Other than a refueling boom and boom operator window is there any physical differences and is there any aftermarket booms or would I have to scratch one and im looking in 144th to 200th scale
You would have to remove a lot of the side windows from a standard 707 as well. The KC has only a few per side as opposed to the 707 having them down the length of the whole passenger area. Then depending upon what era of 135 you are doing, there are potentialy also engine differences and wing pods for hose & drogue reels.
Im wanting to do 60s era sac tanker
Where the boom is/was and where the operator "worked, there were “bumps” on the bottom of the fuselage.
The fuselage of the KC-135 is different from the 707. It is narrower, has a different cross section, and is shorter. You would need to scratchbuild a new fuselage from a 707 to make a KC-135. You can’t just add the refueling station to a 707 and get a KC-135.
Ehh…sure he can. Just use some reference photos from the 60s and go from there. Just fill in the windows save for a couple. The boomer stattion could be scratched.
Minicraft’s KC-135E apparently has been released. Check a well known US civil airline hobby supplier.
Need to replace the engines, though. Easier than fiddling with the fuselage. Expensive but some of the 1/200 display companies like Skymark might have a KC-135A that you could modify or repaint.
Best wishes,
Grant
Go for the new Minicraft kit, as soon as a few reviews are out. Won’t be long.
Just out of curiosity, Bronto, where did this info come from?
Sorry, Vejo,
I don’t know how much you want to know about the differences between the two aircraft, but look up the wiki page on the B707 and scroll down to the B367 prototype section. It explains the reasoning why the B707 fuselage had to be widened and the KC-135 wasn’t.
Most histories of the B707 and KC-135 point out the distinction between the their fuselage widths.
Expensive but worth it if you really want to know more about the KC-135.
Hope that this is helpful.
Best wishes,
Grant
Grant, Wasn’t trying to be contentious, just an AFBrat. In the years I spent seeing 135s on the flightline (sometimes next to chartered 707s) it never appeared to me that there was a difference other than the windows and the boom.
Actually you could, and I bet 95% of folks would not know the difference. Now it would not be accurate, but…
Viejo,
I didn’t think that you were and I hope that you won’t think I was trying to be that either. I just tried to provide info to cover all of the bases.
By chance, I also have a connection the the C-135 series. I worked on and sometimes flew on WC-135Bs. Once the mission that I was on needed air to air refueling. Got a little air sick. I also flew Space A to England on a KC-135A. So when I’m able to get a KC-135E, it will be modified to be a WC-135B.
Best wishes,
Grant
95% might not know the difference, but that doesn’t mean it is a KC-135, it would still be a 707 with a refueling station. As for where I got the information (as someone asked) - do ANY research on the KC-135 and you will find that it is a different fuselage from a 707.
I seen hobbylinc has a minicraft kc135 in stock and I know it wont be here by Christmas an my lhs has a b707 im wanting to do a 135 fueling up a buff for my dad as a christmas gift since they’re both his favorite aircraft
Well if you are looking at doing this for a Christmas gift it is pretty late in the game. To have it built, converted, painted, decaled, and packaged up in 72 hours is really pushing it. Perhaps you may want to look at one of those pre built or die cast 135 models.
Bronto, yes it still would be a 707 converted to look like a 135. But in smaller scales those dimensional differences would be miniscule. No need to be so hardnosed about it. I seriously doubt, especially as it being presented as a gift, that somebody is gonna sit there with plans, calipers, scale ruler, and calculator and check those dimensions.
^^THIS! Yes, they are significantly-different, but most people won’t know. And if someone should actually ask, you can fill them in: "Yes, the KC-135 is different from the B707 in the following ways: " indicating that you built this kit when a good KC-135 kit didn’t exist. Build it, enjoy it, don’t worry about it.
Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas
pws73703,
Finish the B-52 along with a pylon to represent the KC-135A that will arrive after the holidays. I’m sure that your dad will understand.
Welsh Models has a KC-135A/Q vacuform kit with resin engines and a very nice decal sheet.
www.welshmodels.co.uk/MTS144.html
Decal sheet.
www.airlinercafe.com/photo_6426.details.large
Built up kit.
It’s a lot of money to spend on a kit. Perhaps you could e-mail Welsh Models and ask if they will sell you the engines and decal sheet separately.
Hope that this may help.
Grant
Thanks for all the input and ill probably go with the boom in place idea