I have a Stratoliner as one of the pix on my wallpaper slide show, and looking at it this morning reminds me of how much I’d like to build a good one.
I have the Maquette kit of it, but that kit is really bad- the fuselage cross-section is so mis-shapen I doubt if I will finish it.
Are there any other kits of this plane?
Been trying to find a kit myself. Hopefully one day soon, someone will make a 48 scale version.
I do know there are a couple conversion kits out to convert one of the Academy B-17s into one. I also know of a 1/144 scale, but for the life of me cannot remember the name of maker of either one.
Boy, I would sure be interested in the 1:144 kit if you can ever remember the name.
It was made by a small outfit in Florida named Stratomodels, a resin kit. I could only find a couple of references, but it doesn’t sound worth looking too hard for. Sorry, Stratomodels.
I have that Maquette kit too. It comes with what I think is a Frog B-17, which I scrapped and replaced with the very nice Academy Colin Kelly c/d kit. That one has the right cowls and props too, for the prewar version.
If the shape is wrong, I’m going to live with it. John Eaton laughed at me, but what’s a fella to do?
Sasquatch Scale Models did a 1/144 conversion kit;
http://www.airlinercafe.com/photo_1633.details.large
FRsin (www.f-rsin.com) again did a 1/144, FR14084;
http://www.airline-hobby.com/shop/index.cfm?action=ViewDetails&ItemID=16442
Hannants (www.hannants.co.uk) also have FRsin kit FR4484 (1/144) available.
Airmodel also do a 1/72 conversion, which funnily enough is available from Don’s Model Works;
The biggest problem I found was that the two fuselage halves did not match. I would either have to put a LOT of putty on one side, or sand the too-big side a lot, which would give the fuselage a lopsided cross-section. One side is taller than the other by a significant amount.
Sure, I put the little plastic tabs all around the inside of mine, only to discover that the two halves were much different in thickness.
Mine came from eBay with an Italeri C-47 thrown in, and smelling so badly of cheap cigarettes that I had to put it through the dishwasher.
It’s a concept tho. The Academy B-17 kits are so good that I really think that C kit will rescue it.
Me laugh at Bondo? Never, he builds tall ships and deserves respect! Might have laughed at the thought of the Maquette 307 kit, though.
A better alternative is the Airmodel vacform conversion, and for some reason I think Mike Herrill/Execuform might have one in 1/72 also.