Minicraft's
1/144 Boeing 757-200
Commercial Airliner
and its
US Government Counterpart,
the Boeing C32A

by Ed Pascuzzi

Aircraft History

For some two decades following the dawn of the jetliner age in 1952, commercial aviation transportation had undergone a revolution with the introduction of newer and faster aircraft. During the 1970s, however, with the dramatic increase of fuel prices and the looming era of aviation deregulation just around the corner, airlines were jolted into the throes of seeking more efficient and versatile aircraft. Despite retrofitting pre-existing aircraft, it took a grand move on the part of the Boeing Aircraft Company in 1978 to design an entirely new jetliner to supercede pre-existing ones. Their designs included sleeker, more aerodynamically trim and more efficient aircraft, capable of flying vast or short distances with minimal losses in fuel and passenger loads. The fruitful results of their efforts yielded two of the most widely sold models still in production today, nearly 20 years after their introduction to the market; the twin-jet Boeing 757 and 767; the latter a wide-body replacement for older long range aircraft and the former a smaller, single-aisle narrow body jet slated to replace Boeing's only tri-jet, the 727.

Boeing's 757 was at the time a considerable technological departure from its predecessors. New variations in wing and tail design coupled with the choice of either twin Rolls-Royce RB211-535 or Pratt & Whitney PW2037 high bypass turbofan engines combined to make this a trend-setting aircraft. Holding up to 239 passengers under the power of 40,000 pound (177,600 N) thrust engines, the 757-200 was capable of reaching top speeds near 600 miles per hour (966 km/hr). British Airways, followed by Eastern Airlines, soon placed orders for the 757 after the first jet was rolled out in January, 1982 (interestingly the first Boeing aircraft to operate with non-American engines). Soon numerous 757 variants emerged, from short to long range, as well as combi and all-cargo versions.

As a direct result of the success of the 757, in 1998 the United States government purchased four modified 757-200 aircraft as the C-32A Executive Transport for use as aerial limousines. Operated by the 89th Airlift Wing, these executive jets are designed for long and short haul journeys, and, on the occasions when the vice president is aboard, are termed 'Air Force 2' These aircraft, virtually stock 757-200s, have 3 class cabins and only slight modifications in communications systems to facilitate classified transmissions. Unlike the launch model 757-200, the C-32A jetliners are powered by twin Pratt & Whitney PW2040 engines. Both the C-32A and the 757-200 have wingspans of 124 feet, 10 inches (37.80 meters, 25.4 cm), with lengths of 155 feet, 3 inches (47.24 m, 7.6 cm), with two person flight crews and state of the art glass cockpits.

The Kits

For well over a decade, civil airliner model builders have eagerly awaited the introduction of a high quality Boeing 757 1/144 scale injection kit. Though Welsh builds a similar kit in this scale, it has inherent drawbacks for the typical modeler; it is a vacform kit and thus yields much less detail than that of a similar injection molded kit, and the average or beginner modeler may experience some trepidation at the sight of what is involved in building such a kit. Thus, the Minicraft kit will surely remain popular with builders and collectors well after production runs have ceased. The first of the two released, the Boeing 757-200, hit the US market in mid Summer, 1999, followed only a few months later by the C32A. At an average cost of $13.00 (USD), the kit is certainly an immediate attraction to builders who are shockingly accustomed to paying anywhere from $30 to $70 for similar European and Japanese kits in the same scale. Upon comparing these and the Minicraft kits, it is immediately clear that Minicraft offers the modeler a high quality kit at a very reasonable price.

First, before even opening the kits, one is immediately impressed with not only the attractive box artwork, but the fact that three actual completed kit photos adorn the sides of each box, something of importance to the buyer. Such images are vital in assessing the general shape, structure and appearance of the completed kit, and are often absent from other airliner kit boxes.

