# Goony Bird Grounded



## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

Here is my first attempt at a homemade load. I hope it will be a salvaged DC-3 when completed.









This example is my favorite of the nose and tail. I think I will leave the model's vertical stabilizer on.









With wings cut to this example, it would be too wide to transport by rail.









This example has the wings cut all the way to the fuselage.









Delivery Day!









Leon is Curious









All the parts, plus a Bowser 60' flatcar and a group of Chooch Ent. resin crates.









The problem area will be the wing bottom plate.









I might scrap the cowlings and stencil ENGINES to the large crate.









The first cut is the deepest...

























More pics tomorrow.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Looks like a fun project.

Do you know that you can load and embed photos directly here into a thread, without having to first load them into the separate forum Album section?

Click on Go Advanced down below. From there, click Paper Clip icon, which will launch a new window. Then from there, Browse to your photo(s) on your computer, and Upload to here. We'll see the pics (as icons) directly in your post.

With an extra step, you can click on each (now Uploaded) photo and Ctrl-C copy its full URL address, and then Ctrl-V paste that in your post between "image tags" ... that will show the picture directly in the post. The Little Mountain icon will create the image tag syntax for you directly.

TJ


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

You could use three or four flat cars and mount the fuselage and the wings so they are on pivots with one end on one car and the other end on the next car. That way you wouldn't have to chop the model plane into pieces.
This is an interesting project. The plane is in a good scale and close enough so it should look great on your railroad. Don't think I've ever seen a DC-3 model on a model railroad. Watch out for tunnels,bridges and sharp curves. 
Pete


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

Thanks for pic info TJ. I was wondering what I was doing wrong. Pete, I chose the DC-3 because I was able to get a model in this scale. There are a couple other planes by Testors, too big for such an idea. 

I have ordered a Beech Bonanza on a flatcar.

http://www.historicrail.com/product...category=railroads&subcategory=North American

They have about 7 more in stock. I think I will get another to paint a primer color.

More pictures tomorrow.

Richard


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## Ed Gerken (Jan 23, 2012)

Neat idea, definitely not your everyday load. 

I hope the ship is still airworthy when it's reassembled at its destination.

Passenger: "Do you think we have enough fuel on board?"
Pilot: "Enough to reach the scene of the crash!" 

-Ed


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Man, you freaked me out when I saw the first picture...










First question that came to mind was... how big is his train? :laugh:

Greg


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Man, you freaked me out when I saw the first picture...










The first question that came to mind was: How big is his train?

Greg


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Some great pics there. Sorry to see another GB bite the dust. Those are good old planes and a lot of them are still flying.
Check out the 'Boeing Trains' on utube for more ideas. Pete


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## THE TYCO MAN (Aug 23, 2011)

I was about to say! Its looks like it finally met the scrapper's unforgiving tools. It'd be neat to restore.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

I like the idea of making an old airplane into a house. Airplane houses are fairly popular in aras that will allow that sort of thing and a lot less expensive than conventional houses. There are several great examples of these houses on Youtube that look like a lot of fun to live in. Lots of rail cars suitable for this way of living too.
Thinking about the flat car load,the scale won't make any difference as far as the train is concerned. Railroads will haul anything that they can get down the tracks. The plane needs to be to scale though and any scale will do as long as it fits on a rrcar. Big parts of rockets travel on trains too. Cape Canaveral has it's own railroad for handling these monster machines. That's on utube too.I really like utube as you can tell. Beats the heck out of what's on TV most nights. Pete


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

Thanks guys. Here's this morning's progress.









The horizontal stabilizer mounts must be filed down.









The foamboard caps are temporary. They will support whatever cover I can figure out.









Paint day! They are on slow bake now.


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

Model Bondo? The Aves website says I have to go to Iowa to get their stuff.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

I like your "first cut is the deepest" comment, above!

The metalic silver color is quite appropriate ... nice choice. Very creative bashing project!

TJ


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> This example is my favorite of the nose and tail. I think I will leave the model's vertical stabilizer on.


 
The small section of DC-3/C-47 is not the tail. It the part of the right wing that the engine is mounted to. It is turned on it's side. The wing could be unbolted outboard of the engine mount. I used to fly C-47s with sabor air cago. It was alwasy fun to land at some small airport and tell the line crew to fill it up!


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

I don't think that's the tail but rather an engine nacel on it's side. What appears to be the rudder base is really a wing section. I think? Pete


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

nice project, I too have a GB on my shelf in my room and may grab another just to try this my self  I even have a B17 I think...and a few rockets


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

Good eye, Pete! Engine pod it is. 

I was sailing along at flank speed until I made one wrong move. I hit the button on the spray paint can one time too many and orange-peeled the entire starboard side. 

I don't know if going to Wal*mart at 11 PM for wood putty and sandpaper is a sign of railsickness, but I think it may be.

Richard

(If I had looked closer, I might have noticed the fule lines and the wing-shaped contour of the bottom cut.)


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

Thanks Kane-tuck! 

Here is the thread showing the models I found.

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=10541&page=2

Richard


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

*Wrong scale goony birds*

tdeuwaite, keep posting photos. I love trains and planes. It is great to see your progress.

This is to small.









To big. I need three flat cars.


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

"Bashimg" is what I was born to do. I dug out three broken RC toys, 2 boats and a Jeep that hauls one of the boats. I got the little one to run. The Jeep and trailer toy's controller is at the bottom of a lake, so I dismantled them. Here are the parts I salvaged. Each page is a 8½" x 11" sheet. 

In the _THEY DON'T MAKE THEM LIKE THEY USED TO_ category, there were 81 screws in the two vehicles. 









This is the Jeeps roll cage and bumper guard.









The chrome parts, plus the dashboard.









All the smalls. The trawling motor will make something neat.









