Converting the Airfix BAe Nimrod into a passenger aircraft

[McColm]

There's been a lot of talk in converting the Airfix 1/72 HS/BAe  Nimrod Mk1/2 back into a medium range passenger transport aircraft.
You can still pick up a kit for less than £50 on that popular auction site or if you prefer the vacform model.
With careful cutting the lower fuselage that houses the weapons bay can be detached.
The vertical tail fin will need attention or a new fin made to get the correct shape of the de Haviland Comet 4B/C.
Or you could call it the 4D as I don't think any commercial airliner ever flew with the Rolls Royce Spey engines. That is where the problem lies. I haven't found any conversion aftermarket kits that provide the Avon engines.
The wing fuel tanks can be reworked using spare parts of a drop fuel tank to replace the searchlight.
Detailing the interior, you could use the Revell Rotodyne seating or the Mach2 Caravelle. This has the reverse seating layout. Extra windows along the fuselage with clear windows so you can see the interior.
A combo with a cargo door in the open position might be better.
This could also be an alternative to the airliner as the Comet E.Mk2. With the interior from the Airfix Avro Shackleton.
The white metal landing gear would be a finishing touch.
There are other aftermarket kits that can be used if you want to build the many experimental aircraft used by the A&AEE at Boscombe Down.

[PR19_Kit]

All Comets either had DH Ghosts or RR Avons, but all Nimrods had Speys so there wouldn't be much chance that someone would do such a retro conversion, the manufacturers are far to conservative like that, apart from Colin Freightdog of course. 

Why not stay with the Speys, DH would probably have gone that route anyway eventually, or used Conways to get the advantages of a by-pass engine. And if you kept the lower pannier that would make the MOTHER of all baggage areas too. That would make it just a repaint job after you'd sawn off the MAD boom and the ECM fin tip.

I can just see a BOAC Nimrod in my mind's eye too. 

[JayBee]

I have for some time entertained the thought of stretching one and doing it in Virgin Atlantic colours. 

[The Wooksta!]

An RAF transport/cargo version?

[Gondor]

This is almost sensible. Your going to need to either make loads more windows or to fill in the existing ones and use decals for a passenger version. Maybe calling it a "Comet 5" due to the engine change?

Gondor

[McColm]

And here's one I built earlier!
The Sky Guardian, which is a stretched Airfix HS/BAe Nimrod kit with a flying boom for refueling and hose-drogue basket attached
The tail has been replaced with the Airfix Valiant and a pair of cheek EC-135 W/V pods.
The searchlight has been replaced with part of a drop tank from a Tornado.
The cheek pods could be removed and extra windows painted along the fuselage with a cargo door.
Sort of troop transport/refueling aircraft. With the right set of decals and paint scheme this would look convincing.

[McColm]

I've been on line to find RAF Transport Command decals in 1/72 scale.
I came across the decals for the Dakota
C-47 and then discovered decals for the VC10 which includes the windows. Most are for the RAF 40th Anniversary for the VC10.

[kitnut617]

I've been on line to find RAF Transport Command decals in 1/72 scale.
I came across the decals for the Dakota
C-47 and then discovered decals for the VC10 which includes the windows. Most are for the RAF 40th Anniversary for the VC10.

Why don't you just go on Hannants website, look in the AIM-Transport Wings section and get the RAF Comet decals

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/TWL7208204

[Mossie]

I've toyed with converting it's rival  to a civvy bird, the Breguet Atlantic. I've had a few thoughts on how to do it, but not come up with a firm idea.

Model Art and Xtradecal do sets with Transport Command titles, among others along with codes.  I've got all these sets, very useful, especially the Royal Marines codes on the Modelart set which I've never seen anywhere else:

Modelart in black:  https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/MAGEN004

Xtradecal in black:  https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/X72157
Xtradecal in white:  https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/X72158

[McColm]

With the release of the 1/72 Mach2 de Haviland Comet 4C is it possible to kitbash or is it closer in scale to the Mach2 sud Caravelle?
The possibility of those two Mach2 kits having the wings and tail swapped over opens up further Whiffs.