As some of you who have seen my previous models displayed on this site will know, I'm a very keen builder of vacform models and don't shy away from a modelling challenge!

I've always liked the look of the C-17 and wanted to add a 1/72nd scale version to my collection. I don't like working with resin so for me the Anigrand kit was out, so I decided to go down a route I'm familiar with and tackled the Combat Models vacform head on.

This is an update on my efforts so far, which began in November of 2014.

The kit does have it's issues - the plastic is very thin for starters and there are shape issues to deal with around the cockpit, but nothing that a little imagination and a hack-saw can't overcome. The first problem is quite a major one though - the wing is moulded 6 scale feet too far forward, so this had to be moved back 1". This necessitated the removal of the wing root section, cutting an inch off the rear portion, reattaching it to the fuselage and then adding the off cut to plug the gap.

Next was the making of numerous internal bulkheads to keep everything rigid and support the wings - this was time consuming but necessary if I didn't want the model to collapse in on itself. Spars were added to the fuselage at this point to make attaching the wings at a later date easier.

The whole fuselage was filled and sanded numerous times to get it blemish free, and then I started work on the undercarriage sponsons. These were basic in nature, but once the gear bays had been scratch-built there were no problems in fitting them to the fuselage.

The fin was removed from the backing sheet, sanded to the correct thickness and then braced with plastic rod and wooden dowel before being attached to the fuselage. The rudder was removed and the aperture left boxed in as it will eventually be posed at a deflected angle.

The horrible orange coloured primer is automotive filler-primer and is ideal for projects such as this as it fills the numerous dings and bumps that arise with lots of filling and sanding!

11 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Part III

The whole airframe was then given a coat of grey to see how she looked. Not bad, I thought to myself, so it was time to add the panel detail to the model. You either love or hate this job, and I must say I love it as it brings the whole thing to life.

The tools of the trade are simple - a dental scribe, electrical tape, a thin metal ruler and some old sandpaper to smooth everything down as you proceed.

Good plans are essential too, and although not every panel line may be accurate, it gives the overall impression I wanted.

More raised detail was also added at this point, again from thin plastic strip etc. The whole scribing process was done over a few evenings as it can get a little tedious, especially when the scriber slips!

9 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Part V:

With the engines more or less complete (minus a few finer details which will be added later) they were scribed the same way as the main airframe was and have been attached to the wings.

Next up will be filling the joints and making good the wing-to-pylon fairings. Now you're up to date I'll endeavour to update this thread regularly until completion.

For a more in-depth insight into projects such as these, I do have a thread running on Britmodeller for anyone interested:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234970958-a-172nd-c-17-globemaster-iii-the-hard-way/

Any feedback, both positive and constructive, is always gratefully received.

Tom

7 attached images. Click to enlarge.

This is looking great so far Thomas. I wouldn't be brave enough to try a vacu-form, its practically scratch building. I would say your making it look easy, but it really doesn't, your just doing a good job of it!

Thanks gents - vacs are a little more challenging but great fun. Everyone should build one at one time in their modelling careers!

Part VII:

Another update on the C-17 project for you!

During the last couple of weeks I've been working on the tail area of the model, which included the rudders and stabilisers.

Once again the parts were very basic and required a lot of surface preparation to get them acceptable - a few sprays with filler-primer and subsequent sanding finally gave me a surface I was happy with.

When the parts were cut out and sanded to shape I came across a problem - the parts for the right stabiliser were 4mm shorter in chord than the left. I overcame this by inserting a shim for the entire length of the trailing edge and blended this in with filler. I also made an internal spar structure from plastic card as due to the thinness of the plastic and size of the parts extra support is needed.

The panel detail was scribed on and then using the Revell 1/144th scale kit as a guide as well as some CAD drawing I have, I worked out the position of the stabilisers on the fin - there's no locating tabs on kits like these!

I then drilled holes large enough to take some old off-cuts of sprue which formed spars for the stabilisers to slide over and hold them in position. Once the joins had been filled and sanded I added the fairings found above and below the stabilisers from plastic card, and restored panel lines on any areas damaged by sanding.

I then set about making the twin rudders - the kit parts were so poor I decided it easier to make my own. This was done using plastic card, which sandwiched some thick sprue along the leading edge of the rudders to form the aerofoil shape. A very simple and effective way of making flight control surfaces, and both rudders were done in a couple of hours. When completed, they were installed on the fin at a deflected angle.

The model is slowly moving towards the painting stage - it's been a long journey but she's getting there!

15 attached images. Click to enlarge.

This has all the hallmarks of classic modelling. Just looking through the images here you get a real sense of someone locked 'in the zone' with this project. Very nice.

Hi Thomas, just joined and having fun looking at all the cool projects! Where did you get your A&P license?!

Great job your doing - I'm really impressed with all the interior structures you're making. I understand that due to the flexibility of the material some amount of internal structure is required. Have you ever thought about using non-expanding insulating "foam-in-a-can" as a filler? I've toyed with the idea for some of my larger projects, not because its required but more for stiffening and general sound-deadening. Have you ever picked up a large airliner model and it just didn't feel right? Has anyone tried this, and how did it work? I guess I should get off my seat and find out!

Thom