What would a Soviet GB be without a typical airliner? Found an 1:144 Caravelle from MisterCraft in the stash (no idea why I bought it, maybe because it comes with Aeroflot decals, markings from a movie prop!) and decided to convert it into "something more Soviet" for the GB, as a more economic alternative to the Tu-124 jet airliner. Probably from Ilyushin OKB, turboprops, and - of course - Aeroflot markings. ;D
Don't forget the tail prop, all good Soviet airliners had them. ;D
Nah... But contraprops are a must! Only deaf passengers are quiet passengers... ;)
The project (tentatively christened Ilyushin Il-60) makes good progress. Wings have already been modified with engines (from a Kompakt Mir resin set for the Trumpeter Tu-95, excellent stuff!) and work on the fuselage is also going on well. The Caravelle's original engines and their attachment points disappeared. The triangular windows were drilled open into circular shape. The fuselage has been "closed", with lead in the nose, and the round fin tip cut away, to be replaced with a square transplant. Stabilizers will also be moved down. On the nose, a scratched thimble radome was added.
Fuselage and wings are still separate, but both look much different - the Fifties flavor of the Caravelle is totally gone, and with the radome on the nose the aircraft looks disturbingly modern!?
Veeeeery interesting.............. ;D
Agreed. And it feels very unusual, too. Long time that I have built an airliner, even though it's a fictional one.
Pics are pending, though, I guess I'll add them after the Fastback is done. In so far, I try to keep the audience's imagination stirred... :angel:
Wings and fuselage have been mated, and stabilizers were mounted, too. Looks like an aircraft! But fit is so poor... I checked the kit's lineage and the moulds date back to 1960-something!
Now some detail work can start, including the contraprops, which have to be puzzled together from single resin parts. A new, longer landing gear (with better detail) will also be mounted, and I might add an extension to the retractable boarding ladder under the rear fuselage. Basic painting can also start soon - white top with paint from the rattlecan and a grey belly. Blue trim will be scratched from generic sheet material and some of the Mistercraft OOB sheet from the Aeroflot movie prop Caravelle.
Quote from: Dizzyfugu on February 24, 2017, 12:54:27 AM
Looks like an aircraft! But fit is so poor... I checked the kit's lineage and the moulds date back to 1960-something!
IIRC the Caravelle was Airfix's second or third 1/144 airliner kit. The Comet was the first and the wing-fuselage joint on the 90s issues were DIABOLICAL!
It's not the Airfix kit, AFAIK. It seems as if this 1:144 Caravelle comes from a (unknown to me) company called "Ruch", and the kit was also re-boxed by RPM in the Nineties.
I checked sprue pics of the Airfix kit, and this obscure RUCH kit looks like a poor copy of the (obviously vintage) Airfix kit - the latter parts look MUCH more crisp. :-\
Crumbs yes, the Airliner SIG guys won't go anywhere NEAR a Ruch kit!
I think you're right, they were pirated copies of Airfix kits of the time.
I'll be even more impressed if you make a good job of that one Thomas, as I'm sure you will do. ;D
Since yesterday evening, the Il-60 has a windscreen, soem more window holes, contraprops and a stalky landing gear (scratched from B-1B and Tu-22M parts!) for enough ground clearance.
Both details look a bit weird on this compact aircraft - and I wonder if anyone would recognize this thing as a Caravelle... ;)
Painting started, with white primer on the top and an acrylic white coat on top. Then, the belly and the wings will be painted light grey, and some wing areas (flaps, leading edges) Aluminum. As a shocker, the propeller baldes become bright blue with yellow tips.
I'm rattling my tin cup on the bars of my cell and i'm gonna continue until I get some pics...
I do not see why you are expecting pictures.
There is nothing there to take pictures of, it is after all just an optical Ilyushin. :rolleyes: :wacko:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.modernfilipina.ph%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F02%2Fgiphy-3-.gif&hash=209e8c06037f46de36f72fd9d98ad404f357361f)
;)
Quote from: JayBee on February 26, 2017, 04:16:18 AM
I do not see why you are expecting pictures.
There is nothing there to take pictures of, it is after all just an optical Ilyushin. :rolleyes: :wacko:
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: ;D
Quote from: JayBee on February 26, 2017, 04:16:18 AM
There is nothing there to take pictures of, it is after all just an optical Ilyushin. :rolleyes: :wacko:
You could swing for that in other places Jim, luckily we're very tolerant on here. ;D ;)
Oi! If i'd said that i'd have been issued with demerit points and been threatened with the black helicopters.
