Douglas DC-7B
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Douglas DC-7B (1956)
With the grounding of the Comet fleet SAA were left with a problem that they did not have a long range aircraft for the international flights. This was ably solved by Douglas who had developed a special variant of their new upgraded DC-7 with longer range. These aircraft were fitted with saddle tanks in extended nacelles that housed more fuel. SAA became the first non-American airline to place the type in service when they ordered 4 in 1956. The DC-7 replaced the Lockheed Constellations on the European routes. SAA’s service across the Indian Ocean to Perth was pioneered by the DC-7B. The four aircraft were later used internally before being sold in 1966/7. The DC-7 family was reputedly the world’s fasted piston-engined airliner.
Time to London: 21 Hours.
Normal passenger load: up to 94.
ZS-DKD, DKE, DKF, DKG
Douglas DC-7 |
ZS-DKD |
Dromedaris Reiger Goede Hoop Chapman |
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Modelling
The following kits have been produced over the years that will allow the modeller to build a model of this aircraft.
To date no 1/72nd scale kit exists of the earlier DC-7B but as the DC-7B is based upon a DC-6 the Heller kit will be an excellent starting point. The fuselage requires stretching by 41 inches aft of the wings. This equates to 20 mm in 1/72nd scale. The engine cowlings will also require replacement as well as modifying the nacelles to depict the saddle tanks. And then you need to source appropriate 4-blaDe propellers.
In 1/144th scale the modeller’s task is easier as Contrails (not to be confused with Contrail vac-u-forms) produce a full kit of a DC7B cast in resin.
Alternatively the Minicraft kit of a DC-7C can be modified to represent a DC-7B.The DC-7C has a 10 foot extension of the wing span in the wing root area as well as a further fuselage stretch of 41 inches in the fuselage over the DC-7B. This time the extension is forward of the wing. Also the tail was 2 feet bigger when compared to a DC-7B. The DC-7C propellers are also slightly bigger than a DC-7B’s.Thus to build a DC-7B both the wings and the fuselage and tail would require modification.
Minicraft makes a 1/144 DC-6B as well and it might be a simpler undertaking to graft the DC-7C outer wings onto the DC-6B fuselage and wing centre section.
Colours
Scheme one
The basic delivery scheme of the DC-7B’s was natural metal overall with Dark Blue trim on top of the cowlings with a pin stripe and a fuselage cheat line through the windows The top of the fuselage and the vertical fin was painted white. SAA logo carried on nose and the aircraft had SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS (left) /SUID AFRIKAANSE LUGDIENS (right) struck through by a blue band with wings enclosing the airlines name.
The DC-7’s were unique as they appear to be the only aircraft type to carry the model number on them. This appeared on the tail fin band in the form of DC-7B with the 7 being in red and a lot longer than the rest of the letters.
Scheme Two
During 1963 the DC-7 acquired her final colours. The aircraft was finished as per scheme two but the vertical tail fin was painted orange with the Swoosh with the Flying Springbok in the high position.
Decals
At the time of writing no dedicated decals for a SAA DC-7B have been produced. It should be possible to adapt those produced for a DC-4 to your model.