Quad Engine Super Caravelle ****FINISHED****

[TheChronicOne]

I'm going to go ahead and plunk down a property stake in this GB because I'm very much looking forward to making this build!

I'm taking two of what are reported to be crappy kits and smashing them together. I'm hoping the overall fitment and engineering is nice and the "crappy" part refers to accuracy or something (wishful thinking I bet).     Since it's whif, the "accuracy" doesn't matter worth a flip but I don't want to spend eons on PSR.   

So anyway, two Mister Craft SUD Caravelle kits will be sacrificed.



I'm going to add a couple engines to the two existing in a VC-10/Tu-62 type of configuration. At the same time, I'm going to insert a fuselage plug forward of the wing to stretch the Caravelle. The added fuselage length will magically balance perfectly with the additional engines for a most glorious aircraft.

Livery TBD.  Leaning toward United, though. It's such a lovely scheme... 

[rickshaw]

Remember, you are not allowed to start until 1 July!

[PR19_Kit]

Who mastered the Mistercraft Caravelle? Is it a re-pop of the old Airfix kit?

[Spey_Phantom]

ive built it some time ago, its horribly old, its a rebox of the60's RUCH/RPM kit.
we really need a new tool caravelle kit in this scale.

https://hangar47.com/se-210-caravelle-preview/

[PR19_Kit]

Looking at the sprue shots, that IS the Airfix kit for sure.

[TheChronicOne]

I heard it was a clone but can't remember who said it though. Makes sense considering the separate door pieces. A handy kit feature that I .... don't like.    At least there's just one on this thing, unlike the bigger ones like 747.   

I just happened to have my Airfix kit available. Top is Mistercraft, bottom is Airfix:



Yup, definitely Airfix roots. Some changes have been made, however....   nose shape and the windows. The new windows are HORRIBLE. They's TOO sharp and they all sit tilted!!    I'm praying that the black border around the kit window decals will sit over these just right to correct them.

[TheChronicOne]

Remember, you are not allowed to start until 1 July!

Wilco!!! In fact, I might not even be able to start it until a day or two later with the nutty schedule I've made for myself mowing lawns. 

Funny thing is, before I knew this GB existed, I nearly started this thing about 3 weeks ago and stopped because I didn't have a miter box.    SO, thanks to not having necessary supplies, I get to participate. One of very few times where not having the things I need winds up benefiting me. 

[TheChronicOne]

As anticipated, I'm a couple days late getting started, but I'm finally underway!   

It was bit awkward using my razor saw and miter box (first time) but did the appropriate cuts to the two sets of fuselage halves. It turned out a bit wonky and I had to use my big file to get everything back in alignment. It wasn't bad, however, so it didn't take long and it now looks really nice!! I've eyeballed it from multiple angles; down the nose, from the bottom, top, all sides, etc. and it is nearly dead on. There will be slight gaps where the cuts were made but easily filled and sanded over.   

After that, I cut out some sprue rods and glued a couple into the forward and a couple more into the rear sections of the halves on either side to serve as alignment, reinforcement, and "slides" to allow me to make fine adjustments once I join the front and rear fuselage pieces.

Here's a bit of what the extra length will look like.



It's not a huge extension. I don't know anything about the engines that were on the Caravelle that are represented with this kit, but I imagine with 4 of them, she'll be overengined.      Perhaps in my background story, one reason why this thing was made was in order to do over ocean flights, despite having a surplus of engines making it heavier and more expensive (although slightly offset by the additional seats of course!     ).   Or whatever.. I'm not too good at background stories and all that. 

I came up with a solution to the windows problem of having to deal with decals that are clear where the windows are, and meant to overlap the clear windows that I glued in. Well, in order to avoid all KINDS of problems (spacing, aligment, accuracy, etc. ) I'm going to go ahead and fill them all in and later on paint a black stripe down the fuselage like a cheatline (which it really is in this instance!! ) and when I put the decals on, the clear window holes will sit on the black strip and I will have avoided all the drama.

So that's that I guess. Here's one of the cut fuselage halves, windows in, and with the alignment posts.

[kerick]

I love it when a plan comes together!!

[Old Wombat]

You taking on Kit in the str-r-retched airliner stakes, Bro?

Brave man!

[Tophe]

I'm going to add a couple engines to the two existing in a VC-10/Tu-62 type of configuration.

I love this project! The first aircraft I went aboard was a Caravelle (aged 7 months old in summer 1964) and I clap my hands for this family extension!

[PR19_Kit]

You taking on Kit in the str-r-retched airliner stakes, Bro?

Brave man!

He's got a loooooong way to go. 

[Dizzyfugu]

I like the idea and the concept, too - and esp. with a Caravelle this change should look great. Considered such a build, too (with resin engines for a VC10 which I saw in a LHS), but shelved the idea becaue I was not quick enough. 

[TheChronicOne]

You taking on Kit in the str-r-retched airliner stakes, Bro?

Brave man!

I'd have to buy 10 more of these things to reach that level.     

Which leads me to my next thought of what to do with a stubby engine-less Caravelle (the left-overs). I'd like to kitbash and scale o rama it into a 1/72 trainer or possibly attacker or something.


Thanks everyone!!!   More today. I'd like to get the new fuselage together if I can but I need to add weight still and put in doors and....  uhh... bulkheads and maybe one or two other little items before I do so but I'd sure like to have a look at the fully-together lengthened fuselage. I can then grab the wings and mock eerything up for a pic or two.

[Dizzyfugu]

I did this to a Mistercraft Caravelle...


1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr