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Anyone else building the Roden 1/144 C-133?


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I have run into an interesting problem with my Roden 1/144 C-133.  There is a 1mm gap between the top of the engine nacelle and the wing mounting point. 

There is a definite step in the wing attachment point.  I cannot identify anything I have done.. assume I just have to use some sheet filler to fix the issue.  Anyone else experiencing this?

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Ugh, that's terrible to hear.  I have not started mine yet (too much on the bench at the moment) but I'm curious to hear more.  Please post some photos of your progress if you can.

 

-Derek

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UPDATE:  My original post was based on the assembly of the starboard (right) wing and nacelles.... today I built the port (left) wing and voila.. the same nacelles fit near perfect.

I am stymied...I have checked the assembly of the starboard wing and it is correct.. both halves fit and aligned without a problem.  But there is still the 1mm gap at the top of both nacelles.  The natural assumption is that I screwed up somehow.. and might have, although there is very little to the assembly and highly unlikely.

 

So, I will use a sheet filler for the two gaps and wait to see if anyone else gets to this point in their build.. and then gap or no gap?  Now that I have both halves, the issue is a minor one.

 

If you have the interest... get the kit.  It does have a couple of challenges.. thick sprue attachments (tiny parts take a lot of care in removing) , soft plastic, etc... but overall it is a nice representation of this giant and important aircraft.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I did not take photos prior to my post about the nacelles.  But here is a starboard wing before filling. Will post after filling next.

 

I will take some others of the build and post later.

 

Charlie

IMG_3802.jpg

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Not really.. the way the parts are designed it's only the very top of the nacelle that is causing the gap.  The rest of it does mate snug against the wing. 

 

As I mentioned, the nacelles mate snug all the way on the port wing. 

As you can see from the pictures, there is still filing required to get a completely smooth nacelle.

 

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There lays the problem.. they are not a vertical wall. 

 

Most of it is.. from the bottom of the nacelle to the lower edge of the wing... that's the part that does fit relatively snug.  Then it angles back (looking at nacelle from the side).. and that is where the gap develops.  Easier to insert a piece of plastic sheet than to try sanding.. and since both nacelles on the other wing do fit reasonably well, you would end up with nacelles of different sizes on the wings.

 

I had already filled the gap when I started the pictures or I would have tried to get a side view.

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I'm with poppop, just glue a piece of plasticard to the back of the nacelle and file to the outline of the nacelle in order to fill the gap.  I am still waiting for my C-133 currently in shipment from the Ukraine (by slow boat, no doubt).  Carry on!  R/ Dutch     

Edited by Dutch
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  • 3 weeks later...

Been sidetracked for awhile... some abdominal surgery that was successful and things about 90% back to whatever normal is nowadays. 

 

I've spent most of the time I had working the nacelles... putty, sand, check, putty, sand, check, repeat as needed!  Mine did need a bit of work and I hope to rescribe tomorrow and then should be ready to move on.  I did finish most of the cockpit.  Copied some pics from Cal Taylor's book and resized them and printed on decal paper to get some detail on the panels.

 

Also waiting for a response from a very good friend who put many hours in the cockpit of the 133.. I doing 40144 that was part of the UN Congo mission.  My friends picture of 40144 on page 282 of Cal's book outside the hangar at Leopoldville is my goal.  Waiting to see if he remembers the color of the headrests and armrests.  The pictues of the C-133 restored at Dover show red, but several other pictues I've found would suggest either gray or maybe black... will see.

 

I will try to get some pictures in the next week or so.. I'm not the greatest photograper.

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Sorry to hear about your surgery.  I wish you a speedy recovery!

 

Very cool that you know someone who flew C-133s!  I'll bet he has some good stories.  Looking forward to some more photos of your build when you can post them.  Those kit nacelles sound like a real bear.

 

I'm sure you know, but Caracal has a decal sheet coming out for this kit in case you need it for your build: http://caracalmodels.com/cd144021.html

 

-Derek

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  • 3 months later...

OK.. where do I start? 

 

I was asked to build a second C-133 for a friend, so I am now doing both in tandem.  And trying to see if the lessons from the first build help... YES they do.

 

Will start with the wings that started this thread... the second build had the same issue... port wing had no nacelle gap.. starboard wing did. Filled with sheet plasticard, putty, sand, check, etc. 

 

Don't forget to open the intakes on the top of the nacelles... I found it easier to open before gluing the halves together.

Nacelle Vents.jfif

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I copied pictures of the instrument panel, navigators, and engineers panels.  Resized and printed my own decals.  While not absolutely accurate, they do make a real difference..

 

Problem is that most of it disappears after the fuselage is glued together.. but I know it is in there (sound familiar).

 

I did go back and touch up the back wall around the navigator station, but forgot to get new pictures.. duh

 

It will take several posts to get the pics uploaded.

Cockpit 3.jfif

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I know everyone knows.. but after some of this build I knows even better... test fit, test fit, test fit....

 

Do as much to the fuselage as you can before attaching the wings. 

 

Eliminate the seams and clean up the join between the forward and rear fuselage.  I chose to close the loading doors at the rear.  The old drill.. putty, sand, rescribe, prime.. check.. putty, sand, rescribe, prime, check .. and repeat until everything looks good.

 

The main landing gear required a bit of work.  The locator pins on the side of parts 4D, 6D, 9D, etc are not much help.  They need to be bigger IMHO. 

 

I worked one gear well at a time.  I finished the interior of the wells, and the other parts that go in with Alclad Dark Aluminum before assembling.  Glue those side pieces in and then quickly check the fit of parts 1D and 2D to determine how close a fit you have.  On both of my builds I had gaps which required shaving the outside of parts 4D, 6D, 9D, etc to get a good fit.  All the parts moved a lot until the fit was good.. so check the alignment of the internal parts carefully after you get a good fit and before the glue sets.

 

I used a punch set to prepare masks for the small windows in the fuselage... I attached them after wrestling with the gear and before attaching the wings.

 

I used bare metal foil to mask the cockpit windows.

 

I hope this makes sense...

 

More in a couple days. wings, etc.

 

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