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Any Word on Minicraft 1/144 EC-135C Looking Glass Release?


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Like title says, has anyone heard any scuttlebutt on when Minicraft plans to release the 1/144 EC-135C Looking Glass kit? Really looking to add this one to the 135 collection. A search of the interweb shows several folks asking same question but no answers. I see it's still listed as a future release in their catalog. No dates though....

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  • 5 months later...
  • 1 month later...

Don, 

 

Minicraft webpage shows imminent release of USAF EC-135C #14709 for $45.  Some online webstores are showing it for sale for $32-$38 range, though not yet in stock.  Decals for: EC-135C: 7th ACCS, 55th Wing, Offutt AFB, NE, 1998 and EC-135C: 9th ACCS, Hickam AFB, HI, 1983.

 

On a side note.  It looks like it is based on the KC-135E kit, so it comes with the IFR station and boom and only 2x engine struts w/ TC hoods and 2x struts w/o TC hoods. Looks like Mr. Fisher to the recue on that score.  I am probably in line for two, both EC-135s as I don't need booms for my RC-135 models. 

 

Hope this cheers up your holidays.

R/ Dutch

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Jeffery,

 

An excellent resource would be the Rivet Ball II website for photos and configurations and USWarplanes.net for the serial number origins.  The RC-135S aircraft (multiple) have undergone several design changes from Rivet Ball I & II to Cobra Ball to Cobra Eye and engine configurations as well.  The first RC-135S (59-1491) was based on a KC-135A airframe and had J-57 engines and the IFR boom station, though no boom.   Later RC-135S were created by modifying surplus C-135B airframes (61-2662/64), so had no boom station and TF-33 engines without turbo-compressor (TC) hoods on engine struts 1-4. 

 

So, for 1/144 scale, I would recommend the Minicraft KC-135A kit (easiest) or Revell KC-135A kit (cut fuselage down to size and shorten engine struts) for the original RC-135S (59-1491) and the Minicraft KC-135E kit, the new EC-135C kit, or the Revell AWACS kit (cut fuselage down to size) for the later RC-135S airframes (61-2662/64).  In either case you will have to source four engines w/o TC hoods for the later RC-135S and scratch build all your own antennae for either kit.  If you want to build the newest RC-135S/X configuration with CFM-56 engines, then the Minicraft KC-135R kit would be your best starting point.  If you are a masochist, you could again convert a Revell AWACS kit by adding ATP CFM-56 engines, if you can find them.  As to decals, Caracal just released sheet CD144004 C-135 Family Generic decal that includes the all important red USAF wing title.  They are currently available from Caracal for $12 plus postage.

 

Lastly, take a look at my Boeing C-135 projects page for ideas.  I have built or am planning to build any number of these kit / engine combinations.  While I am no expert, I have done a lot of research on the KC-135 family and would be willing to share my knowledge.  Others on ARC fourm are more knowledgeable and will pipe in as they feel led.

 

R/ Dutch

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Thanks Dutch, I'm familiar with the Rivet Ball website as well as the good reviews about the Hopkins book (I'm actually reading his "Spyflights..." book right now).

I'd basically be interested in building Rivet Ball I and II as well as Rivet Amber. I've recently ordered a couple of Minicraft KC-135E kits via Amazon as that and Ebay (from the US) are the only means of getting them here in the UK. The KC-135A kit is even rarer. And I'd have to get Paul Fisher's correction sets.

It's not that I have much time for "private" modelling anyway these days though so that's a project stashed for another day...

 

Jeffrey

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  • 3 months later...

So I took a pic of the decal sheet last night but photobucket wasn't letting me upload it.   I'll give it another try tonight if I get the chance.   Looking at them though you don't have the option to build the kit on the box top.   The decals that come with the kit are pretty generic white top Looking Glass kits. 

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The EC parts are nice.   It includes the saddle on the spine, the over-wing fences on the wing tips and the trailing wire antenna on the ventral in front of the main gear.  The base kit is the KC-135E with the EC pieces parts on the fret with the engines.

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The Looking Glass airframes should have a TC inlet on the 1,2, and 4 engine pylons.  The KC-135E which the kit is based on only has these on 2, and 3. There's no easy way to make that happen, but in this scale I'd probably just ignore it.  You also need a cooling air inlet under the right wing root to mirror the one under the left.  Also pretty minor.

 

Rick L.

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Rick & Jonah,

As I alluded to in my 19 Dec post above, Paul Fisher of Fisher Model & Pattern has replacement JT3D / TF-33 engines and KC-135 noses for the Minicraft series of 1/144 C-135 kits.  Each engine set comes with a corrected forward fuselage and five engines; three with TC hoods and two wihtout TC hoods; so that you can build the correct version without having to purchase several kits just to swap engines. Each engine pylon features the correct short trailing edge for the C-135, not the long trailing edges as featured in the Revell 707/E-3 kits. I have several Fisher sets and highly recommend them!  Two thumbs AND two big toes up!  

R/ Dutch

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Check out the last pic in Carl Knable's build review.   It shows the EC specific parts that come with the kit.   I'll see if I can get photobucket to cooperate tonight and post the decals pics. 

And Dutch is correct about getting extra engines but you have to ask him.   I've ordered

probably a dozen of these conversion sets but unless I ask for multiples of the pylons with the TC hoods, I only get 4 total (2 with and 2 without).

http://www.network54.com/Forum/47751/message/1379295440/Minicraft+KC-135......The+Long+Wait+Is+Over!

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Dutch,

The EC-135 kit is the base model KC-135E with the sprue gates for the EC specific parts opened up for molding.  Like the KC-135E, you get only TC hoods on #2 and 3.   No on #1 and 4.  And some of the earlier ACCS aircraft were equipped with J-57's so you'd need to get a KC-135A kit for those engines if that is what you wanted to build.  The EC-135 kit is good for the ACCS parts that come in the kit but the decals weren't all that great.   Hopefully Kursad will do up a Looking Glass version with his later 135 sheets in 1/144.

 

Don

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