Boeing 247

Modeling Subjects Airliners and Civil Aircraft
1

This has been in the To Be Built Collection for some time. There was a DC-3 documentary on the Smithsonian Channel some time ago and I thought it would be interestiong to get a DC-3 in 1/72 and the 247.

A great big shout out to Greg Bale for providing assistance this early in the game. I read his build thread from Feb 2018 and learned a lot. He graciously gave me some tips as well. Thank you, Greg.

First Williams kit I will have tried. I have two others, both the Curtis C-46. This will be done in the Roscoe Turner Racer version.

Not sure about the decals, showing a bit of age, but they are scanned in.

The instructions on this one are a hoot! Should be fun. This is it.

Sprues are simple enough.

So far, nothing to earth shattering, just a misplaced cabin window. I’ve seen it, held it and put it somewhere safe…Filled that opening with Micro Krystal Klear. Here we go. Love the instructions!

Small stuff. I did choose to do the Roscoe Turner Racer. Rather than seats, his had fuel tanks. The one on the far left, top has been wrapped in BMF and had lead foil tape straps put on. The next one to the right is simply painted a Krylon Silver Foil Metallic and then added the lead foil straps. Most of the bottom row has simply been painted. Brain finally said, “You won’t see it.” So, I see no reason to add more of the lead foil straps.

The cockpit is about as basic as it gets. A decal was provided for the instruments and thank you Williams Bros. for the flat surface to place it. Again, you won’t see it. Love this sprue attachment.

Measured and then used the Silhouette cutter to make masks. I did redo the tape placement and cut more wheel masks.

Anodized aluminum or not? What do you think. I mixed up some Tamiiya Sky Gray (XF-19) with some Tamiya Flat Aluminum (XF-16). Close to 50/50. Just brushed it on the bottom wing center section.

2

Lyle, it looks great so far!

That mask cutting looks interesting. May have to look into that one of these days.

Keep up the good work.[Y]

3

Greg, the Silhouette brand has a couple of sizes. I think rhe Cameo will handle 12” or maybe more in width… the Portrait will only do 8.5 x 11. I’ve had it for a while and I’m just now taking some time to learn it. If you are good with auto cad (I’m not at all), you can use that to create the design and export to the cutter. The Silhouette Studio software isn’t bad. You can use any font on your computer. it is a pretty versatile tool.

4

I believe the 247 is one of WB’s better kits. I built one a long time ago, but it suffered a bad accident. Found another and its in my stash.

5

Don, it has been about as good as you could ask for on a 1973 kit! A bit of an update. We are having a roaring good time over on SPAM forum with bad jokes, clean so far, but bad. In between guffaws, I was able to get a bit done.

Fuel Tanks on the racer version

6

This is going quite well…for me, anyway.

The tradition continues of me snapping off the tailwheel. Sigh.

Seams are not bad, wings are on as are the horizontal stabilizers.

The canopy would not stay glued before mounting it. I made a mod, well…error, and the cockpit bulkhead is a bit too far forward, so I have a dandy little shelf to steady the rear edge of the windscreen.

7

Looking good Lyle. I’m not familiar with this particular plane but I like the lines.

8

Keavdog, this was a Boeing predecessor to the DC-3. When it was built, Douglas Aircraft was caught a bit offguard, I think. They nailed their entry into this particular market and the 247 simply went away. Saw somewhere that only 75 or so were built.

9

Great subject. Fun to watch the build.

Boeing wouldn’t sell the aircraft to TWA, who then commissioned the DC-1. The DC-3 was developed some years later and aircraft design was moving pretty quickly.

The 247 has hallowed status among the old United pilots I used to know around my father, many years ago. It was a bit of a hotrod.

After the publicity surrounding the death of Knute Rockne, the era of cposite construction civil airliners was over. An all metal aircraft was demanded.

10

Thank you for the clarification!

11

Greg, got a bit lazy and made my own “mix” for the anodized aluminum. Sprayed a rattle-can gray primer (Duplicolor) and then mixed some Tamiya XF-16 Flat Aluminum with some Model Master Acrylic Semi-gloss…

I guess it is “okay” enough…Started decaling and the kit decals began to come apart. It also appears that they printed the N-numbers as seperate items. Who does that? I’m glad I scanned them in first. Printed a set to use. I really like the World-paper decal sheets.

12

Your model looks great. Never easy with Williams Bros.

13

Wow. they didn’t shatter like that! I also love that they printed white circles to go under the red ones with the 57 in t hem. Go figure. Thanks for kind words.

14

Lyle, your alu mix looks great to me. Glad you were able to work around the ‘crispy’ decals!

I don’t think I tried to use a single one of the kit decals for my 247…but I’m currently working on Wms. Bros.’ Northrop Gamma…intending to use the kit markings…so I’ll have to be double-dog-careful to back everything up and test beforehand. Always nice to get a little ‘nudge’ in a timely situation!

15

Having never heard of the 247, this is fun to follow. Thanks for posting your WIP, and also to those of you who have enlightened me as to the short history of the aircraft.

16

For those unfamiliar with this notable aircraft’s history…it happens to hold a dark distinction: the first known commercial airliner to suffer what would now probably be called a terrorist attack…destroyed by a nitroglycerin bomb in midair on its way to Chicago, in 1933. Still unsolved.

For those interested, the story is here.

17

My word. Another reminder that cowardly violence is not as much a recent phenomena as we tend to think. At least, I do, even though I know better.

18

It is possible to get new decals for the Northrup Gamma–I just ordered some.