Oh that's bad. Funny, but bad lol
;)
Coming back to the orginal topic: work makes progress again after the photo sessions for the Fastback. Basic painting is done, now I am waiting for some generic, light blue decal stripes which I will use for the trim over the line of windows. No painting experiments here, and in the meantime I fight with ten tiny wheels and how to paint them... :-\
Quote from: Dizzyfugu on March 01, 2017, 02:02:33 AM
and in the meantime I fight with ten tiny wheels and how to paint them... :-\
I stick them on cocktail sticks to paint them, but I ALWAYS file flats on the bottom of them, no matter how small, to ensure the darn things don't roll of any surface that you rest them on to dry.
You can trim off the tapered end of the cocktail stick so that it's a tight fit in the hole in the back of the wheel.
Me, too, but the RUCH kit is in so far a PITA because the wheels come with very short pins - the holes are in the bogies! I eventually glued each of the main wheels onto a thin wooden stick with white glue, and this seems to work. :o
The blue trim decals were in the post box yesterday and immediately applied, together with appropriate Aeroflot markings from the OOB decal sheet (which lacks at least half of the markings which the instructions contain...). But the Il-60 still looks very elegant, the Soviet flags on the tail change a lot, too. Looks very Cold War-ish now, and strangely modern, too. :blink:
I'm really looking forward to seeing this one in the plastic Thomas. It sounds magnificent so far.
Uh, pressure's rising...! :angel:
More progress: Decaling finished, and I added some post-shading to the grey and white areas - less for weathering, but rather for a "dramatic" effect, since the kit's panel lines are very fine and raised.
I was also able to glue the ten wheels to the kit yesterday evening, and this morning I made the first attempt to put the Il-60 on its stalky legs - and to my relief everything holds in place well, and the aircraft even has a level stance, as hoped for.
Only little things to do. I also "broke open" the windows under the blue decal trim and had to make some minor repairs with paint, and now the Il-60 really looks with an airliner! :lol:
Will add some exhaust stains with graphite, and I guess that I will add a coat of varnish this evening.
Tension got high during the last days, and I started uploading WiP pics. Here's the series right before painting started - uncommented here (explanations see above), got I think you get a good impression of how the Il-60 evolved from a shabby Caravelle to... something else :mellow::
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3777/32397029714_913ba7ec08_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/RmPfeQ)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/RmPfeQ) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3796/33084662682_86cfd01c19_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/SpzxyE)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/SpzxyE) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/722/33112691101_d0f1c071f8_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Ss4crg)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/Ss4crg) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/598/32426501203_95818140d8_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Rpqi5X)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/Rpqi5X) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2863/32426499063_aacc565809_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Rpqhs4)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/Rpqhs4) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/594/32426497093_eb7522168e_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/RpqgS6)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/RpqgS6) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2807/32426494643_148229bb16_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Rpqg8R)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/Rpqg8R) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2939/33112682101_ac400083d1_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Ss49L6)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/Ss49L6) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/716/32426490063_5be91985e4_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/RpqeLT)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/RpqeLT) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/694/33112678331_be17550229_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Ss48D6)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/Ss48D6) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3949/32426485733_34ec908daa_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Rpqdue)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/Rpqdue) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3896/32426484733_8e56325775_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/RpqdbZ)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/RpqdbZ) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3849/32858106240_5d35942a69_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/S4yoe7)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/S4yoe7) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3878/32426482633_baecfc879a_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/RpqcyM)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/RpqcyM) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
Next, the painting process...
Very nice indeed. Where did you get the engines from?
