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Mark P Hartig
39 articles

1/72 ESCI AC-47

February 29, 2024 · in Aviation · · 16 · 300

While not overly successful, this was still an important aircraft as it was the first of its kind. Starting here, the concept also gave ground pounders the AC-119, the AC-123 and culminated in the AC-130 which as we all know has been successful as it can get.

I found this on a resale site. I was not expecting much given its age and in some areas it wasn't so great, old school molding, foggy transparencies and warped parts but it did have engraved panel lines. Fit was nasty in spots and I had to sacrifice the underside fuselage seam to get the top one closed up and pretty.

Finished in Tammy Flat Earth with a little yellow mixed in, Tammy OD Green, and Tammy OD. Washed with Flory's Dark Dirt and sealed with MM acrylic semi gloss. Due to their age, many of the decals disintigrated on me but I was able to salvage the larger ones and these aircraft did not have many markings on them anyway.

An interesting trip into the past this one

Reader reactions:
8  Awesome 2 

4 additional images. Click to enlarge.


16 responses

  1. Beautiful build of an old classic. And the old C-47/DC-3 turned into a Vietnam War attack aircraft still boggles the mind to this day.

    Great post!

  2. Excellent job and great result out of the elderly Esci kit, Mark!

  3. An absolute beautiful build, Mark @markh
    You don't see those heavily armed C47 that often.

  4. Nice one matey. I have been looking about for one worth doing for a while. I guess simply converting a more modern C47 might do it, but this looks great. In the day Esci were not bad kits to be honest.

    • Thank you sir a conversion would not be over difficult; just scratch the guns and mounts would do it as everything else is the same. I'd probably have done this had I not gotten lucky and found the kit

  5. Great work on this old Esci kit.

  6. Very nice looking model. I like the S.E.A. paint scheme on it.

  7. Very nice! I'm a fan of ole Spooky - built one as a kid, and have one in the stash to get to. Yours looks great!

  8. Well done - looks good in SEA colors!

  9. Nice work on this! Still a good kit after all these years.

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