What's on the workbench!

[Captain Canada]

Kinda like the Polar Express that skitters around on the ice before finding itself back on the tracks !

[McColm]

That's it!

[McColm]

Many moons ago I tried to build my version of the maritime C-135 using the Heller KC-135FR. I couldn't get the design to work but I know other Whiffers were/are building their own.
As the Boeing P-8A Poseidon seems to be the most photographed aircraft appearing at least once a month in aircraft military magazines, I thought I'd have another go at the C-135.
Most of the Airbus kits are in 1/144 scale, I haven't seen many in 1/72 hence using the KC-135 model.
Two weapons bays forward and rear of the wing. Utilising the cockpit floor, which the underside could form the basis of the weapons bay with strips of plasticard for the walls. Lumps and bumps from the spare parts bin. MAD boom, I found that the Br1150 Atlantic is a very good fit, but I can see this being moved to the vertical tail fin .
The Wedgetail is another possibility in 1/72 scale using the Heller KC-135.

The only problems I can see is the cost and size of the completed models. There are 1/200 and 1/100 scales that I could use as well.
I did see someone mount half a kit to some artists card and frame the 1/144 kit, thus coming up with two designs for one kit.

[McColm]

Whatif you gave the A-10 a new set of swept wings?
Interesting thought or has it been whiffed already. Using the wings from a bizjet or F-100.

[Captain Canada]

I had an idea for an F-16/ A-10 mash up. In my cartoon thread. Old F-16 intake would hold the gun.

[McColm]

The Douglas XC-132 was based on another Douglas design the C-124 GlobemasterII with a shoulder wing and new engines. Although there was a full scale mock up built the prototype never got passed the drawing board.
However the mock up reminds me of the Lockheed Constitution, this was built and flown by the USNavy. There's a vague resemblance to the Blackburn Beverly.
Airmodel do a  vacform kit and Anigrand the resin in 1/72 and 1/144. Roden the 1/144 kits.
I need some help with the XC-132 engines, which ones to use?

Likewise the Revell 1/144 An-124 with turboprops instead of turbofans as a backup plan if it all goes wrong.

[PR19_Kit]

The XC-132 used the massive PT-5 turboprop so something like the Tu-95 Bear's engines wouldn't be far wrong.

[McColm]

Whiffing the XC-132 in 1/144 scale would be a challenge.

Just had an idea of building a Canadian Avro Shackleton MK3 or Mk4 with skis.
Or Whatif the USA armed forces had used the Shack? Already thought of the USCoast Guard with a life raft fitted in the bomb bay. Different engines, gunship maybe or increased guns positions.

Might do something which involves the Catalina,  Convair did some mock ups.

[Captain Canada]

First I've heard of that one. Just googled it and wow, now I want to build one ! What a neat looking aeroplane. And to have a full scale mock up of something that big ? Neat stuff.

[McColm]

1/144 models C-124
Anigrand A/C £76.99
Roden A or C £23.99
Welsh Models A/C

1/72 C-124
Anigrand £99.20

1/44 Tu-95D Bear
Revell seems the cheapest
Zvezda
Trumpeter

1/72
Trumpeter

You might get away with using the East German 1/100 Tu-85 for engines on a 1/72 build.

[McColm]

The idea of building a scale model of the Lockheed Constitution has always eluded me. Yes there is the Anigrand 1/144 resin model, but what about something in 1/72. Not too sure if a vacform kit was released, as I haven't seen it advertised on line.
EBay has a lot of 1/144 Boeing 747s for sale and the R6V does have that Jumbo look about it. So here goes:
Use the lower half of a C-97 (cut the top off along the seam). Glue the fuselage halves together, depending on what kit the Boeing 747 is tape the fuselage halves together and place on top of the new fuselage. There's some trimming to do to get a good fit but the result should be worth it. Just means hiding the wing stubs as the 1/72 fuselage will have those in the kit.

Its a shame the USNavy didn't fit more powerful engines to the two Constitutions they had.

I'm sure once I've mastered this technique more Whiffs will follow.

[McColm]

For a Whiffer there are loads to choose from, either kit form or kitbashing as I will do with a 1/72 C-97 and a 1/144 Boeing 747.
I know that the 1/144 747 is a large kit as I had one in my stash. I was going to add an engine in the tail from a 1/100 TriStar Playfix East German manufacturer, the model was bought as Spare Parts.
Or add the engines from a 1/72 B-52G.
Other builds would include:
Lockheed Constellation upper on top of the C-97 lower fuselage section.

[Captain Canada]

So many ideas ! I like the idea of swapping out the C-97 wings. Interesting.....

[Captain Canada]

So many threads an so much talk about wing/ engines/ Shackletons etc. I figured I'd just put these here where Steven would find them 

Shak wings on the Sunderland



And the Stirling



Now I'm not too sure about the Sundy....looks funny and would be a boat load of work ( teehee ) to attach. But the Stirling just looks right.

[McColm]

Whilst I was building my amphibious Sunderland, used the Griffons off the Shackleton and turned the exhaust pipes pointed upwards. I dont think I'll bother using the C-130 landing gear next time. Maybe just the wheels instead. I shaped a small wooden door knob to represent the AEW radome for the forward turret and wedged it in with some filler to hide the gaps. At the rear I used the MAD boom from the Revell Br1150 Atlantic MPA kit. The upper turret was removed and filled in.
Using a blade and some fine strips of plasticard I managed a convincing pair of cargo doors on both sides of the fuselage.
I'm thinking of using the vacform Falcon kit from the Grumman E-1 AEW next time and replacing the engines with those from the Constellation kit.

Thanks for the photos.