Czech Models 1/32 T-33A musings

[Jennings]

I've been going over the kit with the proverbial fine-toothed comb. Preface everything I'm going to say with "this is a really nice kit!" - and one I'm ecstatic that Squadron/CM has brought out. I'm just pointing out some minor stuff that I've come across for the nitpickers among us.

1. Late model USAF birds had a different main wheel hub. It was nearly flat, and didn't have any kind of spokes at all. It looks similar to an F-106 main wheel (was it the same wheel??).

2. Late model USAF birds had the pitot tubes (2 instead of 1) mounted up on the sides of the fuselage aft of the gun access panels. Early ones had an L shaped pitot under the nose as does the kit.

3. The NACA scoops on the gun access panels are not present on many T-33s. I'm glad they put them there, but be aware you need to remove them for many a/c.

4. As I think has been noted, and according to an ex-T-33 pilot I know, the T-bird was *always* parked with the flaps extended and the air brakes open. Gently, gently prod Harold in the ribs guys!

5. There is no trim tab on the trailing edge of the rudder in the kit. There should be. But being as you'll need to drastically thin down the rudder t/e anyway, it's easy to add.

6. Contrary to pronouncements by 'experts', the tip tanks are exactly the right length and diameter, and the curves and straightaways are exactly where they should be. This is based on detailed measurements of the actual tank provided to me by Bruce Radebaugh. End of conversation on that.

J

Edited May 13, 2010 by Jennings

[richter111]

It is a beautiful plane, I am glad the kit is pretty much spot on.

[VADM Fangschleister]

I have no complaints, love mine.

I agree about the flaps. Need them dropped and the speed brakes open! Easy enough to modify the kit parts on the flaps with some Evergreen strips. (maybe)

I Don't mind the wrong-era wheels for later birds. Plan on doing a 1950's period bird anyhow.

Jennings, got a friend who wants TV-2 decals. Who ya gonna call?

Sure was a pretty sight when opening the box. Very nice all the way around. Only real complaint was the control sticks. I understand Harold is working on that.

[Jennings]

I couldn't quite figure out why my rudder art wasn't working on the kit, so I decided to do a little sleuthing to see if I could figure it out. And I did. The Czech Models rudder chord is about 20% too narrow. It's not horrible, but it does make a big difference when a piece of art has to fit the rudder a certain way. Here's a tracing of the kit rudder overlaid on a real T-33 rudder for comparison. The kit part is in white.

J

[A340pilot]

Hmmm...

Need to check my F-80 kit to see if this is a problem with that kit as well. Or did the T-bird have a wider chord rudder due to longer front fuselage?

Stein

[Jennings]

Hmmm...

Need to check my F-80 kit to see if this is a problem with that kit as well. Or did the T-bird have a wider chord rudder due to longer front fuselage?

No idea..

J

[terryt]

I have no complaints, love mine.

I agree about the flaps. Need them dropped and the speed brakes open! Easy enough to modify the kit parts on the flaps with some Evergreen strips. (maybe)

I Don't mind the wrong-era wheels for later birds. Plan on doing a 1950's period bird anyhow.

Jennings, got a friend who wants TV-2 decals. Who ya gonna call?

Sure was a pretty sight when opening the box. Very nice all the way around. Only real complaint was the control sticks. I understand Harold is working on that.

Squadron has a resin wheel bay, speed brake set.

http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=TD32458

[Harold]

Squadron has a resin wheel bay, speed brake set.

http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=TD32458

And don't forget:

http://store.midtennhobbies.com/132-ams-f-...2035-p2369.aspx

And this:

http://store.midtennhobbies.com/132-ams-f-...2037-p2370.aspx

[Jennings]

Can you say HUBBA HUBBA!!??!!

[Kalashnikov-47]

Jennings,

With the revelation of the rudder mis-size, did you design the MI-ANG decal for the correct size or kit size rudder?

I will/will not correct my model depending on your decal.

B)

[Jennings]

I did it for the kit rudder. But I'm happy to re-do it if you really want. I doubt 99.92417% of people will know the difference. I didn't figure it out until I had the 171st tail done.

J

[VADM Fangschleister]

Fun T-33 Story

[Kalashnikov-47]

I did it for the kit rudder. But I'm happy to re-do it if you really want. I doubt 99.92417% of people will know the difference. I didn't figure it out until I had the 171st tail done.

J

Thanks for the offer, Jennings, but it's OK. I was just asking....

It's not terribly far off and like you said, hardly anyone would

notice (unless they've read this thread). Besides, less work for me.

[Jennings]

That's pretty hilarious!

J

Fun T-33 Story

[Jennings]

More FYI information (if anybody but me cares)...

1. The kit is missing the gun camera fairing inside the RH intake. Pretty easy to add from some epoxy putty, since it's a faired-in shape.

2. Having received some more detail photos, I can positively confirm that the rudder is too narrow in chord. The tail assembly is identical on the T-33 and F-80.

3. Having received more hard data on the tip tanks, I can state positively that they kit tanks are absolutely correct within a gnat's eyelash. The real tanks have a circumference of 81", which yields a diameter (circumference/pi = diameter) of 25.78". In 1/32 scale that comes out to 20.46 mm. I measure the diameter of the kit tanks at 20.1 mm, which is pretty dang close in my book.

J

[Harold]

More FYI information (if anybody but me cares)...

1. The kit is missing the gun camera fairing inside the RH intake. Pretty easy to add from some epoxy putty, since it's a faired-in shape.

2. Having received some more detail photos, I can positively confirm that the rudder is too narrow in chord. The tail assembly is identical on the T-33 and F-80.

3. Having received more hard data on the tip tanks, I can state positively that they kit tanks are absolutely correct within a gnat's eyelash. The real tanks have a circumference of 81", which yields a diameter (circumference/pi = diameter) of 25.78". In 1/32 scale that comes out to 20.46 mm. I measure the diameter of the kit tanks at 20.1 mm, which is pretty dang close in my book.

J

Ya can't get much closer then that!!

Thanks for doing the research..

Harold

[terryt]

Fletcher wing tanks for the T-33,

http://store.midtennhobbies.com/132-ams-fl...2042-p2539.aspx

[Brad-M]

Gents,

Here is another thread that may be of some use. It adds a bit more detail to the actual kit's cockpit detail, and basic shape and dimensions of the model .

HTH

Brad

http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=29582

Edited May 19, 2010 by Brad-M