Piston Prop Additions

[YesterAirlines]

Today I'm getting around to adding some 'new' piston props to the collection. Obviously Aeroclassics are really the only source for these, but we don't see a lot of them on MAF. Does anyone here own any piston propliners? If so how many and what have you got?

My first add is a BOAC Cargo Douglas DC-7CF G-AOII. As with many DC-7Cs BOACs weren't in service for very long as they were quickly eclipsed by pure jets. BOAC took 10 new Seven Seas from 1956 into early 1957 as stopgaps due to the continued delays associated with the Britannia 300. G-AOII was the 2nd to last to arrive. Britannias began to replace the DC-7Cs on transatlantic routes from December 1957 and a pair of the DC-7Cs (AOII and AOIJ) were converted to freighters as soon as September 1960. They ended up being BOAC's last piston engined aircraft with AOIJ flying the last service (HKG-LHR) on October 14, 1964. G-AOII would go to SAS for a couple of years from 1965, then fly for Universal as N9000T from September 1967. She wasn't actually broken up until 1998.



Here she is with sistership G-AOID. Both aircraft wear the later BOAC blue tail scheme and not the delivery colours with the reversed white tail and blue stripes. The Aeroclassics DC-7C mould is really very nice.

 

[YesterAirlines]

Prop number two is another DC-7C turned Freight Dog. KLM acquired 15 DC-7Cs from April 1957 until December 1958. In fact, they took the very last DC-7C built and began taking Lockheed Electras only 6 months later. The DC-7Cs began leaving the fleet in 1963 and a couple, like PH-DSG 'Adraitisch Zee' were converted to freighters in 1962. That gave them extra life with KLM and this aircraft served until February 1969 when she was sold to Aer Turas of Ireland, along with 3 other freighter conversions, as EI-ATW. She was involved in the Biafran airlift flying for Affretair and withdrawn in mid-1970.

 

[LeoMuse747]

Obviously Aeroclassics are really the only source for these, but we don't see a lot of them on MAF. Does anyone here own any piston propliners? If so how many and what have you got?

These are lovely models. AC did a good job with their classic propliner moulds. Sadly I don't own any. These are out of my collecting criteria but I could see myself owning a DC-3, since local airline TAF operated them in the 1980s and they are suitable for my model airport!

 

[YesterAirlines]

My final pistonliner of the day is an Air France DC-4. Unusually this aircraft, F-BBDD, was actually built as a DC-4 and wasn't a demilitarised C-54. Air France flew at least 53 DC-4/C-54s during its history. This aircraft was delivered new as 'Ciel de burgogne' in May 1946. Almost incredibly she was still flying in Air France livery in 1970 judging by photo evidence. There's a photo of her in San Juan, of all places, that year and she appears to have been in service with Centre d'Exploitation Postale Metropolitain (French Domestic Postal Service) since at least 1967. Her career appears to have come to and end in January 1978 when she was shot down flying for the Chad Air Force. Note that even at the end of her career she still had the fake square window outlines to fool people into thinking she was a DC-6.



F-BBDD wears the final Air France DC-4 scheme whereas sistership F-BELK wears the first. In between the two there was a white crown version of the first. F-BELK was originally a C-54 built for the USAAF in 1943 and converted to a DC-4 when she went to American Airlines as N90410 in 1946. Air France acquired her in 1949 and the aircraft served until she was written off near In-Salah in Algeria after a forced landing on April 30, 1958.

 

[BubblesAviation]

My final pistonliner of the day is an Air France DC-4. Unusually this aircraft, F-BBDD, was actually built as a DC-4 and wasn't a demilitarised C-54. Air France flew at least 53 DC-4/C-54s during its history. This aircraft was delivered new as 'Ciel de burgogne' in May 1946. Almost incredibly she was still flying in Air France livery in 1970 judging by photo evidence. There's a photo of her in San Juan, of all places, that year and she appears to have been in service with Centre d'Exploitation Postale Metropolitain (French Domestic Postal Service) since at least 1967. Her career appears to have come to and end in January 1978 when she was shot down flying for the Chad Air Force. Note that even at the end of her career she still had the fake square window outlines to fool people into thinking she was a DC-6.

View attachment 64758

F-BBDD wears the final Air France DC-4 scheme whereas sistership F-BELK wears the first. In between the two there was a white crown version of the first. F-BELK was originally a C-54 built for the USAAF in 1943 and converted to a DC-4 when she went to American Airlines as N90410 in 1946. Air France acquired her in 1949 and the aircraft served until she was written off near In-Salah in Algeria after a forced landing on April 30, 1958.

View attachment 64759

Just a question. How many models do you have in you collection?

 

[YesterAirlines]

Just a question. How many models do you have in you collection?

With these latest adds the collection stands at 3,760. I try and collect mostly classics so have plenty of props, but there are a few modern focus areas - mostly China and Indonesia

 

[BubblesAviation]

With these latest adds the collection stands at 3,760. I try and collect mostly classics so have plenty of props, but there are a few modern focus areas - mostly China and Indonesia

I’m only 3,723 behind you! Watch out!

