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Digging out things to work on while frozen in: Revell Constellation


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A couple days ago the Lockheed Constellation propliner came up in conversation elsewhere on the web and I decided, "Oh! I'll get mine out and work on it, but not here at 3am while having insomnia. Will do it tomorrow." On the dawning of that tomorrow it turned out my messy health decreed that neither my hands nor ability to concentrate were up to doing that. Or much of anything. For several days.
Yes, much frustration and anger resulted.
So, today I'm trying again and digging out things to work on while frozen in.
 
Even though it is a small thing at 1/144 scale, it has see-through clear parts for the windows so I scratched up representations of the interior bulkheads from sheet plastic. Different versions had different cabin layouts and I chose one most probable for this version. This way you won't unrealistically see one end from the other when you look at it diagonally.
Has decals for Lufthansa and TWA. Since I live in Missouri and have seen the one labeled TWA I will do it up as TWA.
 
Well, you know how cats are about boxes.
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It has been in that box partly begun for several years so it might not be advisable to pout and hold your breath until a build log is finished.
Even though building it gear up with intent to suspend I added a bit of weight to nose to assist with balance.
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I have actually seen a real one flying in the 1990s and later even been in it at the Airline History Museum at KC's Downtown airport. Have a snapshot on a Kodak 110 of it in air over Price Chopper on Noland Road in Independence.
Is a gorgeous airplane an a significant part of airline history. Fuselage shape brings dolphins and porpoises to mind.
And it has the radial engines "round motors" which have a very appealing sound in either singles or multiples of 4 like this plane.
Went with Dad in 2011 and since we were the only visitors at the time, and he had been a pilot, we got a personalized tour whit some very interesting conversation. 
A Connie cockpit is DEFINITELY analog!
 
And part of TWA's emergency supplies of the era included a box kite to hoist a radio antenna for if you had to ditch offshore or crash land. Or to use as a signal itself.
I was happy to see that kites were important since kites are an interest and hobby.
 
After all these decades I still haven't gotten around to getting a decent book about the Constellation. These have been on my wish list for years.
Edited by southwestforests
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Two notes.

1.) cat and kit have a history. After kit arrived in mail I laid on floor going through it and he came by to see what the new thing was. One of the prop shafts had come loose in package and spilled out when bag was opened. George had it in his mouth in a flash. I grabbed for him and he dashed away. An hour of looking revealed no prop shaft on the property so there was an immediate trip to the vet. X-rays revealed no prop shaft. While examining parts in kit I had brought along the Vet broke one while feeling how stiff the material was. Okay, one broken shaft and one which apparently fell in to a black hole. 

Life intervened and kit progress has not reached propellor attachment stage.

But in the interim, while one day rearranging furniture the shaft was found under the bookshelf which was in the room.

Wait a minute, he didn't go behind the shelf since there wasn't enough space. And I definitely saw him pick it up in his mouth - it is difficult to be mistaken when the viewing range is something like 14 inches.

2.) If you are slicing window strips to fit between fabricated bulkheads do be aware that since windows are "above the equator" of fuselage's circular cross section the window strips have a definite top and bottom shape. Subtle, but totally there.

 

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