# Nasa 747-400



## Robert Hargrave (Dec 4, 2003)

Not sure if this is the correct place to post this but it says aircraft. Along with getting things in order for my USS Puffer project, yesterday my Revell 1/144 scale Boeing 747-400 came in. After comparing the design of the kit with photos from my Squadron/Signal Publication walk around Space Shuttle, its a perfect match. I have a 1/144 scale Shuttle w/ tank and boosters that I'll use as my piggy back Shuttle on the 747. A few modifications, and get some custom decals printed for the 747 and I'll have another one of a kind kit.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Revell used to make an actual kit of the 747 with the shuttle on it, and all the necessary parts for the modification. I guess it's out of production. Maybe you could find it on evilbay and save yourself the trouble of modifying the kit?


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## justinleighty (Jan 13, 2003)

John P said:


> Revell used to make an actual kit of the 747 with the shuttle on it, and all the necessary parts for the modification. I guess it's out of production. Maybe you could find it on evilbay and save yourself the trouble of modifying the kit?


That wasn't the newer 400, was it? I thought the Revell kit was of the original carrier (a converted American Airlines 747; maybe a 200 series?).


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## Guess Who (May 19, 2004)

There is one by Academy:

http://www.greatmodels.com/~smartcart/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=ac1640

1/288th though.

Guess Who (James at Work)


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## Robert Hargrave (Dec 4, 2003)

John P said:


> Revell used to make an actual kit of the 747 with the shuttle on it, and all the necessary parts for the modification. I guess it's out of production. Maybe you could find it on evilbay and save yourself the trouble of modifying the kit?


I have looked several times for one, all I have seen are junk 1/288 scale kits, I got one and the shuttle is almost square when viewed from the nose looking to the rear.


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## Robert Hargrave (Dec 4, 2003)

Guess Who said:


> There is one by Academy: 1/288th though.
> Guess Who (James at Work)


Thats the kit I purchased its not very good so decided to build my own using 1/144 kits.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

justinleighty said:


> That wasn't the newer 400, was it? I thought the Revell kit was of the original carrier (a converted American Airlines 747; maybe a 200 series?).


 I didn't know there was more than one!


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## Robert Hargrave (Dec 4, 2003)

John P said:


> I didn't know there was more than one!


The book does not say if it is a 200 or 400 but when I look at the lounge hump and wing flarings on the kit and look at the photos it matches up, with the exception of the angled wing tips, which will be an easy fix. There is likely some other differences I'm missing, but it looks good for my project.


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## 747 (Oct 11, 2001)

John P said:


> I didn't know there was more than one!


2 & 300 series 747's are still in use today (referred to as "classics"). Major differences in modern 747's ( the "400") are winglets and a fuel tank in the tail. Classics are slowly being refitted with similar "updated" (as in 20 years ago) technology as current 400's. 747 "Advanced" will be the next, I think due as a cargo aircraft for Cargo Lux and All Nippon, in 2008?. The "advanced" will no doubt be just that and it will be interesting to see how it fairs against the Airbus A380. Just some useless info for ya!


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## justinleighty (Jan 13, 2003)

John P said:


> I didn't know there was more than one!


As a matter of fact, the 747-400 carrier's first flight was taking Endeavour on its maiden flight from California to Florida, with a stopover in Houston. I met a lady who worked at Johnson Space Center and got to go out and see both of them on their maiden voyages; saw the pics she took.


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## mactrek (Mar 30, 2004)

Robert, 
Here's some info on those two aircraft ... 

Copied from the  NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Fact Sheet :



> "NASA uses two modified Boeing 747 jetliners, originally manufactured for commercial use, as Space Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA). One is a 747-100 model, while the other is designated a 747-100SR (short range). The two aircraft are identical in appearance and in their performance as Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.
> 
> The 747 series of aircraft are four-engine intercontinental-range, swept-wing "jumbo jets" that entered commercial service in 1969.
> 
> ...


Hope you find it usefull.


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## Roguepink (Sep 18, 2003)

747-400's have a longer upper deck that would interfere with the shuttle's nose strut. 747-100 is the model to use.


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## Robert Hargrave (Dec 4, 2003)

Thanks for all the information, will help with the project.


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

I have an early model 1/72 scale 747 that I am converting to NASA 905 with the additional vertical stabs and piggyback ferrying mounts to go with a Revellogram shuttle orbiter in the same scale.


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## Robert Hargrave (Dec 4, 2003)

Your's will be a very impressive project when compleated, hope you'll post photos. I started a 1/72 shuttle for my grandson last Christmas, but it turned into a birthday present as I never finished it in time. Using the walk around space shuttle book as a guide I made my own control panel decals and they turned out very nice.


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## Brent Gair (Jun 26, 1999)

Want to do a neat 747-400 mod?....

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/787family/gallery/747in_flt.html


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## Robert Hargrave (Dec 4, 2003)

what a monster aircraft that will be.


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## miniature sun (May 1, 2005)

There was a great article on modelling the 747/Orbiter combo in the Finescale Modeler book Famous Spaceships of Fact and Fiction. The builder used spare decals to create the American Airlines logo that can be seen faintly on the sides of the real aircraft....well worth seeking out if you can find a copy.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

Hey,Trekace, where did you get a 1/72 747? I looked around for one back in the late 70s-early80s but had no luck. I was wanting to do what you are doing.


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

I purchased it from heavykits.com. I don't know if they exist anymore, as this was a few years ago. They produced large-scale aircraft kits and also imported ones in from the UK. I purchased a conversion kit from a UK company which includes the necessary 1/72 scale mounts and additional stabilizers to reproduce NASA 905.


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## Roguepink (Sep 18, 2003)

I have a 1:144 747 Nasa started. Other projects have, unfortunately, pushed this one to the "reserve" pile of models. I'll get back to it eventually. It will be part of the "ships called Enterprise" collection.

NASA repainted the 747 transports later in the shuttle program. Only the early test flights still had the old American Airlines livery and buffed-out logos.


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

Mine will be the AA version. Never really cared for the later repaint.


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