Anyway, after much ado I finally recieved my 1/72 Spruce Goose. [8D] It took me a while to get some pics up, though, but here they are! But first: First Impressions.
Man, this this in HUGE!! Even by my standards! [8-] You’ll see in some of the following pics.
Unfortunatly, it comes at a price. The molds are very rounded. The only sharp edges I’ll have are at the junctions of seperate pieces. Also, I may not be able to get trailing edges very sharp without losing the intended shape. I’ll have to improvise somehow.
I thought there would be an issue motorizing this thing. I was wrong. The nacelles are gigantic! Nearly as long as my pinky, and as big around as a quarter (sorry for our non-American friends). I can just stuff- no, simply place- eight electric motors in there easily.
Anyway, I’ve teased enough. Here are pics!
Here’s a size comparision to my (in-progress) Ju 390 and my brother’s hand. Pretty big, eh?
Here is the length of the tailplanes as compared to a Hellcat, same scale. And again, my Ju 390 in the background.
Finally, the only piece I have actually glued on this monster- one of the wing floats. And if it’s any indication, I have big hands. [:D]
Thanks for checking this out. I know of a few people who have been eager for a bit of an update. Here you are!
Watch this space for more updates in the future! [:D][tup]
Yes, it’s still 2024 as far as my camera is concerned!
in one word…WOW… Lucien. you are a braver man than i attempting this bird.
i realy look forwrd to reading your build reports on this gigantic build. thats almost big enough to make into a radio control flyer, or at least taxyable on water.
LOL…
What a monster…you’re right about those trailing edges and things being very rounded…the price you pay when the plastic is 3mm thick. Good luck.
I’ll be watching your build with great interest - I love the Hercules…it now resides in my home state, at the Evergreen Museum - it was quite a chore to move the thing from California.
That is one giant bird. I’ve seen the real thing, it’s just south of Portland, OR. The museum building is built around it.
The engines look tiny, but they are really the biggest radials ever built. There is an SR-71 tucked under the right wing, it fits between the fuselage and the inboard engine. The world’s oldest DC-3 is parked under the other wing.
In real life, it’s so big, it’s more like standing next to a building. Looking at your pictures makes the size of that beast all the more real.
I must say, you DO like large models. That thing IS large enough for radio control, if it had the strength in the basic structure. Good luck on your project.
Wow man, looking at the comparison between the Hellcat and the tailplane, I am wondering if the Goose ever did fly, could they have used the wing to cat some Hellcats and/or Corsair during a mission[?]
Have you also started construction of the hangar you will need to house that monster? You have my utmost respect (and possibly sympathy) on this project! I will be watching with interest, thanks for sharing!
Kind of reminds me of the Graff Zepplin kits that came out a while back.
As a point of historical trivia, you know that Howard Hughes actually named the aircraft “The Hercules” and resented the “Spruce Goose” title given to it by Senator Brewster, who meant it to be a reference to the alledged “goosing” of the U.S. Government/taxpayer by Hughes Aircraft that began building it under a government war contract.
Since Mr. Hughes meant it to be a transport to replace a typical merchant trans[port ship that was subject to being sunk by the German U-Boat navy, hence it could contain a batallion of troops,tanks,trucks, guns and ammo, etc., I would think that the 1/72 scale would be a fun scale to depict a “what if” diorama with[:)]
I think you mentioned the need for interior details before, I have a DVD of the recent Aviator movie, and I think that the interior shots in it would have sufficient detailed information for your purposes Lucien.The set that I would recommend I got from Columbia House is the two-DVD set, especially since in the second DVD is the History Channel version of Howard Hughes’ exploits.
Actually (not sounding snotty or anything [;)]) the actual name “Hercules” was chosen via a company poll/contest. Hughes didn’t recommend it, he simply accepted it. He always referred to it as his “Flying Boat”. (That was one of the complaints with the “Aviator” movie. It gives the wrong impression.) His despising of the name “Spruce Goose” is correct. (Not much spruce in it, really. Mostly birch. The only problem, birch doesn’t rhyme with any bird. Rhymes with a fish, though. Unfortunately, “Birch Perch” doesn’t hold quite the same ring to it!)
I was able to rent the two disc “The Aviator”, and once I get to a point I can begin interior construction, I’ll have to rent it again. It was a good movie! I recommend.
I fiddled with the idea of a full, “What If” operational Goose, complete with markings, camo, and defensive turrets (many, many definsive turrets!). $225 was a bit steep to represent anything other than the original, though! I may to a what if Goose with the Minicraft 1/200, though. We’ll see! [:D]