A.C. Rehberger Boeing 247A model refinishing questions

[Stu]

Hi,
I am new to this forum and would really appreciate your help and advice on the restoration of a A.C. Rehberger Boeing 247A model.

I've enjoyed having it around the house for about 30 years and unfortunately I'm considering selling it to pay off some medical bills.

I guess what I need to know is; What should I tackle in the restoration process to add value and make this attractive to a collector? I'm sure then I'll have some follow-up questions as to how I go about executing the prescribed actions.

Here are some links to Photobucket albums, so hopefully the work needed will be obvious. However, if you need any additional photos, I am more than happy to take those and post them and at higher resolutions. Hopefully I am posting the URLs correctly.

This album is of my 247A needing restoration.
http://photobucket.com/MyBoeing247A

This is a preview image from Getty that I have enlarged and enhanced that shows Roscoe Turner and his wife, Carline at Mendenhall (sic?) airfield at the start of the 1934 London to Melbourne Air Race. They are holding the A.C. Rehberger Model of the Boeing 247A. Note that is without a stand.


Here are some pics of an A.C. Rehberger model Boeing 247A that was sold at auction in 2007 and has had some restoration work done to it, including 1 landing gear and what looks like a new stand. My own landing gear is missing and so I may contact the original owner to see how he went about recreating the wheel and if he has the original drawings since I do not a template to go by.
http://photobucket.com/247A-2007

Here is an amazing A.C. Rehberger model Boeing 247A fully restored. At least I'm guessing that at one time it was fully restored, given the condition of the decals in contrast to the rest of the body. I'm linking to these pics for reference only and as a guide to the full amount of work that could be executed.
http://photobucket.com/fullyrestored247a

Here is a single pic of an A.C. Rehberger model Boeing 247A with a United Airlines stand. I'm showing this to ask if this is the original stand or might have been added later?

It really breaks my heart to have to consider selling this model, but such is my life right now being unemployed and uninsured. However, I think I will enjoy the restoration process as therapy when not looking for work.

Given the wide range of restoration efforts that I could do, I would imagine that it would be a bit like spiffing up a house for sale; At some point the effort to do a particular item of restoration to the model might not appreciably add to the value, given the amount of work and materials.

Thanks much in advance for any help and advice you might be able to lend in getting me to the starting point of making this model very presentable.

All the best!

Stu Ehr
Sisters, Oregon

[soslipstream]

Stu,

Sorry to hear about your situation and the need to restore the 247. I have a bunch of questions so you can contact me off-line if you wish.

1) Can you tell if this was nickel plated originally?

2) Please post the diameter of the propellers and post a nice head-on of the props.

3) Give the overall dimensions, wingspan, overall length, belly opening.

4) If you were to guess at a diameter for a base, what would that be?

5) What is your timeline for the resto?

Many Thanks,
Tom Sanders

[Stu]

Thanks Tom,
The measurements of the model are:
Wingspan 22.5"
Length 15"
6.4 lbs.
If I'm doing the math correctly, my calculations indicate that would be 1/40th scale.
I'm still researching the market to find out whether I'm going to be able to recoup my costs if I restore it and then sell it. I would REALLY like to continue to hang onto it after doing a restoration, but the pressure of paying off my medical bills is paramount right now and anything of value is no longer sacrosanct in my household. Added to that is my current employment status (unemployed), and like millions of Americans right now, we have to get creative in keeping a roof over our heads and avoiding bankruptcy. But, hey, you didn't need to know all that! (Violin music recedes into the background) LOL!

I've posted the only head-on pic that I had taken. The plane is over at my dad's right now, so I'll run over and get the measurements and see if we can come to an agreement over whether it was nickel plated at all, and get the measurements on the props and the opening for the stand.[img]C:\Documents%20and%20Settings\sehr\Desktop\Boeing%20247%20Pics\Boeing%20247a%20Straight%20on.jpg[/img]

All the Best!

Stu Ehr

[MichaelB]

Are you experienced in doing restorations of these kinds of models? Considering the value, you might want to sell it without any work being done.
It takes an expert restoration artist to really "restore" it, not just refurbish and refinish.
Michael

[alumtube]

Here are some detail pics of my Rehberger B247 model with some close-ups of the parts you might be missing.
Some dimentions in metric ( I grew up in Europe, never could adjust to the US system....) : Front top antenna 26 millimeter tall (that is exposed ) . Botton pitot tube 14mm exposed, Tires are 22 mm in diameter, 4mm thick, Main gear vertical strut 15mm exposed, diagonal gear brace 27mm exposed. Base of stand is 25 cm in diameter. Retangular base attachment is 7 x 4 cm.

Hope it helps.


Terry.

[alumtube]

Here are more pics.

[alumtube]

More pics, including the smaller version of the B247, also made by Rehberger. The ashtray/base is not the original one, but made in Chicago as well ( in the 50s) by All Tray.

[Stu]

Hi Terry,
So sorry for the VERY tardy reply. Been having to work through family and employment issues. I also somehow did not get notified when reply was posted....hmph...maybe something I'm doing wrong on my end.

I just wanted to express my SINCERE appreciation for your help and the great pics. They have been very helpful! The landing gear is about the last thing I have to do and then still trying to determine whether to do the antenna or not for fear that it might break off when I try to ship it.

I'll keep you apprised with pics as I wrap it up!

All the Best!
-Stu Ehr