My Boeing 707 project

[tor lives]

Loving the progress Leigh. Those AA engines look the business.
Speaking of engines, I don't suppose you wanna sell the now-spare ones you have ripped off the model do you???
I have a 707 project currently underway, (Israel Aircraft Industries 707 Tanker Company Demonstrator), that could use a set of JT3Cs.
TOR

[RayS]

The Braniff jet looks great Leigh!

As for the Roden engines, I had heard the opposite, that they were too big and you have proven it with you picture.

Looking forward to your other -100s

[F-27pax]

Well Ray, your comments have turned my fear of 707 pylons into a fear of 707 engines. I had heard the same thing about the Roden JT3Ds. So I thought I'd run an empirical test. Here are all the JT3C and JT3Ds I can lay my hands on immediately, I also have a set of white metal JT3Cs around here somewhere but they lack half way decent pylons. From the right: the Roden kit JT3C, the Authentic JT3C , the Roden kit JT3D, Welsh Models JT3D (from their 720 kit), the Minicraft JT3D (from their 707-320B kit) and the Contrails JT3D.



The first thing to note is that any resemblance between a JT3D and the Contrails version is purely coincidental, particularly the front fan housing which is vastly too long. This is a nuisance since I bought three sets of these engines to make my 707-328s - If anyone wants them despite their mutant appearance I can let them have them for free. Better in your house than mine.

The Welsh Models JT3D is a tad smaller than the Minicraft or Roden JT3Ds. The Welsh Models JT3Ds might be more accurate in terms of size but you can only get them by buying their complete 720B kit, which is not cheap. This leaves only the Roden and Minicraft JT3Ds and since they are of a similar size I'd guess they are close to being accurate - it would be hard for two companies to make the same mistake (unless Roden stole the sizing from Minicraft). Of the two I slightly prefer the Roden JT3Ds, but I don't know that you'd notice the difference on the kit.

So, Ray, I can let you have my spare Roden JT3Cs, though I don't know that you really want to use them. Welsh Models offer JT3Cs which might be better, but if you don't mind the size difference let me have your snail mail address and I will send them on to you.

It looks like I'm stuck with the Minicraft JT3Ds but the trouble is that I have three Minicraft 707s with three different engines - a 707-300 with JT4s and a 707-400 with Conways. However, I need three sets of JT3D enigines. After my experience with Authentic's JT3Cs I'd be happy if they offered JT3Ds, but they don't. So if anyone out there had spare sets of Minicraft JT3Ds they don't need, you can make me a happy modeller.

Leigh

[tor lives]

Hi Leigh,
Just a couple of things....your Contrail JT3Ds are in actual fact correct for what they are, as they represent the P&W JT3D that have been fitted with the extend nacelle "Super Q" hush kits. To my knowledge Contrails are in fact the only after-market manufacturer that offer this particular variant of the 707 JT3D engine.




I have a set of Contrail "standard" 707 JT3D engines that I would be happy to swap with you for the hush-kitted ones that you have, (I am planning on building a TNT 707 freighter that requires the hush-kitted JT3D engines).
Let me know your snail mail address so I can send you up the non hush-kitted Contrail JT3D engines if you are interested in making a swap
I would also be most happy to take the Roden JT3Cs of your hands, (let me know how much you want for em), as I will be fitting them to an old 1:144 Airfix 707 as part of the previously-mentioned IAI 707 Tanker Company Demonstrator refurb project I am working on.
My snail mail addy
Ray Woodford
7 Heatherbrae Cres
Sunbury, VIC
3429

TOR

[F-27pax]

I take your point, and I'm also planning to make the TNT 707 so I have a use for one of those engine sets. (If anyone else has plans to make a TNT 707 I have a spare set, which you will be needing, so Ray says.) I will send one along to you and the JT3Cs. In the post in a couple of days. You can send me yours to 119/29 Stawell Street South, Ballarat East, Vic 3350. I'm still uncomfortable about the bigger overall size of the Contrails JT3Ds but I will see what I think when they arrive.

Leigh

[tor lives]

I take your point, and I'm also planning to make the TNT 707 so I have a use for one of those engine sets. (If anyone else has plans to make a TNT 707 I have a spare set, which you will be needing, so Ray says.) I will send one along to you and the JT3Cs. In the post in a couple of days. You can send me yours to 119/29 Stawell Street South, Ballarat East, Vic 3350. I'm still uncomfortable about the bigger overall size of the Contrails JT3Ds but I will see what I think when they arrive.

Leigh

G'day Leigh.
Thanks for the engines mate.....much appreciated.
Have yours turned up yet???
TOR

[Graeme H]

Nice 707 happening there Leigh,
and nice engine comparison, I have a resin set by someone else, (Maybe 26 or Starr Miniatures) that are not great not bad, but a whole lot better than the Contrails ones., never realised how overscale they were
Back in the day Kurt used to market the Engines separately, and he included both long and short fan cowlings, they are by far the best of any JT3D engines, I have a long term plan to do Travolta's plane, using a Welsh B720 from the stash.

[F-27pax]

The engines arrived Ray, yesterday probably (I don't go and look every day). They look pretty good. Thanks.

Leigh

[F-27pax]

I'm back on the 707 wagon again. Here's the first completed one, a QEA 707-138B.





After having made a total mess of my 707-138 with the wrong engines I've had to have another go, which is, as you can see, on the way.



Other planned 707s is an American Airlines 707-120 using the fuselage plugs from the 138s and a QEA 707-338 and a TNT 707. I have Contrails JT3D standard engines and Contrails JT3D hushkitted engines for these. I'd also like to do a RAAF 707-338 but I don't have the engines for it - and you don't expect me to use the kit engines do you? I do have an additional JT3D hushkitted set that I don't need so if anyone has the Contrails standard JT3D set that they'd be prepared to swap for the huskitted set I'd be interested in hearing from them.

[RayS]

Love it Leigh, nice work