Inter war aviation (1 Viewer)

[Jack]

My father just finished this model. It was a much anticipated build but the kit did not quite live up to expectations.

 

[theBaron]

Is that the Accurate Miniatures F3F-2? It's not a bad kit, but it can challenge a modeler. Your dad's build came out nicely!

Prost!
Brad

 

[Jack]

Is that the Accurate Miniatures F3F-2? It's not a bad kit, but it can challenge a modeler. Your dad's build came out nicely!

Prost!
Brad

Brad

That's the one. I believe he would agree with your assessment. He is now working on a Tamiya Hellcat and is very pleased with it. He has four 1/32 Spitfires in the post in preparation for a Battle of Britain airfield. I ordered them online for him. He is concerned about credit card fraud ... well, only some credit card fraud as my card is apparently impervious.{sm4}

Jack

 

[jazzeum]

Looks good to me. How about getting him to join the Forum? A nice interwar aircraft that saw action in the Pacific Theatre was the Buffalo. That might be a nice future project for pere Jack.

 

[Hazebrouck]

Nice looking plane Jack. Boeing P-12 is my favourite from that era.

Scott

 

[cnq]

very nice build. I'll have to build a ww1 plane some day to add to my collection.

 

[Rob]

Excellent model Jack, very talented father you have there mate:smile2:

Rob

 

[lancer]

Yellow wings! I love US military inter-war aircraft, especially Navy aircraft. Wonderful job on the F3F. The BoB airfield should be a corker. Martin, I look forward to more from your father's aircraft factory. ^&cool -- Al

 

[theBaron]

Accurate Miniatures produced a small catalog of very well-crafted 1/48 kits, including subjects that were never done, like the F3F (previously available in 1/32 and 1/72), or rarely kitted, like the Vindicator, as well as some favorites, like their series of B-25s, the SBDs and the TBF kit. They also reproduced some of Monogram's 1/72 kits, like the F4B-4 and F11C. Sadly, the company is out of business, after attempts to bring it back. Some of their molds were picked up by other companies; Italeri repopped the TBF kit, for example. There were hints of other subjects to come, before they went out of business the first time. I think one proposed subject was a P-38. For all of their kits, it can be said that they had a level of detail that let a beginner or an average modeler produce a good-looking model, right out of the box, and that for a moderate price. The F3F kits, for example, include photo-etch for the rigging that takes the guesswork out of the process, especially if you've never rigged a biplane before. And the photo-etch does a much better job of representing the RAF wire that was used. RAF wire has an airfoil shape, it's not round wire, and the flat PE really looks like it, in this scale. But that kind of detail is what we'd expect of a company that was founded and run by modelers, in order to produce quality kits for the market.

If your dad likes yellow wings subjects, Jack, you should track down the Vindicator and the SBD-1 for him. You can find them on eBay often enough, and for reasonable prices.

Thanks again for posting this, and I look forward to seeing his other work.

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

Brad

That's the one. I believe he would agree with your assessment. He is now working on a Tamiya Hellcat and is very pleased with it. He has four 1/32 Spitfires in the post in preparation for a Battle of Britain airfield. I ordered them online for him. He is concerned about credit card fraud ... well, only some credit card fraud as my card is apparently impervious.{sm4}

Jack

That's the best sort of card to get Jack. Do you do adoptions? jb

 

[Jack]

That's the best sort of card to get Jack. Do you do adoptions? jb

Actually if you are interested I do have a few financial possibilities opening up through my office in Nigeria. Will be in touch soon!

