1/72 Anigrand C-17A Globemaster III - Updated 1 March 22

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Hi folks,

Well I mentioned in the Revell C-17 thread that I was working on the 1/72 Anigrand kit. I have a thread running over at ARC but since a lot of you don't frequent that forum I thought I would run a thread here as well.

Since the issue of the 1/144 Anigrand kit and now the Revell kit the short comings of Anigrand's monster are becoming well known (to me at least).

So a summary of the work so far.

Cockpit/Nose.

The kit's nose is too bulbous, so I fill the inside of the cockpit area with 5-minute epoxy and started sanding. This shot shows the modified side on the left after this shot was taken I sanded it a bit more to flatten it a little more. This also shows the left side wind root moved back, more on that later.

 

No picture thanks to Photobucket
...C-17/wingrootcomparisonsm.jpg

The windscreen panels are the wrong size and shape, took 3 goes to get the position and proportions about right. The nose profile also needs reshaping. The clear piece on the kit was deceiving as the rear window actually should be about 10mm forward of where the kit has it. It looks a mess at the moment but I hope after a primer it will be better (I hope). You can also see how much resin I have removed, the cockpit walls were about 2mm thick!

No picture thanks to Photobucket
..C-17/windscreenrework2sm.jpg

Wing Root

The wings are about 25mm too far forward on the fuselage so the root was removed and shifted back 25mm. This shot shows the move in progress, I cut a section out, removed 25mm from the back end of it, moved the root forward and glued the 25mm slab to the front. It needed to be reshaped to fit as well (I used an orbital sander to take the excess off ).

No picture thanks to Photobucket
...C-17/RootmovedbackSM.jpg

This shot shows the root moved and compared to the Revell kit.

No picture thanks to Photobucket
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Tail Fin

Started with this (below) shape is out, who would have guessed?

No picture thanks to Photobucket
...C-17/TailbeforeSM.jpg

After some putty, cutting and sanding... the rudders will be posed offset.

No picture thanks to Photobucket
...C-17/rudder3sm.jpg

Sponsons/Wheel wells

This is where I am up to now, Where do I start? Well let's see... the main well is short by 10mm and too far forward my 3mm. As a result, the paratroop door behind the sponson is also out by about 3mm, the auxiliary gear doors also need moving and I had previously noted the shape was out as well. Which means that the locating holes for the main gear legs are too far forward by about 5mm... are we having fun yet? So the Aux door I cut out on the other side is wrong and will need filling and moving to the correct location.

I also found another issue with the height of the well opening on the sponson (outboard side), it seems to be too tall, At this point I am not going to change it, all it may need is some card to fill the top edge of the opening and removing some material for the outboard gear doors. I may revisit it later.

On the picture below you can see my scribbling, the dotted lines show the current scribed positions of the aux and para doors, I have also drawn in the sponson extension. The hatched areas are what I need to cut out/off.

No picture thanks to Photobucket
...C-17/RHSponsonSM.jpg

Rear Ramp

I decided to open it up and used the kits panel lines as a guide, turns out they are wrong, so I have remarked the lines and will have to cut more (hatched area).

No picture thanks to Photobucket
...C-17/RampmodsSM.jpg

So there you go, that is where I am at, I have a day at a model show do a building demo tomorrow so I will be updating the other side cockpit windows, modding the sponsons and openning up the ramp area. Wish me luck!

 

 

[Seamus]

Bloody hell Ray, there's some serious surgery going on there! You're a far braver man than me

I'd love an IM C-17 in 1/72 as this kit is way beyond my ability, just have to hope Revell upscale their new kit.....unlikely

Will be keeping a close eye on this one, good luck with it

Edited February 25, 2009 by Seamus

[Mike]

Ray... I take my hat off to you matey... that's classy work there. It's a shame that you can't hook up with someone to cast those fuselage halves, or even sell them back to Anigrand to modify their efforts in future.

Whatever the outcome and don't you DARE stop posting on this one... I'm paying rapt attention (a favorite aircraft of mine ).

[GreenDragon]

Wow! That's one hell of a surgery job Ray. I'd heard it was a bit inaccurate around the nose but Dayamn! Good luck with the rest of the build.

Paul Harrison

[AnonymousFO98]

do we assume it ain't one of them there shake an' bake kits?

good luck Ray- though i reckon you won't need it - my money is on you turning it into a belter

[JJL567]

Ray,

I have one of these in my loft, and the amount of work needed to improve is saddening.

