Vanishing Vacuforms

[Bonehammer73]

I was browsing for vacs on evilBay and realised that they're all old molds from defunct manufacturers: no one seems to have released a complete kit in recent years except Broplan. And they're going for cheap - now that it's been superceded by the Trumpeter offering, I was able to pick up a Hit Kit Flagon for under $ 8. And it's a nice mold, with panel lines and metal undercarriage: it would have probably started a bidding war in its day.

Perhaps someone would be interested in a group build to share tips and attract interest? I know ARC members don't lack neither skills nor guts...

[ventura_kelley]

I was browsing for vacs on evilBay and realised that they're all old molds from defunct manufacturers: no one seems to have released a complete kit in recent years except Broplan. And they're going for cheap - now that it's been superceded by the Trumpeter offering, I was able to pick up a Hit Kit Flagon for under $ 8. And it's a nice mold, with panel lines and metal undercarriage: it would have probably started a bidding war in its day.

Perhaps someone would be interested in a group build to share tips and attract interest? I know ARC members don't lack neither skills nor guts...

I'd like to try one.

[Aaronw]

If it includes people who know what they are doing I'd find a kit and join in. I am pretty clueless when it comes to vacform kits.

[Jeff Herne]

Actually, Jeff Roberts of Combat Models has been slowly but surely updating the ancient (and often terrible) molds of the previous incarnation of Combat. www.combatmodels.us is the new site. I've recently gotten the B-26 and A-26 and they're not bad if you've got some scratchbuilding experience.

Here's two I did recently...both are Combat 1/32 kits.

I'm hammering away on a 1/32 B-24 (thanks to Glen the Rotorhead) at the moment.

Jeff

[Patrick_Nevin]

Here's two I did recently...both are Combat 1/32 kits.

Those are both gorgeous, Jeff. Kudos.

Food for thought, mind. I may have to see if Combat do a Do335, which I really lust after in 32nd. Although I have suitable stuff in 48th (Fw58, Beau II, He51) that I'd certainly be interested in a GB if time was available...

Patrick

[Bonehammer73]

Congratulations to Jeff and to the new management at Combat Models! Are those Ar.234 gondolas detachable?

I have a started SB-2 that I haven't managed to ruin completely - yet...

[The Mikester]

Those are both gorgeous, Jeff. Kudos.

Food for thought, mind. I may have to see if Combat do a Do335, which I really lust after in 32nd. Although I have suitable stuff in 48th (Fw58, Beau II, He51) that I'd certainly be interested in a GB if time was available...

Patrick

Patrick, Dragon will be doing the Do 335 in 1/32 this year.

[F106A]

I've always wanted the 1/32 F-106, but have yet to cut my teeth on a vacuform. Probably not the best kit to start with, but makes me wonder what kit really is the best for a beginner.

Mark

[Kalashnikov-47]

I've always wanted the 1/32 F-106, but have yet to cut my teeth on a vacuform. Probably not the best kit to start with, but makes me wonder what kit really is the best for a beginner.

Mark

Anything by Bill Koster would be a good place to start. About the highest quality vac kits out there.

[edit] Bill has no website. email him directly for information if interested: wkoster2@comcast.net

Edited May 16, 2010 by Kalashnikov-47

[F106A]

Saved by your edit! Thanks! BTW, what kind of kits does he produce? Not that it matters (much, but you've got me curious now.

Thanks again,

Mark

[ross blackford]

:D, I'd love to try one again Bonehammer but I completely pooched my first attempt about 30 years ago. It was the Formaplane Hawker Henley and I haven't had the confidence to attempt another one since, even though I have quite a number of them in my stash. One day maybe but it's so long since the last attempt that I've forgotten all the mistakes I made with it and don't really want to waste another kit. I have to say the Formaplane kits were very crisp except for hte canopies which were a bit how's your father, but I guess they can be sanded and polished to look good.

:D,

Ross.

[Kalashnikov-47]

Saved by your edit! Thanks! BTW, what kind of kits does he produce? Not that it matters (much, but you've got me curious now.

Thanks again,

Mark

Mainly WW2 stuff. 1/48 scale. He does do a conversion for the Monogram F-101B turning it into F-101A/C

or an RF-101C. I did one about 15 years ago. It was a lot of cutting on that Monogram kit - especially around

the exhaust area, but I got a good looking RF-101C out of it!

[Lucien Harpress]

Put be down as a maybe/possibly. I've got a Beriev Be-4 coming in the mail, and I've got a really simple Bv 40 floating around here somewhere. I'd be nice to try a (relatively simple) vac kit again. Could be fun.

My last one, a Sukhoi Su-5. AND I just realized that the vac Martin Mars is only 45 bucks now...... Hm.......

[ventura_kelley]

Actually, Jeff Roberts of Combat Models has been slowly but surely updating the ancient (and often terrible) molds of the previous incarnation of Combat. www.combatmodels.us is the new site. I've recently gotten the B-26 and A-26 and they're not bad if you've got some scratchbuilding experience.

Jeff

I'd love to do their AJ-2 Savage and a few others. The problem is sourcing of some of the parts. The resin wheels included when Roberts Models was selling Combat ID is HORRIBLE. Especially, the wheels.

I've bought and dumped several Combat ID kits simply because I couldn't source the parts I needed (wheels mostly) to finish them. The AJ for example has 6 spoke mains that look something like the wheels from a P-47D/M, but has brakes like a Skyraider and taller/squarer tires than any P-47 wheels come with. One side of the nose wheel looks like the inside of a Mustang wheel, but the outside has spokes (8 IIRC) but in a smaller diameter than any I can find anywhere.

