Vacuform kits

[Martinnfb]

What would be the most attractive/ desirable  Vacuform 1/32 scale kit on the market right now?

[Lee White]

What would be the most attractive/ desirable  Vacuform 1/32 scale kit on the market right now?

 

Hmmm.... I'd have to waffle a bit and say a second-hand Echelon Lightning, or perhaps Hunter, even though the latter has been superseded by the Revell kit.

[GuildAero]

You won't need any more tools than you should ideally have already. Hacksaw, files, knife, big supply of yellow/green Milliput. Everything else you can make or paint yourself.  Why on earth would you spend a lot of money?  A few sheets of the normal thicknesses of Plastikard/Plastirod.  I cut my own Microstrip from thin sheet.

OK, I have more tools than most because I used to do this lark for a living, but I rarely use them all on a single job.  I've just made a master for a Fifie fishing boat from Ureol (Chemical Wood/Renshape) and styrene. The Ureol was free (offcut, p&p only), the styrene was offcuts from other jobs...pennies, if even that. A pot of Plastic Weld £2-60.  Some half round (to save me time)...couple of quid off ebay.  Main tool, a bandsaw, bought for 12 quid at a Sunday market.  Rest done with chisels I got at 7 for 14 quid years ago with which I rebuilt a full size wooden narrow boat.

 

I won't tell you what I got for the model, but it would buy an AWFUL LOT of plastic kits.  I would say get a cheapish vac-form and run a cheapish resin kit alongside so you are constantly making comparisons.  You'll end up with two nice models, one of which will have made you feel like a real modelmaker.

 

Cheers,

Martin

[wunwinglow]

It really does depend, like all things, on the quality of the product. If you end up expending most of your efforts correcting accuracy and quality issues, frankly you might be better off scratchbuilding. Or carving your own masters and doing your own vacforms! But if the product has been well researched, mastered with skill and formed with decent materials and moulds, then the route to a unique addition to your collection is that much easier. And fun!!

[imatt88]

Hey all,

 

Thanks for all the info and advice.

 

I'll probably pick up the 410, just to have it, but I've decided to start with something smaller.

 

Thanks for all the help,

 

Cheers, Ian

[R Palimaka]

Good plan. Try something smaller first to get the hang of it. The beauty of vacforms is that they usually offer subjects that haven't been or won't likely be done in injection moulded kits. After playing with scratch building and making my own parts for the 1/24 Airfix Mustang (which in a lot of ways has turned out to be a sophisticated vacform with more extra bits), I think I'd like to try something. I've always loved the Westland Wyvern, and that Tigger Models kit is calling me. I don't see Revell doing that in a 1/32 kit. I think HPH is planning one in resin, but I don't want to remortgage my house to get one.

 

Good luck with it, and I think it's easier to put in the effort if it's an aircraft you're really interested in.

 

Richard