RSV1000R Posted July 20, 2005 Share Posted July 20, 2005 I am just about to start a 1/48 Italeri C-130H kit and I have the CE Fulton STARS nose and the Cook aerial tracker radome. I'd therefore, if possible like to make a Vietnam era HC-130P. I can make the HDU pods, add the extra observation windows and alter the interior (the ramp will be up) myself, however I am concerned about the engine nacelles. I realise some Hercs use different engines and have longer nacelles and I thought this was just later/modern aircraft. I also assumed that my HC-130P would have the shorter engines as it is an older aircraft, however after finding that current MC-130Ps are not too dissimilar from the older generation HC-130P I am unsure if the Italeri kit nacelles are the correct ones. If they are not, what is the difference between the two nacelle types ? If it is purely length then I am happy to lengthen the kit items myself. I have searched and read a few books but I cannot find a decent list showing what types which use engine and what difference this makes to the externals of the aircraft. Finally, if anyone has any decent HC-130P pictures, references for what was inside the cargo area or HDU pod references I'd love to see them. My plan was to relocate the bunks in the cabin to the cargo area (I know this was done but I'm not sure where they were moved to exactly) and add a radio operators station against the rear of the cockpit. I would like to add the Benson tank in the cargo area, however I have no idea what it looks like. My fallback option is a plain old RAF Herc <_< Cheers, Ed Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mark S. Posted July 20, 2005 Share Posted July 20, 2005 I have the 1/72 scale modified nacelles from Flightpath. I'll measure them convert to 1/48 scale an post the dimension. If the tank is the same 3000 gal. one as used in the KC-130F's I'm sure there are pictures around. Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RSV1000R Posted July 21, 2005 Author Share Posted July 21, 2005 I have the 1/72 scale modified nacelles from Flightpath. I'll measure them convert to 1/48 scale an post the dimension. If the tank is the same 3000 gal. one as used in the KC-130F's I'm sure there are pictures around. Mark Mark, The Flightpath nacelle dimensions would be really nice if you don't mind. Could you also measure the Flightpath HDUs (if you have them) ? Thanks for the information on the KC-130 tank similarity, its just a shame I can't find a picture of that either Cheers, Ed Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jakal lm Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 Ed...The HC-130's use -15 engines. The SOFI mod to make it a MC-130P was a very extensive conversion...mostly internal. You will have to make the hose reel pods...they are a different diameter than the pylon tanks between the engines. You will have to make the 10 flare launcher tubes in the cargo door and for a SEA bird add the ODS rails on the cargo door as well. The Benson Tank in the cargo compartment is the same one used in the KC-97 (1800 gallons). The Radio Operator was on the flight deck and the bunks moved to the cargo compartment on the left side in the wheel well and one over the tracker equipment on the right front. If you will give me your address I have an old article from Air Progress (Feb 1968) that has a HC-130H (no A/R pods) fulton rescue story. I crewed the MC-130P for 7 years before I retired and now work for Lockheed Martin doing MC-130P/ HC-130P loadmaster crew training here at Kirtland. HTH...Ron ron.a.leonard@lmco.com Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RSV1000R Posted July 21, 2005 Author Share Posted July 21, 2005 Ron, Thank you for the reply. Do you know if the HDUs are wider or thinner than the wing fuel tanks? I have managed to get hold of the Flightpath 1/72 items so I can take measurements from these. I have a spare set of tanks which I can modify I'm sure, even if I have to alter the diameter. Can you explain a little about the flare launcher in the rear door? Was this present on Vietnam era HC-130Ps? If so, do you have any references to show what they look like? (If it helps, I am modelling my aircraft with the rear ramp closed). Can you also elaborate on the "ODS Rail". I'm sorry but I'm not sure what this is . Regarding the internal tank, I have found this: http://www.transistor.org/personal/castle/kc97linterior.jpg I am tempted to shut up all the doors and not bother with the tank and hope no one looks inside! I don't feel happy making the tank without seeing what it looks like in the HC-130 and I don't suppose you have any pictures of any of the internals do you? Cheers for the answers, Ed Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RSV1000R Posted July 21, 2005 Author Share Posted July 21, 2005 Ron, A quick "extra" question. In the flightdeck, which way did the radio operator face? I can make up roughly what I think it should look like but di he face sideways or backwards? Cheers, Ed Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jakal lm Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 Ed, The hose reel pods are fatter and shorter than the external tanks. The center section is removable to give access to work on the hose reel. The ODS (Overhead Delivery System) was a set of rails that ran the length of the cargo compartment that had a series of bomb racks on a moveable cradle that would mate to the rails on the outside of the cargo door. The loadmaster would load the MA-1 rescue kits on the cradle and could deliver it to the survivor in the water by releasing it off the rails. The flare launcher was built into the door when the airplane was built at Lockheed. It had 10 tubes that would allow the airplane to drop parachute flares for illumination at night without having to de-pressurise the airplane. Each tube has a door that opens and the ejector spring will push the flare out of the tube...the lanyard on the end of the flare arms the timer and the flare will ignite below and behind the airplane. The actual rescue units still use the flare launcher today but the