Darren Roberts Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 My spring break vacation started this week, so I thought I'd use the time I have to finish off some builds that have been languishing on the shelf. The first one to be completed is the Revell-Germany 1/144 Constellation. I've always had soft spot for the graceful, beautiful lines of the Connie. We have an airliner museum here in KC that has a Connie, and it's absolutely gorgeous to watch it. I'm not a big airliner guy, so I started on this years ago and got it to the paint stage, where it was deposited on the shelf of doom. All that was left was to decal it, but I just never seemed to get around to it. So, today I knocked it out and called it done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Very nice Darren! I love the lines of the Connie as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lost_Erik Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Well done! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Love it! It's just gorgeous! Did you need weight to keep it on its nose? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Beary Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Very nice job on that!! Many years ago I saw the MATS Connie land on the grass runway at Geneseo. I think it is the best aviation sight I have ever seen. Absolutely soundless. Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted March 12, 2018 Author Share Posted March 12, 2018 11 hours ago, dnl42 said: Love it! It's just gorgeous! Did you need weight to keep it on its nose? I believe I did. It was built so long ago I can't remember for sure. I'd do it just to be on the safe side. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted March 12, 2018 Author Share Posted March 12, 2018 1 hour ago, Bob Beary said: Very nice job on that!! Many years ago I saw the MATS Connie land on the grass runway at Geneseo. I think it is the best aviation sight I have ever seen. Absolutely soundless. Bob I miss Geneseo! My favorite Geneseo moment was when I was a teen. They had eight (yes, that's 8) B-17's in the air at the same time. They came overhead along with the Lanc and a number of P-51's, P-47's, and P-40's. It was the grandest sight I've ever experienced. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mstor Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 (edited) I remember flying on a Connie when I was a small child. It was night, so I couldn't see much of the plane as we walked out to the boarding stairs (yea, people used to have to walk across the tarmac to get to a plane :-). When landing the brakes made a strange siren like sound. I thought it was real sirens and that we were in trouble, but my Dad just said it was the brakes. I've never forgotten it. Great little model Darren! Edited March 12, 2018 by Mstor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted March 12, 2018 Author Share Posted March 12, 2018 41 minutes ago, Mstor said: I remember flying on a Connie when I was a small child. It was night, so I couldn't see much of the plane as we walked out to the boarding stairs (yea, people used to have to walk across the tarmac to get to a plane :-). When landing the brakes made a strange siren like sound. I thought it was real sirens and that we were in trouble, but my Dad just said it was the brakes. I've never forgotten it. Great little model Darren! Thanks! I'm glad it brought some memories back. As I'm getting older, I'm finding more and more that small things trigger memories. I was walking through Hobby Lobby the other evening and saw the USS Arizona kit. Memories of shopping at the toy store came flooding back. It was the strangest sensation. I guess that means I'm getting old. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 48 minutes ago, Mstor said: as we walked out to the boarding stairs, (yea, people used to have to walk across the tarmac to get to a plane :-) Hey, we still do that at Long Beach (LGB)! Stairs were also in use at John Wayne (SNA) until the early/mid 90's. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 On 3/12/2018 at 5:38 PM, Darren Roberts said: Thanks! I'm glad it brought some memories back. As I'm getting older, I'm finding more and more that small things trigger memories. I was walking through Hobby Lobby the other evening and saw the USS Arizona kit. Memories of shopping at the toy store came flooding back. It was the strangest sensation. I guess that means I'm getting old. Yeah, I can hear Amy Lou Harris singing "Precious Memories" right now! And they are precious! Beautiful build Darren. Once again, I love to see your work, even if it takes a few years! I just busted open a box I have had stored for ~ 32 years since my last semester in college. Inside were six 1/72 F-4 Phantoms, almost complete and partially painted in SEA camo. I almost cried, but mostly just sat there for several minutes and pondered those memories. I am also resolved to finish these babies this year! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jefropas Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 Very cool! That's the exact Connie that crashed in the town I work in back in Sept. 61'. I think it was the deadly plane crash to date. It's a woodsy semi-open field now with a few houses on it. I get sad every time I pass it... Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CaptainObvious Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 Hi Darren. She looks really nice. Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CaptainObvious Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 13 hours ago, Dutch said: I just busted open a box I have had stored for ~ 32 years since my last semester in college. Inside were six 1/72 F-4 Phantoms, almost complete and partially painted in SEA camo. I almost cried, but mostly just sat there for several minutes and pondered those memories. I am also resolved to finish these babies this year! Hey Dutch, 32 years? Whoa. I would really like to see them. Please post up some pics when they get completed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scooby Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 Very nice, years ago I was on deployment with my CF-18 squadron in Albuquerque, when John Travolta did a touch and go in his Connie, it was a beautiful sight to see. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
southwestforests Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 (edited) Ahh yes, round motors. In multiple. Nice model of a graceful and important airplane. There is in a box here one which was built wheels up and is waiting for paint. Even wheels up it got weight in nose so it would balance for hanging up. The story of the Constellation's creation involves Howard Hughes, secret backroom financing deals, stretching the technology envelope, and a few other interesting factors. Are some pretty nice hardcover books on Constellation, look for them if books are your thing. Website named Airliners dot net has quite a few Connie photos from around the world. Just for fun here's the one at Airline History Museum in KCMO. Went several years ago while in town to visit my parents. They also had in hangar a DC-3, a Martin 4-0-4 (I think that's right or was it a Convair 440?) and outside an L-1011. Museum has numerous smaller items of interest. To me the boxkite for hauling up radio antenna from crash survival kit was of much interest. Back to Revell Germany's kit ... --> Note when you go to install cabin window clear parts that they have a definite top and bottom since they are curved to fit fuselage shape. Edited April 22, 2018 by southwestforests Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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