Casey Rupley (webmaster)

Dem Brudders, better known as Bill and Dick Engar from Utah, posted a fun article on modelling airliners with a focus on the Revell DC-10 kit on their website (https://www.dembrudders.com/revell-1144-dc-10–kc-10-kit-history.html). Here is an excerpt:

DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT REVOLUTIONIZED AIR TRAVEL WITH ITS DC-3. IT TOOK ON BOEING DURING THE JET AGE WITH THE EXCELLENT DC-8. THE DC-10 WAS ITS STAR-CROSSED SUCCESSOR. JOIN US AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE REVELL DC-10 KIT AND FOLLOW ITS EVOLUTION THROUGH THE LIFETIME OF THE DC-10 AIRLINER.

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Revell released an early DC-10 in 1972, a year after the airplane was introduced into domestic service on high-volume routes by American Airlines.  By the early 1970’s, Revell’s new models didn’t have the same level of intricate detailing that made them legendary from the 1950’s, but the upside to this was that the DC-10 kit wasn’t encrusted with oversized rivets.  The kit had open windows with clear strips intended to be glued inside the fuselage before closing it up.  This seemed to be a bit of an engineering shortcut compared to their 747 kits, which had clear window segments molded to fit flush with the fuselage.  Still, the DC-10 built into an impressive, reasonably accurate model that wasn’t at all hard to build. 

Airfix also released a DC-10 kit in 1/144 scale, although it took them until 1980 to do it.  My personal preference is the Revell plastic  since the kit has the characteristic reinforcement strips across the rear stabilizer and engine.  Of course these could be added to the Airfix kit without a whole lot of effort if the modeler so wishes.  The Airfix DC-10 was also released by American manufacturer MPC in American Airlines’ livery circa 1982.

American Airlines was the launch customer for the DC-10, eventually acquiring 55 DC-10’s, yet Revell chose Delta decals to include with the first release of the model kit in 1972.  The Revell DC-10 “Airbus” debuted in Delta’s legendary “Widget” livery.  The model depicted early GE CF6 engines with a bifurcated tail-cone.  Apparently this divider was a hot-stream split thrust reverser that didn’t work very well and was soon removed from all early DC-10’s.  Interestingly, Delta was better known for its use of Lockheed’s competing L1011 with 70 of these aircraft eventually in use.  Originally, Delta took delivery of 5 DC-10’s, which were only purchased as a stopgap anticipating delivery of the delayed L1011.  Delta later picked up 12 DC-10’s from their merger with Delta in 1987 but these aircraft were quickly passed on to other airlines once the merger was complete.