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Any tips for transporting model aircraft to shows


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I tried searching but every thing I typed in seemed to come up with one or more of the text you entered is not allowed. I'm just wondering whats the best way to transport the aircraft to a show. With all the little bits hanging off and cockpits raised fragile landing gear this kinda has me lost. I could just hold it while someone else drives but I think that would get old on a 2 hour drive. I was just wondering how y'all do it.

Best regards

Mark

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I have seen most guys doing a variation of box in a box method. That is they have a box which almost fits the model like a glove and usually surrounds it with the styrofoam peanuts then puts that smaller box into a slightly larger box with either more peanuts or bubble wrap. then the boxes are usually put together via tape on the bottom and the top is either tied down with yarn or one guy I know in my region uses silly putty to hold the boxes together. The downside of this method is that the peanuts can static cling to a model, or the boxes may crunch if your transporting a large number of models. Finally the boxes for some sizes (such as 1/32) may be cost prohibitive. Another method that I have seen based on thier skill sets, is the box in a box method but using foam and having the model broken down in a few pieces (such as removal of the wings and vertical stab) from the fueslage. This works well for some because the foam completely keeps the model from moving around and the static cling of peanuts isn't dealt nor is it that hard to clean off little pieces of foam. The downside to this is if you don't "break" the model the right way to bring it back together then it is kind of obvious that the model isn't "finished" to some judges.

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I'd also be very interested in reading these suggestions, as we're looking at moving in a couple months...

I just finished moving myself; what I did was I stuffed all my finished/in-progress kits into the empty chest of drawers, padded as needed, and that was it. Everything came out good to go (nothing broken or missing) 1100 miles and 2 weeks later. Of course, I did a uhaul; so this may depend on if you go the do-it-yourself route, or if you use a mover company.

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Hi! one method i have heard about is to use rubber bands. i heard of this from a reader-submitted tip in FineScaleModeler magazine sometime in the 90's, but i am afraid i cant remember exactly which issue.

Secure one end of the rubber band to the inside of a cardboard box with a paper clip (pushed through the cardboard itself), stretch it across and around your model, then secure the other end to the other side with another paper clip. the idea is that the rubber band stretches across the box while your model floats in the middle. you can stack 2 or 3 models per box this way depending on the size of your box, and i have used this method with success. the only thing you will have to be careful of is that the tension of the rubber band will want to implode the box, so maybe try bracing it from the inside with something like a cardboard tube from a roll of paper towels or something.

good luck!

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I and the other guys in my club use boxes with a sheet of expanded polystyrene in the bottom (either glued or cut so it fits tightly). You then place the model on the sheet and use 4 cocktail sticks to hold it in place. Most aircraft models will be held in place with 4 sticks, although you can use more for extra stability, and my 1/350th OHP Class Frigate takes several because of the length.

We travel to various shows, some up to 3 or 4 hours away, and I've never had any models damaged whilst being transported in this way.

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I've seen (but can't find the link now) how guys start with putting a piece of styrene in the bottom of a box, then glue in pieces of styrene to support the wings and front and rear of the fuselage, so when the model is placed in the box, the landing gear doesn't touch the bottom. They wedge the model with more pieces of styrene cut to measure, and then do the reverse of the bottom construction to cover the model. The boxes used were quite a bit larger than the model.

It might be quite a bit of work, but once you have the box for that showpiece model, you'll be able to use it again. :thumbsup:

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This may not be entirely representative - as I don't build with open cockpits etc,

but here's my way of transporting my 1/72 Phantoms anywhere.

AA_Phantoms_box.jpg

That's a rack made from a breakfast cereal box, inside a printer paper box.

I did have to raise the lid a bit for Phantoms!

For WW2 bombers like Lancasters or B-17s the paper box is modified as the rack - leaving the wingtips exposed.

For a 1/48 Phantom I built a jig in a paper box lid. This held the model securely with no weight on its undercarriage.

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Start with a base, either card board or project board, take some styrofoam or regular dense foam, cut out shapes to form pillars and cradles these can be built up under the nose,engines, cradles under centerline tanks, pillars under wings, I like to have a piece sticking up aft of the wings so the model cannot slide fore or aft, this will be good enough, but some guys will use 1/4 wide elastic and run it over the wing and secure each end with a straight pin. Once you have a base and cradle find a suitable box to fit it in.

Then theres the old stand buy, a crumpled up towel.Peanuts are terrible, as mentioned the static cling, and I'm sure they will break things off in the process.

Having a A/C secured to a base is not to safe either, we had a guy make a panic stop and launched the plane off it's gear.

Curt

Edited by Netz
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