Ryan BQM-34 Firebee Drones. Where to find some?

sideshowbob9 · May 21, 2009, 03:39:16 AM

Hi guys, just wondering if there is any way to get a BQM-34 or two without getting a DC-130? Eventually I'll probably bite the bullet and grab one but just wanted to know if there were other options.

Mossie · May 21, 2009, 03:56:33 AM

If you're willing to do vacform, Airmodel do two seperate kits with several Firebee variants:
http://www.airmodel.de/shope/shope.html?P_113.htm
http://www.airmodel.de/shope/shope.html?P_113.htm

sideshowbob9 · May 21, 2009, 08:59:49 AM

Thanks! Having looked through that site, I'm actually more interested in the Fw-191 & Ju-388L now!

I'm utterly useless at vacuform though. I have a half-destroyed XF-84H to prove it!

This might give me the motivation to try again!

kitnut617 · May 21, 2009, 09:47:55 AM

What scale Bob ?

Belcher does a nice 1/72 scale one.

http://www.belcherbits.com/lines/172conv/bl6.htm

JayBee · May 21, 2009, 09:57:49 AM

Unfortunately the Belcher kit ( nice as it is) is of theearlier Firebee, and is no use if you are wanting to do one of the later models.

JimB

sideshowbob9 · May 22, 2009, 03:27:13 AM

^ While the Belcher ones look good, I am in fact after the later Vietnam era ones. In particular, I have a hankerin' to do the AGM-34 attack variant with some GBU-8s.

Thanks for the link though. Oh to win the lottery!!!

kitnut617 · May 22, 2009, 07:11:07 AM

You might find this link interesting then,

http://www.xs4all.nl/~robdebie/aqm34.htm

sideshowbob9 · May 22, 2009, 08:29:30 AM

^ Thanks for the link. Some nice reference photos on there. Judging from the kit reviews, it seems Italeri is the way to go. Time to start saving!

Jeffry Fontaine · May 22, 2009, 01:07:31 PM

Quote from: sideshowbob9 on May 22, 2009, 08:29:30 AM^ Thanks for the link. Some nice reference photos on there. Judging from the kit reviews, it seems Italeri is the way to go. Time to start saving!

Collaboration and networking can also be to your advantage if you can find someone that wants a model of the C-130 and all you want are the drones from that DC-130 kit you might be able to convince someone to go in on a joint purchase of the kit and you get the parts you need. You get the drones and the other person gets a C-130 out of the deal.

I mention this because the only difference between the 1/72nd scale DC-130 and the C-130 kits is the parts sprue containing the BQM-34 drones and the launch gear. This is based on my own experiences with the 1/48th scale DC-130 kit and the standard C-130 kits that I have purchased. The only improvements on the later C-130 kits from Italeri are with the AC-130U and the C-130J which have almost all of the original C-130 kit parts and the extra sprues containing the new parts.

Back when Testor's was flogging the 1/48th scale C-130 kits here in the states a friend of mine wanted to build a stretched fuselage version of the C-130, I think it was supposed to be the L-100-30 and he needed a second kit for the fuselage plugs. I decided to do a joint purchase with him and we bought an AC-130 together. He got the fuselage and other relevant parts and I ended up with the weapons and engines for my spares box. It was a win-win for both of us and even better years later when I acquired a C-130J kit for a song that was missing the windscreen as my friend still had the clear parts from the original deal so he sent the clear parts to me and solved my broken windscreen issue on my half-price C-130J.

kitnut617 · May 22, 2009, 01:34:52 PM

Quote from: Jeffry Fontaine on May 22, 2009, 01:07:31 PM
Quote from: sideshowbob9 on May 22, 2009, 08:29:30 AM^ Thanks for the link. Some nice reference photos on there. Judging from the kit reviews, it seems Italeri is the way to go. Time to start saving!

Collaboration and networking can also be to your advantage if you can find someone that wants a model of the C-130 and all you want are the drones from that DC-130 kit you might be able to convince someone to go in on a joint purchase of the kit and you get the parts you need. You get the drones and the other person gets a C-130 out of the deal.

I mention this because the only difference between the 1/72nd scale DC-130 and the C-130 kits is the parts sprue containing the BQM-34 drones and the launch gear. This is based on my own experiences with the 1/48th scale DC-130 kit and the standard C-130 kits that I have purchased. The only improvements on the later C-130 kits from Italeri are with the AC-130U and the C-130J which have almost all of the original C-130 kit parts and the extra sprues containing the new parts.

Back when Testor's was flogging the 1/48th scale C-130 kits here in the states a friend of mine wanted to build a stretched fuselage version of the C-130, I think it was supposed to be the L-100-30 and he needed a second kit for the fuselage plugs. I decided to do a joint purchase with him and we bought an AC-130 together. He got the fuselage and other relevant parts and I ended up with the weapons and engines for my spares box. It was a win-win for both of us and even better years later when I acquired a C-130J kit for a song that was missing the windscreen as my friend still had the clear parts from the original deal so he sent the clear parts to me and solved my broken windscreen issue on my half-price C-130J.

Just done something similar with a member of the ATF forum, he wanted some Merlin 85's and I wanted a Lincoln nose, bomb aimers window and fuselage plug, so we've gone halves on a Flightpath conversion.

sideshowbob9 · May 24, 2009, 08:21:50 AM

The collaboration idea certainly has merit. Unfortunately, I've just been made redundant so the DC-130 will have to go onto the backburner for now. C'est la vie

Captain Canada · May 24, 2009, 08:41:21 AM

I might have a pair for you....I know I've already given away two from the kit, so if I dig it out and there's still some there you can have 'em. I had planned on modifying them to make the CDN Lanc carrier but now that Belcher has them I was going to get those....

sideshowbob9 · May 24, 2009, 08:55:09 AM

That would be mightily appreciated if you could. Please PM me when you've had a chance to dig it out.

kitnut617 · May 24, 2009, 10:34:22 AM

I've been chatting (by email) with Rob de Bie in that link I posted. He has some drawings apparently and has found that even the Belcher Firebees have a few errors, he sent me this which shows the errors of the Belcher one (top) and LSM one. The left ones show the Continental powered version, the right ones
both the Fairchild and Continental powered versions (look closely to see the outlines).

sideshowbob9 · May 25, 2009, 05:34:54 AM

So if I'm interpreting this correctly, the Belcher Firebee is not far off the Fairchild powered version, the others are pretty far off.

What would it take to re-engine a Firebee with an Armstrong-Siddeley Viper. It compares fairly well with a J69, the increased thrust should offset the increased weight. I know it's rarely that simple, just an idea.