However, this thread is one that I'm certainly going to follow.

Fantastic stuff!

Note. Please doctor their C-141B next as I have one of those too, which I WOULD like to build!

Cheers,

Jon

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Thanks for the kind words gents

JJL567 said:

Ray,

I have one of these in my loft, and the amount of work needed to improve is saddening.

However, this thread is one that I'm certainly going to follow.

Fantastic stuff!

Note. Please doctor their C-141B next as I have one of those too, which I WOULD like to build!

Cheers,

Jon

Hi Jon,

I thought the C141 was pretty good shape-wise. Sorry to disappoint but I don't have the kit if any one is willing to donate one I will happily go to town on it

Ok on to a progress report, I spent yesterday demonstrating modelling to the public at the Royal Canberra Show which gave me great opportunity to progress.

First I got the windscreen openings on both fuselage halves done, sorry about the bad picture, the camera batteries died just as I took this.

 

No picture thanks to Photobucket
...C-17/cockpitworkSM-1.jpg

 

I then opened up the ramp to the correct size, sorry no pics, dead camera batteries. Next, I will need to assemble a ramp from all the bits I cut up over the last month or so.

Finally, I started work on the sponson extension, I was going to go the 'build a putty bomb' at the front of the sponson but a friend suggested cutting the front of it off and filling the bit in between instead, so that is what I have started to do. I cut the sponson apart and then added some thick card to each part. This resultant gap was filled with thin card wrap over some formers that were glued to each sponson part. This did not go to plan but I think I have salvaged it. I layered superglue in behind the thin card as it will need some reshaping and I will need to drill a hole into it for the APU exhaust. Next will be to shape it and get it ready to glue to the fuselage half, this will not be done until the Under carriage re-jig is carried out. Took this picture before the first

 

No picture thanks to Photobucket
...C-17/updatedsponsonsSM.jpg

 

The bottom sponson does not look too straight but it is fine, I will be filling the bottom side to straighten it out. I had also extended the main wheel wells back by 10mm on each side by cutting a chunk out of the sponson and as you can see in the picture the top sponson has had the forward area filled to bring it back to the correct length and position. Further work on the sponson includes relocating the holes for the gear legs and modifying the legs top portion to show a bit more support structure while retaining the locating area in the false ceiling in the well.

I had started to shape the cockpit floor piece ready to populate the cockpit. I have another session Sunday morning so I hope to get the sponson into shape and progress the cockpit and ramp works.

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Minor update, I have started to putty the RH sponson, the fun will be repositioning the main landing gear locating holes (on both sponsons0 and removing the current ribbing in the wells are less than accurate. Looking forward tomy trip next week to Melbourne where I will see things first hand.

I have also assembled the ramp from the multitude of pieces it ended up in after the chopping. This still needs to be checked against refs to see what the edges look like, I may use it a template for a scratch built version.

Also started on the cockpit area by cutting out a new floor which will be shaped and tacked into place so I can figure out where all the bits and pieces will go.

Pictures to follow soon.

[pacificmustang]

super super work Ray, you are getting me interested in starting mine!! Too much else to complete though!! I am sure I had some pics of the gear somewhere but this is all I could find

not that it matters if you are travelling to Avalon next week

regards

Bruce

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Thanks for the pictures Bruce, that first one is a good one for the detail on the back wall of the well.

Some minor work completed since the last update. I have started to putty the cockpit to cover all the divots.

The right hand sponson has had a layer of Milliput applied to refine the shape, sanding to follow.

A reverse shot of the sponson to show how I built the plug.

I also finished opening up the ramp area to the correct size.

Edited May 26, 2010 by TrojanThunder

[hatchet]

Great build you're doing there Ray!

I have some pic's of a C-17

Maybe they can help a bit

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Thanks Martin,

They are excellent and show a lot of detail I am after.

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

I progressed a little last night, I have removed the false well ceiling on the left hand sponson, opened up the door openings (and filled part of the one I put in the wrong place). Since taking this picture the made up well wall ribbing has been removed.

Next pictures shows the false ceiling removed and the locating holes for the undercarriage repositioned 5 mm aft of the position they were on the kit. I have removed the excess resin around the location points. This will be hidden (hopefully) under some support structure I will add.

To make the fuselage/gear joint stronger I am adding some internal ribbing to the well walls as per the set up on the actual aircraft. The major support ribs will be pinned to the fuselage and the A frame part of strut pinned to the rib. The first rib is shaped, just 7 more to go!

