Re: The AW52 Arundel PR2

[NARSES2]

I was hoping that you had a nice report on it Kit, as I have the A&V Models resin kit. If anyone has seen this kit you would know it is mostly made up of three solid chunks of resin ---- outer wing, center wing/body, outer wing ---

Here's my build of the A&V kit

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=42355.0

[chrisonord]

I was hoping that you had a nice report on it Kit, as I have the A&V Models resin kit. If anyone has seen this kit you would know it is mostly made up of three solid chunks of resin ---- outer wing, center wing/body, outer wing ---

Here's my build of the A&V kit

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=42355.0

How did I miss that?
Very nice build Chris and seeing yours built up and painted puts the size of it in perspective, as it looks huge on all the other pictures I have seen of it.
Chris

[PR19_Kit]

That all-over creamy white rather hides its real size, doesn't it?

It looked HUGE to my 6-7 year old eyes at Farnborough but the commentary was going on about '...a future RAF bomber design....' so perhaps my brain had already 'sized' it to suit.

My build WILL be bigger anyway, as the wings will be longer of course. 

[kitnut617]

I was hoping that you had a nice report on it Kit, as I have the A&V Models resin kit. If anyone has seen this kit you would know it is mostly made up of three solid chunks of resin ---- outer wing, center wing/body, outer wing ---

Here's my build of the A&V kit

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=42355.0

Ah Ha! yes now I remember that one ----  Does it stand on it's u/c OK, or does it need something to prop it up, I can't figure out where I'd put nose weight into it as it's solid resin ---

[NARSES2]

Ah Ha! yes now I remember that one ----  Does it stand on it's u/c OK, or does it need something to prop it up, I can't figure out where I'd put nose weight into it as it's solid resin ---

I ended up permanently mounting mine to a base as there's no way it was going to stand on its own three legs. Easiest solution, and as I just use various size coasters with some scenic scatter material on them for bases, quick, easy and cheap as well.

[PR19_Kit]

I imagine the Micro-Mir kit will be a tail sitter too, even more so with extended wings.

So it may get a crew access hatch and ladder near the 'tail'. 

[kitnut617]

I had started my A&V kit but not too far into the build. I think I'm going to give it a good study and see where I can lighten it up, or at least make some holes to pack lead into.

[PR19_Kit]

I thought I'd build the single Nene engine that it's possible to build from the kit so I cut off all the parts from the sprue. There's over THIRTY of them, for ONE engine! 

Having glued together the main assembly, exhaust duct, turbine housing and centre shaft housing, I started on the nine combustion chambers, using the bits from the second engine sprue as there's not enough on just one. The chambers are in two halves, left and right hand, with raised locations on one side and grooves on the other, and they're 10 mm long and 3 mm dia at the widest point. Yes, VERY small!

Because of the sprue gates the grooved side needs filing flat and the raised side has to have the gate cut off, right by the raised rib. How EVER do Micro-Mir expect you to do this? It's almost impossible to hold these tiny things, they're too small and shaped so you can't anyway. And it begs the question 'WHY?'

It would have been so much easier for the builder AND for the manufacturer to mould these chambers in one piece each. There'd be no need to make the grooved side and the raised side, just mould it in one. Total madness.   

So far I've got one chamber glued together and in position on the main engine assembly and one pair trimmed and ready to glue. Another one has already gone into orbit while trying to glue it in position..... 



Why do I do this to myself? Why not make something nice and simple, like an Airfix Spitfire? 

[Old Wombat]

Because of the sprue gates the grooved side needs filing flat and the raised side has to have the gate cut off, right by the raised rib. How EVER do Micro-Mir expect you to do this? It's almost impossible to hold these tiny things, they're too small and shaped so you can't anyway. And it begs the question 'WHY?'

It would have been so much easier for the builder AND for the manufacturer to mould these chambers in one piece each. There'd be no need to make the grooved side and the raised side, just mould it in one. Total madness.   

The "Parts-Count Monster" rears its ugly head again!

Why do I do this to myself? Why not make something nice and simple, like an Airfix Spitfire? 

Because, like Mossie, you're a closet masochist!

[PR19_Kit]

Because, like Mossie, you're a closet masochist!

I guess you're right there Wombie. 

I keep ON saying I'm going to build something simple, and then I pick something like this! I'll be doing a Unicraft 'kit' next if I don't watch out! 

[NARSES2]

Why do I do this to myself? Why not make something nice and simple, like an Airfix Spitfire? 

I've got one on the go at the moment to combat "etch fatigue" to some degree 

[chrisonord]

Just to be different? I  ma most of the way through a  resin  kit which apart from the vacform canopy  has been an absolute peach to build.....so far  . The other 2 builds are challenging  shall we say. 
Chris

[PR19_Kit]

I'm getting less and less enamoured with this kit the further I get into it. 

The cockpit floor is the roof of the nosewheeel bay, and it's made from seven parts, only three of which fit according to the instruction diagram. The sides and ends should fit with tongued and grooved edges, but all the tongues are too large for the grooves........

And so it goes on.

I'm less and less confident that I'll finish this, even WITH extended wings!

[jcf]

... that moulding method which leaves the sprue gates on the edges AND the gluing surfaces of the parts ...

Moulding gate attachment on the mating face is not uncommon on some current Bandai kits,
and other newer Japanese, Korean and Chinese kits. However they are only on that face and
they don't lap up into the part proper. Personally speaking, I like them as they nip off with
small flush-cutters without damaging fine sharp leading or trailing edges, quick swipe with a
sanding stick and it's done. Of course my build method is to also cutoff of all alignment pins
and slice the sockets back at an angle before rubbing fuselage and wing haves down on 320
sand paper stuck to a thick piece of plexiglas to true all gluing surfaces to eliminate/minimize
filling as I loathe PSR, I prefer to fettle up front rather than coming back with putty etc., so
removing the face attached gates is no biggy.

[NARSES2]

You really do wonder what some of these companies product development departments actually do when it comes to testing ? 

Moulding gate attachment on the mating face is not uncommon on some current Bandai kits,
and other newer Japanese, Korean and Chinese kits. However they are only on that face and
they don't lap up into the part proper.

I've experienced this system on a couple of recent kits, and as you say it works well. 

Just to be different? I  ma most of the way through a  resin  kit which apart from the vacform canopy  has been an absolute peach to build.....so far

Quality resin kits can be as good as the best injection moulded plastic ones. I'm currently eyeing a Planet kit in the stash which is  , but am also being strangely attracted to a Unicraft one in the stash