LearFan 2100

[Gene]

Here's a favorite project of mine that I never quite finished (being something of a nomad) and have dug out to make use of some of the research material I've acquired since leaving off working on it. The kit was a vac offered many years ago by 'Just Plane Madness' of the composite pioneering LearFan 2100 in 32nd scale. A handsome plane, a shame it never found production.

[Jack]

Gene, nice, verrrrry nice looking aircraft, indeed a shame it didn't make it, but if memory serves it had (or at least it was anticipated) some disadvantages on the commercial side (might have to look that up).....

How are the dimensions in 1/32 scale?, and did you put it some internal detailing?

 

rgds,

Jack.

[ermeio]

Really great, these are the subjects that deserve to be modeled in 32 large scale!

 

Er Me

[Gene]

Hi Jack,

Not sure what it's commercial short-coming was; it was Lear's intention that it would become a fast, economical feeder line to local airports for carriers like FedEx or UPS. I was even tempted to put the model in FedEx livery just for fun. Anyway the model measures 14.87" in length and 14.37" in wingspan. That's dead-on for scale length, but 0.18" short on each wing half (I have to add wing-tips yet!, I didn't think it was done anyway. Yes, it has interior seats and cabin finish; I'll see if I can find some old pics of that. At the time I built the interior, it was pretty much speculation because the 3 flying examples were full of test instruments and apparently not very photo-genenic. I estimated it probably would not be too unlike the Lear Jet cabins.

And thanks Ermeio, wouldn't a Lear Jet in 32nd be fun?

[Gene]

And per your question regarding interior -- here are two shoots. They were built quite some time ago when my techniques were just beginning to develop. I cast 8 seats out of Pep-Boys Bondo against a Bondo mold I had made of the original clay seat and then added sprue to get some finer detail. (Liberal amounts of Silicone mold release were use to prevent Bondo to Bondo bonding). The instrument panel was made up of color copies from state-of the-art instruments advertised in some 'Flying' magazine. Yes, a bit crude, but when assembled it all became a mere shadow in those small windows! With the door open, at least one seat can be seen clearly. (As I discovered later when I ran across a LearFan sales promo brochure, a seat was no to occur in this position!). Dispite all the errors and bungling, I still want to bring this bird to a 'close' and wrap up what I can without a total rebuild.