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TThis is a conversion of a standard
Italeri C-130J to the stretched version, known as the
CC-130J in USAF service. The basic conversion was done with
Flightpath fuselage plugs, which proved to be slightly
undersized in diameter. The plugs were glued in place with
milliput used to fair them in. The kit engines were
discarded with Flightpath engines used instead. The kit was
then finished as a Rhode Island ANG aircraft. At the time I
was living in Oman, and unfortunately, the starboard wing
was damaged in transit, so I recently decided to do a
partial rebuild and a repaint. This actually became more
work than originally planned, and involved replacing both
wings, nose undercarriage (which had also been damaged),
engines and propeller blades. The donor kit was the latest
C-130J kit from Italeri which has an additional sprue for
the –J model, with additional parts including a replacement
of the port forward undercarriage sponson, as well as
various antennae and a new tail fairing (which is a poor
fit).
I also decided to replace the cockpit
transparency at this time. I found that the plastic the prop
blades were made from was sufficiently soft to enable them
to be rotated into the feathered position, which is the
standard parked position for these blades. Once rotated,
they were glued into the spinner assembly, thus sealing
their fate forever. The paint was rubbed off, and repainted
again. Markings were added to represent the aircraft that
was at RIAT 2007. This aircraft is from Little Rock AFB.
Unfortunately, the model was dropped at
this point, which caused separation of the nose and the
starboard wing, and a crack in the aft fuselage plug. This
was repaired and resprayed, and markings renewed as
necessary. Eventually, it was finished, and I can’t wait to
get rid of it, as it has been an unlucky kit when in my
hands.
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