I then moved to the gear assemblies themselves, I had not assembled them all at the same time and came a cross this, anyone pick the problem?

Yes, good old Anigrand supplied 3 of one side of the lower gear section and one of the other, I will have to flip one and do some reshaping and drill new locating holes in the other side.

Finally I got to do some test fitting of the gear and the ribbing, (and yes I might have the wrong side strut in there) I was a little confused by the diagram I was using, checking out the C-17 at Avalon will clear this up for me.

So there we have it, on to tidying up the ribs and attacking the other side.

Edited May 26, 2010 by TrojanThunder

[upnorth]

A braver man than I for doing all this.......

Great work by the way!

[Stebos]

Wow, that's some dedication to a build. Impressive work and I thought the Seamaster was dodgy in places!

Should be a real peach when done...

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Thanks for the comments gents!

Finally getting back to this one, have been adjusting the fit of the cockpit floor and started to add some parts to it. The side consoles are way over sized so they have been cut down in length and height. I also cut down the centre console before gluing it to the instrument panel and realised I cut too much off. So I added some card to the top of it to build it back up again. The bulkheads have been a pain to shape but I think I am there. Next is to add the observers consoles behind the main left and right one.

My airbrush is now serviceable so I can get some painting happening as well.

I managed to snap over a 100 shots of the beast at the Avalon airshow, fortunately there was no one around except the crew. So I have plenty of reference to work from now.

Edited May 26, 2010 by TrojanThunder

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Well I got back in the saddle with this build over the weekend.

I finally started to build up the crew rest area behind the cockpit. I was doing this work at a mate's place and did not have too much reference with me so I managed to drill the observation window too low. Still to do is install a bunk under the repositioned window and start on the satirs to the cargo deck.

I also had to clean up the fuselage insides to ge tthe updated cockpit to fit. I removed escess epoxy from the cockpit walls and the reinforcing strips down near the ramp. Then some putty was applied to smooth out the divots from the grinding.

More updates soon

Edited May 26, 2010 by TrojanThunder

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Another update.

I have got most of the forward fuselage/cockpit sorted out. Last night I got the loadmaster's area and stairwell on the way to completion. Also finished installing the bunks and repositioned the window into the cargo area. I also beefed up the avioincs racks.

The cargo floor was put together and cut to shape but still needs some adjusting. Finally I cut out the crew entry door out and started on the stowage racks in the main cargo compartment.

More to follow:

Edited December 1, 2011 by TrojanThunder

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

OK,

Here are few pictures of the interior as it stands now. I have stuffed up a few measurements, I use the TLAR method so I am not worried.

Here is the cargo hold area with started wall panel taped in

Another veiw of the forward cargo area showing the alomsot finished stairwell ( I just need to add some steps)

And finally a view of the cockpit area.

Oh, and I cut the cockpit roof off so I could sort out the fit of the cockpit area easier, it was starting to give the sh*ts not being able to locate it possitively.

Edited May 26, 2010 by TrojanThunder

[nimrod77]

Imagine running into you here Ray!

Very nice as always

I admire your commitment to this kit! I would have given up on her if I had to move the wings forward like that

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Yes I get around Nathan, as do you it seems!

Still sorting out the interior fittings at the moment. Pictures to follow soon.

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

I am progressing with the interior walls, I have added a few of the stowage bays and the seats and step under them.

This shot shows the wall section test fitted inside the fuselage. I hope to start on the other side once I get this side sorted.

Thanks for looking.

Edited May 26, 2010 by TrojanThunder

[ollieholmes]

This is coming along nicely. I look forward to more progress.

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Time to report a little progress.

I have been working on the the interior and main wheel wells. I had some fit issues and realiased that one of the walls I had glued in was too low. So out it came and some re-adjustment to level things up.

Gear and support test fit

Troop door and sponson cut down

I also finally added a bulkhead to the left main wheel well and I have cut out the left troop door down back. I am in the throws of drilling and pinning the main gear components and keep breaking drill bits

Anyway at least I back on this one. I will carry on with the gear so I can get the sponsons fitted and get back to the interior so Ican get it buttoned up.

Interior wall work

Ray

Missed it by that much!....

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Seems I am back into this build for a while

I have added the right hand sponsion and added some ribbing detail inside.

I am finding shape issues with most parts now. The sponson has been trimmed and thinned a little to make it look more the correct shape. Seems it may be a few mm too long as well but I am not going to correct that at this stage.