I built these two kits about 15 years ago using Runway 30 decals and ATP windows. In the intervening time, the decals have flaked off, small parts have disappeared into the unknown, some seams have cracked and the paint succumbed to dust and grime. It's time to refurbish them and give them a new lease on life.

The original colour schemes were done by Overseas National ailine in 1976 to celebrate the USA's bicentennial. Even back then the Rebel flag caused comment; they'd never have been able to get away with it today.






I'm going to do a minor conversion and repaint them in the colours of Trans Canada and Canadian Pacific as they were delivered in 1960 and 1961.

The conversion involves replacing the kit engines with Contrails Resin's Rolls Royce Conways that powered Canada's DC-8-40s. The conversion kit is a set of 4 engines with separate nacelle aft cowlings which housed the thrust reverser buckets. The DC-8 used a unique translating cowling that slid backwards along the pylon to deflect the jet thrust forward when reverse thrust was selected. When early DC-8s were on the ground, the cowl was almost always left in the full aft positon. This helped to reduce the jet exhaust noise slightly.




The aft cowlings are paper thin, and being packed in with the engines in that tiny bag has caused them to get a little deformed. A dip in boiling water will be necessary to return them to their proper shape. I will have to be very careful indeed to get these off the pour stubs without crushing them.


Now to work. The first task will be to sand off the offending decals, remove the engines and smooth everything down for the new paint.

Very interesting project Jessica, I'll be following !

Cheers, D

The butchery is finished. Both kits are stripped down and sanded. Now it's time to break out the filler and repair the various dings, dents and divots caused by removing the engines and whatnot.