Converting the Airfix Trident...

[Kev1n]

Another edit...by request, since a recent computer rebuild meant the pics vanished from this thread,...

I've reposted the pics and made a couple of changes to the text....read on...and if you get really lucky, I may even finish the models in time for SMW this year (thats 2012 btw...)

EDIT -

after more than two years....I have finally started work again on two Trident three conversions using the airfix kit so if you can trawl thru' all this, updated pics etc at the other end...

or...if you havent seen this ancient topic - enjoy

The Trident is one of those classic British aircraft that could have become a world beater but didnt due to political wrangling and the insistence of state owned BEA that the aircraft be tailored to it's own requirements before they would buy it. BEA originally wanted to buy Boeing 737's - the type that they did eventually acquire years later to replace the tridents...

During the design process, De Havilland invited Boeing to come and have a look, in the hope that a co-operative venture could be launched, and Boeing could'nt have done a better job with a bunch of fifth columnists....BEA meanwhile insisted that the size of the Trident be scaled down as they thought it was too big...Boeing then brought out the 727, which went on to become a best-seller while the Trident had BEA and less than a handful of customers. The Trident's design also had to be compromised to make it bigger while the 727 was simply stretched.

You decide who got it right....

The airfix Trident, while more or less right, does have a few flaws but also provides a good blank canvas from which to make any variant

The most obvious error is the nose wheel, which needs to be offset to the left and not central.

Less obvious are the wing root fairings and the shape of the fin and bullet fairing on top of it.

The fin is not quite the right shape on the kit, which gives the impression that it's too small. An easy fix is to add some filler to it and sand to shape. The bullet fairing should be more pointed,

so again an easy way is to stick a blob of filler on it and sand it (this is 1/144 scale remember so it's not very big)

The wing root fairings are slightly tricky in that they are different on all three variants of the aircraft.

The Trident Two, which in terms of looks, is outwardly almost the same as the Trident One, has straightforward fairings.

The belly cargo door needs to be filled and using plastic card and filler, shape and sand the fairings.

The T1 has a strake running from the rear of the fairing up the underside of the fuselage on the right hand side only!. This is not present on the T2 or T3.

The Two has slightly extended wingtips, one easy way is to clip the wings off another kit and use them,

(more on the use of two kits later with regard the conversion to the T3).

The other noticable diference is that the starboard rear cabin door is not present on the T2, so fill it on the kit.

...and one other difference...on the T1, both nose gear doors hang open when the gear is down - on the T2 and T3, the larger door is closed after the wheel is fully down...

Edited August 18, 2012 by kev1n

[BAC]

Superb!

[Kev1n]

TY!

..and you were quick...I'd just written the above and had to leave the pc for 10 minutes so posted it anyway...

so...the Trident Three -

Although the T1 and T2 look almost the same, the difference was range. The T1 was aimed at short haul routes and BEA needed a longer range version capable of flying non-stop

to destinations in Cyprus and eslewhere in the eastern mediterranean. So the Trident Two came along with more powerful engines and increased range.

However...BEA also needed to increase capacity on routes like London to Paris, wanted the Boeing 727, which bore a remarkable resemblance to the original Trident design,

were told by the Government that they could not because British jobs were at stake (does this sound familiar?) so the Trident Three was developed.

The 'three suffered from a number of problems. Stretching the fuselage was simple enough but the engines did not then have enough power to get it off the ground.

The Trident's ground-hugging tendencies already led it it to being nick-named "The Gripper" due to it's disinclination to leave a runway but the three needed the addition of a booster engine

to enable it to take off. The ground power unit was relocated from the base of the fin (it's the bullet shaped thing on the kit) and placed at the top of the intake to the centre engine and

the booster was put in it's place. The result is a slightly untidy group of four engines clustered around the tail, with a slightly altered shape to the intake of the center engine.

The kit - easiest way to make a T3 is to take two kits, chop out a pair of plugs and insert them forward and aft of the wings.

The same mods to the fin need to be made, and also the wing root fairings.

The center engine intake also needs to be changed slightly to reflect the apu's position...

