GuildAero

I am about to re-make the engine casings masters in brass as they are essentially flat faces and wrappers with details added. I didn't realise this at the start and anyway had intended the engine halves to be done in resin, but Richard wanted them in metal so they could be polished for the Rapide versions. I have last night ordered a sheet of 2mm brass to start work on the masters and will today draw it up again. I will also have to find a new caster with deep moulds. Any suggestions? Cheers, Martin

Marus, thanks, but I don't possess a "cell" phone. I have a phone only phone for emergencies since I had a hearty attack. I might even know how to turn it on! And believe me, you don't want to see the mess Griffin Moulds made of my master. One commentator said it had been burned, another thought it deliberate, another had never seen such destruction, he said. It really is that bad and at no point did they think to contact me. Just sent it back by that most incompetent bunch DPD, who didn't deliver for 2 days! This is really a disaster. We desperately need a caster of large white metal lumps who can use either low temperature silicon or preferably RTV700 poured cold cure rubber. Cheers, Martin

Gents, I have tonight received the master of the engine casings and wheel rims back fro Griffin Moulds who contracted to produce the deeper castings. What I have is a bag of thousands of pieces of Ureol and brass, where they have utterly destroyed the masters. the 2 engine case castings from heavily deformed moulds are bent beyond usefulness. I am now faced with the task of re making the entire engine from scratch all over again, which will take several weeks. I just thought you should know that we are now behind by that many weeks at least PLUS the task of finding another caster who actually CAN do what they claim is a "normal job of casting". At no point have they contacted either me or the man behind the project, merely sent a parcel by dpd which didn't arrive when it should have twice! Martin

I have just checked everything over and it's all there in the original packing I sent to Hubert. Has my handwriting labelling everything. Thankfully, as I wouldn't recall what they were otherwise! I just have both fuselage halves to repair with a small extreme tail replacement. Seems to be lost, but that's nothing really. Cheers, Martin

Well, gents, Hubert has returned the master parts to me and I now have a small repair to do then will get the potential new owner up here for a good look once I have checked everything. So, it's moving along as planned. Martin

Another 3 mould's worth of parts delivered today. That's 4 moulds down and 5 to go, plus another company's work on bigger parts and resin cast parts and tyres. No pics I'm afraid. Even flickr are now getting awkward. Forums should allow loading from one's own files. Martin

Interest and potential buyer obtained. Looks very promising at last. Beyond that...nothing to say, wink wink, nudge, nudge. Martin

I am currently trying to get interest in the masters from a couple of guys who showed an interest a few years back. People ask me why I'm bothering. Hey, I want my three kits that are part of the price of making the master! And I think it deserves to be available. Cheers, Martin

I have heard from Hubert about the DH89a and it is not good news. His and his wife's health are such that he has no time for modelmaking of any sort, even hobby. I have had interest from a couple of people in buying the master. Now that was a while back and their own circumstances may have changed, but I am now approaching them about that. I will make any relevant announcements if and when anything positive happens. I understand Hubert no longer posts on here, so it will be I who posts about this topic when there's anything to say. Cheers, Martin

Alas, cosmosman, no. Hubert has had the model now for years and always has a reason for not doing it. To some extent, poor health has not helped, but he keeps showing other work he has done on the forums, so it's not easy to see why he hasn't progressed the DH 89. All I've heard from him is that he has dropped and broken the fuselage, something I can repair for him, but the offer has gone without response. I am now more than a little worried that the model will never see production. I am not a patient man anyway, but now I have frankly given up hope for it. I know at least 2 people who would buy the master from him, but, like some other of my old customers they won't sell, even though they won't produce. Let's hope Hubert can come back with an assurance, with photographic proof, that he is producing the kit, but don't hold your breath. I think it likelier that one of the other resin mobs will beat him to it.

I don't have photos of all of the model as there is just too much of it, but I do have a few odds and sods. Trouble is, I can't put them up on here from my computer. And Photobucket are gone, so that's it for me and pics, until the forum gets modernised. Martin

Hi all, for those interested in 'bikes, the brass master for the Vincent Black Shadow in 1/6th scale is now done and I am just checking that all the dummy nuts and bolts are there...and there's a LOT of them! The wheel rims and tyres have been expertly done on his SLA machine by a forum member who I shan't mention unless he wants me to, but they are very nice indeed even have writing on the tyre walls. Seat, tank, battery and headlight case are all in resin due to size or master material, everything else is white metal from hundreds of brass masters. As far as I could see (and that was never easy as nobody admits to owning one) every nut and bolt is shown and most actually do something in the assembly. Instructions will be done with photos, apparently. Hmmmmm, I'm a drawing man meself. Decals are being done by Fantasy Workshop who still make proper decals with a carrier film so you don't have to cut round them! Official launch is at the Bike show at Stafford in April. Future plans are for a Black Lightning version, possibly a D series, then onto other makes of British bike that will not, we're sure, disappoint. If demand has it, even the Black Knight and Black Prince enclosed versions will be done. All, of course, in 1/6th scale. Cheers, Martin

Thanks, Bob. Telford is Middle Earth to me. Way too far to go, but thanks. I think I have some good plans now, Martin

Hi all, does anyone have an opinion of which are the best drawings from which to make a good model of Amy Johnson's "Jason"? Cheers, Martin

Hubert, I have sent you a PM. Please could you answer as it's quite urgent. Thanks, Martin