Bell/Boeing/Learjet "LearJumper"

[MMM]

So, here's a little project I've been working on-a 1/48 Bell/Boeing/Lear "LearJumper" business VTOL.











Major assemblies are together and primed, and she's tacked together for these photos. She also has a full interior- although, of course the only bits the people are going to see are through the side windows, the windshield, and the open loading door.:







She's made from a 1/48 Revell Germany Learjet (which I think is a Hasegawa re-pop) and a 1/72 Italieri V-22 Osprey. I came up with this idea about six years ago, when I won the Learjet at a model show raffle and decided to see if the wings from a 1/72 V-22 would fit on the fuselage- pretty darn well, it turns out.  



Originally, I was going to do a more futuristic design, based loosely on a tail-less VTOL I saw in the manga version of GHOST IN THE SHELL. However, over the years one project and another came up, so eventually it ended up on the back shelf.

In December of 2015, my local model club came up with the subject of commercial aviation for their yearly build, judged every December at the annual Christmas party. I didn't really start to work on this until October 2015 or so.

I guess it's a viable design, too. When I was looking for paint schemes, I discovered the real-world Agusta/Westland AW 609, a commercial tilt-rotor that's going through certification testing right now.



Turns out, I was working on a what-if fanciful kitbash for so long, the real world caught up with me!

Now, what civilian scheme do I paint her in?

[kerick]

That looks very much like an idea I've been kicking around for a long time. The mixed scale works out really well!

[MMM]

I was a little concerned with the size of the powerplants, but I think they work just fine.

I am going to have to trim the blades, though- they do clear the fuselage, but at a scale distance of about 1 foot, and the prop wash may be a little loud at that distance.

One suggestion that was made was to do her up in gloss black with markings like the old Playboy Enterprises DC-9, and call her "The Bunny Hopper"...

[kerick]

LOL 

[Tophe]

Fabulous! I order immediately 10 copies (scale 1) for my staff! (joke, as I am not a top boss)...

[NARSES2]

That looks very neat

[The Rat]

That's a winner! 

[PR19_Kit]

LOVE that idea, and it's very much in the AW 609 mould.  

The Playboy scheme's pretty simple to do, and quite evocative of the type of aircraft that you've built. Just up Hefner's street, but he'd have to pass on the bath that was aboard his DC9.  

[sandiego89]

Like this a lot!

[Captain Canada]

What a great idea ! Looks good so far. Love the layout and the interior details.

[McColm]

Brilliant   

[KiwiZac]

Where the h*ll have you been hiding that? That first picture took my breath away, what a gorgeous build! Well done.

[kerick]

Ditto for all the comments above! Very classy looking.

[zenrat]

That is flippin' brilliant.

If you're designating it as a "Hopper" then surely it can only be finished in Qantas colours?

[kitnut617]

Great job, I really like that, would look good in Million Air scheme --