nspreitler Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 (edited) After some delays, mainly some minor injuries from a bad parachute landing I have finally started my D-Da7 C-47. I'll be building it at Turf & Sport Special, an aircraft I have seen many times since it is in the Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover AFB, DE where I was stationed for a few years and still visit often since my wife is from there. Edited January 19, 2019 by nspreitler Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted January 20, 2019 Author Share Posted January 20, 2019 Making progress today on the interior, I'm not sure how much I'll actually do since almost none of it will be visible. The kit comes with a very detailed troop compartment including seat belts for all the troop seats but the idea of about 100 pieces of photoetch for seatbelts that will no be seen isn't my idea of fun so I may skip those. Originally I had planned to do this as a D-Day aircraft, however for D-Day it was outfitted with cargo containers to drop equipment and I am not sure how to replicate that. I am leaning towards doing it as it looked for Marker Garden, with the D-Day stripes partially removed and the aircraft showing some significant wear and tear. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted January 20, 2019 Share Posted January 20, 2019 Very cool! That's really terrific that you have some primary documentation! Especially for the antennas, which varied wildly! Is the aircraft at the museum that specific aircraft or painted up as such? I have this kit in the stash, too, so it will be nice to see yours come together. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted January 20, 2019 Author Share Posted January 20, 2019 It is the actual aircraft, and went through a long restoration since it was pulled off a range at Aberdeen Proving Ground where it was being used as a target. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted January 21, 2019 Author Share Posted January 21, 2019 Some of the interior, which is pretty nice, with the cockpit door some of it will be seen but not much. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 That interior is looking quite nice! You should make a base or sign with your sig quote on it for this model! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fubuki4 Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 Nice work. You're right about the interior, almost none will be seen. I did a lot of detail work on the Trumpeter Wellington, but I should have just painted it all black for what can be seen! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted February 3, 2019 Author Share Posted February 3, 2019 A little work this evening, I added all the windows. Unlike the Monogram kit these are all individual which is nice, but always worry me since the mount from the inside and if not well secured they would be easy to knock loose inside the fuselage. I used some carefully applied TET to make sure that doesn't happen rather than a clear parts cement. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted February 4, 2019 Author Share Posted February 4, 2019 Finally some progress , closed the fuselage, I really didn't worry too much about the interior and I'm glad I didn't. Even if the cockpit door is open there is almost nothing that can be seen. The fit on the fuselage wasn't great, some of that may have been user error but there are few locating pins and especially on the bottom the fit was not good at all. I used a lot of tape to hold it together and it will still take some sanding to eliminate the seam. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted February 11, 2019 Author Share Posted February 11, 2019 Still making progress, I skipped ahead to the engines which are quite nicely detailed with full exhaust and engine mounts. My main complaint is the molded on wiring harness and some vague locating points. I’m probably going to attempt to add the wiring and potentially leave one engine exposed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted February 16, 2019 Author Share Posted February 16, 2019 (edited) The engines are mounted, these are interesting sub assemblies that I made mistakes on. To do the final assembly requires a lot of alignment, but along the way there are not positive locating points, so it's very easy to end up with engines that don't fit. Fortunately most of the mistakes can be easily fixed, but it isn't well engineered. There is still some work to do, but I hope to get the wings closed up tomorrow. Then I'll be forced to take a break for a couple weeks as I'll be gone for work, but I'll still be checking in on the progress of the other builds here. Edited February 16, 2019 by nspreitler Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted February 17, 2019 Author Share Posted February 17, 2019 The major assemblies are on, the fit wasn't as good as I expected, but it will work. Trumpeter includes very nice detail for the flaps, but I am still undecided if I will use much of it, since I am considering putting this in a diorama setting and I've yet to find a picture of a C-47 with the flaps down on the ground. I'm using a set on Montex masks which fit well. They will also be used for the invasion stripes, national insignia, and aircraft code letters. I'm looking forward to seeing how that works, it will be my first attempt at painting the major markings instead of using decals. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 It's looking good! Flaps down are indeed quite rare. Of the 800 pictures I've collected, only 3 have their flaps down, and 2 are the same AC-47. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted March 16, 2019 Author Share Posted March 16, 2019 After a few weeks away from the bench for work, I'm back and will be back to work on the C-47 this weekend. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted March 31, 2019 Author Share Posted March 31, 2019 So life has been getting in the way for this build but hopefully it will slow down a little and I'll get back into it next week. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
swbailey Posted April 1, 2019 Share Posted April 1, 2019 Oh, don't you know it. I feel luck that I get a few hours on the weekends. Looking forward to seeing this one done, as I saw the Turf & Sport Special at Dover a couple of years ago and it's a good looking bird! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted April 14, 2019 Author Share Posted April 14, 2019 I should finally get some time, taking some time off over Spring Break. I have a lot of home projects to do, but my evening should be mostly free to get some time at the bench Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted April 29, 2019 Author Share Posted April 29, 2019 Finally got some time, seams are filled, need to add the flaps do some sanding and then it will be nearly ready for paint. A few things about this kit are frustrating. The fit isn't very good leaving a lot of annoying small seams, some of that may be my error but not all of it. The sprue attachment points are okay but not flush with the parts leaving bumps that have to be shaved off with an Xacto knife instead of a good design that can be removed with a good set of sprue cutter. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 Making progress and should be done in time. This thing has seams that do not want to go away, and I've taken off more surface detail than I would like. I'll rescribe most of it. The tail and flaps are on, prepping for paint. With some luck I'll have it ready for paint by next weekend. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted June 30, 2019 Author Share Posted June 30, 2019 Unfortunately I did not finish this, work, a high school graduation, and life in general got in the way. It will be finished eventually though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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