Where am I supposed to come up with that stuff? I can scratchbuild anything EXCEPT wheels.

[ventura_kelley]

Actually, Jeff Roberts of Combat Models has been slowly but surely updating the ancient (and often terrible) molds of the previous incarnation of Combat. www.combatmodels.us is the new site. I've recently gotten the B-26 and A-26 and they're not bad if you've got some scratchbuilding experience.

Oh, and I wish there were pictures of his stuff there. That website is pretty basic.

[ventura_kelley]

I'd love to do their AJ-2 Savage and a few others. The problem is sourcing of some of the parts. The resin parts included when Roberts Models was selling Combat ID were HORRIBLE. Especially, the wheels.

I've bought and dumped several Combat ID kits simply because I couldn't source the parts I needed (wheels mostly) to finish them. The AJ Savage for example has 6 spoke mains that look something like the wheels from a P-47D/M, but has brakes like a Skyraider and taller/squarer tires than any P-47 wheels come with. One side of the nose wheel looks like the inside of a Mustang wheel, but the outside has spokes (8 IIRC), but in a smaller diameter than any I can find anywhere.

Where am I supposed to come up with that stuff? I can scratchbuild anything EXCEPT wheels.

Corrected. Sorry.

[ventura_kelley]

Falcon, on the other hand, is still around and does offer good quality parts for most of the most difficult to scratchbuild parts.

http://www.falconmodels.co.nz/kits.html

These are kits I may be able to build.

Though I really wish some of the Combat ID stuff was in reach too.

[Jeff Herne]

I did a vacuform group build on a Christian forum that I frequent, we had about 15-20 guys all working on vacs for the pretty much the first time.

I did some basic tutorials on how I build, and turned them loose on their projects.

Sourcing parts can be a problem, but at the same time, if a nosewheel stops you from building that 'must-have' model, then perhaps you should wait until it arrives in injection-molded plastic.

The key to building a vac, or scratchbuilding a part that you need for a vac, is to break down into the most basic of shapes, and work from there. There's enough aftermarket stuff out there for one to find something that can be bashed or converted, its simply a matter of patience and persistence.

I'll do a vacuform GB if anyone wants to, even post up the tutorials I did over on Agapemodels. I'm no vacuform expert by any means, but I'm willing to help if anyone needs it.

J

[Kalashnikov-47]

I'm no vacuform expert by any means, but I'm willing to help if anyone needs it.

Don't sell yourself short, Jeff. You tackled those Combat Models kits with gusto.

If that doesn't put you in the 'expert' catagory, you're very very close!

- Patrick

[Jeff Herne]

Nope - not me. I liken it to patience, lots of tools, tons of spare crap laying around my shop, and the fact that I'm too stubborn or stupid to give up.

Course, now that I've learned 40 new curse words in 20 new languages, someone will do BOTH of these kits in injection form within the year...

Jeff

[ventura_kelley]

Sourcing parts can be a problem, but at the same time, if a nosewheel stops you from building that 'must-have' model, then perhaps you should wait until it arrives in injection-molded plastic.

Wheels are the only things I haven't ever been able to scratch build, they can make or break the model's appearance, and they usually don't come with most Combat ID vacs.

That's the issue and the hurdle so far. If I could get around that, or find a solution for it, I'd be all over their products. If they could commission someone to make accurate parts for their kits...That'd blow the lid off right there.

[Patrick_Nevin]

Patrick, Dragon will be doing the Do 335 in 1/32 this year.

Really?

Might have paid the Shinden off by then :D :) :)

Thanks for the go-to, Mike: got one of theirs in 72nd, looks pretty, if they simply scale it up I'll be a happy camper..

Patrick

[Jeff Herne]

That's the issue and the hurdle so far. If I could get around that, or find a solution for it, I'd be all over their products. If they could commission someone to make accurate parts for their kits...That'd blow the lid off right there.

I've been working with Jeff on some things. Trouble is, between the Warpigs and the new mask line, I don't have much time for pattern work.

J

[Yuk Kui Ng]

I've always wanted the 1/32 F-106, but have yet to cut my teeth on a vacuform. Probably not the best kit to start with, but makes me wonder what kit really is the best for a beginner.

Mark

The best beginner kits are those you usually find under the vendor's tables at a show for a few dollars. The idea is to hone your basic skills by using those cheap and sometimes very good quality kits as practice. Spending a lot of money on quality kits like Dynavector and Koster early on might just wind up discouraging you because of the high cost involved. Also, I go by the KISS principle, keep it simple stupid... just put wings and fuselages together and have a in flight display model in a very short time by dispensing with the details like wheels and others. I once had a SeaMaster kit that I gave myself one month to do. By working a little here and there on my days off, it got done. Vac forms are not hard, just an extra step or two. The hardest part is to overcome the myth and misconception about how difficult it is. My first ever vacform was a Yak 10 airliner. When I got the fuselage halves sanded down and matched to each other, there was NO seams at all and if I could only described the immense pride and satisfaction I had then.

Yuk

[ventura_kelley]

I've been working with Jeff on some things. Trouble is, between the Warpigs and the new mask line, I don't have much time for pattern work.

J

I'm glad someone is. They've got some amazing stuff just waiting for it.

If you need pics of the AJ Savage's wheels, I've got a great book and a scanner.