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Any word on Release date of Minicraft KC-135A?


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Just curious if anyone has heard any scuttlebutt on the release date of the KC-135A from Minicraft in 1/144? Need the J-57 engine versions of the ole 135.

Don

Edited by Drifterdon
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This year as far as I know, but nothing specific. Unfortunately, like their CFMs, they copied the really bad J57s from the AMT/Ertl kit, including all the errors they contain.

Fortunately however, Paul Fisher is, even as I write these words, feverishly at work on new engines and a bunch of other stuff for the Minicraft kit, including correct J57s.

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I'm looking forward to seeing what Paul & the rest of the aftermarket have in store for the -135 family. I would love to build an Open Skies jet.

Jonah

Paul is doing TF33s that you'd need for that, but nothing else. You'd be on your own for decals.

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You'd be on your own for decals.

Or get the "wish it could be released" Fundekals sheet that has markings for all the really oddball but super cool 135's that were used. I know Jennings, you only have so much time in the day but we can hope and pray right? :worship:/>

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Were the civilian JT-3's (non fan) the same engine as the J-57? Wonder if those could be used adding the noise suppressors from the Roden 720 to make more accurate engines for the 720? Jennings you know that your old KC-97 decal scaled down and with KC-135's added would make a great $40 decal combo. Now what can we do to get Roden to do a C-141?

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It was the same engine and basically the same cowling. But 707s used accessory turbo compressors for cabin pressurization, which is what the "hood" on top of the cowling was for. No J57 powered 135 ever had those, so you'd be on your own for that part. Honestly, the engines in the old Revell 707 and KC-135 kits (if you can find the ones with the turbojets) are much better than the Roden engines, plus they have the t/c hoods on them.

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  • 2 months later...

I'm looking forward to seeing what Paul & the rest of the aftermarket have in store for the -135 family. I would love to build an Open Skies jet.

Jonah

Speaking of Open Skies, when did the jets wear this variation of the scheme?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Oc-135_xxl.jpg

The OPEN SKIES font on the tailband is not the standard USAF 45-degree lettering, and the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA on the fuselage is a thinner font than most other photos I have seen of the aircraft.

Mike

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I'm not sure when the markings on that jet changed. The pic is somewhat overexposed though, which makes the fuselage lettering look skinny.

Edited by Jennings
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To answer the post on HS just now (if you're reading this), they have tooled the EC-135C/J parts but AFAIK they have not said when they will release it. In any event, like the AMT kit, the engines will be wrong for the EC-135C/J, plus their TF33s are beyond awful. Fortunately Paul Fisher has fixed the latter problem.

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So now that Paul Fisher has released his update set to this particular kit and the KC-135A kit is right around the corner, any hint that Fundekals or Caracals might be putting the finishing touches on a 1/144 KC-135A sheet? Or more importantly, a data sheet that has walkway stripes, emergency exit outlines and any other data (US Air Force and USAF) and or refueling receptacles? Most everything out there is for the later 135's with black low vis data. Need high vis SAC stuff!

Don

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Military J57s also didn't have the organ pipes on the back that the civilian engines had. I'm waiting for the 135A as well so I can do a NASA Vomit Comet (they never utilized TF33 powered birds in that role to my knowledge).

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Minicraft isn't doing an RJ, but Paul Fisher is.

Jay - you'll want to wait for Paul Fisher's resin J57s. The ones in the kit are pretty bad. They copied the AMT/Ertl 1/72 engines.

Edited by Jennings
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Good good - although someone sent me a link to a Welsh Models conversion for the same, which I hadn't heard of.

I have a couple of the Welsh RJ conversions and am a little disappointed with them. The chipmunk cheeks are too long and will need to be cut back in length and the hog nose is also too big and needed to be reduced in size. Thinking of just resin casting a bunch of new noses for my planned RC builds. I have Paul Fishers KC update set and they look to do the trick. You still need to clean up the resin bits but they look 1000% better than the kit parts.

Don

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