My Boeing 727 project

[F-27pax]

Capn', will you feel better when I get some primer on them.
Ray, I may need another 727-100, but I'm not sure yet. I'll get back to you.

Here is a photo of the production factory at the end of the first phase of 727-200 production. I find it a good approach to undertake production of all the models in a set up to the first stage of painting, mainly because most kits have their quirks and once I''ve found out what the problems and overcome them, it's best not to forget them and have to relearn them every time I make a new model from the same kit. One of the examples with this kit is the trick of getting the windscreen into the fuselage without it disappearing into the cavernous interior.

[F-27pax]

Since the above post I've decided that I have to be complete about this and found a couple more 727s that have to be made to complete the Plan. Hence now a total of ten 727-200s. They will be made up as: Ansett Airlines of Australia, Ansett flag tail, Ansett Southern Cross tail, Ansett Big A tail, TAA 1980s scheme, Australian, East West, Polynesian, Australian Air Express and DHL. (All but the DHL one can be made using Hawkeye decals. So far as I can see there is no DHL decals for a 727-200 but I reckon that the Draw decals 757 DHL decals will do the trick.)



If you can think of any more 727-200s that flew with VH registrations and schemes, I DON'T WANT TO KNOW. DON'T TELL ME!

After the excitement surrounding my attempt to use the first Hawkeye TAA decals scheme I checked with Peter of Hawkeye who let me know that I had the original Hawkeye decals for the orange and black Ansett Airlines of Australia scheme, and he is kindly sending me the current decal sheet. So, if you have this decal sheet, you need to seek the upgraded sheet rather than using this one.



Now, a question that one of youse guys might be able to help me with. The two 727-200 freighters are fitted with hushkitted engines and I'm wondering if somebody out there might make them (thus saving me the hassle of having to scratchbuilding them). I've looked at the AHS website, which is usually good for that type of thing, but not on this occasion that I could see. So, any suggestions appreciated.

Leigh

[Knotty]

Authentic airliners do a set for the FedEx 727 , have a look under accessories on the site .

Contrails also do some . Check out their site under engines . The AA ones would be my choice.

Cheers Knotty.

[F-27pax]

Thanks for the recommendation Knotty. Two sets are now on order and all is right with the world (more of less)
Interesting site. I will have to investigate it more fully later on.

Leigh

[tor lives]

Leigh,
I hate to add to your 727 build work-load, but don't forget 727-100 VH-TBS in all her different colour schemes, (including Air Nauru/TAA hybrid, Air Nauru/Australian hybrid, National Jet, Aviation Australia etc).
TOR

[hrtpaul]

Great work Leigh

[RayS]

Are you removing the fictitious trailing edge wing fence on the Airfix kits Leigh?



You can see the newly fabricated white bits on the leading edge of my build and 'nub' behind it on the tailing edge gone.

[F-27pax]

Ray - you had me going for a minute there and I was about to hate you for telling me of another 727-200 I didn't know about. But as it turns out VH-TBS flew for a while in DHL colours and I have a scheme for an overseas DHL 727-100 coming which I should be able to convert to an Australian registration. More difficult is VH-TAP, a 727-100 which flew with Bloodstock Air Services for about a year in the 1980s before disappearing overseas. For this I will need another 727-100 (did you get my email?) and more decal making skill than I currently possess.

Ray. Thanks for reminding me about those trailing edge wing fences. A couple of those 727-kits were about to go into the paint shop and if you hadn't reminded me tonight it would have been too late tomorrow.

Leigh

[F-27pax]

The project has been stalled for a little while while I considered the problem of the leasing edge wing fences. I'd been trying to pretend that they didn't exist so I didn't have to worry about them but they are so prominent that I finally decided that something had to be done about them.

In theory the solution is easy enough; cut a slot into the leading edge at the right point, insert a little bit on thin plasticard and then file it to shape. Not a bad plan if you're making one or two 727s, but when you have a dozen or so in mind it would be nice if they all looked the same. So i cruised the interweb looking for decent plans or photos of these wing fences and found little of any use, until I came across a set of photo etched parts for various leading edge fences and engine strakes that included two sets for 727s. It seems that the manufacturer has gone out of business and I could only find one set for sale on ebay, so I bought it. And waited a couple of weeks for the set to arrive. Here it is.



Since this gives me only fences for two 727s I've had to use a little brass bit as a template to make enough fences for all the 727s I'm to make, which was done through the mysteries of computers and looks something like this- in 1/144 of course.



Now all I have to do is transfer this image to a piece of thin plasticard, cut them one nice and neat and the problem is solved. Of course, I have now discovered that while the leading edges are bare metal the fences are painted Boeing grey. So the easiest thing to do will be to finish painting the leading edges, cut the slots for the fences which will also have been painted Boeing grey, and then a drop of superglue to hold them in place. It all sounds very simple, I'll let you know how it goes.

Leigh

[Graeme H]

Now all I have to do is transfer this image to a piece of thin plasticard, cut them one nice and neat and the problem is solved. Of course, I have now discovered that while the leading edges are bare metal the fences are painted Boeing grey. So the easiest thing to do will be to finish painting the leading edges, cut the slots for the fences which will also have been painted Boeing grey, and then a drop of superglue to hold them in place. It all sounds very simple, I'll let you know how it goes.

Leigh

The simple plans are always the best. I can see no possible problems,
good luck, cos if this works, we are all going to steal this idea.
and of course we can all tut tut, say told you so if there are problems, we are after all a bunch of fence sitters