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1/32 WW2 US Navy carrier aircraft - After market paucity?


Peter Browne

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About to embark on a number of 1/32 Trumpeter kits of WW2 US Navy carrier aircraft. Namely the SBD Dauntless 1/2 and 3/4/5, TBF-1C Avenger and the Wildcat from Midway onwards (maybe a prewar SBD 1 thrown in...Yellow Wings have good decals that are available...).  As noted in a number of reviews , these are great kits, but have just a few important shortcomings such as vinyl tires and poor decals (colour, thickness).

 

There were some after market offerings for these, in particular the beautiful resin wheels from Mastercasters https://www.blackbirdmodels.co.uk/sbd-dauntless-weighted-wheels-32-458-p.asp and decals from Yellowhammer http://www.internetmodeler.com/2007/may/new-releases/decal_yh-dauntless.php which have vanished into the voids like Flight 19

 

I know there is a truck load of AM for the Corsair...

 

So, any clues as to any good available aftermarket for these kits?  In particular, good decals, wheels, cockpit, brass cannon etc?

Edited by Peter Browne
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The Trumpeter Avengers are excellent kits and do not need a lot of aftermarket

Jeff Brundt is building one here on LSP so you can see for yourself

Avionix do some resin cockpits but i am not sure how good they are - never seen any pics in high enough res

Mastercasters stuff can be pretty meh - that pic is too small to see if they are any good

 

here's what i'd go for:

- replacement instrument panel and some IP photo etch

- master model gun barrels (a must)

- paper / fabric seatbelts

- canopy masks

 

I also wouldn't get too hung up on decals unless there is some funky noseart you are after - masks will give a more impressive result

 

I *think* the Dauntless is a similarly good kit, but I am not a SME, so best seek expert advice from someone who knows

 

all the best

 

Nick

 

PS go to Hannants website to check what is around for any particular project - best website on the planet for that sort of stuff; that's all i did to find the Avionix stuff

Edited by nmayhew
The Big H
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Contact Resine used to offer a nice set of SBD wheels. I have no idea if they're still available. 

 

http://www.hyperscale.com/2007/reviews/accessories/contactresine32040reviewbg_1.htm

 

MasterCasters also offered wheels, but they also seem to be out of print.

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/mastercasters-mst32003-sbd-weighted-wheels--1001744

Edited by coogrfan
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I think the biggest problem is you are behind on your AM buying! Most of the AM came out shortly after the kit did. Eduard did some PE sets; like you say, Mastercasters did wheel sets, there were decals and masks sets ( you might still check out Montex Masks). Yahu did pretty recently come out with some IP panels - they are awesome! And G-factor did brass for both, I think.

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8 hours ago, LSP_Ray said:

I think the biggest problem is you are behind on your AM buying! Most of the AM came out shortly after the kit did. Eduard did some PE sets; like you say, Mastercasters did wheel sets, there were decals and masks sets ( you might still check out Montex Masks). Yahu did pretty recently come out with some IP panels - they are awesome! And G-factor did brass for both, I think.

 

 

Ah, but that would imply that the kits are no longer popular, as otherwise there would stiil be a demand presumably for the AM.  I will probably go for the Montex masks, as I have used them successfully for the Tamyia 1.32 Spitfire, as well as the Yahu IP.

 

Thanks,

 

Peter

Edited by Peter Browne
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On 11/26/2019 at 11:15 PM, coogrfan said:

Contact Resine used to offer a nice set of SBD wheels. I have no idea if they're still available. 

 

http://www.hyperscale.com/2007/reviews/accessories/contactresine32040reviewbg_1.htm

 

MasterCasters also offered wheels, but they also seem to be out of print.

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/mastercasters-mst32003-sbd-weighted-wheels--1001744

 

Thanks for the tip abot Contact Resine, they are out of business years ago, but there is an eBay seller who quite a bit of their stuff:

 

https://www.ebay.com/sch/guy-kits/m.html?_armrs=1&_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=contact%20resine&rt=nc&LH_PrefLoc=2&_trksid=p2046732.m1684

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Best to get masks for the main markings rather than decals.  I find Trumpeter decals awful, not just colour and thickness but the tendancy for them to splinter and fall apart.

 

You can see some sets for Trumpy 1/32's here:

http://www.montex-mask.com/en/ofertaShow.php?skala=1/32&maska=MAXI MASK&current=maxi_mask_1_32

Avenger, Dauntless and Wildcat in particular.  Look at both the Super Mask and Maxi Mask sets.

 

Here there are quite a few generic packs as well as packs for specific kits, not many 1/32 Trumpy though

https://shop.maketar.com/?product_cat=132-aircraft&post_type=product

Edited by BarryWilliams
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