bluedot25 Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 I've decided to take another crack at converting a Minicraft KC-135 into an EC-135 ARIA version. I had made a few resin copies of my original nose conversion, and pulled one out to see if I can interest myself in pursuing this again... Here are a couple shots of my conversion early on... Lots of styrene, super glue, red putty and Milliput... and sanding and priming..! Unfortunately it didn't survive, but I did make a mold before its demise... And here's two of the copies. Solid chunks of resin. I used my Dremel tool to route out the nose gear well area in one, and a resin copy of the kit gear well is ready to be added. Obviously, some reconstructive surgery is ahead...! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gator52 Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 Great start, looks like the hardest part is behind you! Jonah Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bluedot25 Posted March 1, 2019 Author Share Posted March 1, 2019 Thanks Jonah..! I'm hoping this goes ok... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caudleryan Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 Looking forward to seeing this one come together! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 Tom, that's the spirit! I'll be watching closely as I intend to make its close cousin, the EC-135E with TF-33 engines. Keep a goin'! R/ Dutch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bluedot25 Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 Thanks Dutch... Yeah, I haven't decided which engines to use yet... I'll be happy to just make this nose conversion work for starters...! Did you make a nose for yours? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 No. I cheated and purchased the Welsh 1/144 CV-81 set and plan on using Fisher Model Design TF-33 engines and Caracal CD144004 C-135 Family decal sheet. Here is my EC-135E project link (unstarted as yet). I only received it a few weeks ago and have not had time to dry fit the nose yet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bluedot25 Posted March 25, 2019 Author Share Posted March 25, 2019 So here's the nose section with the reconstruction of the nose gear bay 99% complete. I also added a spare windshield decal (thanks Dutch) to help with the alignment of more work. The ARIA nose had 16 "ribs" running longitudinally along the radome. I'm trying to figure out how to make these. I can't stretch sprue thin enough to make these in this small scale. I'm considering scribing them on, but just not sure. Any suggestions gratefully welcome... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cubs2jets Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Those "ribs" are lightning diverter strips. If lightning were to strike the non-conductive radome, they give it a path to the metal airframe. In real life they are about the thickness of 1/32. They're also about 1/2 inch wide. Here is some information: https://www.lightningdiversion.com/diversionstrips.aspx C2j Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gator52 Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 I would try some silver decal stripes like these...not sure if they'd be quite narrow enough though. http://www.fundekals.com/stripes.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bluedot25 Posted April 24, 2019 Author Share Posted April 24, 2019 (edited) A little more progress on the ARIA.... I added the a/c intake under the right forward fuselage, along with the bleed air vents behind both... they still need a little cleaning up before I call them done though... I also am going to have the gear doors open on this one. The Minicraft nose gear well is pretty well rendered in this small scale, but isn't visible at all unless you open up the doors. I added the two skid plates to the nose well, which I believe are designed to stop the wheels from spinning on retraction. I'm also adding some detail to the main gear wells with solder and plastic bits, just to add a little interest. More to be done on them though... Edited April 24, 2019 by bluedot25 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gator52 Posted April 24, 2019 Share Posted April 24, 2019 Very nice! Jonah Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 (edited) Tom, Very nice indeed so far. I admit that your model skills are much better than my own. Keep a goin' brother! R/ Dutch Edited August 15, 2019 by Dutch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bluedot25 Posted April 28, 2019 Author Share Posted April 28, 2019 Thanks very much Dutch... I don't believe it though..! And you definetly have me beat in another way... you actually finish a lot more models than I do..! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bluedot25 Posted April 28, 2019 Author Share Posted April 28, 2019 And thanks to all for the kind words... I thrive on the encouragement...! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 20 hours ago, bluedot25 said: Thanks very much Dutch... I don't believe it though..! And you definitely have me beat in another way... you actually finish a lot more models than I do..! Tom, Well, that was last year. I am waaaaaay behind in my building goals for this year. I have been wanting to do some mold making and casting myself, but haven't had the courage to start yet. That and a lack of time. Work schedule is just too busy lately with overtime and travel. And then, I spend a perfectly good couple of hours browsing other people's work on ARC Forum instead of modelling myself! But I still like watching your progress. K/r, Dutch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Drifterdon Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 Looking really nice Tom. Following this one with great interest. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bluedot25 Posted May 13, 2019 Author Share Posted May 13, 2019 Got the nose section attached... I've heard that resin can shrink as it dries, and apparently mine did a bit. It didn't fit as well as I had hope for. So, it took some repeated applications of red putty, sanding, priming. Mr. Surfacer, and more sanding, but I finally achieved an acceptable join to the fuselage... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alternative 4 Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 Looks good, certainly one of the weirdest looking planes I have stood in front of. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted August 15, 2019 Share Posted August 15, 2019 How's ARIA coming along Tom? Let's see some ,more pics please. I need some motivation! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bluedot25 Posted August 16, 2019 Author Share Posted August 16, 2019 Hi Don... I've been juggling four 1/144 projects lately... The EC-135 ARIA, my NC-135B, KC-135A, and lately my "strakeless" B-52G... And too many projects around the house! I'll get back to it soon... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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