Into the Bin, A Quiet Goodbye

[RCPlym]

12 hours ago, Hubert Boillot said:

 

You’re right. The masters are gorgeous. But the molds, I am sure, were poured around the masters, to result in cavities into which the plastic sheets were sucked. Ditto for Welsh Models airliners : female molds.

 

Hubert

 

Absolutely. Though the Echelon moulds were of a composite nature with a high temperature tooling resin brushed on to the masters. Then glass fibre layers impregnated with epoxy were laid down followed by a 'concrete' of aluminium 'gravel' mixed with epoxy. 1mm vent holes are then drilled through the cavities in strategic places to allow air to be sucked out when on the moulding machine. 

The resultant tools are about 2 inches thick and very heavy! 

It is a very small world in that I actually worked for the same company that the Echelon vacform sheets were made, albeit at a different factory many years later!

Edited Wednesday at 11:04 AM by RCPlym

[chrish]

10 hours ago, Rick Griewski said:

Today I gave a moment of silence with appreciation to vacuum formed model kits that tossed into the trash. I used these to develop my scratch building methods over the years.  These were the only kit available for many aircraft back in the day.

 

All were sidelined and never finished after Styrene kits came along.  The Ju-88 by Combative Models (build one 8 variants kit) was the farthest along and looking acceptable until comparison with the Revell kit revealed undersized engine nacelles; on and on from there.  Ouch. I learned when to stop.  All 5 that remain in my stash are never going to see styrene in my life time. The Avro Anson is my favorite rescue puppy.  BYW all Vacuum formed model kits are all rescue puppies.  IMHO
 

Now we are going through another big change, 3D printed models. This to some of us are going cause more once wonderful  it now “obsoleted” styrene kits.  Kits with mucho AM in the box.  Will the upcoming Eduard P-51b  KO my kit bash conversion project?  I will let it play out.   Will I let my Trumpeter Me-262 kit build languish on the shelf of indifference?   We have new kits coming out this year. 
 

OK back to the bench

As I’m currently making my way through another vacuform kit…I can testify they do offer all kinds of opportunity to add detail…cuz there’s frigging none in the model!

[mozart]

I’m reluctant to bin my CM Anson and Cornell vacs., I WILL finish them one day! 

[Rick Griewski]

6 hours ago, mozart said:

I’m reluctant to bin my CM Anson and Cornell vacs., I WILL finish them one day! 

Don’t you dare bin those puppies.  My Anson is not as far along as yours.

So I am taking advantage of the 1/48 scale Anson by Airfix.  I am cutting up the vac into smaller subassemblies, essentially mimicking the smaller kit’s engineering.  Most vac kits need an upgrade to the basic interior structure.  This kit has a ****load of windows and all is visible after assembly. 

[Rick Griewski]

9 hours ago, chrish said:

As I’m currently making my way through another vacuform kit…I can testify they do offer all kinds of opportunity to add detail…cuz there’s frigging none in the model!

I forgot to mention that details I have used were collected (scrounged) from many of the first styrene kits; mainly from partially assembled shelf of doom builds.  
 

The cycle continues.  

[BiggTim]

At the rate I'm going, I may never finish another injection molded kit, let alone a vac kit, so yes, I understand purging. I'm about to sell off some shelf sitters myself.

[geedubelyer]

17 minutes ago, BiggTim said:

shelf sitters

 

Try saying that one fast three times 

[LSP_Kevin]

57 minutes ago, geedubelyer said:

 

Try saying that one fast three times 

 

I can't even say it slow once!

 

Kev

[LSP_K2]

I never once bothered to get a vac anything. I knew that if I ever did, I'd end up in a rubber room with a jacket that has extra long sleeves. 

[williamj]

On 7/7/2026 at 10:12 AM, Martinnfb said:

Good for you Rick. Purging is liberating, everyone should do it. We won't be here forever. 

Couldn't agree more, it is always a rite of passage.  Show no fear or unhelpful remorse

[Chek]

I keep meaning to unearth my Airfix 1/48 TSR2 to see how much can be grafted into my Dynavecto vac. Internals especially.

[CRAZY IVAN5]

2 hours ago, LSP_K2 said:

I never once bothered to get a vac anything. I knew that if I ever did, I'd end up in a rubber room with a jacket that has extra long sleeves. 

Been there and did done that! I'm ok and so am I!

[LSP_Ray]

Had a few, got rid of all but these: 1/32nd F-102, Me-263, and Japanese version of the Me-163 conversion kit.

[LSP_Kevin]

28 minutes ago, LSP_Ray said:

Had a few, got rid of all but these: 1/32nd F-102, Me-263, and Japanese version of the Me-163 conversion kit.

 

I think I ended up with quite a few of yours, Ray!

 

Kev

[Tony T]

Shamefaced, I have to admit my score with vacforms is 0 v 3. The vacforms have defeated me every time, though two remain part-done on standby. Su-15s, and I simply can't bear to part with them even though somebody else might produce a marvel. (Was hoping for the Fly Su-7 to help rescue one of those.) 

The fourth, an Aeroclub 1:48 Vulcan, I sold 23 years ago. 

 

An Echelon Lightning would be wasted on me, but we could surely use easy-to-do elements from that kit to assist the Trumpeter over the finish line. Am thinking tailplane, strakes and the belly tank in particular. (And the landing gear legs.) But I digress into wishful thinking!

 

Vacforms are of an era and hold nostalgia for some, but I'd much rather use a resin or 3DP conversion and accessories. Even with the dreaded CA adhesives.

 

Tony