220105: Tape for clear resin windows is High-Temp dielectric tape (Polyimide High Temp Resistant Tape with Silicone Adhesive, $10 at Amazon)
220105: Result is perfectly-filled windows with no adhesive residue or distortion.
220111: Socket for in-flight pedestal.
220111: Socket for in-flight pedestal.
220111: Socket for in-flight pedestal.
220111: 6.6 gr lead weight epoxied into the nose.
220111: Fuse closed up and flooded with 5-min epoxy.
220111: Filing the brass socket flush (Note silver paint pen to reveal defects).
220112: Those fiddly bits are supposed to close up the various doors.
220112: Fit could be better.
220112: Aft cargo door after sanding.
220112: Fwd cargo door after sanding.
220112: Fwd landing gear doors after filing and sanding.
220114: Port fwd personnel door and windshield after filing and sanding.
220114: Stbd aft personnal door after filing and sanding.
220114: Port aft personnel door after filing and sanding.
220120: Installing a brass spar to help set dihedral.
220121: Progress shot; in primer.
220121: 3D Printed engines from LACI have excellent internal detail and delicate cowlings/doors.
220121: 3D Printed engines (LACI) with engine pylons from Airfix kit (top) and from Easter Express 737-100 kit (middle).
220121: I hate to do this, but they're getting welded shut with CA.
220130: 3D Printed engines (LACI) with engines from Easter Express 737-100 kit.
220203: 3D Printed engines (LACI) with engine pylons from Airfix kit (middle) and from Easter Express 737-100 kit (top).
220203: Decided to go with the Easter Express 737-100 kit's engines.
220203: Decided to go with the Easter Express 737-100 kit's engines.
220204: Topcoat is Gloss White (WM rattlecan).
220204: Wings and engines in grey primer (WM rattlecan).
220204: Progress.
220210: Masking the demarcation with a copy of the decal sheet.
220210: Masking the demarcation with black electrical tape.
220210: Masking the demarcation with black electrical tape.
220211: NMF is various shades of Alclad II Lacquers.
220211: Vertical stab leading edge in Alclad II Chrome.
220211: Engines too in various shades of Alclad II Lacquers.
220211: Progress Report.
220211: Progress Report.
220211: First flight!
220211: First flight!
220211: First flight!
220216: Decals start with the eyes. (BOEING 707-737 PROFIPACK WINDSHIELDS, W002, by 8A Decs)
220217: Boeing Grey courtesy of Tamiya XF-80 Royal Light Grey.
220217: Boeing Grey courtesy of Tamiya XF-80 Royal Light Grey, metallics by Alclad II.
220218: Polished aluminium leading edges, etc. are metallics by Alclad II.
220218: Polished aluminium finish is various shades of Alclad II.
220221: Ready for decals.
220221: Engine detail. Meh.
220301: Windshield decal is BOEING 707-737 PROFIPACK WINDSHIELDS, W002, by 8A Decs.
220301: Starting on the livery.
220330 Construction complete.
220330 Construction complete.
220330 Construction complete.
220330 Construction complete.
220330 Construction complete.
220330 Construction complete.
220331 First revenue flight o'er water.
220331 Flight demo at Farnborough '68
220331 Flight demo at Farnborough '68
220331 Flight demo at Farnborough '68
220331 Flight demo at Farnborough '68
220331 Flight demo at Farnborough '68
220331 Flight demo at Farnborough '68
220331 Flight demo at Farnborough '68
220331 Flight demo at Farnborough '68
220331 Flight demo at Farnborough '68
220331 Low ceiling today.
220331 Low ceiling today.
220331 Low ceiling today.
December 8, 1972
December 8, 1972
Comments
18 17 March 2022, 20:10
Ben M The windows look like they came out awesome. How did you do them?
18 March 2022, 21:22
Andrew P Clear resin. I added a couple of photos showing how.
19 March 2022, 16:47
Ben M Thank you! Great use for the tape. What kind of resin do you use, the UV sensitive stuff? I really want to try this technique you've come up with, it looks perfect for subjects with lots of windows.
19 March 2022, 16:53
Andrew P I bought this stuff, although there are many similar products. Cures in a couple of days, which gives you plenty of time to tease out any bubbles.
"Epoxy-Resin-Kit for Jewelry, Art, Craft 16oz,Fast Curing, 2 Part Crystal Clear Casting Resin" amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B081GK2CQT
United was the launch customer for the Boeing 737-202. They were also the first operators to suffer a fatal loss and major calamity with the type, which had entered airline service nearly five years earlier in February 1968.
United Air Lines Flight 553 was a scheduled flight from Washington National Airport to Omaha, Nebraska, via Chicago Midway International Airport. On December 8, 1972, the Boeing 737-222 serving the flight, City of Lincoln, registration N9031U, crashed during an aborted landing and go-around while approaching Midway Airport.
The plane crashed into a residential neighborhood, destroying five houses and resulting in an intense fire on the ground. 43 of the 61 occupants aboard the aircraft and two people on the ground were killed.
The kit looks like a 737 and goes together well, with better-than-expected fit. The windows were filled with clear acrylic resin, not for see-through effect but because it is considerably easier than puttying and sanding. The doors were all sealed shut and the openings filled with CA and sanded smooth.
The engines in the kit, I learned while digging into the topic, were of the original design used only on the 737-100s, with a narrow pylon, short nacelle, and the original thrust reverser that deployed along the horizontal axis and was soon modified to avoid lifting the aircraft's tail off the ground with the thrust from the lower scoop while deployed (yikes!). I found a suitable replacement from Laci models, but was disappointed to learn that (1) I would have to close the open access doors, putty, and re-shape the nacelles and that (2) the nacelles needed tons of work to fit the Airfix wing.
At the same time, I learned that the Eastern Express 737-100 kit also has the "wrong" engines… that is, the engines with the fat nacelles that should be on the -200. So I went with a simple swap with relatively little re-work. The donor B321 is still in the box, with the Airfix engines, waiting her turn. You can have the Laci engines.
Decals are from Draw Decals and went down beautifully. Paints are WalMart rattlecan grey primer and gloss white, with Alclad II metallic and Tamiya acrylics for details.
The end result looks the part and fits well with my Boeing airliner collection. I hope it serves as a suitable tribute to all those souls lost that day, and to the loved ones that grieve their loss.