An RAF Cargomaster, the Douglas Durham C1

[PR19_Kit]

I've re-masked the tail area of the Durham now, and I'll re-spray the white bits later today. Not too much of a pain, but a pity nonetheless.

[sandiego89]

IIRC the only real purpose of the C-133 was to haul a missile around. To maximize the diameter of missile it could haul everything was kept high and even then some loads had to be loaded with the missile frame kept level. The one I saw at the Dover AFB museum had a plywood floor with just enough strength to haul the spread out weight of the missile and nothing heavy like a truck our APC. Maybe jeeps.

Not quite, while missile transport was a main early role for the C-133, it like all US transport types, was pressed into service for Vietnam and regularly carried heavy loads around the globe.  Cross Pacific missions to Vietnam were common carrying vehicles, helicopters, broken aircraft back, and mundane loads of bullets and beans.  The C-141 and later C-5 were much better at Strategic Airlift and it was quickly phased out.  I have more detail in my C-133 book if I can find it.   

It is common to put plywood and other material on the cargo deck floor to distribute heavier loads like is done for the firetruck in the hold of the C-133 on display at the Dover Museum, this is even done on the C-5 for heavy trucks and tanks. 

During the final loss of a C-133 it had a CH-47 Chinook inside.   

This video shows a 50 ton crane going to Greenland at minute 24.

https://youtu.be/m_VyZaxJhQY?si=nQvm_Sq_BF18CRPp 

[PR19_Kit]

All the main painting 's done on the Durham now, after y'day's re-spray of the white and some touch up. I even painted the radome. and it looks a bit more 'C-133-ish' now. For some reason you always end up looking at  the radome, don't you? 



I've go to print the decals yet, but the design's all done and tested, so should have some decals on before much longer, but we have some problems in the house to overcome first. (see my Khaos blog.....)

[zenrat]

 

I think i'll be removing the radome on mine.

[Old Wombat]

I think i'll be removing the radome on mine.

Swap it out for a Hercules radome. 

[PR19_Kit]

In a moment of madness I added an IFR probe above the cockpit of the Durham, a bit like the one on the later Belfasts, and it looks pretty neat. The white paint will need a bit of touching up of course, but that should be OK.

The decals are a different matter though.

I seem to have a bad batch of decal paper, or the clear varnish I use has gone off as the colour leaches out of the once I've cut it and soaked it. In one case I ended up with a dark blue wash all over one main gear pod! I cleaned that off, but I need to re-print a whole new set of decals, with new paper and new varnish I reckon.

[kerick]

That's a PITA!
Sounds like you have a plan. Carry on.

[Beermonster58]

I've got a pair of C-133s. One of which is the C-133B with Thor missile. That will be finished in the sand/dark earth/black finish. Minimal masking needed! .The other one I intend to finish in S E A camouflage. I haye natural metal finishes almost as much as I hate boring grey finishes. Test fits showed a slight difference in depth at the wing roots between the wing parts and fuselage parts. I removed the upper wing locating tabs and cemented to the fuselage adjusting fit till I got a flush joint. I've yet to see how I get on with the lower wings. I'm not overly concerned because any seams are actually quite hard to notice due to the complex shapes of the fuselage. Also, the black undersides will help disguise them.
With regard to the fit of the wheel sponsons, test fitting showed there was no way they would fit without some adjustment of the kit parts. I trimmed a bit off each of the undercarriage bulkheads on the OUTWARD facing parts (where they fit inside the sponsons). Seems to have worked but, the test will come when I actually apply glue to styrene   . As they are hidden away inside, the trimmed areas wont be noticed.

I'm surprised how big this is even in 1/144.  As observed earlier, the location of the tailplanes is a bit of a pain when it comes to painting and masking so, I'm wondering if a "T" tail might work or, at the very least, moving the offending parts to a location higher up on the tailfin?

Based on previous experience with Roden decals, I've trashed the kit items after scanning them into my PC. I'll print them off later . I'll only really need the walkway lining but, waste not, want not. Aesthetically, I think four blade or even five blade props would look better so, a search of the spares  box is in order. I know I have some C-130 props somewhere!

[sandiego89]

......Aesthetically, I think four blade or even five blade props would look better so, a search of the spares  box is in order. I know I have some C-130 props somewhere!

I hope your C-130 propellers are a different scale!  The massive 3 bladed Turboelectric propellors on the C-133 were 18 feet in diameter, while the 4 bladed Hamilton Standard props on C-130s are 13.5 feet in diameter. 

A fascinated look at troublesome propellors and controls on the C-133 below.  Finicky.  Kit will appreciate the engineering.

https://enginehistory.org/Propellers/Curtiss/Turboelectric/Turboelectric.shtml     

[PR19_Kit]

Jeepers, those prop controls sure are complicated! 

But fascinating nonetheless, thanks for the link.