DONE@p.3 +++ 1:144 DC-8/2 (a.k.a "Dash Two"), Braniff International, early 70ies

[Dizzyfugu]

1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two", operated by Braniff International, early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Now it starts looking like a Braniff aircraft:


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two", operated by Braniff International, early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[PR19_Kit]

Now it starts looking like a Braniff aircraft:

Painted that colour it already did! 

[Dizzyfugu]

She's really looking sexy in that livery. Decals are coming closer - I won't add any paint effects, due to the small scale and the fcat that this is a shiny airliner, any shading or so would IMHO look dirty and out of scale. This has already worked well with the 727, but this one was basically in NMF, I am just a bit skeptical...

[TheChronicOne]

All the most glorious PR photos of airliners seem to showcase the most well kept & cleanest birds. 

[Dizzyfugu]

No new pics, but I added decals and the stabilizers yesterday evening, and the thing look GORGEOUS (and green, too)!
As expected, the tail section turned out to be a little too long (just 0.5", though), but the overall "product" came out very nicely! 

Some finishing touches to do, but then the varnish session can start.

[Dizzyfugu]

Et voilà:


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two", operated by Braniff International, early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two", operated by Braniff International, early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two", operated by Braniff International, early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[TheChronicOne]

Yay!!! Won't be long now, yeah?   

[loupgarou]

Really beautiful!
What a strange cave you have as workshop, Dizzy! (see last photo)
Are you modelling in the Lascaux cave? 
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Lascaux_04.jpg

[Dizzyfugu]

So, here's my (too) late final entry for the "more or less engines" GB: an 1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr



Some background:
During the 1950s Douglas Aircraft studied a short- to medium-range airliner to complement their higher capacity, long range DC-8 (DC stands for "Douglas Commercial"). A medium-range four-engine Model 2067 was studied, but it did not receive enough interest from airlines and was subsequently abandoned. The idea was not dead, though, and, in 1960, Douglas signed a two-year contract with Sud Aviation for technical cooperation. Douglas would market and support the Sud Aviation Caravelle and produce a licensed version if airlines ordered large numbers. None were ordered and Douglas returned to its own design studies after the cooperation deal expired.

Towards late 1961, several design studies were already underway and various layouts considered. Initial plans envisioned a compact aircraft, powered by two engines, a gross weight of 69,000 lb (31,300 kg) and a capacity of 60-80 passengers. The aircraft was to be considerably smaller than Boeing's 727, which was under development at that time, too, so that it would fill a different market niche. However, Douglas did not want to be late again, just as with the DC-8 versus the 707, so the development of the "small airliner" was soon pushed into two directions.

One of the development lines exploited the recent experience gathered through the cooperation with Sud Aviation, and the resulting aircraft shared the Caravelle's general layout with a pair of the new and more economical Pratt & Whitney JT8D turbofan engines mounted to the rear fuselage and high-set horizontal stabilizers.  Unlike the competing but larger Boeing 727 trijet, which used as many 707 components as possible, this aircraft, which should become the highly successful DC-9, was an all-new design with a potentially long development time.


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


This was a major business risk, and in order to avoid the market gap and loss of market shares to Boeing, a second design was driven forward, too. It copied Boeing's approach for the 727: take a proven design and re-use as many proven and existing components as possible to create a new airliner. This aircraft became the DC-8/2, better known as the "Dash Two" or just "Dasher". This aircraft heavily relied on DC-8 components – primarily the fuselage and the complete tail section, as well as structures and elements of the quad-airliner's wings, landing gear and propulsion system. Even the engines, a pair of JT3D turbofans in underwing nacelles, were taken over from the DC-8-50 which currently came from Douglas' production line.