SOF airplanes don't use it anymore. That is the same Benson tank...in the 130 there are fuel lines at fuselage station 617 that come down out of the ceiling that plumb into the wing fuel tanks. There is also a catwalk that go's between the two tanks so you can get from the front to the back. Ron Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aircommando130 Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 Ed, The RO sat on the flight deck right at the top of the stair and his seat is just about under the forward overhead escape hatch. Doing radio duties he would face to the right side of the airplane and for takeoff and landing he would swivel the seat to face forward. The Nav was on the far right side and the Flight Engineer sat between the pilot and co-pilot. On the "MC" there are dual Nav's on the right side and the RO and all his gear moved to the cargo compartment right forward scanner window. The Loadmaster has the left forward scanner window and the 2nd Load sits where ever he wants in the red side wall seats. Ron Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RSV1000R Posted July 22, 2005 Author Share Posted July 22, 2005 (edited) Ron, Thanks for all the information; it is exactly what I need. I have decided to close up all of the doors on this aircraft to save detailing the interior too much. I will add two basic "Benson" tanks as you will be able to see them though the observation windows. How far forward were they mounted? I imagine that the front of them was just about level with the back of the observation windows. I can tackle the engine nacelles and HDUs fairly easily with plasticard and Milliput and I will do so tonight. As for the flare dispenser in the ramp, is this what I am looking at here (but on an MC-130): http://www.airliners.net/open.file/628461/L/ http://www.airliners.net/open.file/628461/L/ I see the 10 "dots" in the rear ramp, so I guess I'd just need to scribe 10 circles in the right place. Does this sound ok to you? I'm hoping to finish off the cockpit and without pictures it will not be perfectly accurate however at least thanks to your information I can put the seat in the correct place! Is this a fair approximation of what the flight deck would look like? (See attached image at bottom of post). Regarding the observation/"scanner" windows on the fuselage sides, did they have seats mounted behind them? I've seen that USCG aircraft have these but wasn't sure about the HC-130P. Cheers again, and tell me when you are bored of answering questions <_<. Ed Edited July 22, 2005 by eddygrantham Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jakal lm Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Ed, The flare tubes extended out of the door at about a 45 degree angle and the door hinged at the top...kinda like opening a tin can with a can opener. The Benson Tank sits in the cargo compartment with the front of it starting just in front of the wheel well and go's aft to about fuselage station 637 (a few feet aft of the wheel well). You would have two in there side by side and they were painted a sea foam green color. The cradle that it sat in was a lot smaller than the one in the KC-97. Don't forget the catwalk that go's between them with a ladder on the front and back. The scanner windows have seats that are like the ones on the flight deck (one on each side). Back then they would of had orange seat covers like the ones on the flight deck. There was also a plotters table that folded out between the scanner seats and was hinged at fuselage station 245 (the bulkhead from the flight deck to the cargo compartment) On the right side just aft of the scanner seat / tracker equipment there was a ARS bin for rescue equipment stowage that was probably 8 feet tall and 5 feet wide. The HF antenna mounts on the top of the airplane are not mounted the same...the left one is further down the fuselage than the right one...find a head on view of any C-130 and you will see what I mean. The "HC's" had side hatches on both sides (the ARS bin blocks the hatch on the right) so you will have to scribe one in on the left side. Rigged for fulton recovery there were fouling lines that ran from the nose to the wing tips that would cut the lift line if the pilot missed with the yokes...a few times it still managed to get wrapped in the prop and the cut piece of lift line would beat the crap out of the fuselage if it was an inboard engine and it would have to be shut down. Don't forget the ODS rails on the outside of the door. They would run on either side of the flare launcher tubes...use some small "L" shaped plastic for those. If you are doing yours in the SEA paint the tracker dome would be black...but you could break it up by painting one engine in ADC gray like it had been changed and the replacement engine is a -15 in the ADCgray for a "Hi-Vis" RESCUE HC-130. Up high on the tail would be "RESCUE" in black and lower would be the "USAF and the tail number" in either white or black. The MC-130P in the picture you sent...I've got a lot of time in that airplane...it was a Kadena bird while I was there!!! I hope all this help's you on your build. If you have any more questions...I'm happy to help!!! Ron Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jakal lm Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 I made a trip out to an airplane this morning and the large scanner window is 29.5 inches wide and 21 inches tall...It is 22 inches aft of the crew entry door and the top of the window is level with the top opening line of the crew door. Ron Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mark S. Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 (edited) eddygrantham: I measured the Flightpath 1/72 scale T56-A-15 engine nacelles. They are 35mm or 1 3/8 inches long. The Italeri 1/72 ones are 29mm or 1 1/8 inches long. In 1/72 scale this is a 1/4" increase in length. Multiplying by 1.5 for 1/48 scale your increase in length should be 3/8 inches or 9.5mm Mark Edited July 25, 2005 by Mark S. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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