VAC-FORM challenge!

[WeeJimmy]

Hello:

I hear some of you Vac form.  Captain Canuck thought JHM may be of help.  Love to here from you.

I'm looking for a canopy for the Tigermoth (Canadian version) in either 1/72 or 1/48.  Both would be great.  

I met a WWII vet with a great Tigermoth story.    He recently turned 87.  He trained on Tigermoths, Harvards and Ansons.  He later flew Wellys and Lancs.  He received DFC.  His stories are amazing.  He told me if he could fly again, it would be a Tigermoth.  

I'd like  to model one for him.  I plan to use the airfix model.  Have lined up appropriate decals, tailwheel, etc but can't find a canopy anywhere.  I have some reference material, if needed.    I'd really like to build this model as close to the actual plane he flew.  His  unique  story is available at:  

http://lancastermuseum.ca/s,canard.html


If you can be of help, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.    

[John Howling Mouse]

Sure, I could help.  Do you have an existing 1:72 and/or 1:48 canopy for which you'd just like a thinner vac-formed copy?  Or do you need to provide a scratchbuilt master pattern for forming?

And, according to FSM's 2004 new kit review, MPM/Special Hobby is coming out with a 1:48 Tigermoth this year.

[WeeJimmy]

Thanks for speedy replies guys.

I'd need a scratch built one.


The chipmunk idea I tried, no dice.

[Captain Canada]

I've built both the Airfix Moth and Chippy, and the Moth fuselage is definatley alot smaller.......

I've got a vac-canopy for the Chippy, WJ, I bet you could chop it up and use it to make an 'open' canopy ?

We'll check it out !

( over a few beers.......)

 

[WeeJimmy]

thanks Captain

The fuselage is definitely narrower.  The tiger moth two seater cannot accommodate the standard chippy bubble.  Perhaps the vacform could work.  We should try it first, then the malties... otherwise we'll end up with a different aircraft in the morning... A chipmoth

[Captain Canada]

or a chipwich.....?

Besides, you shoulda waited for the canopy before you basically finished the kit....now it'll be a bugger to trim and fit !

Damn Scotsman......    

[John Howling Mouse]

Okay, I might have missed this in the thread above (I'm not drunk, just sleepy) but for which actual kit would we have to shape a master pattern to fit?

I don't think I own one but this could be a good excuse to buy one!

I'm vac-forming this weekend.  Am going to start with an old idea I had long ago:
a six or seven inch diameter relief of the CAF roundel to act as a pedestal base for my in-flight models.  Will vacform the relief/embossed shape and fill the hollow vacformed pull with resin or plaster from underneath for a base.  Then a 3/8" clear acrylic rod and, presto, no more balancing my model on a bottle of paint!

[nev]

Sounds pretty neat!  Are you going to paint it red white & blue?

[Ollie]

Tiger Moth canopy is much different than the Chippie.

I want a Canadian round canopy for a Chippie.

Barry, I'm working on getting you material to do a little batch.  Check your mailbox soon.

 

[John Howling Mouse]

Barry, I'm working on getting you material to do a little batch.  Check your mailbox soon.

Sounds like a plan.

I could not find my bandsaw circle-cutting jig on the weekend so did not make my CAF roundel base for testing the vacform machine but I get this Friday off and will be going to Johnson's Industrial Plastics (shameless plug) to buy many 4' x 8' sheets of styrene to play with.

Will make new circle-cutting jig and create a CAF roundel master in wood to vacform over...

Watch this space for pics at a later date!!!!

[Ollie]

Excellent, keep us posted Barry!

B)