- This topic has 88 replies, 21 voices, and was last updated 1 month ago by
.
-
Posts
-
I was looking over the kit and instructions tonight and have a question regarding parts D40 and D 41. These parts are called out to be installed to the pylons in step 30, but in step 18 they appear to be attached to the upper rear of the engine nacelle. Perhaps they should be installed on the nacelles in step 18. Has anyone gotten that far in the construction yet?
Gene
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
Greetings!
Gene, I believe that those parts 40 and 41 attach the ejector to the rail underneath the pylon, so to make sure they are in the correct position, I would attach them to the ejector and then the ejector to the pylon. There is only one way to get this area right, and that is to consult detail photos carefully BEFORE gluing anything so that the whole thing looks right. Unfortunately, the instructions do not make clear how to build the kit with ejectors retracted (in cruise) and with them extended (on the ground). To identify which parts are for which, look at the different ejector pieces. The ones that have no skinny ring or reversers in the cutout at the front end of the ejector are for building retracted, and the ones with the little ring at the front and the solid indentation for the reverser stowed in forward thrust are for building with ejectors extended. It’s nice that you can do either way, but it would be nice if the instructions were more clear on this. I am very glad that he did his research, because he got the shapes pretty good, such as the rear of the ejector has a quarter moon shape to it vertically and is not flat on the rear end, and there are so many other little subtleties as well. He has the brakes on the inside halves of the wheels, and the 8 holes in the outside of the main gear wheels as well as the correct shape on the nosewheels. The landing gear pieces, especially the nosegear, look very fragile, so care is necessary when handling them. Since it has the brakes molded in, you could try scratching the brake compensating rods, but I doubt you would be able to do a swiveling bogie beam as all DC-8’s through the -61 had because in this scale it would be quite difficult to miniaturize it. If it all fits together with only a little sanding correction here and there, then we have a winner!
My kits arrived Monday afternoon between 1330 and 1335. That was 5 days after ordering and 4 days after Parcelforce had them for shipping. Always quick service from Hannants! So, I sat down in my La-Z-Boy in the living room and carefully opened the package with a knife, pulled a kit out and opened the box. About that time, a black and white streak of greased lightning known as Annie (and very often as PITA-Puss) came silently flying around the end of the package and onto my chest, proceeded to shake herself, depositing little water droplets all over the kit bags and box, then laid down on my chest in the middle of everything and proceeded to ignore what I was trying to do and started cleaning herself. About 10 minutes later she left whereupon I resumed my inspection of my new little gem. As you all know, there is no puss like your own little puss!
I have noticed that Hannants is now out of them, but I’m sure they will soon have a restock. My service from them has always been fast and never any problems with shortages or broken/missing parts.
Now, to the kit. As mentioned, the kit parts are very subtly detailed, and you’ll notice this in many areas. The rudder hinges are correct with the top hinge being parallel to the fuselage and the others being angled downward into the rudder, and the 2 little fairings for the control tabs on each of the elevators are there as is the one on top of each aileron, and the little teardrop fairings under the flaps are all there and appear to be correctly located. When a DC-8 is on the ground, the outer flap area is not flush with the wing because it has only a rail and no hydraulic cylinder. It’s an idler station, so inflight the airloads help to retract the flap, but only the inboard flap and the inboard 2 stations of the outboard flap have hydraulic cylinders. Although the slots are scribed, since there are the pylon wrapover inserts, the slots will not be correct. On DC-8 wings with wrapover pylons, the slots butt right up against the pylon, so you should be aware of that. And, if you want to build this kit with flaps extended for landing, the Aviation Megastore at Schiphol sells a resin conversion kit to do that, but I don’t know if their kit addresses the slots which should be open with flaps extended. As for other things, it appears the crease on the fuselage is subtle and well done, the passenger doors, galley service doors, baggage doors and other access panels are correctly and exquisitely done with very fine scribing, and I did not notice any sink marks anywhere. This is likely to be the most accurately done DC-8 model kit ever made, and I am very impressed!
Naturally, as said before, I am not the ace of the base, and I could easily have missed something, so if I have… speak up! I know of several other people on this list who know plenty about the Douglasaurus, and I hope they chime in.
Best regards,
Jeff Jarvis
God's "Curse" to aviation!
Jeff, thanks for you insights on this question, and your further explanations on some of the other details. I will be studying the instructions further and will indeed get it worked out before applying glue to anything.
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
Greetings!
A couple more things I forgot to mention… My eyes are not so young anymore, but I see distances just fine… It’s the near stuff that is a problem, and I’m glad I have an Optivisor to use when working on the tiny parts and identifying numbers on the sprues. This is a must for this kit! Sprue Brothers in Liberty, Missouri is one place that carries them and it’s where I got mine several years ago. Don’t try to build this little gem without something to magnify things while your hands are free to work, and a good pair of tweezers is also a must.
