Masters for Resin kits!

MilitaryAircraft101 · November 30, 2011, 12:53:04 AM

Hey all, I've been thinking (oh no, not again

)
And I came up with the idea of scratch-building some aircraft in parts, then making moulds for each part, which could be sold (in limited numbers, of course) or distributed as a kit. I am going to scratchbuild nonetheless, but I am interested in what it would take to create something "good enough" for kit form. These would be very very limited run, but I'm thinking that I may do a Gloster's "F.9/37" Specification aircraft, with Centaurus' for the Brits and Double Wasps for the Yankees. My other idea is the FB-24 project, but I may use that to get a foot back into the scratch-building scene.

She's about the size of a Mossie, so a twin-engined fighter, and it apparently out-performed the Beaufighter in trials, so a good what-if idea! Second might be the Bristol 188, but that's another story.

Hobbes · November 30, 2011, 02:02:36 AM

Good idea. You may have to build the complete aircraft first (so you can judge the shape of the parts in relation to each other) and then disassemble it for casting.

As for the Bristol 188, there's already a resin 1:72 kit (from Pro Resin).

The Wooksta! · November 30, 2011, 04:21:48 AM

Magna have already done both of the Gloster F9/367 prototypes. Nice kits too.

kitnut617 · November 30, 2011, 06:56:58 AM

Quote from: Hobbes on November 30, 2011, 02:02:36 AM

As for the Bristol 188, there's already a resin 1:72 kit (from Pro Resin).

And Maintrack, and Whirlybirds (ex-Maintrack and still available)

The Wooksta! · November 30, 2011, 08:18:09 AM

The Maintrack kit was a vacform, and not one of the better ones...

kitnut617 · November 30, 2011, 09:27:44 AM

Quote from: The Wooksta! on November 30, 2011, 08:18:09 AM
The Maintrack kit was a vacform, and not one of the better ones...

I believe it is now a resin Lee although the one I have is a vac. Whirlybirds is gradually switching all the old Maintrack kits over to resin

Martin H · November 30, 2011, 11:27:49 AM

Quote from: kitnut617 on November 30, 2011, 09:27:44 AM
Quote from: The Wooksta! on November 30, 2011, 08:18:09 AM
The Maintrack kit was a vacform, and not one of the better ones...

I believe it is now a resin Lee although the one I have is a vac. Whirlybirds is gradually switching all the old Maintrack kits over to resin

That plan seems to have been dropped. The 188 was ment to be the first one "converted" and a few did appear a fair few years ago. But no further resin examples have been seen in years. In fact I was given the big slab mould that was used to create the masters from a sample of the vac form kit

Whirlybird still turns out small batches of the vac forms. Some with replacement resin parts for some of the fiddly bits. eg the lower intake section for the P1121.

MilitaryAircraft101 · December 01, 2011, 01:02:10 AM

My strategy is so far to mock up what will happen in plastic with some paper card. With all my different sections designed, they can be refined and changed to suit! I will build it in seperate assemblies; ie: Fuselage, wings, tail parts, gear... Then will make casts of each and refine and refine until it is good enough to go! I don't think I'll use the original for an actual model, but the "production" casts will be used..