ssculptor

I'd like to see more World War One Aircraft produced in 1/32 scale. I prefer the multi-engine aircraft.
How about the intresting pre-WW1 aeroplanes? 
And all those most interesting civil and military aircraft of the 1920 to 1930's?
Let's not forget the biplane float and flying boats.
To me the only solution is to go back to kit-bashing and scratch building.
 
On a personal note Jeff Roberts has his Combat Models Company up for sale. The whole shebang is up for sale. That includes the vacuforming machinery, the molds (forms or whatever you want to call them), plans, small parts forms, canopy forms, some sheets of plastic, some shipping boxes, etc. Jeff will train the buyer on the operation of the vacuform machine and on the procedures he used to run his business. 
Because of declining health he wants to sell it all. If you are seriously  interested contact Jeff.
Jeff Roberts Combat Models
83 South Pine Street
Hazelton, Pennsylvania, 18201
call him at 570 450 5647  
 
Happy New Year to us all,
Stephen 

Personally, I have no problem painting the insides of all the canopies one solid color. When I started building models during WW2 we had wood kits. I never bothered with the interior details. When plastic kits were introduced I still ignored interior details. When plastic model kits with hundreds of parts became available I ignored most of the little parts. Any retractable landing gear parts were tossed out. I'd hang the models from the ceiling as if they were in flight.
I build models for enjoyment. I never enter model shows. So build the models your way and enjoy what you are doing.
ssculptor

Now that I have been captured by the interesting World War One aeroplanes mania I am going to use the delicious paper card models available in 1/33 scale to start. 
First I am ham fisted and tend to crush the little beasties when I pick them up. So I must make them out of a stromger material than paper card.
Step one, have them copied enlarged to 1/32 scale. There are places within a few miles of me where I can use their copy machines to make prints enlarged to 1/32 scale.   
Step two, cement them onto sheet plastic or balsa wood (or maybe better onto carbon fiber sheet) of a thickness one likes. When doing this I prefer using rubber cement on either the card  OR the plastic and lay that piece onto the other material immediately while the rubber cement is still very wet. That way the two will stick together but will be easily removed when the part is cut out. You can glue both parts, let dry and then stick them together to get a stronger bond but then it will be more difficult to peel the card off later. 
Step three,cut them out of the sheet and you now have a 1/32 kit. 
 
The major problen I am working on is how to get the wing to have the tapering thickness (difficult when one has a convex surface on the top and a convex shape on the bottom. Also trying to have the concave shapr between the ribs. This was easy when I was making models in 1/16 and 1/8 scales out of balsa wood back in the 1950's. One covered the ribs with "tissue paper" or "silkspan" or even silk and then sprayed the wing with "dope". ["Harry, you dope. Stop sitting on my model!"). 
 
Now I must do some research into carbon fiber because I prefer a stronger material than plastic or balsa. 
Or why not copper or brass and solder the parts together.
 
Please, If any of you have any ideas and/or experience with this type of scratch building please contribute your experiences in this forum.  
Yrs truly,
Ssculptor

Its a good thing you guys are assemblers, not model makers. 
A model maker will modify the kit he is working on to correct the errors.
An assembler will assemble the kit, do a bang up job with the paint and markings and be proud of what he accomplished in spite of the kits errors.
Early on (76 years ago I started making models) I was forced to be a modeler because the early kits were no more than blocks of balsa wood.
As the years rolled by my modelling time became diminished because of other necessary "things to do". Those included going to school, working as a mechanical designer, then teaching, finding the right woman, getting married, buying cars and keeping them running, buying a house, raising our children, keeping the cars running, making my sculpture, and now writing novels. Little free time left. 
So I became an assembler. Thus I can never criticize anyone for just assembling kits, that's me too. 
Now I am so busy all I have time for is buying models others have assembled.
BUT I don't whine and  nitpick the kits I buy. I consider them to be starting points and work from there. I'm an adult, not a child. 
There is nothing wrong with reporting errors in new kits, especially at todays prices. But watch out you don't become a whining child as you write.
Ssculptor