If you look at the walkaround section here and you look at the French Air Force DC-8, you’ll see many good reference photos. AFAIK, this DC-8 and the prototype (DC-8 #1) are the only ones converted to JT3D fan engines that retained the old pylons for ejector equipped DC-8’s and did not have the pylon angled upwards like all -50 and -61 series had. While the redundant ejector rails were no longer needed, you can still see the general shape and details of the pylons for this -32 kit. The French Air Force airplane was in Djibouti one time when I was there, and it was a converted -32 series airplane built for Northwest and later sold to UTA who sold it to the Air Force. In photo number 25 you can see the ground shift mechanism which places the airplane in the air. It is the spring that is attached to the scissors on the rear of the nose gear strut. When the airplane rotates on takeoff, the strut fully extends thus extending the spring which makes the airplane think it’s in the air. This then allows the airplane to pressurize, the electrical generators to go to airborne limits, drain masts to be heated, the blowaway jet button to popout and go into airborne mode and a myriad other things to occur. I used to know them all, but at my age… Of course. when landing, the reverse happens including extending spoilers if they are armed, unlocking the outboard thrust reversers from idle reverse only, etc.
I will try to find pictures which may be helpful to all of you, and since I am not a computer geek, I’ll have to seek help in getting them published in the walkaround section. Many
(all?) of the photos already there do not have explanations of what you’re looking at, so I’ll try to include that as well.Perhaps it is not obvious, but… I LOVE the DC-8!
Best regards,
Jeff Jarvis
God's "Curse" to aviation!
The nose gear is especially fragile. Mine is broken where the oleo meets the remainder of the strut; since the part is still on the sprue, should be easy enough to repair relying on the sprue to serve as a jig.
I’ve had similar issues with the Zvezda 737s and 757s. Have removed the gear parts from the sprue and stored them in their own containers (pill bottles, old film canisters, etc.).
Gene
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
…. This is likely to be the most accurately done DC-8 model kit ever made, and I am very impressed!
…
Best regards,
Jeff Jarvis
Wohhh, I thought the Minicraft kit was awesome. Now I have to get one!
I can create the Walkaround, Jeff. Please email them to me and I’ll get it done.
Thanks,
ahmed
KSFO
When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace becomes a circus.The Minicraft DC-8 was a quantum leap ahead of the Revell DC-8s; The X-Scale DC-8 is a significant leap forward and it targets a market niche Minicraft only paid lip service to.
I am not crazy about how X-Scale engineers the trailing edges of the wings and empennage; in that respect the Minicraft DC-8 is superior but its still a bit of an “Apples to Oranges” comparison.
-d-
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
DC-8 experts, I need your help! I tried to understand the differences between all DC-8 versions but I can’t really work it out from a modeler’s point of view. Especially all the different engine versions with very similar names are giving me a hard time. I know this kit represents a DC-8-32. Which versions can I make from this kit after modifications such as shortening/stretching the fuselage, or buying aftermarket engines?
For example, what would I need to do to convert it to a DC-8-55?
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
From what i read on the Wikipedia, the DC-8-55 was the ultimate “Short Fuselage” DC-8 version. Main innovation being the JT-3D engine, which as far as i can tell was the earlier nacelle design. Others like Jeff probably know all the other details.
You can’t make the X-Scale DC-8 any shorter. If you’re interested in a longer body DC-8, IMHO the Minicraft kit is still the best starting place. I know that at the trade shows Minicraft displayed a set of sprues to cater for the earlier JT-3D nacelle configuration, but i don’t know if it ever came to fruition.
I’m not nearly as sharp on the DC-8s as i am the VC-10, so take this only as a quick and dirty “first pass” looking at the subject.
-d-
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
The JT-3D engines that Minicraft initially displayed were a bit narrow. Ivo from braz models redesigned them, but Minicraft never issued the kit with these engines. Braz later released the JT-3D designed to fit the Minicraft kit in resin, which I believe are still available. You can use these engines to make a -50/61 from the Minicraft kit.
I don’t have any idea of the timeline, but X-Scale has a -50 kit in the works. My guess is that it will be much like the -32 kit but with JT-3D engines.
Gene
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
Forgot to mention that Braz also has a set of JT4 engines designed to fit the Minicraft kit.
Gene
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
Greetings!
