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CD72128 - 1/72 USAF C-135 Recon Variants


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On 11/29/2021 at 3:23 PM, Dutch said:

Kursad,

Perfect!  Can't wait for all the 1/144 C-135 releases, but especially this one!  Roden just announced a 1/144 RC-135U for 2022.  Welsh already has released 1/144 RC-135V/W kits and parts and the Weather birds (CD144004) can be made pretty much OOTB (just swap engines around) from Minicraft. 

K/r, Dutch

So, Roden kit #349 is actually a 1/144 RC-135V/W with CFM-56 engines.  Not an RC-135U.  So these decals should work perfectly!  Can't wait for the 1/144 release.

Roden_349_RC-135V-W.JPG.447f701928a13105787b682c85834d45.JPG

Edited by Dutch
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Received my set in the mail today and I couldn't be happier that I ordered them.  My jaw dropped when I pulled them out of the envelope.  These are gorgeous!  I'm going to really have to practice some restraint to not push everything else off my workbench and get to work on my RC-135.  Now I have to decide between -845 vs -841.  Happy to trade my TF-33 for some CFM-56's if anyone is interested😉.  If nothing else I am happy that we've got an aftermarket set coming out later this month.  https://www.scalemates.com/kits/air-graphics-models-airac-412-cfm-56-engine-set--1411951

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15 hours ago, fessSto said:

Received my set in the mail today and I couldn't be happier that I ordered them.  My jaw dropped when I pulled them out of the envelope.  These are gorgeous!  I'm going to really have to practice some restraint to not push everything else off my workbench and get to work on my RC-135.  Now I have to decide between -845 vs -841.  Happy to trade my TF-33 for some CFM-56's if anyone is interested😉.  If nothing else I am happy that we've got an aftermarket set coming out later this month.  https://www.scalemates.com/kits/air-graphics-models-airac-412-cfm-56-engine-set--1411951

So, I have been looking at those Air-Graphics CFM-56 engines, at least what I can see from the website.  It says they are designed to fit both the italeri (ex-AMT) C-135 series and the Airfix 707 & E-3A/B/D/F kits. 

 

"AC-412 1/72 Scale CFM-56 Engine Set (4 Engines) and pylons. Includes instruction sheet.

Suitable for KC/RC-135's, E-6B, E-3 AWACS etc.

Fits Italeri/ARTL/AMT kits and Heller Boeing 707"

 

The only issue I have with this statement is that the Airfix 707 & E-3A/B/D/F wing-to-engine pylon mating area is completely different from the AMT/Italeri C-135 wing-to-engine pylon mating area.  Also, the CFM-56 pylons as mounted to the C-135 series are different from those mounted to the 707/E-3/E-6 series of aircraft.  So, either way, some fair amount of surgery / putty / filing is in order.  

 

I have a spare set of Airfix CFM-56s from their E-3D/F AWACS kit which I intend to perform plastic surgery on to fit to the AMT RC-135V kit.

 

My $.02!

 

K/r,
Dutch

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I appreciate your insight, Dutch.  Since the aircraft on the cover is an RC-135 I'm crossing my fingers that it will swing that way as opposed to an E-3.  That being said it's been my experience that aftermarket conversions rarely fall into place without a little extra finagling.  

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Or, if you have also the AMT KC-135R, you can swap the CFMs from that kit, then use the TF-33s from the RC-135 kit and make the tanker a KC-135E. The pylons won't be a problem if you do it that way.

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7 hours ago, Paul Boyer said:

Or, if you have also the AMT KC-135R, you can swap the CFMs from that kit, then use the TF-33s from the RC-135 kit and make the tanker a KC-135E. The pylons won't be a problem if you do it that way.

True! Neither option is cheap, tho!

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8 hours ago, Paul Boyer said:

Or, if you have also the AMT KC-135R, you can swap the CFMs from that kit, then use the TF-33s from the RC-135 kit and make the tanker a KC-135E. The pylons won't be a problem if you do it that way.

I thought about that, too, Paul.  I do have the KC-135R but I think I want to make that as an "R" model since I was able to snag a copy of the beautiful Caracal decals with the Michigan ANG markings when they were reprinted a few years ago.  I also picked up the EC-135 that I was planning to make as an "E" model.  

 

I think I might have painted myself into a corner...

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6 hours ago, fessSto said:

I thought about that, too, Paul.  I do have the KC-135R but I think I want to make that as an "R" model since I was able to snag a copy of the beautiful Caracal decals with the Michigan ANG markings when they were reprinted a few years ago.  I also picked up the EC-135 that I was planning to make as an "E" model.  

 

I think I might have painted myself into a corner...

Are your TF-33's for a 135, or E-3?

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  • 3 weeks later...

The US national insignia decals in the Roden 1/144 RC-135 are dreadful.  It will need some Caracal love for sure.   Yeah, I know I could use my CD 144004, but I would love a specific sheet for this kit.  Plastic looks like standard Roden fair, which I found fine with the OV-1 and C-141B that I built.  

Edited by AD-4N
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  • 3 weeks later...
On 5/31/2022 at 9:46 AM, AD-4N said:

The US national insignia decals in the Roden 1/144 RC-135 are dreadful.  It will need some Caracal love for sure.   Yeah, I know I could use my CD 144004, but I would love a specific sheet for this kit.  Plastic looks like standard Roden fair, which I found fine with the OV-1 and C-141B that I built.  

Totally concur with AD-4N's assessment of the Roden RC-135 kit decals.   We desperately need Kursad's decal magic for the RC-135's scaled down to 1/144.   

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On 6/19/2022 at 3:04 PM, Drifterdon said:

Totally concur with AD-4N's assessment of the Roden RC-135 kit decals.   We desperately need Kursad's decal magic for the RC-135's scaled down to 1/144.   

I second Don's motion. All in favor20220618_193644.thumb.jpg.30af27113d4632ace22c23bfb74b74a7.jpg

Edited by Dutch
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