Lockheed L-100-30, Tepper Aviation N2679C
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Here is one of my latest completions, it is a 1/72 scale Italeri Lockheed C-130E finished as an L-100-30 of Tepper Aviation.
Since the L-100 is basically a C-130H I had to modify the Italeri C-130E kit to bring it up to that spec.
The modifications were adding fuselage plugs to lengthen it (from Flightpath) to make it a -30. I also added scratch-built antennas and an electro-optical turret mount under the radome as per the actual aircraft. I also lengthened the engine nacelles and main landing gear (MLG) sponsons. The cheek windows were filled and painted over as L-100s don't have them. Finally, I added ECS intakes below the starboard cockpit and on the starboard MLG sponson.
Why would a civil L-100 need an electro-optical turret mount? Well, Tepper Aviation was used by the CIA for various missions that US military aircraft could not carry out in sensitive regions it was involved with. If you Google N2679C and/or Tepper Aviation you will see what I mean!
N2679C is listed among planes alleged to have been used for extraordinary rendition (i.e., taking prisoners to black sites where they were tortured). Operated by Tepper Aviation for the CIA. (30 seconds on Google to find three confirmations of this information) The airplane is still used on "mystery operations" in the Middle East.
Interesting work on the modification.
Great modification and awesome result, Ray! I love to learn new things through modeling, such as the interesting story of the N2679C
Very nice, clean build, excellent modification work.
Nicely done Ray, a different look for a C130, what colour is that ?
Thanks Allan, just straight SMS White
There are a lot of these kinds of aircraft about. You see them at airports - nondescript, anonymous machines parked in out of the way stands without any clue as to ownership. Something most people don't pay any attention to. It's interesting to see one modelled and done very well.
Christopher
Really nice and clean build, Ray @rays
Thanks for sharing the information behind this aircraft.
Very impressive build! Very interesting background info. Holy c**p- that was a LOT of white paint! How many bottles of Tamiya white did that take?
Thanks Dan, it was primed with Tamiya white primer spray can and sealed with gloss SMS white, maybe a bottle and a half I'd say
A fine-looking effort.
Thats some conversion, nicely done. Shades of Southern Air Transport, I used to see their L100's off by themselves at NAS Norfolk.
Great conversion, Ray, very neatly done, an impressive model of a not so often seen aircraft.
Thanks all,
Yes a different subject that came to my interest when my son saw it land in Singapore and then be quickly spirited into a hangar. I had to find out more about it and just happened to have a stalled stretched Herc build on the shelf of doom so I decided to finish it in this scheme.
I should add the decals came from my good friend Pete at Hawkeye Models (walkways, registrations, door outlines and some warning stripes), the kit's sheet and spares box.
Great job, Ray (@rays). Adding the plugs to the fuselage, along with an all-white paint scheme, really made this kit a tough one. Many people don't realize that the civilian version of this plane isn't called a C-130. The fact that there is a civilian version of the military plane allows civilian pilots to be rated in a non-military L-100. I am old enough to have flown the C-141A, which had one civilian version that belonged to NASA. When I finished my civilian multi-engine pilot license, I was able to take my flying hours in the C-141A to the FAA and get type-rated in the L-300. There was no chance I would ever fly the L-300, but it was sort of cool. Well done on your conversion.
Very nice build - well done!