The Flying Dutchman (De Vliegunde Hollander), to convert this kit to a DC-8-55 is not hard. All DC-8 airframes up to the Super 60 series were one size, i.e., all the same length. This kit of the DC-8-32 could build a DC-8-21, -31, -32 or -33 with no changes necessary to the kit. They all were equipped with JT4A engines with ejector assemblies. However, to build a fan model DC-8-51, -52, -53, -54F, -55 or -55F you need to use a JT3D fan engine, and that is it, except that the DC-8-55 and -55F had the rear pressure bulkhead moved further to the rear resulting in the rear galley service door being exactly opposite the rear passenger door. This would just mean rescribing the galley service door and add a passenger window. And, of course, there was a pure passenger model -55 and a freight model -55F, so you would need a main deck cargo door outline for the freighter.
I flew an ex KLM DC-8-55F on a contract to Diego Garcia in 1984, four cargo pallet positions up front, a bulkhead with a sliding door and 117 passenger seats in the back. I flew it from Sigonella, Sicily to Cairo and out to Diego (BIOT), then back the same way. Cairo was a fuel and catering stop. Once, in Cairo when I hit the start switch for #3 the woosh did not die out and kept on without the engine turning. The starter shaft had broken and the DC-8 was, by then, kind of a rare bird, so where do we find another starter? Ta Da! KLM to the rescue! They still had one in their spare parts stock even though they no longer operated the DC-8 into Cairo. About two hours and we were on our way. Gotta love KLM!
Best regards,
Jeff Jarvis
God's "Curse" to aviation!
Thanks for your helpful replies! And great story, Jeff 😎 I had a KLM machine in mind at first but I already have a lot of blue roofs in my display cabinet. I found another beauty for which I won’t have to swap my kit’s engines:
https://imgproc.airliners.net/photos/airliners/4/4/2/0465244.jpg?v=v40
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
Greetings!
De Vliegunde Hollander, you might still do it as a nice WHITE topped KLM with either angled vertical or horizontal light blue/medium blue stripes on the tail and a twin stripe cheatline. Several decal makers have the two paint schemes listed for the X-Scale DC-8-32 kit and the blue top scheme did not appear until around 1971, so the DC-8-32 airplanes did have the white top for most, if not all, of their lives at KLM. Just a thought… I liked it and filmed movies of them (DC-8-53 Sir Alexander Fleming) at Tocumen in Panama.
Best regards,
Jeff Jarvis
God's "Curse" to aviation!
Greetings,
You can also do a DC-8-11 using the Welsh Models JT-3C Engines Densil does. I have done a Delta Air Lines DC-8-11 in the delivery scheme with the Minicraft Kit with those engines. I think I will do a National Air Lines DC-8-21 or a United DC-8-11 with this kit. I haven’t decided yet.
Good Luck,
Mark
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
Hi all.
I finally received a few of this very nice kit. And I’m really looking foreward to also a series 50 from the maker.
My “old” decal LN144-504 SAS Dc-8 includes the names and registration for the series 30 operated by SAS in the
last “dragonship” livery. You only need to shorten the cheatlines 🙂
And we have started work on a decal for the first scheme carried by SAS on the series 30.
Happy modelling,
Ruben
http://www.lndecals.com
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
Still waiting for my two kits, DC-8-30 .
They will be painted as VARIG and PANAIR
Luiz Claudio
Does anyone know if Martinair Holland late 1960s-early 1970s markings exist for the DC-8-32/55? I would love to build this scheme.
Martinair Douglas DC-8-32 Volpati-1 – Martinair Flight 138 – Wikipedia
Douglas DC-8-55F, PH-MAU / 45856, Martinair (MP / MPH) : ABPic
Kind regards,
DutchIt looks like Aviation Megastore has a set for a Martinair DC-8-50
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
Mark, Thanks for the tip, but I am looking for the original red/blue striped scheme, not the red scheme. Kind regards, Dutch
Kind regards,
Dutchthe x-scale DC-8 came too late for me. Also bought a minicraft DC8-71 Delta, got from ebay some JT4 engines, i think from contrails and a set from Braz.
Set National Air Lines from classic-airlines.http://www.classic-airlines.com/065.html
Ralf
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
Does anyone know if Martinair Holland late 1960s-early 1970s markings exist for the DC-8-32/55? I would love to build this scheme.
Martinair Douglas DC-8-32 Volpati-1 – Martinair Flight 138 – Wikipedia
Douglas DC-8-55F, PH-MAU / 45856, Martinair (MP / MPH) : ABPic
Hi Dutch,
Ray at 26Decals will be releasing this livery any day now.
X14413 Martinair Holland Douglas DC-8-33 laser decal with screen print details – for X Scale kit
Happy modelling!
Vinny
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
Did anyone ever make decals in this scheme for the DC-9?
