1/144 Lockheed Lodestar II from an Airfix Caravelle

[Brian da Basher]

In 1948, Lockheed engineers under B.O. "Belly" Bronson came up with a new mid-range airliner called the Lodestar II. Anticipating the need for airlines to replace their aging fleets of ubiquitous DC-3s, the Lodestar II was destined for success. Powered by two Textron TurboTexan engines, the airliner could carry 125 passengers at a cruising speed of 380 m.p.h. at an altitude of 25,000 ft, comfortably above most turbulence. The Lodestar II was equipped with the most modern features including Big Sky weather and navigation radar. After completing flight trials and obtaining FAA certification, the new aircraft went into service for TWA on the lucrative Olathe to Sedalia run and eventually flew all short and mid-range TWA routes including St. Louis to Chicago and Kansas City to St. Paul. The Lodestar II was an extremely popular and profitable aircraft and chief engineer B.O. "Belly" Bronson was able to retire early and devote himself to his true passion, travelling aimlessly attempting to put every "All You Can Eat" buffet out of business with his enormous appetite and his big belly.

The Lodestar II became well known in the 1951 film "Point of Departure" starring June Allison. By far however, the Lodestar II's biggest claim to fame was flying ex-President Harry Truman home to Independence, Missouri in January of 1953. Today a handful of the 96 Lodestar IIs made are still in service, five of them in the striking puce and orange livery of HDL Overnight Flight Delivery. B.O. "Belly" Bronson did not outlive his creation. He unfortunately died by choking on a piece of gristle at the Endless Supper All You Can Eat Buffet in March 1956.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

The base kit for this project was the venerable 1/144 Airfix Caravelle I picked up a while back. Here's what a Caravelle is supposed to look like:



Oops.

The modifications on this project were fairly simple. I repositioned the tail planes to where the engines should go and then scratchbuilt new wing mounted engines using a drop tank and half a spare wheel. The exhausts were scratched from odd bits of sprue and the four-bladed props and spinners left over from a 1/72 Revell SE-5 were a good fit. I also added a teardrop electronics blister from a 1/144 B-36 for the radar behind the cockpit.Except for seemingly endless sessions of PSR to fill in the fuselage windows, the rest of the build progressed rapidly.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

The entire model was brush-painted by hand with acrylics. I started off by painting the inside of the cockpit windows black and the used Polly Scale Reefer White on the fuselage and Model Masters Gray Primer on the wings and tail. Model Masters Steel was used on the exhausts and props.

To me, the decals always make an airliner model. I was pleasantly surprised that 1/200 markings for a DC-9 I got cheap were such a good fit on this 1/144 bird. I can explain the lack of windows in the rear fuselage as this is the Lodestar II Executive model with a rear bar that can be used as a conference room and converted to sleeping berths for those high-flying titans of industry.

The entire project took me about two weeks to complete. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did bringing it to you.

Brian da Basher

[Tophe]

  Won-der-ful!
Well, in my country (where the Caravelle has been designed and produced) you great what-ifer would be burnt alive for accute heresy, but as far as I am concerned, I do love your model, so I would put flowers on your grave dear

[Daryl J.]

BdB does it again!

Daryl J.

[PR19_Kit]

Nice one Brian! 

How long have you been working on this wonder? Maybe as much as three days?

[John Howling Mouse]

Yep, you've created another natural beauty with this one.  Like the swept-wings-with-props combination.  This sure looks believable and dependable.  What did you use for the propcones?

   

[sotoolslinger]

Another gorgeous airliner B

[GTX]

I like it!

Regards,

Greg

[The Rat]

That tears it, I am now officially supremely hacked off. Wasn't so long ago that you would post some pics and I could soothe my wounded ego by muttering, "Yeah, but that crappy camera of his probably hides a thousand flaws." So what do you do? You go and get a decent camera and prove my so very WRONG! (mutter grumble bitch gripe whine...)

Where's my ball of yarn?

[frank2056]

That looks fantastic, Brian! It has a Soviet airliner feel to it (maybe it's the wing fences). The engines are beautiful, too.

[pyro-manic]

Now that's a pretty machine!

[Sisko]

Wow!

Top stuff as alway BDB. 

[Ed S]

Nice one Brian.  Although, I think it looks more like something Tupelov would build instead of Lockheed.



Ed 

[Eddie M.]

Very smart looking! It looks like a Comet, but better!!!