Ray'S Revell B747-412F SIA Cargo

[RayS]

Here is another of my builds for the BM Airliner GB

After seeing a thread on the Revell B747-8F by one of the other participants I grabbed one of my older Revell B747s from the stash and started chopping.

Mine will be a -400F and I will fix some issues with the kit. Not worrying about wing AOA or nose plan shape. I will fix the nose hump and reshape the cockpit roof though.

Some chopping,


and gluing,



I managed to miscalculate the cuts and need to make some extras, always the case for me. But I think I have the hump sorted now.

I have the Flying Colours decal sheet and some Braz PW4000s from a previous failed attempt for this build.

Since these pictures were taken  I have started filling the seam work on the cuts and filled the cabin windows with super glue.

I will work on this one as time permits concentrating on the other 2 as they are nearing completion.

[jayveedee]

Looks nice, I have always wanted to build a 747. Why does Revell mold window openings?
I guess it goes back to their first airliners in the late 50s early 60s, seems outdated for
today's builds with so many sub types of one basic type. How do you cut so precisely,
Dremel or scalpel? I hack it with an X Acto then fill and file.---John

[RayS]

Airfix and Revell have long been supplying open cabin windows. I suppose it looks more real

I use a UMM panel scriber and razor saw to make my cuts for these types of conversions.

[Adam the Akrodude]

Great work on the major surgery so far Ray!

[Graeme H]

Great to see a Jumbo freighter conversion, some serious cutting and reattaching involved there Ray, and you are doing a great job of it.
Out of curiosity do you use superglue behind the cuts to reinforce when you reattach?

As you are fixing the nose from the side view, which is very obvious, are you planning on doing the plan view part which is not so obvious, or just giving it a miss?
Although it is noticeable, I personally don't think it's worth the major effort involved.

[RayS]

Thanks guys,

Graeme, I prefer not to use superglue. I try and melt it all together with tub glue to give the joints some flexibility when handling.

I will fix the side view issues with the nose and not worry about the plan shape at this stage.

[Graeme H]

Interesting that you want flexibility, I often found that meant hairline cracks later

Good call on not doing the plan shape

[tor lives]

A very interesting build Ray.
You have inspired me to take down from the curtain rails of doom the Revell 747-400 to 747-300 project, and continue on with it.
You blokes have mentioned certain apparent faults with this kit......for the benefit of others, could you explain in a little more detail what these faults are, and the recommended fixes.
TOR

[Graeme H]

TOR I don't have any photos to explain the problems, Scotty probably is the best for that if he wants to jump in with some, but basically

1. the nose line when viewed from the side, from the radome to the cockpit on the Revell kit has a really big hump in it, that is just not present on the real thing.
2. The nose when viewed from above (Plan view) starts to tapers in too far back, it should go the same fuselage width much further forward then taper to the nose
2 . other problems are varying views on are the angle of incidence of the wings to the fuselage, kinda important if you want it sitting on it's landing gear, some adjust the angle of incidence and that gives a better stance, some just lengthen the landing gear.

Basically the big one is the side view of the nose, this is very noticeable.
I have probably missed some other problems that do occur in different versions of the kit, I never had all versions.

[scotty100368]

That Harris bloke must be talking about me again, my ears are burning!

Yes, the nose is completely wrong in both profile and plan:



The rear fuselage is far too narrow compared to the earlier 100/200 kit:



And the wing doesn't have enough incidence causing the engines to rub the ground. Someone else (can't remember who) figured out a fix for that:



In short, Revell should just do a new fuselage set using the data from their 74-8 kits!

Scott.