Gene
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
In case anybody is interested, a random sampling of pics i took of the DC-8 wing planks, during the insertion of the pylon fairing pieces…
Seen here with Mr Color C8 sprayed over the dried Starbond CA so i could assess the damage before sanding.
With the upper and lower planks glued together with Tamiya Extra Thin, i need to set these aside to outgas before i fill all those gaps anong the trailing edge.
Just killing time while i wait on new VC10 decals, anyway.
-d-
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
Convair990A,
Thanks for the engine pylon fairing / wing photos. Very encouraging. Seems that some “swizzle stick” sanding with just alittle rescribing is in order. I have my -33, just waiting for my -55 backordered from Hannants.
Kind regards,
DutchI initially tried going at the joints with a fairly coarse sanding stick, but it seemed to have little effect.
I next tried out some of those GodHand 240 grit sanding strips , and those plus the 400 grit ones made fairly quick work of the project. Certainly well enough for the “Heavy Lifting” until the time comes the clean up the wing leading edges.
When the lower glue joint is dry, we’ll put the Starbond CA to the test in filling those aggravating transverse joints panning the wing trailing edge.
I might build up just one of the engine nacelles, to get a feel for the fit and the overall amount of detail.
-d-
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
This is a good kit but there are other options out there. I would not discount the original Revell Dc-8 kitat all. Plus for all the work in the wing on the xscale kit. The minicraft kit as a conversion seems to me alot easier to deal with. Just my view however.
Jaime Diaz
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
Here are the wings after the gaps have been filled and sanded, but before the surface detail is restored.
Engineering-wise, it is what it is. The trailing edges however are super thin and the wings have zero warpage.
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
Greetings!
Gene, I believe that those parts 40 and 41 attach the ejector to the rail underneath the pylon, so to make sure they are in the correct position, I would attach them to the ejector and then the ejector to the pylon. There is only one way to get this area right, and that is to consult detail photos carefully BEFORE gluing anything so that the whole thing looks right. Unfortunately, the instructions do not make clear how to build the kit with ejectors retracted (in cruise) and with them extended (on the ground). To identify which parts are for which, look at the different ejector pieces. The ones that have no skinny ring or reversers in the cutout at the front end of the ejector are for building retracted, and the ones with the little ring at the front and the solid indentation for the reverser stowed in forward thrust are for building with ejectors extended. It’s nice that you can do either way, but it would be nice if the instructions were more clear on this.
I too am puzzled by the parts 40 and 41; i thought they were some kind of void filler for the rail if the ejectors were depicted closed.
Having said that, i may have built up the wrong ejector ring for my desired configuration. I want to build the Northwest -32 and they look cool with the ejectors slid back.
Good news is that the ejector hasn’t been glued to the pylon, and i’ve only built up one engine so far.
-d-
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
And here it is, after being sanded and re scribed.
The fit to the pylon has been optimized a bit, and the other Translating Ejector is built up and slid into place.
And now i have run out of excuses to avoid the Conways on the VC10.
Which begs the question: Has X-Scale considered a Conway-Powered DC-8??
Hope you Likee.
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
-d, Thank you for showing us the way! This will make my build so much easier. BTW, X-Scale announced a EC-24A US Navy DC-8-54F version. I am wondering if the -53 SARIGUE in french Air Force markings will be far behind?
Kind regards,
DutchYW.
I just assembled Number 2 engine tonight. There has definitely been some learning going on by building up one engine at a time, start to finish, than trying to build up all 4 simulatneously.
Film at 11.
-d-
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
-d, Thank you for showing us the way! This will make my build so much easier. BTW, X-Scale announced a EC-24A US Navy DC-8-54F version. I am wondering if the -53 SARIGUE in french Air Force markings will be far behind?
Would that be the same DC-8 at the Musee de Air et L’Espace, at Le Bourget? IIRC that was originally a Northwest Airlines bird.
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
Would that be the same DC-8 at the Musee de Air et L’Espace, at Le Bourget? IIRC that was originally a Northwest Airlines bird.
Yes! I believe that it started as a -32 or -33 before France bough tit and modified ot to SARIGUE configuration. Later, they upgraded it to a -53 configuration, which is what you see at the Musee de Air et L’Espace, at Le Bourget.
Kind regards,
DutchI am almost done with the engines. I’ll be making another report soon.
-d-
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
Most of my comments have been on the other DC-8 thread, but just as an update: Cockpit window piece installed…
The kit provided masks fit pretty well.
Seen here, with the first of two rounds of Mr Surfacer 1000, prior to priming and sanding.
More to come…
Edit your Profile to get a forum signature.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.