Ah well, here we go again. In this hobby wishful thinking is endemic (whatever that word means - it sounds good so I'll use it).
First of all, I am 99% enraptured by The Great War (WW1) aviation and I was heartbroken when WingnutWings flew off into the setting sun. At least Roden is promising more WW1 aeroplanes. Perhaps Kotare will come out with a new one also.
So my list of desirable aircraft modeled in 1/32 scale includes:
Longhorn
Shorthorn
Caproni Ca-3, Ca-4, Ca-5
Bleriot XI-2 (ANY Bleriot for that matter)
Ago C.II
Voisin Voi.5B.2
Voisin Voi.8Bn.2 bomber trainer used by the AEF
Henry Farman HF.23 Sweden
Farman F.40
Friedrichshafen G.III
D.F.W. B.I German
Aviatic B.II Austria
Any Albatros single engine bomber/observation
Short built bomber one engine but 85 foot wingspan
Letord Type 5 (2 engines) 
AEG G.IV
Handley Page 0/400
       "          "    V/1500
Blackburn Kangaroo
Siemens-Schuckert R.1
Zeppelin (Staaken) R.VI
Sikorsky Ilya Mouromets Type V
Caudron G.IV
Hey, its a long list but 1/32 scale WW1 aeroplanes have been long neglected as models. I love 'em!
Yes many of the above were made in 1/72 but I detest the tiny scales. Even 1/48 is too small for me.
 
In terms of WW2 and after aircraft I would like these:
F-3D Skyknight
F4D Skyray
F2H Banshee
F-3H Demon
F-89
Boston
A-20
 
Japanese Val and Kate. Yes, the Val is supposedly due this year but we were promised the 1/32 Val in 2004 and I am still waiting.
In the meantime I have accumulated the 1/32 Val in paper card and a carved mahogny Val from the Phillipines.
The Kate only as a paper/card kit. 
 
Enjoy our hobby!
Ssculptor                        

Its a good thing you guys are assemblers, not model makers. 
A model maker will modify the kit he is working on to correct the errors.
An assembler will assemble the kit, do a bang up job with the paint and markings and be proud of what he accomplished in spite of the kits errors.
Early on (76 years ago I started making models) I was forced to be a modeler because the early kits were no more than blocks of balsa wood.
As the years rolled by my modelling time became diminished because of other necessary "things to do". Those included going to school, working as a mechanical designer, then teaching, finding the right woman, getting married, buying cars and keeping them running, buying a house, raising our children, keeping the cars running, making my sculpture, and now writing novels. Little free time left. 
So I became an assembler. Thus I can never criticize anyone for just assembling kits, that's me too. 
Now I am so busy all I have time for is buying models others have assembled.
BUT I don't whine and  nitpick the kits I buy. I consider them to be starting points and work from there. I'm an adult, not a child. 
There is nothing wrong with reporting errors in new kits, especially at todays prices. But watch out you don't become a whining child as you write.
Ssculptor

Paul,  re: Zeppelin (Staaken) R.VI 135 foot wingspan. A 1/32 scale model would have a wingspan of only 50 5/8 inches.   Please send (sell, trade, whatever) the 3 view plans (in any scale) and I will scratch build it in 1/32 scale forthwith. Contact me via LSP message and we can go forth.  
Yours,
Ssculptor

I have already switched over to larger scale military vehicles. I have a whole bunch in these larger scales (1/18, 1/16, 1/15). I do not like iddey biddie widdle  models. As soon as I uncover my large boxes full of 1/32, 1/35 scale tank kits I'll put them up for sale. I have already sold off all the smaller scale tank kits.

Personally, I have no problem painting the insides of all the canopies one solid color. When I started building models during WW2 we had wood kits. I never bothered with the interior details. When plastic kits were introduced I still ignored interior details. When plastic model kits with hundreds of parts became available I ignored most of the little parts. Any retractable landing gear parts were tossed out. I'd hang the models from the ceiling as if they were in flight.
I build models for enjoyment. I never enter model shows. So build the models your way and enjoy what you are doing.
ssculptor

That would be great for converting to radio control! A bit expensive with the jet engine or two, but a super challenge.

That would be great for converting to radio control! A bit expensive with the jet engine or two, but a super challenge.

1) Hang them from the ceiling. Put an edge molding in the edge of the ceiling where it meets the wall. I prefer screwing the molding through wall in into the lumber that is the backing of the wall.  Then screw eyescrews into the molding at intervals. Tie a line across the ceiling from eyescrew to an eyescrew on the opposite wall.. Hang the model from that using a short line. Set it up so the plane is hanging at an angle so one can see most of the upper part of it.   
 