Gondor
Directly from Russia, via ev!lbay. I paid ~EUR 10,- plus postage - well worth it. Excellent stuff, crisp detail, no flash or bubbles at all, and with a wide range of potential uses, not only in 1:144 or as a correction for the Trumpeter Tu-95. :wacko:
How did you manage to maintain that brown piece of plastic on fin top through all the filing/sanding without it becoming unstuck?? You had to do some heavy filing. :o
Experience... ;) And a good glue. It's just a chunk of 1.5mm styrene sheet, directly glued to the cut-off Caravelle fin tip (I use a plastic glue from the model railroad stuff company Vollmer, my personal favorite aftre many trials thorugh 35 years :rolleyes:). Just let it dry overnight, and the I trimmed it with a cutter blade on the engraving tool, did some sanding with a metal file (carefully only along the edges, in order to avoid side pressurem though), and for the PSR sculpting I used a very soft painter putty. Was not as massive as it might seem, the material thickness only necessitated some mild shaping. But I was a bit astonished, too, that the fin never came loose! :lol:
More stuff, from the painting/decaling phase:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2848/32430931793_3fb5a8ea54_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/RpP19r)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/RpP19r) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/594/32862515140_d11fa3f112_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/S4WYQC)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/S4WYQC) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2941/32862512790_99bfba3f74_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/S4WY97)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/S4WY97) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/607/32862511020_95de81855c_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/S4WXBA)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/S4WXBA) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/621/32862509340_f922496074_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/S4WX7C)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/S4WX7C) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
...and, almost there, in full Soviet-style regalia:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2930/32401385664_9a40a4fb15_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Rncz7q)
"In Soviet Union, Aeroflot flies YOU!" +++ 1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Whif/kitbashing) - WiP (https://flic.kr/p/Rncz7q) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
From the look you have given the nose you could sling a couple of Hi-Bypass turbofans under the wings as per the more modern Boeing 737 and really confuse people ;D
Looks fantastic as it is and thanks for the info about the engines :thumbsup:
Gondor
You're welcome, Gondor. Yes, totally agree that some jet engines under the wings (maybe even the original, slim Caravelle nacelles) would also work very well. It's strange how different the Caravelle looks, just through the different engine arrangement. And it's also disturbing how modern and sleek this alternative looks?
Besides, finally some beauty pics and the trutz behind the Ilyushin Il-60 airliner:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/672/33206758776_5b1c8dcf36_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/SAnjtJ)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/SAnjtJ) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3689/32865361940_5304994911_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/S5cz6o)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/S5cz6o) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
Some background:
Aeroflot is one of the oldest airlines in the world, tracing its history back to 1923. During the Soviet era, Aeroflot was the Soviet national airline and the largest airline in the world. Following the dissolution of the USSR, the carrier has been transformed from a state-run enterprise into a semi-privatized company which ranked 19th most profitable airline in the world in 2007. Aeroflot is still considered to be the de facto national airline of Russia, being 51%-owned by the Russian Government.
After WWII, Aeroflot's route network had extended to 295,400 kilometers (183,600 mi), and by 1950 it carried 1,603,700 passengers, 151,070 tonnes (333,050,000 lb) of freight and 30,580 tonnes (67,420,000 lb) of mail during the same year. The 20th Communist Party Congress, held in 1956, saw plans for Aeroflot services to be dramatically increased. The airline would see its overall activities increased from its then current levels by 3.8 times, and it was set the target of the carriage of 16,000,000 passengers by 1960. In order to meet these goals, Aeroflot introduced higher capacity turbojet and turbine-prop aircraft on key domestic routes, and on services to Aeroflot destinations abroad.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/732/33092067942_074f0e1310_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/SqeuTy)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/SqeuTy) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3814/33092078552_716c89aaf6_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Sqey3u)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/Sqey3u) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3796/33206761016_0350ce7e88_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/SAnk9m)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/SAnk9m) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
A major step for Aeroflot occurred on 15 September 1956 when the Tupolev Tu-104 jet airliner entered service on the Moscow-Omsk-Irkutsk route, marking the world's first sustained jet airline service. The airline began international flights with the type on 12 October 1956 with flights from Moscow to Prague. The aircraft placed Aeroflot in an envious position, as airlines in the West had operated throughout the 1950s with large piston-engine aircraft. By 1958 the route network covered 349,200 kilometers (217,000 mi), and the airline carried 8,231,500 passengers, and 445,600 tons of mail and freight, with fifteen percent of all-Union services being operated by jet aircraft.
Aeroflot introduced the Antonov An-10 and Ilyushin Il-18 in 1959, and together with its existing jet aircraft, the airline was able to extend services on modern aircraft to some twenty cities during 1960. The Tupolev Tu-114, then the world's largest airliner, entered service with the Soviet carrier on 24 April 1961 on the Moscow-Khabarovsk route; covering a distance of 6,980 kilometers (4,340 mi) in 8 hours 20 minutes. The expansion of the Aeroflot fleet saw services with modern aircraft being extended to more than forty cities in 1961, with fifty percent of all-Union services being operated by these aircraft. This fleet expansion also saw the number of passengers carried in 1961 skyrocketing to 21,800,000.