Then there is the booster engine....give me a few days to take some more pics...I have two T3's on the go, one in the BA red tail scheme and one in the BEA speedjack scheme,

so as I progress I'll update this topic...

Given that these are both new builds, I will also be adding extra detail....Since I build the way I do....

One other important point btw...the cabin windows on the kit are wrong - they are not evenly spaced as depicted on the kit. In reality they are a nightmare.....so use decals and check photo - refs for the aircraft you want to build.

They differ on almost every type and sub-type.....

Edited August 18, 2012 by kev1n

[Kev1n]

Oh yeah...something I forgot about the Trident 1 and Two...

If your building a very early Trident One in the BEA "red square" livery, you could remove the apu housing from the base of the fin...or leave it.

If you leave it, the air intakes need to be added.

The earlier version was a simple v shaped opening, but later this changed. By the time of the BA merger the intakes were larger.

My solution was to add a small piece of plastic card and sand it to shape, then paint it appropriately, including the exhaust on top of the fairing, which got very dirty after a short while in service

These things are not plain white and the addition of details like this, even if the doors are all closed and no weathering is added can transform the look and realism of your model.

T2 conversion -

(above) the book shows a T1, with my nearly-done T2

(above) completed T2 from the airfix T1 kit

these pics are an almost out-of-the-box airfix T1C

Edited August 18, 2012 by kev1n

[KLP Publishing]

What a great thread! I've got this kit somewhere in the stash and been wondering what to do with it. I'm not excessively anal about accuracy or detail, but I do like to push myself with my builds, and you're providing great inspiration. You must be one of the most prolific and talented airliner modellers around (you've even got a cool name ).

Kev

[Kev1n]

well the name I'll go along with but I'm not so sure about the rest....but thanks for the kind comment anyway.#

[Kev1n]

going to bump this thread back up as there is somebody looking for it...

also some time soon, I'll have an update for it

[woody37]

Look forward to the updates mate, thanks for bumping

[avro683]

Thanks Kevin, I've added it to my favourites now so shouldn't lose it again! I have the excellent Twosix BEA red square transfers to go on this kit.

Tony

[Andy Young]

Looking great!.

Have you seen the "Database" article in the November 2009 issue of Aeroplane Monthly?. It has 20 or so pages all on the Trident, some excellent references.

Also, the December 2009 issue (already!) has an interesting hair-raising story about Trident G-AWZU on a test flight with jammed controls. All dealt with in true British fashion!.

Cheers, Andy

[Kev1n]

no I havent seen it....unfortunately.

never enough references....I wont be happy until I know everything....

[Kev1n]

BUMP!....after two years......

my pair of Trident three conversions are actually making progress......

the nearest one will be in the BA red tail colours, the other, which I still have to put a booster engine on, will be in BEA's speedjack scheme

...then do the wing root fairings and wings....

THEN!!!....I can start painting.....

Edited August 20, 2012 by kev1n

[woody37]

Watching with lots of interest Kev. Now hurry up

[Alf 64]

Verrry interesting ....

[Martian]

Bloody hell! I thought I was slow! Looking good though.

Martin

[stevesig]

Deja vu Kev

[stringbag]

A nicely put together and informative thread Kev. Thank you.

Chris.

[Kev1n]

.....Now hurry up

no

Deja vu Kev

dont think they will take 20 years tho....

[Darby]

Haven't seen one of those for years. I think the last time I saw one it was partly glue dto my face (please don't ask). Nice one!

[Kev1n]

cant resist - go on....tell us...how did you get a Trident glued to your face ?????

[woody37]

Haven't seen one of those for years. I think the last time I saw one it was partly glue dto my face (please don't ask). Nice one!

Lol, you've started something now, we NEED TO KNOW !!!!

[stevesig]

1975 to 2004 to be precise

dont think they will take 20 years tho....

[Kev1n]

LOL steve....it is of course, your drawings that my conversion uses, so the wait was worth it.

I'll be doing more to both tonight so updated pics posted soon

[stevesig]

Look forward to your updated build and observations. I feel like doing another one - that should take me to 2030

[Kev1n]

work is ongoing.....