RC-135V Rivet Joint restoration
![Album image #1 Album image #1](/albums/img/0/3/7/880037-46074-74-720.jpg)
I am starting with an old model that has been partially built and half broken.
![Album image #2 Album image #2](/albums/img/0/3/8/880038-46074-50-720.jpg)
I am starting with an old model that has been partially built and half broken.
![Album image #3 Album image #3](/albums/img/0/3/9/880039-46074-10-720.jpg)
Broken nose
![Album image #4 Album image #4](/albums/img/0/4/0/880040-46074-83-720.jpg)
Poorly done paint job
![Album image #5 Album image #5](/albums/img/0/4/1/880041-46074-57-720.jpg)
I first had to remove the old paint to see how bad the scratches and construction were.
![Album image #6 Album image #6](/albums/img/0/4/2/880042-46074-82-720.jpg)
I first had to remove the old paint to see how bad the scratches and construction were.
![Album image #7 Album image #7](/albums/img/0/2/7/881027-46074-26-720.jpg)
Broken wingtips repaired with super glue
![Album image #8 Album image #8](/albums/img/0/2/8/881028-46074-95-720.jpg)
Nose repaired with epoxy
![Album image #9 Album image #9](/albums/img/7/5/6/881756-46074-69-720.jpg)
Broken windshield requiring repair.
![Album image #10 Album image #10](/albums/img/9/2/7/883927-46074-55-720.jpg)
Windshield repaired using clear plastic cut into 3 windows and attached with super glue. After attaching the canopy the remaining old windows cracked. So in the end I could not use this piece and had to start over.
![Album image #11 Album image #11](/albums/img/9/2/8/883928-46074-36-720.jpg)
Control stick repaired using a cocktail stick
![Album image #12 Album image #12](/albums/img/6/9/6/885696-46074-30-720.jpg)
Misshapen engine cowlings need to be corrected and the angle of the engine is off.
![Album image #13 Album image #13](/albums/img/7/0/8/885708-46074-23-720.jpg)
Old fans removed and will be replaced with scratch built fans.
![Album image #14 Album image #14](/albums/img/7/6/6/885766-46074-47-720.jpg)
Scratch built engine made from cut copper pipe, aluminum from a tea light, and cone from the original model piece.
![Album image #15 Album image #15](/albums/img/7/8/9/885789-46074-51-720.jpg)
Old engines from the kit compared to the new scratch built engine.
![Album image #16 Album image #16](/albums/img/2/9/7/886297-46074-95-720.jpg)
Engines and metal reinforcement set in place. Next step reshaping the engine cowell with epoxy.
![Album image #17 Album image #17](/albums/img/6/1/4/887614-46074-59-720.jpg)
After repairing the nose I dropped the model and have to redo it.
![Album image #18 Album image #18](/albums/img/1/0/0/888100-46074-92-720.jpg)
Nose repaired for the second time.
![Album image #19 Album image #19](/albums/img/1/0/1/888101-46074-90-720.jpg)
Engine cowlings made with epoxy and styrene.
![Album image #20 Album image #20](/albums/img/8/3/8/889838-46074-90-720.jpg)
The windows need to be removed and replaced.
![Album image #21 Album image #21](/albums/img/9/0/8/889908-46074-87-720.jpg)
I removed the windows and will have to do some minor adjustments before glazing them. Note the wing lights are also in need of repair.
![Album image #22 Album image #22](/albums/img/6/6/4/1297664-46074-52-720.jpg)
The ribbing was damaged and will have to be replaced. Here, I have made a tracing to document the placement.
![Album image #23 Album image #23](/albums/img/6/6/5/1297665-46074-32-720.jpg)
Ribbing sanded off. Let's hope I can put it back on correctly.
![Album image #24 Album image #24](/albums/img/6/7/5/1297675-46074-94-720.jpg)
Where the wings joined together there were large uneven areas that had to be filled with putty and touched up with super glue before being sanded out even.
![Album image #25 Album image #25](/albums/img/7/0/2/1297702-46074-15-720.jpg)
Sanding results. The entire plane will have to be rescribed later.