Further expansion came in 1962 when various medium and short-haul routes were started and respective aircraft types such as the Tupolev Tu-124, Ilyushin Il-60 and Antonov An-24 entered regular service with Aeroflot. The Tu-124 was a jet airliner, technically an 75% version of the Tu-104, while the An-24 was a lighter twin turboprop aircraft in the class of the Fokker F.27. The Il-60 was the latest addition to the domestic services, falling in between both other types.
Development of the Ilyushin Il-60 dated back to 12 October 1951, when the Soviet Council of Ministers published a specification for a medium-range aircraft carrying 50 to 70 passengers and 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) of cargo on routes up to 2,000 km (1,100 nmi; 1,200 mi) with a cruising speed of about 600 km/h (320 kn; 370 mph). The type was to replace the piston engine Ilyushin Il-14 on domestic routes. The number and type of engines were not specified, but jet or turboprop engines were expected and emphasis was put on ruggedness and ease of operations for operations on rural airstrips with a minimum of infrastructure.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3750/33092075292_31df1db057_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Sqex5h)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/Sqex5h) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3704/32865358160_9fa9e443f2_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/S5cxYd)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/S5cxYd) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
Ilyushin's OKB-240 responded at first with a scaled-down Il-18 turboprop airliner, somewhat inspired by an idea of Czech manufacturer Avia for a smaller, short-range airliner for the CSA's Central European routes. This machine had only two engines and overall reduced dimensions, but used many components of the original airliner. But it soon became clear that the Tu-104 with its jet engines had already set higher standards, so that a completely new and more innovative design was started.
Internally known as "Aircraft 60", the machine introduced some innovations while still being a conservative design. The aircraft was a two turboprop-engine low-wing monoplane with slightly swept (20° at quarter chord) wings, a circular pressurized fuselage and a conventional, yet markedly swept tail (both fin and stabilizer at 45°). The aircraft had two entry doors on the port-side before and after the wing, two overwing emergency exits on each side, and featured a retractable stairway under the rear fuselage so that passengers could directly enter the aircraft from the airfield. An APU was integrated in the rear fuselage, under the fin, for independent operation of the air condition system and starting the engines without external support.
The tricycle landing gear had four wheels fitted on the main leg bogies, which retracted inwards to lie under the fuselage instead of into the engine nacelles. The front wheel also had twin wheels, retracting forward in a well under the cockpit floor, and the aircraft's low-pressure tires allowed operations even from grass airfields or snowy ground. Another novel feature at the time was the fitting of a weather radar in the nose, a civilian RPSN-2 "Emblema" system, doing away with the typical glazed navigator position of other former Soviet airliner designs. In order to support all-weather operations and ease the pilots' work, "Aircraft 60" was also outfitted with an automatic approach system, supported by the radar which allowed blind navigation.
Despite vibration and noise problems, experienced with the earlier Il-18 airliner, Ilyushin insisted on turboprop propulsion because it was the more fuel-efficient option. He furthermore expected that no another jet-driven airliner would be politically "allowed" along the Tu-124 short haul airliner, at that time under parallel development.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3899/33092084432_f26d9d4058_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/SqezMS)1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/SqezMS) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2939/33248379615_0e6a44a012_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/SE3CUp)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/SE3CUp) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/614/33206760376_7e3a25cee8_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/SAnjXj)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/SAnjXj) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
"Aircraft 60" was powered by a pair of Kuznetsow NK-6K turboprops. This engine was one of several developments after World War II by a team of Russian scientists and deported German engineers under Ferdinand Brandner, which had worked for Junkers previously, evolving from late war German turboprop studies. This the post-war development was based on the wartime Jumo 022 turboprop design that developed 6000 eshp in a 3000 kg engine. The efforts continued with a 5000 ehp engine that weighed in at 1700 kg, completed by 1947, and with further weight savings and more modern materials, the NK-6, one of several development directions, became a large single-spool engine that was optimized for use on board of commercial aircraft like "Aircraft 60".
For security reasons, the engines were mounted in front and above of the wings' leading edge. In order to keep the wing structure as clean and simple and possible and not risk collateral damage to the landing gear in case of an engine fire, the landing gear was retracted into wells under the wing roots. This measure also kept the engine nacelle's dimensions in very compact limits.
In order to minimize noise and vibrations, 2x4-bladed contraprops with an automatic feathering system were mounted, resulting in a characteristic humming noise when the engines were running. Due to the lower speed of these propellers, compared to a standard four- or five-blade propeller, the internal and external noise level could be significantly reduced (compared to the Il-18, which could drone at 110db in the cabin above the wings!), even though the lower frequency caused other problems, mainly vibrations at certain speeds that shook the whole airframe.