The tires. Trade material at Hobby Haven (maybe).









The guts. Two working motors and two working servos. I will make some toys out of these.


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

Here's the scrapyard. Pallets, chains and tiedowns are all that's left to do.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

tde when you screw up a paint job just let the part dry,hit it liberally with oven cleaner,let it sit over night and wash the paint off in the morning with a scrub brush. Really works well. Pete


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

Thanks Pete. The rough spots are really rough. The tail slot will be flat black. Here's the basic setup.

An MTH 60' flatcar with Cat loader load.









Diss'd









The basic setup.









The car came with chains and turnbuckles.

















I will make tarps to cover the REALLY rough spots.

Richard


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

Anybody want to trade for that Caterpillar?


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Lookin' good tde. That will be something different for sure. pete


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

TD,

In looking at the photos of the real DC-3 (especially the first one in this thread), I'm wondering if your model would be more realistic if you were to dull the silver paint finish a bit? Maybe a very-fine steel wool or Scotchbrite rubdown? Something to give that weathered aluminum skin look.

Not trying to be critical ... just tossing out an idea.

The plane components fit nicely on the flatcars!

TJ


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

Thanks TJ. I am thinkin' on it. This is an experiment. I have learned a lot so far. My layout is goofy anyway. I want to educate myself with X-1 and try again, with another model in a box. I have spent hours looking for more planes and boats in scales close enough to make sense. I will have something near-finished tomorrow. Richard


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

*Goony Bird Update*

I spent three days thinking about my next move. After my brain hurt, I took some action. 

Here, I've glued the wings together. They will then be wrapped in a custom crate.









I glued my tarp material around the nose cap and I glued the tale to a pallet and am now building that crate around and over.









More action after the train show this weekend.
Richard


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Richard,

Glued wings? Looks like you've crossed the mythical point of no return, huh?!?

Hey, I merged your "new" thread back into the old one ... much better project continuity this way. In general, we try to keep a project description consolidated to one thread.

Cheers,

TJ


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

Thanks TJ. I wasn't sure if the old thread had gone stale. Yep, it is SCRAP now! I want the pieces to be able to stand up on their own.


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

The old bird is sitting on my bench. She's waiting on my brain again. I had to remove more plastic where the wings meet the fuselage. I have all the tarps glued and tied down and now I am trying to figure out how to make a one inch square of broadcloth look draped. The crating material around the tail looks too Hillbilly, even for me and Kane-tuck. I am going to use those pieces as tooling for my next cuts. The pallets I have are not working very well. I have some more on the way. The nose will have to be screwed into place. I've tried three types of glue with the same results. Hopefully, USPS has goodies for me tomorrow. Richard.


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

*Don Douglas might not approve.*

I found the right stuff: SQUADRON PRODUCTS FAST DRYING WHITE PUTTY. We will sand this coat and then see if it needs a second. Sorry about the mess. That's what I get for applying paint and then rethinking the whole think...


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

DARN! I was searching for another 1/95 scale plane and found this instead...BASH!









Maybe this:

http://www.diecastairplane.com/store/p/5961-Huey-Gunship-1st-Calvary-1-87-.html


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

*The Bird Rolls!*

There are a few details still, but this is the rolling idea.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Td that looks great. Four cars for that one plane looks real enough. Good work. pete


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## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

Looks awesome! Now to find some old models around the house to try it myself


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

That is great. I don't run my flatbed cars becouse they just don't look right. Now I know what is wrong, they plain, not plane!


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

Hate to be a "rivet counter" but those chains would destroy that aircraft. Straps would be mo' better.

I have pics of the nose section of a C-7a we salvaged sitting on end. Somewhere..


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

yea just saw the pics my self and was gonna point out the chains too...not a very healthy thing for any plane really....strap them down my friend!!!!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

A right sized black plastic wire tie might work instead of a chain?


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

JackC said:


> Hate to be a "rivet counter" but those chains would destroy that aircraft. Straps would be mo' better.
> 
> I have pics of the nose section of a C-7a we salvaged sitting on end. Somewhere..


 
If you hate to count rivets, please don't. I see nothing wrong with chaining a scrap C-47. The wings were cut off not unbolted so it must be on the way to the scrap yard. I think it looks great.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

JackC said:


> Hate to be a "rivet counter"




JACK












Rivet, Rivet.......Rivet, Rivet.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

damn Ed you beat me to the joke......


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

TD,

Oh no! The "bird" has been "tagged"!

Looks great, actually. I'm not usually a big fan of the grafitti look, but in this case, where the bird is clearly on its way to the scrap heap (no more flying in its future), I think the grafitti helps nicely to add to the bird's history / character.

Nice crating work, too!

Cheers,

TJ


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

The chain is overkill. It's jewelry. I have the HO scale chain and turnbuckles. I will (someday) replace the big stuff. My layout is a like a kid's cartoon; riveting..!


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## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

big ed said:


> A right sized black plastic wire tie might work instead of a chain?


Actually, they make very small elastic bands for crafts and sewing that would work awesome for HO scale cargo straps. Yellow highlighter to make them look not so elasticy (if that's even a word). Wont do much for actual holding power (probably work ok for a plastic model though) but they're cheap and would follow the contours of the cargo quite well. Just my .02


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

Thanks guys. When you say it's OK, it's OK. Fastening the nose to the pallet was a tricky part. I finally screwed the pallet to the nose. 

I feel good about the results. The most expensive part was the 60' flatcar by MTH. The DC-3 model was advertised as metal, and Hobby Haven's catalog said "metal" as well. I was relieved when it showed up plastic.

All of my modeling life, I've been told to paint before glueing. I disagree. Glue melts paint, not the other way around. Paint should go on after partial assembly, for my 2¢...


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