Komentáře
22 20 November 2020, 22:43
![](/profiles/img/46074-690-s.jpg)
I've started this restoration as a side project. Let see if I can save this old model.
20 November 2020, 22:52
![](/profiles/img/46074-690-s.jpg)
Thank you Marco, this restoration has its challenges because many of the original parts need to be rebuilt from scratch. The original canopy is giving me a hard time right now because the plastic is brittle. I replaced several windows in the windshield and when I was finished and glued in the canopy the remaining windows from the original part cracked. I have to start over and rebuild it again. 10 hours of work just turned into 10 hours of practice.
28 November 2020, 00:16
![](/profiles/img/19497-643-s.jpg)
From what I can see in your photos, you are doing a cracking job restoring the model.
Have you tried to vacform a replacement part for the canopy? My experiences with vacforming have been somewhat hit'n miss, but once in a while it results nicely (well, I have an improvised vac-forming rig and I blame my unsucsseful experiences on it :-D). In this blog post you can check one of my better experiments: mpminiatures.wordpre..-3-172-scale-part-2/
I hope it helps and best of luck with the Rivet Joint model.
Cheers
mpminiatures.wordpress.com
28 November 2020, 02:47
![](/profiles/img/46074-690-s.jpg)
Just finished sanding up to 3000 grit. The previous owner had painted over large scratched areas where the wings join the fuselage where he had used 80 grit sandpaper!
5 December 2020, 17:24
![](/profiles/img/46074-690-s.jpg)
Thanks guys. It's a bit of a challenge working on a kit that was half built. Fixing some areas is almost impossible without dissecting the whole kit. But I hope to make it at least presentable.
5 December 2020, 17:57
![](/profiles/img/46074-690-s.jpg)
Marco, I have a few vacuform kits but I have never tried doing vacuforming myself. Normally I would cast new pieces. I'd be interested in learning how to build a vacuform machine.
5 December 2020, 18:04
![](/profiles/img/27826-126-s.jpg)
Skywalker, I made myself a rudimentary vacuum machine, cutting some boards, making some holes and using a vacuum cleaner to be able to make a vacuum and a hair dryer to adjust the shape and give heat to the acetate sheet. It is not very professional, but something does. You can see it in my Comet Racer project, between pics 66 and 72:
DH.88 Comet Racer Project | Album by Cuajete (1:72)
In some sites they sell vacuum machines of different sizes. You may be more interested in buying one like these:
1. feroca.com/en/vacuum..-a5-para-worbla.html
2. feroca.com/en/vacuum..-a4-para-worbla.html
I hope that in some way it helps you.
5 December 2020, 18:44
![](/profiles/img/46074-690-s.jpg)
Cuajete, thanks for the links. I really like what you made. Maybe I will try my hand at making one.
5 December 2020, 20:03
![](/profiles/img/46074-690-s.jpg)
The decals that come with the kit are USAF from the 80s. I will probably use them.
8 December 2020, 06:08
![](/profiles/img/13641-502-s.jpg)
What a cool project, my old Frog's Canberra is undergoing similar operation too. 👍
8 December 2020, 12:40
![](/profiles/img/21096-573-s.jpg)
lots of work to return this to life. but the result promises to be excellent, so well worth it. those turbines look really great by the way.
5 August 2022, 09:08
![](/profiles/img/21096-573-s.jpg)
there is an alternative to make transparents parts that does not require the vacuum. you can make piece with same shape you need, but a bit smaller. then take a piece of wood and cut a hole a bit bigger than the piece you made. attach transparent plastic to the wood (fix it with staples for example). heat it up an press against the piece so the transparent plastic will take the right shape. i did use this technique years ago to make a canopy for a Mig-29 (Early Builds or Hall of Shame - 1980's and 1990's | Album by hetspanjaard), or a dome for the top of a scratch R2-D2
5 August 2022, 09:26
![](/profiles/img/13641-502-s.jpg)
Or you can use some PVA glue or Kristal Klear-like stuff. Some UV glues are sandable too (after curing)
5 August 2022, 11:20
Album info
Used model in desperate need of restoration.