The DC-8's fuselage was relatively wide for such a compact airliner, and its inside width of 138.25 in (351.2 cm) allowed a six-abreast seating, making the passenger cabin relatively comfortable (the DC-9 developed in parallel had a narrower fuselage and offered only five-abreast seating). In fact, the Dash Two's cabin layout initially copied many DC-8 elements like a spacious 1st class section with 12 seats, eight of them with wide benches facing each other in a kind of lounge space instead of single seats. The standard coach section comprised 66 seats with a luxurious 38" pitch. This together with the relatively large windows from the DC-8, created a roomy atmosphere.


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Douglas decided to tailor the Dash Two primarily to the domestic market: in late 1962, market research had revealed that the original 60-80 seat design was too small to be attractive for North American airlines. In consequence, the Dash Two's cabin layout was redesigned into a more conventional layout with 12 single 1st class seat in the first three rows (four abreast) plus 84 2nd class seats in fifteen rows (the last row with only four seats), so that the Dash Two's standard passenger capacity grew to 100 seats in this standard layout and a maximum of 148 seats in a tight, pure economy seating. The needs of airlines from around the world, esp. from smaller airlines, were expected to be covered by the more sophisticated and economical DC-9.

Douglas gave approval to produce the DC-8 Dash Two in January 1963, followed by the decision to work seriously on the DC-9 in April of the same year. While this was a double burden, the Dash Two was regarded as a low risk project and somewhat as a stopgap solution until the new DC-9 would be ready. Until 1964, when the first prototype made its maiden flight, Douglas expected orders for as many as 250 aircraft from American and Canadian airlines. Launch customers included Delta Airlines and Braniff International (10 each with options for 20 and 6 more, respectively) and Bonanza Air Lines (4). Despite this limited number, production was started, since no completely new production line had to be built up – most of the Dash Two's assembly took place in the DC-8 plant and with the same jigs and tools.


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Two versions of the DC-8/2 were offered from the start. Both were powered by JT3D-1 engines, but differed in details. The basic version without water injection was designated DC-8/2-10 (or "Dash Two-Ten"). A second version featured the same engines with water injection for additional thrust and a slightly (3 ft/91 cm) extended wing span. This was offered in parallel as the -20 for operations in "hot and high" environments and for a slightly higher starting weight. Unlike the DC-8, no freight version was offered.

However, even though the Dash Two was designed for short to medium routes, its origins from a big, international airliner resulted in some weak points. For instance, the aircraft did not feature useful details like built-in airstairs or an APU that allowed operations from smaller airports with less ground infrastructure than the major airports. In fact, the Dash Two was operationally more or less confined to routes between major airports, also because it relied heavily on DC-8 maintenance infrastructure and ground crews.

Even though the Dash Two had a good timing upon market entry, many smaller airlines from the American continent remained hesitant, so that further sales quickly stalled. Things got even worse when the smaller, lighter and brand-new DC-9 entered the short-haul market and almost completely cannibalized Douglas' Dash Two sales. Boeing's new 737 was another direct competitor, and foreign players like the British BAC One-Eleven had entered the American market, too, despite political influence to support domestic products.


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Even though the Dash Two was quite popular among its passengers and crews (it was, for its class, comfortable and handled well), the Dash Two turned out to be relatively expensive to operate, despite the many similarities with the DC-8. By 1970, only 62 aircraft had been sold. In an attempt to modernize the Dash Two's design and make it more attractive, an upgraded version was presented in May 1971. It featured a slightly stretched fuselage for a passenger capacity of 124 (vs. 100 in the standard layout, total maximum of 162) and was powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney JT8D-11 turbofan engines, capable of generating up to 6800 kg of thrust. This version was designated -30, but it did not find any takers in the crowded mid-range market. The DC-8/2 was already outdated.