 

[YesterAirlines]

I’m only 3,723 behind you! Watch out!

It builds up more quickly than you might think!! I imagine you also have a good 25 years to catch up with me too

 

[squatchys_diecast_hangar]

Today I'm getting around to adding some 'new' piston props to the collection. Obviously Aeroclassics are really the only source for these, but we don't see a lot of them on MAF. Does anyone here own any piston propliners? If so how many and what have you got?

My first add is a BOAC Cargo Douglas DC-7CF G-AOII. As with many DC-7Cs BOACs weren't in service for very long as they were quickly eclipsed by pure jets. BOAC took 10 new Seven Seas from 1956 into early 1957 as stopgaps due to the continued delays associated with the Britannia 300. G-AOII was the 2nd to last to arrive. Britannias began to replace the DC-7Cs on transatlantic routes from December 1957 and a pair of the DC-7Cs (AOII and AOIJ) were converted to freighters as soon as September 1960. They ended up being BOAC's last piston engined aircraft with AOIJ flying the last service (HKG-LHR) on October 14, 1964. G-AOII would go to SAS for a couple of years from 1965, then fly for Universal as N9000T from September 1967. She wasn't actually broken up until 1998.

View attachment 64752

Here she is with sistership G-AOID. Both aircraft wear the later BOAC blue tail scheme and not the delivery colours with the reversed white tail and blue stripes. The Aeroclassics DC-7C mould is really very nice.

View attachment 64753

We have a store full of Andrew’s prop models. They are quite nice, they don’t get the traction of modern airliners anymore so the releases are small in nature. If folks are looking to bump their collection, check out our inventory.

 

[squatchys_diecast_hangar]

With these latest adds the collection stands at 3,760. I try and collect mostly classics so have plenty of props, but there are a few modern focus areas - mostly China and Indonesia

You have me beat, I can’t count the store which is well over 20,000 models, but my personal is at about 3500.

 

[YesterAirlines]

We have a store full of Andrew’s prop models. They are quite nice, they don’t get the traction of modern airliners anymore so the releases are small in nature. If folks are looking to bump their collection, check out our inventory.

Definitely. I've been enjoying the recent Viscounts and I understand there are some more this month coming, which'll no doubt be lovely too

 

[squatchys_diecast_hangar]

Definitely. I've been enjoying the recent Viscounts and I understand there are some more this month coming, which'll no doubt be lovely too

I believe so

 

[BubblesAviation]

It builds up more quickly than you might think!! I imagine you also have a good 25 years to catch up with me too

Yeah! It’s addicting I have plenty of time to catch up to your years of collecting, don’t worry!

 

[bakejobb_23]

With these latest adds the collection stands at 3,760. I try and collect mostly classics so have plenty of props, but there are a few modern focus areas - mostly China and Indonesia

how many of these models are you buying yourself vs brand sending you products? How much money do you budget yearly to do what you do if I may ask!

 

[YesterAirlines]

how many of these models are you buying yourself vs brand sending you products? How much money do you budget yearly to do what you do if I may ask!

I don't get sent that much to be honest - a tiny fraction of the collection. I have been collecting now for 15 years and I spend a decent amount of money on the hobby (don't ask me to add it up) - however I obviously spend quite a bit. Most of the models in my collection have been secondhand purchases as 1,453 models are from before I started collecting.

I admit since I got back to the UK in 2022 the collection has grown by 1,410 models. No eBay in NZ! My collection may seem large but it isn't that unusual I know of at least 5 or 6 people with more models than I have.

 

[squatchys_diecast_hangar]

Yeah! It’s addicting I have plenty of time to catch up to your years of collecting, don’t worry!

Next time your up at the shop I can give you access to the Aeroclassic stuff not out on the sales floor. Lot's of prop magic that Andrew does

 

[squatchys_diecast_hangar]

I don't get sent that much to be honest - a tiny fraction of the collection. I have been collecting now for 15 years and I spend a decent amount of money on the hobby (don't ask me to add it up) - however I obviously spend quite a bit. Most of the models in my collection have been secondhand purchases as 1,453 models are from before I started collecting.

I admit since I got back to the UK in 2022 the collection has grown by 1,410 models. No eBay in NZ! My collection may seem large but it isn't that unusual I know of at least 5 or 6 people with more models than I have.

Luckily my wife is supportive of the fact, but I have some nice wall hanging display cabinets at home that I have a good portion of my narrowbodies in

 

[Gazontipede]

I've got a few pistons. All the BOAC white and blue tail double bar pistons released to date plus various other TAA, Ansett-ANA, QANTAS & TEAL. With some odds & sods. Really hoping for an Ambassador and a Solent one day. I've got my fingers crossed that 3D printing will come to the rescue on that score!

 

[berttheburger]

I only own two at the moment a connie and a vicount both in the Aer lingus white livery

 

[Transnat]

This is an interesting one I collected many years ago. Part of a set that included the DC3, DC4 and DC6. Part of a collection created by Herpa for Cathay