After opening the box, one notices three wrapped sprue trees molded in sturdy, very smooth, reflective gray plastic, with all appropriate parts containing finely recessed panel lines. Fuselage halves fit together well, making use of numerous locator tabs and pins in each half. Fortunately, as Heller has done with its 1/125 airliner kits, the cockpit windshield is molded in a clear piece that is significantly larger than the actual windshield frame, a great benefit to the modeler as it alleviates the unrealistic frame 'gap' seen on other kits when a single clear piece only the shape of the windshield is included in the kit. Thus, one can mask the actual window area, glue and putty the rest of the clear plastic piece to the fuselage and later, after painting, have a realistically clear windscreen with no unsightly seams. Additionally, the fuselage halves contain no window openings (a heated topic among airliner modelers), thus constraining the builder to use window decals. Oftentimes, the lack of window openings truly detracts from the realistic appearance of the finished kit. Other small details such as VHF/UHF antennae, anti-collision light housings and wing root lights are also absent from the kit, most of which are found on this kit's more expensive counterparts.

Moving to the wings and tail assembly, one notices the unique and potentially better method for affixing the wings (each in two halves) to the fuselage body which incorporates a triple tab that slides entirely across the fuselage to the other wing root. Though a sturdier and better method of keeping the wings in place, the wing roots, sadly, do not meet flush with the underside fuselage wing fairing, thus requiring minor reshaping. Additionally, one must consider keeping the correct dihedral while making this correction. Happily, the horizontal stabilizers are molded in one piece (which will clearly make painting much easier) and fit cleanly and snugly against the fuselage.

The last tree, containing the bulk of the kit's pieces, is the only one which is slightly different for the two kits. All other parts for both kits are identical, with the exception being the engines, the 757 containing Rolls Royce RB211 turbofans and the C32A possessing Pratt & Whitney PW2040 powerplants. Ecstatically, the engine nacelles, pylons and exhaust cones are all in separate pieces (each in halves expect for the cones), a solid guarantee for making painting and assembling much easier than had these parts simply been conjoined in two, separate halves, as is common in many airliner kits. Every airliner modeler out there foresees the frustrating hours of 'reconstructive surgery' necessary to correct such poor designs! Applause go to Minicraft on their keen insight concerning this development. Other small parts, such as flap track fairings, are nicely molded with no flash and, happily, no molding holes which would otherwise need filling. These pieces will need little cleaning prior to painting and assembly.

Lastly, the kit's landing gear and wheels appear no more elaborate than those of other airliner kits in this scale. Landing gear struts have little detail on them and thus scratchbuilders can have a field day, especially on the 757's nose gear with its myriad lights and cables. Sadly, none of the three gear bays is detailed at all, with the nose wheel well being nothing more than a square hole into which one glues the nose strut. Other kits in this scale have slightly more detailed wheel wells, though to have added this little extra surely would have inflated this kitís price.

Conclusion

Airliner modelers have found themselves in their glory with the introduction of this kit, something that has been anticipated for some time. Once the kit is complete, however, the stickler for accuracy may encounter mild distress, even though inspection of the actual 757 dimensions at Boeing's website reveals the scale length of the fuselage to be fairly accurate (at 13.0 inches {33.02 cm}, this is 0.1 inch {2.5 mm} shy of 1/144 of 155 feet, 3 inches from the real aircraft). Additionally, relative to the actual aircraft, the engine pitch angle on the 757-200 kit appears to be incorrect by several degrees, as does the sweep angle and shape for the vertical stabilizer as well as the shape of the cockpit windshield frame. Cockpit door placement and cargo door sizes, according to some careful measurements against the real jets, are also somewhat inaccurate. However, aside from bothering perfectionists out there who can fairly easily modify such items, the finished kit will undoubtedly resemble an attractive 757 regardless. The enclosed decal sheets, possessing attractively thin images without a constant clear coat, are well printed though have none of the numerous smaller panel markings which are found in other kits twice the price of this one. For those out there wishing to build a scheme of their choice, there exists a great variety of aftermarket decals of superb detail (some of which cost nearly as much as either of these Minicraft kits!) with which one can model numerous Boeing 757-200s of either engine type. Surely, this attractive model will be in production for years, and it has been one that airliner modelers have awaited for nearly 15 years. Thanks Minicraft!

References

Boeing 757/767 Robbie Shaw, Ian Allan Publishing, 1992
Minicraft Model Instruction Sheet, Boeing 757/USAF C-32A 1/144 Model Kits
www.boeing.com/commercial/757-200/ext.html