MattC Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 (edited) Ok, having a browse through an old Janes (1940) a few aircraft pop out and say "make me". Before I take a massive step and even begin thinking about scratch building, I thought I would see if any are available and if anyone has experience of them? DH95 "Hertfordshire" - RAF version of "Flamingo" Percival Q-6 - Fixed UC version of Percival Petrel as supplied to the RAF Caproni Ca.113 Curtiss-Wright CW-21-B Ryan YO-51 Dragonfly Vultee Vanguard 61 Rogojarsky Sim-XIV-H Cheers all Matt Edited November 8, 2008 by MattC Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve N Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 Sword does (or did) the XP-66 Vanguard. It's the version with the standard cowl, not the one with the exended spinner in the photo you posted. I built it..typical limited run (flashy parts, resin cockpit, vac canopy) but nothing a reasonably experienced builder couldn't handle. I think Rareplanes did a vacuform CW-21 a long time ago, but it'll probably be hard to find now. Don't know about the rest. SN Quote Link to post Share on other sites
D Bellis Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Matt, I have the 1/72 Rareplanes CW-21 vac kit. It is complete and unstarted. I'd sell it to you if you're interested. D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattC Posted November 9, 2008 Author Share Posted November 9, 2008 Cripes almighty I've never done a vac kit. I think I'd like to have a crack at one though, not sure if I am up to it, so it'll depend on the price and where you are for postage. Give me an indication of what you want for it and I'll let you know, cash is mega tight this month so it'll have to be next month if anything. I don't want to spend a bunch on a decent kit which someone else could make far better than I could. Cheers Matt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chuck1945 Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 The Ca 133 was also done in a vac, Av-Usk in the early 90s. I have that one and perhaps the CW-21 is still around as well - cant remember if I got rid of it or not. IIRC, the CW-21 would be a pretty good way to start vacs. Not too difficult, should be easy to get a prop from Aeroclub (or spares) to replace the vac one. Rareplanes were the cream of the crop back in the vac days. The Sword P-66 was one of their first and is long OOP. Magna has done a resin DH 95. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
agboak Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 The CW-21 has been released more than once in standard injection plastic: I had the very poor Beechnut offering but there is also one from the MPM group. I believe there is also a P-48, but don't recall the company. Vac kits are not that difficult, if you get a good one e.g. Rareplanes, Formaplane. Some of them (e.g. Airmodel, Contrail) can be appallingly crude and the US-sourced offerings tend to be very thin - Eagles Talon are better. However, if you can contemplate scratchbuilding, vacforms should hold no fears. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
datguy Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 The Rogojarsky (Rogozarski) SIM-XIV was available in 1/72 from Alliance Models. It was all resin and quite pricey ~US$60. I do not believe it is currently available. I would not advise beginning a resin-building career with a twin-engine/twin-float seaplane. A simple vac kit, like the CW-21 with details from Aeroclub and the scrap box would be a better introduction to alternative kit media. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
D Bellis Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Matt, Checking out your alternatives, you're probably better off finding the MPM kit. Much more info on the MPM kit and other CW-21 kits here: http://www.xs4all.nl/~robdebie/models/cw21b.htm D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattC Posted November 9, 2008 Author Share Posted November 9, 2008 All in all, the C21b looks like it could be more of a PITA to build from a kit than it would be to scratch build, but then, I have never done a scratch build so what do I know? My "idea" is to carve the fuselage from a block of plaster of paris (carves and sands pretty well actually) which should give a reasonable finish. Then, give that a wax coat. Then make up a splitter plate, and make two female moulds from an epoxy/microballoons mixture poured over the top. Then all I need do is warm a sheet of thin styrene and fix it over one of the female moulds and push it in with the male plug. That should give me two fuselage halves. wings and tail can be sanded balsa clad in thin styrene sheet and scored where appropriate engine can come from any kit which has one which will fit and look "reasonable" Front cowl, possibly laminated rings of thin styrene carved to shape? UC - Not sure yet, but possibly styrene rod with some carving? Wheels - possibly kitbashed Canopy - Moulded over the male plug with thin acetate sheet Cockpit tub - Errrm, I'll think about that... Right, thats a plan of action, which is probably beyond my skills, and possibly won't even work. But at least I'm thinking about it. All I need is a decent 3 view and some cross sections, a couple of references beyond what I have, and an awful lot more skill than I posess! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
datguy Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 All in all, the C21b looks like it could be more of a PITA to build from a kit than it would be to scratch build, but then, I have never done a scratch build so what do I know?My "idea" is to carve the fuselage from a block of plaster of paris (carves and sands pretty well actually) which should give a reasonable finish. Then, give that a wax coat. Then make up a splitter plate, and make two female moulds from an epoxy/microballoons mixture poured over the top. Then all I need do is warm a sheet of thin styrene and fix it over one of the female moulds and push it in with the male plug. [sNIP] A more standard approach to the fuselage would be to attach two balsa or basswood blocks to a sheet styrene divider, then shape the wood (which would be easier to manage than plaster) to the fuselage shape. Pop the wood off the styrene and you've got your vacform (male) masters. DG Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chuck1945 Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 A vacform kit just saves you the trouble of having to carve it all out, whether you use balsa wood or plaster of paris. The basic shape is already there, what you do is add details to suit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
breadneck Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 Woohoo, scored an Alliance Rogozarski XIV on ebay today. $15 shipped ! My X-otic Fiat R.S.14 kit finally has an aquatic playmate ! Old thread? Who cares, lol. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ProvencenutARC Posted January 16, 2020 Share Posted January 16, 2020 The long-nosed Vultee Vanguard prototype conversion kit is available at Arctic Decals https://www.arcticdecals.com/products.html?id=45671/735796 . They have also a full kit with Sword Vultee Vanguard + conversion available, although it is not shown on the pages. Mika Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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