Alternate: Do not tie the across the ceiling but just let it go through the eyes and hang down a length. Then attach your model vehicles and tanks, artillery, etc. to both ends of the line. You will have to add weights to the tanks to keep the line across the ceiling taut - after all you want the airplanes hanging high enough so you walk under them. The vehicles can hang against the walls as if they were driving up. 
 
Install strong locks to keep the children and obnoxious adults out of the room. After all, using bags of unused weights to beat mischievious visitors who break things can cause one to visit, unintentionally, the local police station. 
 
As for ships do the same but with model ships hanging low over the bathtub. This allows one to play with them while washing oneself.  
 
Or, just purchase large, expensive show cases and display your models within is much simpler. 
 
If you are of the "I intend to assemble these models when I can find the time" modellers simply paste the unopened kits onto the walls. Maybe within fancy old frames you find at flea markets. Simple, what?
 
Enjoy,
SSCULPTOR
 
 

Whoops, up it came. Lovely. I'll buy one.

Sigh. Tamiya has all the guts, nerve and courage of a timid mouse. As they say in their board meetings, "Let us bring out the17th version of a Me-109, or a P-51, or another airplane type that has been flogged to death by us and the other companies. Heaven forbId we should produce a kit of hitherto ignored yet famous W.W.2  aircraft in 1/32 scale, such as the Kate and the Val."
Only the Hasegawa people showed such Samurai nerve with their varirty of 1/32 aircraft kits in the 1960-1980 era. 
Phooey!!! 

Grump grump!
Enuf of WW2 subjects. 
We need more WW1 aeroplanes. 
 

Grump grump!
Enuf of WW2 subjects. 
We need more WW1 aeroplanes. 
 

I understand about the difficulty in finding backing $$$ for Kotare's projects but I simply no longer care for WW2 airplanes. WNW seduced me into WW1 aeroplanes and I like it too much to leave. Combine that era with my love of float planes and flying boats and I hunger for biplanes of any era. 
I would even like to buy a 1/32 and/or 1/24 Walrus (see above photo) in any condition, even an old balse stick and tissue model.   
 
In any event, I wish Kotare the best of luck with their new venture.
SSCULPTOR
 

I started campaigning for a 1/32 Kate and a Val back around the year 2000. 
I am a very patient man.
Stephen

I've been a member od HyperScale for umpteen years but I have not been active in it for the last few years. 
I just tried to go back and see whats new on the site and some punk named TAPATALK said I cannot enter. 
What happened? Did the modern day Nazis take over that site? 
"Yah, today der Hyperscale, tomorrow der ganze vorld!"  
Good thing LSP is still an open forum.
Love ya all. 
 
 

I've been a member od HyperScale for umpteen years but I have not been active in it for the last few years. 
I just tried to go back and see whats new on the site and some punk named TAPATALK said I cannot enter. 
What happened? Did the modern day Nazis take over that site? 
"Yah, today der Hyperscale, tomorrow der ganze vorld!"  
Good thing LSP is still an open forum.
Love ya all. 
 
 

I've been a member od HyperScale for umpteen years but I have not been active in it for the last few years. 
I just tried to go back and see whats new on the site and some punk named TAPATALK said I cannot enter. 
What happened? Did the modern day Nazis take over that site? 
"Yah, today der Hyperscale, tomorrow der ganze vorld!"  
Good thing LSP is still an open forum.
Love ya all. 
 
 

I started campaigning for a 1/32 Kate and a Val back around the year 2000. 
I am a very patient man.
Stephen

Thank you my friend.
Stephen

I started campaigning for a 1/32 Kate and a Val back around the year 2000. 
I am a very patient man.
Stephen

I dunno guys & gals; if I were a participant in the Kotare venture and wanted to enter the model manufacturing field with a WW2 airplane I would want to prodece a 1/32 kit of a plane that has not yet been produced as a kit...[drumroll please]... I would come out with the Japanese KATE. 
The Kate was one of the most important airplanes in the  1941-1943 era.. But it has not been produced in 1/32 scale for some odd reason. 
I would also recommend the VAL but I understand that another company is going to produce that one this year. Or maybe next year. Or maybe ...
We now have almost every version of the Me-109's, Spitfires, etc. etc. 
Enuf alreddy! Gimmie a KATE.
ssculptor