The standard seating of the initial version, the Il-60A, was 52 seats at a 90cm distance between the five-seat rows (two seats on port side and three on starboard). Alternatively, a maximum of 72 could be mounted in a cramped "tourist class" configuration with only 78cm distance between the seat rows, which became the late production standard configuration as Il-60B.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2934/32865364820_2359975cf8_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/S5czX3)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/S5czX3) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2813/32433777773_915851b6ed_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Rq4Aa4)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/Rq4Aa4) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
The first of two prototypes made its first flight from Zhukovsky airfield on 24 March 1960. The second prototype followed in June 1960. Two other airframes served as a static test cells. Testing was successful, and the aircraft entered production at Machinery Plant No. 30 located at Khodynka, near Moscow, replacing the Il-18 in production. Deliveries to Aeroflot began in August 1962, with the type operating its first scheduled passenger service, between Moscow and Tallinn in Estonia, on 2 October 1962.
The Il-60's production remained only on a small scale, though: being a pure jet, the Tu-124 was preferred by the Aeroflot for short haul duties, as well as by the Powers That Be. Despite the type's merits esp. in harsh climate conditions (most Il-60 were allocated to Aeroflot's feederline services in the Soviet Union's northern regions), the type was not popular among its crews. While the two turboprops gave sufficient power, had good handling across the whole speed envelope and the aircraft had no trouble remaining airborne with one engine shut down, the asymmetrical drag/thrust in this emergency condition was considerable and navigating the Il-60, and even more landing the aircraft, with only one engine was a challenging task.
Furthermore, the stalky landing gear, which prompted the crews' inofficial nickname "косино́жки" (kosinozhki = daddy longlegs), could start to vibrate under certain conditions and wobble, making a start or landing run a shaky if not dangerous affair, esp. on snow-packed and non-permanent runways. Furthermore, two Il-60 crashed on runways or airfields after hitting obstacles ubnder snow - the long front landing gear collapsed. Nobody on board was seriosuly hurt in both cases, but these accidents did not improve the type's reputation among both pilots and passengers alike.
Only a total of 44 machines were built: 18 Il-60As for selected connections abroad (e. g. to Scandinavia and Poland), plus 26 Il-60Bs with higher seat capacity for purely domestic service. Both machines were identical from the outside, though, and all production aircraft featured a characteristic spinal fin root extension that covered several radio and navigation antennae.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2898/33248381275_29942818dc_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/SE3Dp2)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/SE3Dp2) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3919/32865381350_697cf5b977_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/S5cES3)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/S5cES3) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
Ilyushin had plans for a stretched version (with two plugs inserted into the fuselage in front of and behind the wings) with a 2.2m longer fuselage and a maximum capacity of 85 passengers, and also worked on a jet-powered update with engine nacelles on pylons under and in front of the wings. But none of these improvements was turned into hardware, since not only the Tu-124 had become the preferred short/medium haul airliner for Aeroflot, the following Tu-134 had also become the political favorite, and OKB-240 focused on its long-range airliner Il-62.
Il-60 production already ended after only two years in 1964, and Aeroflot decommissioned its last twelve Il-60s on 21 January 1980, after more and more structural problems (wing spar cracks, caused by the NK-6's vibrations) had become apparent and several aircraft had to be grounded.
