Erieye Radar + Potential Platforms?

[silverwindblade]

So, I have an S-3 Viking that I want to build up as an AEW plane as featured in the on-again off-again novel I'm writing. I've seen the proposals for the S-2 AEW with a dish-type antenna, and the 'shield' shaped one. However, my idea was to mount an Erieye style radar to the top of the fuselage instead, and close up the bomb-bays, as they're stuffed full of electronics.
I'd keep the wing pylons for fuel tanks or other sci-fi scanning pods (for detecting exotic energy sources found in the story), and said pylons would have 'shoulder' rails for self-defence sidewinders, like RAF Tornados (an idea nicked from a profile I saw on this site).

My main problem is what to build the Erieye from - The Viking is 1/48th, it's the Italeri kit of the ES-3 Shadow. Any ideas?
I had originally thought of doing it with a dish built from a mini-frisbee or other saucer-shaped object, but the eyieye seems more futuristic and cool-looking.
Of course, it doesn't have to an Erieye exactly - just something that looks identifiably like one! A thin, rectangular box-shaped object is a good start... anyone got any good recommendations for one of those...? Something found or scavenged would be good, but I'm drawing a blank!

[zenrat]

Evergreen do rectangular styrene tubing up to 6.3mm x 9.5mm
http://www.evergreenscalemodels.com/Shapes.htm#Rectangular%20Tubing

Plastruct do rectangular ABS tubing up to 19.1mm x 25.4mm
http://www.plastruct.com/pages/OnlineProductDetail.lasso?-op='eq'&CCode=RT-33L

Or just keep an eye out when in the supermarket, DIY store, chemists...

[PR19_Kit]

Laminated 60 thou styrene would work too, with a bit of carving and file work.

[Hobbes]

The Erieye should be easy enough to build using sheet styrene for the walls and some L-section or square-section rod to strengthen the joins.

[Dizzyfugu]

Looks a bit like one of the wind turbines that were used on the EA-6Bs? Just flipped over, in your case, and the struts can be crafted from styrene strips of profiles.
Also, if you are in 1:48 scale, take a look at lighters - two cheap plastic lighters, glued end to end and some filler, could also create a box style fairing? Very often you find good donations at second glance.

[McColm]

David J Parkins do a FlightPath range, the 1/72 JSTARS pod is big. That might do.

[Weaver]

Laminated 60 thou styrene would work too, with a bit of carving and file work.

You don't even have to do much sanding and carving: Evergreen make quarter-circle section rod that can give you consistent rounded edges to a box shape. All you really have to sand are the corners.