 

[Jack]

Accurate Miniatures produced a small catalog of very well-crafted 1/48 kits, including subjects that were never done, like the F3F (previously available in 1/32 and 1/72), or rarely kitted, like the Vindicator, as well as some favorites, like their series of B-25s, the SBDs and the TBF kit. They also reproduced some of Monogram's 1/72 kits, like the F4B-4 and F11C. Sadly, the company is out of business, after attempts to bring it back. Some of their molds were picked up by other companies; Italeri repopped the TBF kit, for example. There were hints of other subjects to come, before they went out of business the first time. I think one proposed subject was a P-38. For all of their kits, it can be said that they had a level of detail that let a beginner or an average modeler produce a good-looking model, right out of the box, and that for a moderate price. The F3F kits, for example, include photo-etch for the rigging that takes the guesswork out of the process, especially if you've never rigged a biplane before. And the photo-etch does a much better job of representing the RAF wire that was used. RAF wire has an airfoil shape, it's not round wire, and the flat PE really looks like it, in this scale. But that kind of detail is what we'd expect of a company that was founded and run by modelers, in order to produce quality kits for the market.

If your dad likes yellow wings subjects, Jack, you should track down the Vindicator and the SBD-1 for him. You can find them on eBay often enough, and for reasonable prices.

Thanks again for posting this, and I look forward to seeing his other work.


Prost!
Brad

Brad

Thanks for the reply. Dad does pop on and read the comments and is always appreciative of people's contributions. He liked the model but I think the smaller scale might have been one challenge too many. One of the interesting things he does say about modelling is that even if he struggles with a kit, having finished it, he is generally confident that he could make a second one much faster and to a higher standard. One that I was really disappointed with was the Airfix 1/72 nd de Havilland DH.88 Comet. I was really looking forward to photographing it but the gaps between the pieces consigned it to 'the draw of death' where it has sat ever since.

I will go looking for those other kits. The yellow wings are impressive looking aircraft. If nothing else it will drag Al (Lancer) away from 1914 - 1918.

Regards

Jack

 

[Jack]

Yellow wings! I love US military inter-war aircraft, especially Navy aircraft. Wonderful job on the F3F. The BoB airfield should be a corker. Martin, I look forward to more from your father's aircraft factory. ^&cool -- Al

The BoB airfield is destined for the museum next year but the time does fly. I will now start collecting some K&C vehicles and figures to man the airfield. That's all I need - another range!

Every RAAF type that comes into the museum is introduced to the dream of a 1/32nd scale Lancaster. Someone will buy me one eventually. One of our most loved Old Boys was killed in a Manchester but that is, respectfully, not the most impressive aircraft to take to the sky.

 

[Jack]

very nice build. I'll have to build a ww1 plane some day to add to my collection.

The advice from Father Jack is go Wingnuts and read some reviews of the builds.

 

[Jack]

Looks good to me. How about getting him to join the Forum? A nice interwar aircraft that saw action in the Pacific Theatre was the Buffalo. That might be a nice future project for pere Jack.

He is on a small modelling Forum with very tight rules. Dad joining one Forum was a shock. If he joined two I am not sure how we would cope. Dad is also a very intelligent, witty and charming man. What would he bring to the Forum that is in any way different from my contributions? {sm4}{sm4}

 

[ivanmoe]

My father just finished this model. It was a much anticipated build but the kit did not quite live up to expectations.

Hi Jack,

First, I think that your dad's model looks great. No kidding. It's fine just the way it is.

No doubt, you've seen the model in person. Were you surprised at all in how small it is? I've got a veritable fleet of 30's-era 1/48 models just like that and they are smaller than darn near all my 1/72 monoplane fighters from WW2. Because of the diminutive nature of the parts, biplanes in that scale can be a real challenge to build to ones "personal satisfaction. If your father is frustrated at all with his work with 1/48 biplanes, you may want to suggest that he try working with some 1/32 kits instead. Hasegawa made an F4B-4 and BF2C in that scale, and Revell/Monogram an F3F-3. All three can still be had for reasonable prices on Ebay. While each may not be as good a "scale model" as the Accurate Miniatures kit, they are a lot less of a challenge to complete. Oh, and if your dad wasn't satisfied with this outcome, warn him off the 1/48 kits from Classic Airframes. Those can really make a fella nuts!{eek3}

-Moe

 

[Jack]

Hi Jack,

First, I think that your dad's model looks great. No kidding. It's fine just the way it is.

