1/144 Douglas DC-666 from a Minicraft DC-8 71

[Brian da Basher]

In an effort to satisfy demand for large, long-range airliners, in March 1974, Douglas Aircraft began design work on what would become the DC-666. The new airliner was powered by six CFM56-2 high-bypass turbofan engines and was able to carry 200 passengers over 8,000 miles and could reach a top speed of 800 m.p.h.

Overseas National Airways was the first to order the DC-666 and immediately put it into service on their Weehawken, New Jersey to Beruit route where it proved popular with passengers and crew alike. With the dawn of Eco-Tourism, O.N.A. acquired new routes to even more far away locations and the DC-666 worked the New York to Ushuaia, Argentina run as Ushuaia is the main jumping off point for Antarctica. O.N.A. also flew the DC-666 on its wildly popular Los Angeles to Port Moresby route.

However, it was the New York to Ushuaia run that was most well-known and the DC-666 became famous for flying the Stunley Crup winning Pittsburgh Penguins to a South Pole excursion at the insistance of their head coach after some unsportsmanlike conduct in Game 23 of the Crup Finial so they could see "how real penguins should behave".

The DC-666 was withdrawn from passenger service by the mid 1990s but can still be seen today flying cargo and in photos of Pittsburgh Penguin Crisby Snodney from the winning Stunley Crup team's famous trip south.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

The basis for this project is the 1/144 Minicraft DC-8 71 in the United Airlines boxing. It is true that this may be the best Minicraft airliner to date. The wing to fuselage join is as good as it gets and on mine, the tailplanes didn't even need glue to attach them. However, the brilliance of Minicraft's CAD ends there as the Computer Aided Design used on the engines was obviously done on an old Radio Shack Tandy 1000.

Here's what a DC-8 71 should look like:



Oops.

I modified the kit by cutting off the nose and replacing it with a resin Airbus A330 nose and then adding two more engines. Minicraft has thoughtfully marked the inside of the fuselage so you can easily cut it to make all the different DC-8 variants.

Brian da Basher

[Just call me Ray]

...666 you say?

[Brian da Basher]

The model was brush-painted by hand in acylics, Poly Scale Reefer White and Model Masters Primer Gray mostly with Model Masters Steel being used on the engines and Gunmetal was used on the engine exhaust cones.

The Overseas National Airways livery was found at a bargain price over on Airline Hobby Supplies and the cockpit and cabin window decals were from a generic airbus sheet.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

I started this project Tuesday morning (had the day off from work) and finished it last night, taking a whole four days. I hope you enjoy my DC-666 as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

Brian da Basher

[Ed S]

Again!!  A great looking model in 4 days.  You are amazing BdB.

Ed

[Brian da Basher]

Again!!  A great looking model in 4 days.  You are amazing BdB.

Ed

I'm really glad you like it Ed. I've got to admit that the main reason it only took four days was that I got very lucky attaching the new nose and was able to fill in the few gaps there with CA.

Now I need to sort out something for the 1 Week GB.

Brian da Basher

[thedarkmaster]

really like it and a cracking build considering the time scale, top class work   

[John Howling Mouse]

"a Radio Shack Tandy 1000" eh?
Talk about dating oneself! Next thing you know, you'll be talking about 8-tracks and rotary-dial telephones!   

This passenger jet looks great, Brian.  Love how you have this SIX-engined bird being used for eco-tourism routes.  Would be the equivalent of our David Suzuki driving a diesel Hummer H1 to a recyclers' convention!   

[B777LR]

2 engines 2 little

4 engines 4 long haul

6 engines? Hmmm, in Danish the number 6 is pronounced sex

[sequoiaranger]

 

[frank2056]

Brian,
It looks great, but it has a certain Russian look to it - from the nose to the multiple engines. Something like an Antonov 666, for the flights between Aleksin and Zvenigorod.

[Thorvic]

Love it Brian but not sue passengers will like the numbering !!!

BTW Does this mean Airliners have put the spats on hold for the time being (till you watch another gangster movie of course  )

G

[bobbo]

A lovely Beast.  I like the original nose, though (Was always a sucker for any DC-8 variant).

Bobbo

[sequoiaranger]

Maybe consolidate those six engines into one, like this:


Wish I could say that it was mine, but I purloined it from an unknown website whom I regret I cannot credit.