Italeri 1/72 KC-135R Stratotanker, 100th ARW
This is the Italeri KC-135R built out of the box. I used a mixture of kit decals and those from a Wolfpak sheet. I attempted to build this (foolishly) as part of a club Blitz build over a weekend. I almost got there too. A couple of weeks later it was finished off. These ex-AMT tooled C-135 kits go together well with a little care. I added reinforcing in the wings to prevent wing droop and also reinforced the upper fuselage seam. That was the only real extra work I did on this build. One day the accompanying F-15D will be built to hang off the boom.
5 additional images. Click to enlarge.
Terry Schuler said on August 2, 2017
Ray, this has to be pretty big ! then you put it on a stick, that I’m guessing is somewhere between a good balance and strength. With that part of my admiration mentioned, I can add that this looks very impressive. Well done.
Jeff Bailey said on August 2, 2017
Another beauty, Ray! I had the fun of flying in an old KC135 from Mildenhall, UK to Salt Lake City, Utah, USA back in 1990, when I was still in the Army. We were flying over Greenland (among other places – Ha!) when the pilot allowed all 21 of us passengers (hangers-on) to go back & view the world from 39,000 feet (about 12,850 meters) from the air-to-air refueling station. I have a great photo (now lost temporarily) of the tallest mountain in Greenland from straight above! (Snebordet – 10,335 feet or about 3,334 meters)
It was a gorgeous sight & one I’ll never forget!
PS – the flight was awesome as well. As a Military passenger, we could do things no longer allowed on commercial flights, such as what we did and go up to the flight deck & talk with the aircrew & even use the pilot’s urinal (toilet – WC) – which is a very simple thing mounted on the aft side of a bulkhead near the front.
Julian Shawyer said on August 2, 2017
Nice build, I should imagine that’s a fair sized model.
Ray Seppala said on August 2, 2017
Certainly is Julian, 22.5″ (53.75cm) long with a 21″ (52.5cm) span. It goes nicely with my 1/72 B707 and the E-8C (another B707 type) I am currently working on.
Craig Abrahamson said on August 2, 2017
As others have stated, a rather good sized model to be balanced on a pole. I know – I have a 48th scale KC-135 hanging from the ceiling. How you’ll get a 72nd Eagle to “hang from the boom”, as you say, will be just as daunting IMO. That said, I like what you’ve done here….excellent work, my friend.
Tom Cleaver said on August 2, 2017
If he has the boom set right, it will be with wire inside the Eagle leading up into the refueling tube. If a guy could balance a Monogram B-52 that way (he had strong wire running from the nose of the KC-135 to the tail of the B-52) an Eagle should be (relatively) easy.
Craig Abrahamson said on August 2, 2017
Yeah….I suppose you’re right. PLUS…if the F-15 is also mounted to the base (as opposed to simply just “hanging there”), it’d be a WHOLE lot easier to accomplish.
Ray Seppala said on August 2, 2017
That is the way I will be doing it. Nothing too technical. I have a few other KC-135 kits where I could try the wire through the boom trick.
Tom Cleaver said on August 2, 2017
That’ll look good with the air refueling. I remember 30+ years ago seeing a 1/72 KC-135 refueling a 1/72 B-52D in SEA camo at a show in San Diego. “Impressive” was somehow inadequate.
Ray Seppala said on August 2, 2017
Thanks all, I am always impressed with the way others mount they tankers and receivers and am trying to find an elegant yet simple solution.
Robert Royes said on August 2, 2017
Another beautiful build sir!
George Williams said on August 3, 2017
Great to see something a little different, Ray, and I like the way you’ve displayed it “in flight”.
Greg Kittinger said on August 3, 2017
Great work!
Blaine "Frank" Miller said on August 3, 2017
Excellent work Ray.
Frank
Richard Mcstay said on August 3, 2017
Nice build mate, feel free to post it again with the F-15!
Allan J Withers said on August 10, 2017
Yes want to see it with the F 15, looks good as is Ray, well done.