No doubt, you've seen the model in person. Were you surprised at all in how small it is? I've got a veritable fleet of 30's-era 1/48 models just like that and they are smaller than darn near all my 1/72 monoplane fighters from WW2. Because of the diminutive nature of the parts, biplanes in that scale can be a real challenge to build to ones "personal satisfaction. If your father is frustrated at all with his work with 1/48 biplanes, you may want to suggest that he try working with some 1/32 kits instead. Hasegawa made an F4B-4 and BF2C in that scale, and Revell/Monogram an F3F-3. All three can still be had for reasonable prices on Ebay. While each may not be as good a "scale model" as the Accurate Miniatures kit, they are a lot less of a challenge to complete. Oh, and if your dad wasn't satisfied with this outcome, warn him off the 1/48 kits from Classic Airframes. Those can really make a fella nuts!{eek3}

-Moe

Moe

Now that you mention it, when Brad asked what make and scale I actually had to check that it was 1/48th rather than 1/72nd on the website. It is small which I think was the cause of most of the difficulties. After having been immersed in Wingnuts 1/32nd I think Dad was keen for some 'fun' builds as a break. I would go the 1/32nd kits but I think once he gets going with the Spits, he has a Wingnuts 1/32nd Bristol that he has some pretty big ambitions for in terms of building and displaying. He also has a 1/48th Lanc sitting around. I also would like him to tackle some WW 1 'pusher' aircraft. The options are limitless. I sometimes think that the sheer variety of kits can leave the modeller turned K&C, TG, Jenkins collector in a state of perpetual dissatisfaction given the more narrow selection.

regards
Jack

 

[johnnybach]

Actually if you are interested I do have a few financial possibilities opening up through my office in Nigeria. Will be in touch soon!

May make a refreshing change from Bombay Billy - who seems most interested in getting to help me obtain some cash from the guy who gave me a whiplash injury from a car accident that I never had!^&confuse

On second thoughts - don't even think about it - as life's too short......................jb

 

[theBaron]

...Hasegawa made an F4B-4 and BF2C in that scale, and Revell/Monogram an F3F-3. All three can still be had for reasonable prices on Ebay.

The Monogram F3F is a nice kit, too, especially considering when it was first produced. A modeler has to decide to work around the operating features, though, especially the gears used to crank the landing gear up.

I never understood why Hasegawa kitted the BF2C, given that the model supplied to the Navy was a failure--the metal upper wing vibrated in sync to the engine, and nearly broke away. I always thought they should have kitted the F11C. I do think someone recently has come out with an F11C in 1/32, to fill that need for us yellow wings builders.

There are also some good pilot figures out there, to go with the 1/32 kits. UltraCast has some 1930's USN/USMC pilot figures. The Monogram F3F also included a standing pilot figure.

Prost!
Brad

 

[ivanmoe]

The Monogram F3F is a nice kit, too, especially considering when it was first produced. A modeler has to decide to work around the operating features, though, especially the gears used to crank the landing gear up.

Ha, then there's the "gear" that sticks out of the side of the fuselage. Rube Goldberg would have loved that mechanism!

I never understood why Hasegawa kitted the BF2C, given that the model supplied to the Navy was a failure--the metal upper wing vibrated in sync to the engine, and nearly broke away. I always thought they should have kitted the F11C. I do think someone recently has come out with an F11C in 1/32, to fill that need for us yellow wings builders.

Agree completely with your call on the F11C. Re-designated the BFC, it may have been the first "dive bomber." As is the case with all these USN, inter-war types, the production runs were very small. Often, the navy would buy twenty or thirty of a type and then move on to next year's model. Don't know for sure, but they may have bought more of the failed BF2C than the fixed-gear Goshawk.

There are also some good pilot figures out there, to go with the 1/32 kits. UltraCast has some 1930's USN/USMC pilot figures. The Monogram F3F also included a standing pilot figure.

I came across a 1/32 resin Stearman recently. It looked like a decent enough kit, but it was well over $100. Models sure aren't getting any cheaper.

-Moe