselage contains part of the underside of the wings up to the engines. I was looking closely at the engines and realized that there is a big opening in the wheel well that allows you to see up into the wings. I just made up a big wad of Apoxie putty and sealed the opening from behind. In the first photo you can see where I sealed the opening from an internal point of view and the second photo shows the front view. Next step is to add the wings and center fuselage piece. Have fun modeling! Mike :cheers:/>/> Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike J. Idacavage Posted June 2, 2014 Author Share Posted June 2, 2014 Now it looks like a C-47!! (well almost...) . In a burst of modeling, I managed to get the basic pieces now moving in the same direction. On the bottom of the fuselage, there are multiple separate flaps that need to butt join in to the bottom center wing section and the fuselage. At least in my case, none of these really fit. :bandhead2:/>/> As I mentioned before, I am going for the economy size buckets of putty on this baby. Here's how it looks with the wings added and before I start the prime/putty/sand/repeat cycle. Have fun modeling! Mike :cheers:/>/> Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Great job so far Mike. I am amazed at how clean this build is looking when working with such a putty bucket. Great work! Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike J. Idacavage Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share Posted July 12, 2014 Hi guys! It has ben quite some time and a real struggle with this build. After my last post, I spent a lot of time cleaning up the fuselage, and then ran into another problem. I had planned to insert the clear plastic canopy part at this stage then mask and start the painting steps. This build must be jinxed as I ended up with the canopy not fitting, and then when I started to glue it, the dang plastic piece fell inside the cockpit! :bandhead2:/>/> Yup, talk about fumble fingers! I put this away for a few weeks to allow my language level to fall to a normal level, then decided to scratch build the cockpit canopy posts and I'll fill in the clear windows using white glue at the end. Here is how it looks now: It looks like I'll run out of time with this build as we are just about out of time for this build. And I thought that the painting step would be the slow part of this project! :wacko:/>/> I do plan on finishing this puppy, but it will be well past the completion date. I will pick something a little more straightforward (but equally unusual) for the next NASA GB! Have fun modeling! Mike :cheers:/>/> Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike J. Idacavage Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 Well, even though I did run out of time on this build, I kept the fight up and eventually finished it over the New Year holiday. I thought I would add the photos to document the end of this build. It actually does not look too shabby on the model shelf! Have fun modeling Mike :cheers:/>/> Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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