I'm still working out the best route to continue the cutaway up to the cockpit but it's easier to see what you're working with once you've begun.
I decided to cut and leave a thin part of the top of the fuselage rather than just use the natural edge of the opposite half for two main reasons :
There's an overhead heating/ventilation duct that runs most of the length of the cargo area. By giving myself more of the central part of the roof to work with I can try to model this too.
Secondly, the astro-dome behind the cockpit would just be awkward to work around and I didn't want a cut going through it.

Thanks for looking and more chopping to come !

Paul,
No turning back now. While you weren't looking, someone cut a big hole in the side of your C-47 Dakota

Joel

You've passed the point of no return now, Paul

Just a suggestion if I may (if it's not to late) maybe do the cut out for the cockpit separate to the passenger cabin so that you leave a brace spanning the gap???

Hi Russell, thanks for the input. I'm still toying with a couple of ideas on how to do this but I'd like to try and keep it as open as I can.
The crew entry hatch is kind of in the way and it feels wrong to cut through it so while I ponder that problem I've moved on to other things !

This is a bit of fun to be honest as I doubt it will add much to the completed model except maybe an "ooh, ahh, look at the lights" An extra dimension perhaps and a chance to play around with another new technique.

When I started this thread I wasnt prepared what I would stumble upon. A great piece of real moddeling!

Gr TC

Thank you Lars !
I lost my modelling mojo over the past few weeks and the poor kit has been collecting dust....
Nothing like a bit of interest in the project to get it going again, Thanks !

good to see you back on this one Paul

Paul,
Nice to find that your back at the bench once again. the lighting should really add that something extra we almost never see these days.

Joel

Paul, just now catching up with your build - the interior padding looks fantastic!

Many thanks Tim.
Aside from the paratroops themselves (which I've put off thinking about !) there's not too much more to go inside the fuselage.... the cockpit might need a bit more attention i suppose.

Your build continues to impress Paul. I wired up a build of the USS Enterprise (the starship not the carrier) that I made for a good friend and was pleased with the work. Are you planning to light the pit and cargo/paratroop area or just one or the other?

Ernest

Not totally sure yet Ernest... I'll have the landing light on each wing and the navigators desk lamp lit I think. That leaves another seven optic strands to use.
Anyone have suggestions for an appropriate use in the Dakota? I don't think the cockpit would be lit up like Christmas in the way a modern jet would be.

I have the pilot's / flight manual somewhere in my library. I'll dig it out and see if I can scan the lighting system.

Thanks ! That sounds like it could be interesting!

I managed to find the C-47 Flight Manual. However, it was considerably less helpful than I imagined it would be. While there was a section describing the lighting system, there was no image or graphic anywhere in the manual to accompany the text.

I scanned the text along with couple graphics I thought you might find interesting and maybe even helpful.

Nice work Paul




Terri

Looking forward to the interior lighting!

Paul, I just came across your thread and never thought of using Guitar string, but what a great idea. Thanks.

Bob

I'm working on a 1/48 B-29, and possibly lighting it. Thanks for the fiber optic idea! My findings from pictures for the -29 were there was an overhead (ceiling)light in the cockpit area, and about 4 mounted lights per bomb bay, probably about as illuminating as an old car's dome light:) Each crew position also had positionable lamps, but these would be awfully miniscule to replicate! So I figured I'd illuminate the cockpit & bomb bays, ideally with yellowish lighting which seems more period correct than bright white light...

Thanks Daniel, extra research and info is always most welcome !

You're welcome! I'm sure I must have seen this used somewhere else, I can't take credit for the idea !

I sourced the fibre optic loom for my model from :
Small Scale Lights, a small UK company. I'm sure there are many other places that do the same type of thing.

Thanks, yes there's quite a few. I especially like the "fire" LEDs, lots of modelling& diorama possibilities with that one!

https://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/fire-led.html?utm_source=googlepepla&utm_medium=adwords&id=77621336790&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnqzWBRC_ARIsABSMVTM4YMXqfg_RNzg1pVf-eOf7MhhqiD20jVvHYkO1Wj_Fd4JO_PwMYJsaAlplEALw_wcB