General characteristics:
Crew: 3 (captain, first officer and a flight engineer),
plus another seat for an optional navigator or a radio officer,
plus a three- or four-person cabin crew
Capacity: 52 – 72
Payload: 8.4 t (9.3 short tons)
Length: 32,54 m (106 ft 7 in)
Wingspan: 34.3 m (112 ft 6 in)
Height: 11,74 m (38 ft 5 1/2 in)
Wing area: 146.7 m² (1,579 sq ft)
Empty weight: 22.2 t (24.5 sT)
Max. takeoff weight: 46 t (50.7 sT)
Powerplant:
2× Kusnetzow NK-6K turboprop engines, rated at 3,318 kW (4,612 ehp) each
Performance:
Maximum speed: 805 km/h (500 mph/435 knots)
Cruise speed: 665 km/h (424 mph/370 knots)
Range (Typical payload, 2 hr reserve): 2,400 km (1,300 nmi/1,490 mi)
Rate of climb: 2,750 ft/min (14.0 m/s)
Service ceiling: 11,000 m (36,000 ft)'
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3943/33206768536_f66b12fd4f_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/SAnno1)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/SAnno1) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3826/33248383075_a7a82b8e28_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/SE3DW4)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/SE3DW4) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3869/33092100182_bd822458b5_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/SqeEtq)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/SqeEtq) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/761/33248385725_b2af35537a_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/SE3EHK)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/SE3EHK) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/587/33248384555_968b2b9758_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/SE3Enz)
1:144 Ilyushin Il-60A (NATO ASCC code: Cake); aircraft "CCCP-60014" of the "Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии" (Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii, Aeroflot Russian Airlines); Moscow Vnukovo Airport, 1976 (Whif/kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/SE3Enz) by dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr
A rather simple conversion, but highly effective. The Caravelle's traces are almost not to be identified anymore, even though fuselage and wings consist of OOB material with only superficial modifications or re-locations. The engines on the wings change the look, too, and despite being massive NK-12's they are a good match for the compact airliner – I am very happy with the outcome, even though the overall lines look much more modern than late Fifties design – even though no more modern parts were actually integrated? Weird, but entertaining. J
:bow: :bow: :bow: :drink: :cheers: :party:
I love it! Book me a flight, comrade.
Great idea & beautiful work! :thumbsup:
You're absolutely right, it looks NOTHING like a Caravelle! :thumbsup:
It's the best use of a Ruch kit that I've ever seen too, magnificent work there.
Thank you very much! ;D
She certainly is a tall girl with long legs.
Very good.
:thumbsup:
The Il-60 has a distinct 757 look with that 'squashed' nose too, very clever.
Fantastic work :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Wow great! Well done.
Does row 3 come with heavy ear protectors? ;)
Excellent work as always, look very convincing. :thumbsup:
Quote from: PR19_Kit on March 04, 2017, 02:26:28 PM
You're absolutely right, it looks NOTHING like a Caravelle! :thumbsup:
It's the best use of a Ruch kit that I've ever seen too, magnificent work there.
Truly! It has a completely different look.
Very convincing as always.
I'm going to have to get a Caravelle next month just to build the idea of the jet's under the wing of one of these myself :banghead:
Such a great looking aircraft and such an inspiration, as if I needed more ideas :banghead: :banghead:
Gondor
A twin jet Caravelle with engines a la Comet might look good too. Bags of inspiration from your build Thomas. :thumbsup:
Thank you very much gentlemen. I did not expect this one to find such a resonnance - but it's true: lots of potential here, and after all I just did rather minor changes. Structurally, the Caravelle is still there. :lol:
Stalky bird, though - but the props take their toll, and totally agree with the Boeing 757 (and also Tu-204) similarity. I guess that some turbofans might also call for some longer legs than the Caravelle's, curious how this might turn out, too.
I like the idea of a baby Comet, too - after all, the fuselage and the whole nose section were taken wholesale from the British airliner for the Caravelle, so a variant with only two engines close to the fuselage could become a nice feederliner for the UK, domestic and European routes? Hmmm...!?
Quote from: Dizzyfugu on March 06, 2017, 12:06:38 AM
I like the idea of a baby Comet, too - after all, the fuselage and the whole nose section were taken wholesale from the British airliner for the Caravelle, so a variant with only two engines close to the fuselage could become a nice feederliner for the UK, domestic and European routes? Hmmm...!?
My thinking exactly.
It's a toss up whether to chop the outer engines off a Comet wing or graft a pair of them onto a Caravelle. I think I'd go for the latter, the Comet wing has an IMMENSE chord close into the engines and it would look over-deep on a shorter fuselage.
:wub: Belated congratulations... :bow:
Wicked ! Love the look and the stance ! Great job :wub:
Again, many thanks!
Besides, the Caravelle/Come hybrid. I haven't built a Comet yet, but the deep wings are an issue I expect, too. My idea would be to take the Comet wings, delete the inner engines and cut the wing tips off - then take out a "plug" in the wings' middle section and then take out another plug from the leftover inner wing parts, reducing depth to fit the wing tip sections. Would probably be messy, and I am not certain if the Caravelle wings could alternatively be transplanted wholsale outside of the Comet's engines? Any combination would IMHO be messy, though. But I like the concept of a shorter, two engine Comet variant a lot. :thumbsup:
Airfix could have done a better job of the Comet's parts breakdown. That MASSIVE chunk of wing going all the way under the fuselage makes life very difficult for us Whiffers for sure. Building it OOB isn't that easy either, not without lots of fiddling and filling.