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1/144 RC-135S Rivet Ball


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So I had posted some of my RC-135 builds under a single post in the Jet Modeling section but thought I'd open an in-progress thread for each of the various RC-135's I'm building using the Minicraft 1/144 KC-135E/A/R kits. This first will be on my RC-135S Rivet Ball. Lt Col King Hawes called her the "Mother of all Balls" since she was the first of her kind. He has, in my opinion, the best websites out there that covers Rivet Ball, Rivet Amber and the later Cobra Ball aircraft. I'll post a link for those wishing to check it out.

So here is what I posted earlier on Rivet Ball. I'll post more pics later tonight to show the progress I've made.

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u199/drifterdon/IMG_0689_zpskk9f9dgv.jpg

This first is a pic of Rivet Ball to the left after I used my Rivet Amber nose and made a mold to cast copies. They are rather poor and need lots of TLC to make them workable. They're solid casting and need to be ground out to allow the nose gear wheel well to fit. The mold also had lots of little bubbles since I don't have a vacuum chamber so I had all kinds of little dimples in the cast resin nose that I had to fill. I'll include a closeup later that shows this.

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u199/drifterdon/IMG_0692_zpsnyhxwta5.jpg

Here she is all by herself showing the nose grafted onto the Minicraft fuselage. I've since included a ventral radome and the sensor's that were on the aft end of the fuselage right in front of the horizontal stabs. I'm not sure if Rivet Ball started life as a KC-135A or C-135A but she had J57 engines and the short span stabs. I didn't know this but she also had the Pilot Director Lights (PDLs) mounted up under the forward fuselage on either side of the ventral radome. There is a pix someone took that shows the forward fuselage in the "Million Dollar Dump" on Shemya that clearly shows the PDL's. Not sure if they had the lights and indicators but they black areas were there. Discovered this as well on the RC-135D's.

This is all I have for now but will post more later.

Don :salute:

Forgot to include a link to Lt Col Hawes' beautiful site. http://www.rc135.com/0000/INDEX.HTM

Edited by Drifterdon
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On 5/6/2016 at 4:04 PM, Gator52 said:

Are those elongated radomes identical to what is found on Rivet Joint today?

Looking forward to seeing your collection come together.

Jonah

Hey Jonah,

They are the same hog noses that all the RC's use. At least what I tried to replicate. I guess the true test will come when I paint them.

Edited by Drifterdon
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So as I promised here is a close-up of one the noses that shows the solid chunk of resin and the "dimples" like what can be found on a teenager.

IMG_0741_zpsef2ms4dm.jpg

Serious filler and dremel time with these. At least the basic shape is there and each of the RC's I build will have the same nose outline.

IMG_0713_zpsmfoqw4pu.jpg

This is the ventral radome under the front of the fuselage. Not sure what it housed but it was completely ripped away when the Ball went over the end of the runway on Shemya in Jan of '69.

IMG_0712_zps0hdfc4ph.jpg

These are the antennas found on the tail right in front of the horizontal stabs. The left side only had the small teardrop antenna. Again, I have no idea what these did or were.

IMG_0710_zpsptumoppu.jpg

Another angle.

IMG_0726_zpswr0t0ozu.jpg

Rivet Ball had J57's turbojets. Because they did not have thrust reversers, she was unable to stop once she started hydroplaning down the runway on Shemya, causing her to go over the edge. I'm not sure if the pilot was given any kind of an award or medal for saving the crew but he sure should have. He saved every single member of the crew with his actions.

IMG_0727_zpsq0aiaf5j.jpg

Another view with the starboard engines. These are not the greatest but until Paul Fisher releases his resin replacements, they're all I have to work with.

If you see anything that looks totally off, please let me know so I can make adjustments. Thanks for looking.

Don salute.gif

Edited by Drifterdon
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I am 'riveted' to these builds Don! biggrin.gif

popcorn.gif

Looks like you have enough noses to build the entire USAF fleet!

You're killing me Ray! Too funny. rofl.gif

Hopefully I have enough noses to do all the RC's I want. Right now I'll need a bunch more kits. beer4.gif

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  • 2 weeks later...

The J-57s certainly look okay to me. They're not oversized like the Roden ones are (though they may still have a second life as part of a JT-4 redesign).

In my view the problem with engine pods on jet models is not the pods themselves; its in the way the pods are engineered to mount to the wing. Nobody has really given this much thought and effort since Monogram did the B-52 in 1967. Except maybe Authentic Airliners.

Just my thoughts....

david

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You realize of course Don that when you finish all these RCs, you are going to end up becoming a "Rivet" counter (Cobra Ball and Combat Sent not withstanding). ;)

BTW, if you build one RAF Rivet Joint, you can also say you've built the "entire" RAF RC fleet. :D

Edited by Jay Chladek
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On 5/23/2016 at 12:01 AM, Jay Chladek said:

You realize of course Don that when you finish all these RCs, you are going to end up becoming a "Rivet" counter (Cobra Ball and Combat Sent not withstanding). ;)/>

BTW, if you build one RAF Rivet Joint, you can also say you've built the "entire" RAF RC fleet. :D/>

I may have to change my name to Rivet Don after I'm all done with these. :rolleyes:

I also have started work on Rivet Brass and Rivet Card but still need to post pics. I'm holding off on starting a Rivet Joint until the start of the Recce GB later this summer. Still on the fence about the RAF Air Seeker. That one is kind of contentious with the Brits though I'd still love to do one some day.

Edited by Drifterdon
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I may have to change my name to Rivet Don after I'm all done with these. :rolleyes:/>/>/>

I also have started work on Rivet Brass and Rivet Card but still need to post pics. I'm holding off on starting a Rivet Joint until the start of the Recce GB later this summer. Still on the fence about the RAF Air Seeker. That one is kind of contentious with the Brits though I'd still love to do one some day.

Air Seeker is essentially a Rivet Joint, Baseline 10.5 I believe. Only real difference between it and the 55ths birds is they reactivated the hot water tankage near the galley/food storage area since the Brits love having their hot tea on missions. Right now I don't believe the antenna configuration is any different.

Edited by Jay Chladek
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Thanks for the update on the Air Seekers Jay. I guess I need to find a set of markings that the RAF use on theirs. I know Welsh Models does a conversion that includes the decals but it's a tad pricey.

Don

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  • 3 years later...

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