Author Topic: Dragon 1/144 747/shuttle (Read 7583 times)

Bubbinski · « **on:** 04/05/2014 04:20 am »

I already have a finished 747/shuttle but I couldn't pass up a chance to get an accurate new mold 1/144 shuttle orbiter with lots of details the Revell/Airfix/Minicraft orbiters just don't have (accurate window shapes, cockpits, cargo bay). I know I'll build the orbiter at any rate.

roma847 · « **Reply #1 on:** 04/05/2014 08:18 am »

Nice kit, as far as I can see.

The orbiter has transparent cutaway wings, right, also other parts of the 747?

Bubbinski · « **Reply #2 on:** 04/05/2014 01:16 pm »

That's right, the orbiter has transparent parts for the upper wings/elevons and nose section/cockpit. The 747 has transparent parts for the wing but not the fuselage (the transparent 747 fuselage parts are not used here but are for their 747-400 kit).

roma847 · « **Reply #3 on:** 04/05/2014 01:56 pm »

Yep, I've found the Kit on the Dagon Site with detailed photos, a really amazing kit.

Source: Dragon Models

Since it immediately starts to tingle in my fingers, but I still have a lot to do with my STS-6 Launch Pad.

Ronpur50 · « **Reply #4 on:** 04/05/2014 03:07 pm »

I have been thinking of getting this kit, but have a couple of questions:

1: Are the tiles engraved on the orbiter as it looks in the photos?

2: How about that pilot side hatch, is it engraved on the clear fuselage parts?

3: Are the clear fuselage parts included for the 747? I would love to build the structural supports inside the SCA.

The supports really don't look much more accurate than the Revell model, or is that just a bad picture on the Dragon site?

roma847 · « **Reply #5 on:** 04/05/2014 03:39 pm »

Hi Ron,

I hope Bubbinski will check this and can answer.

Bubbinski · « **Reply #6 on:** 04/05/2014 05:26 pm »

Hi Ronpur, I took a deeper look today and here are my observations:

1. not engraved, those are decals.

2. the side hatch is shown on both sides of the nose, which is annoying. But from what I can tell it's not engraved on the outside but on the inside, so if you paint over it it shouldn't show. But I'll report back further.

3. They are but you can't put them on, they're intended for the 747-400 and Air Force One kits. They're useless in this kit. (edit: unless you do major surgery, which I will not do).

4. Disappointingly, the supports are not really accurate, particularly the back supports. The front support is better than the Revell kit.

I'm deciding whether to put the shuttle on the Airfix stack, to make it an in space orbiter (with a MIR or ISS kit) or to build a 2nd 747/shuttle (least likely). The 747 may become a Pan Am or other airliner.

Ronpur50 · « **Reply #7 on:** 04/06/2014 02:26 am »

Thanks for the info! I may get it, even though I just finished two 747 and shuttles last year, I didn't build a 911 yet. I could do that! I built the ALT and final flight, both 905s, just to bookend the program. I have another Revel kit in the closet that I may try to convert to a 747SP for a Sofia.

I bought some resin supports for my models from Muroc Models:

http://www.ninfinger.org/models/muroc/scaalt.html
http://www.ninfinger.org/models/muroc/scacurrent.html

Both kits were fantastic

skyn3t · « **Reply #8 on:** 08/11/2014 05:04 pm »

I really hate to be the bearer of bad news but this kit is very dissapointing for a "Dragon"

I purchased it hoping to pair it with the 1/144 Revel stack. I was hoping the "Dragon" Orbitor would be much better than the Revel one.

It isnt the nose/cockpit part is a very bad fit against the fuselarge and in general I don't regard it as the same quality as the numerous Dragon kits I have built in the past.

According to http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum16/HTML/000651-2.html page the model isnt made by Dragon themselves, that could explain the probelms.