Therefore, a half-hearted plan to replace the Dash Two -10 and -20's JT3D engines as -40 series with more fuel-efficient 22,000 lb (98.5 kN) CFM56-2 high-bypass turbofans, together with new nacelles and pylons built by Grumman Aerospace as well as new fairings of the air intakes below the nose, never left the drawing board, despite a similar update for the DC-8 was developed and offered. Douglas had given up on the DC-8/2 and now concentrated on the DC-9 family. Another blow against the aircraft came in the early 1970s: legislation for aircraft noise standards was being introduced in many countries. This seriously affected the Dash Two with its relatively loud JT3D engines, too, and several airlines approached Douglas (by then merged with McDonnell into McDonnell Douglas) for noise reduction modifications, but nothing was done. Third parties had developed aftermarket hushkits for the Dash Two, actually adapted from DC-8 upgrades, but beyond this measure there was no real move to keep the relatively small DC-8/2 fleet in service. In consequence, Dash Two production was stopped in 1974, with 77 aircraft having been ordered, but only 66 were ever delivered (most open orders were switched to DC-9s). By 1984 all machines had been retired.


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr



General characteristics:
    Crew: 3 (+ 3 flight attendants)
    Length: 125 ft (38.16 m)
    Wingspan: 105 ft 5 in (32.18 m)
    Height: 42 ft 4 in (12.92 m)
    Wing area: 1,970 sq ft (183 m2), 30° sweep   
    Empty weight: 96,562 lb (43,800 kg)
    Gross weight: 172,181 lb (78,100 kg)
    Fuel capacity: 46,297 lb (21,000 kg) normal; 58,422 lb (26,500 kg) maximum
    Cabin width: 138.25 in (351.2 cm)
    Two-class seats: 100 (12F@38" + 88Y@34")
    Single-class seats: 128@34", maximum of 148 in pure economy setup

Powerplant:
    2× Pratt & Whitney JT3D-1 turbofan engines, delivering 17,000 lb (76.1 kN) each

Performance:
    Maximum speed: 590 mph (950 km/h; 510 kn)
    Cruising speed: 470–530 mph (750–850 km/h; 400–460 kn) at 32,808–39,370 ft (10,000–12,000 m)
    Range: 1,320 mi (2,120 km; 1,140 nmi) with 26,455 lb (12,000 kg) payload
                  and 12,456 lb (5,650 kg) fuel reserve
                 1,709 mi (2,750 km) with 17,968 lb (8,150 kg) payload
                 and 12,456 lb (5,650 kg) fuel reserve
    Service ceiling: 39,000 ft (12,000 m)
    Rate of climb: 2,000 ft/min (10 m/s)
    Take-off run at MTOW: 7,218 ft (2,200 m)
    Landing run at normal landing weight: 4,757–6,070 ft (1,450–1,850 m)




1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:144 Douglas DC-8/2-20 a.k.a. "Dash Two"; "N1805", operated by Braniff International Airways; early Seventies (Whif/modified Minicraft DC-8 kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Just like my recent Boeing 727 with four engines, this conversion appears simple at first sight, but the execution caused some headaches. The biggest problem was the reduced depth of the shortened wings and how to mount then to the fuselage – but the attempt to take an additional fuselage plug away was an effective move that also helped to reduce overall length.
I am astonished how modern and plausible this shortened DC-8 looks. While building, the aircraft constantly reminded me of the Tupolev Tu-104 airliner, until the engines were added and it now resembled an Airbus A320, esp. when the landing gearw as finally added!

[Tophe]

Congratulations!

[PR19_Kit]

That's an absolute MASTERPIECE Thomas, I love it to bits! 

The backstory works really well  too and is very plausible, I can't wait to see the Bonanza version. 

I almost hate to tell you after such a well researched backstory, but the engines you used in that kit are JT3D-7s. The airliner fans call them 'Tube Engines' because that's what they look like compared to the earlier 'Side Exhausts' and the 'Pipe Organs' used on the DC8-50s and earlier.

[Old Wombat]

 

[TheChronicOne]

      Evil, I love it!!! Would cause MAD confusion at the airliner table in the midst of maintstream builds. "Is it a Boeing, is it an Airbus, what the hell is that?!"   


Beautiful work, man!!! I dig it and can definitely say, "I wish I thought of that!" 


(And, better than the original 737.....  )

[chrisonord]

Very nice Dizzy,   

[zenrat]

Good job Dizz.