JimRice Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 Contemplating my next build project I pulled out the old Staggerwings Unlimited (ITC mold) which is a generic G/D-17 and Scratchbuilders kits based on SU kit but in resin and with different (corrected) cowling For an F-17 with Jacobs engine. SU kit fit is better but has no wheel wells and thick clunky landing gear, doors, toy like wheels, a horrible tapered cowling and no interior. None of this is surprising considering the original ITC kit was motorized and more of a toy. Surprising the fit is decent. Scratchbuilders kit has interior, wheel wells, improved landing gear, nice engine, prop, full interior. The fit is poor and some of the resin is warped. Trying to decide whether to kitbash the two to make one decent looking Staggerwing or to pick one and go. Of course, I could pick any of the three hundred kits...maybe a shake and bake. ...or I could pull out my 1/32 Ghost Models Globe GC-1B vacuform and have to deal a general shape and no details. It could be an easier path than either of the above. Problem is, my last vac took three plus decades... Decisions, decisions... BiggTim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tnarg Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 I once owned the SU version and every time I pulled it out of the box I went back and forth between wanting to have a Staggerwing and thinking that I might be better off starting with some wood and a knife. Maybe the combination of the two kits could yield a decent engine and airframe. I guess as they say, are we kit assemblers or model builders? I always make it too hard for myself by diving for the details. My wife notices things in her art that no one will ever see. I think we all have that problem and that is the root of building something that we know is there but is sealed up inside the fuselage. I would say it is only money and you will probably be ahead if you pull the two kits together use the resin kit as if you bought an aftermarket upgrade set and try to patch the places where they join as best you can, make it look good from a few feet away. (easy to say since I'm not the one building it). Think of it this way. Once you nearly finish the build, ICM or IBG will announce yet another great 1/32 kit of a between the wars aircraft made by Beechcraft. We will thank you for your service. Tnarg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thierry laurent Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 Personally I would combine both if the largest resin parts are not dimensionality ok. As the resin kit was clearly based on the plastic one, mixing and matching should not be too difficult. This is alas another topic for which useful documentation is quite limited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadBaron Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 Staggerwing info is out there. There are a couple of high profile (in vintage aviation circles) restorations happening at the moment, with quite a bit of good photographic reference availiable. There are few plan sets around, but usually for the later models. If ICM released a 1/32 kit, or even roden scaled up their 1/48, I'd be on them like a heartbeat!! Though, a polished little Swift with the original blue trim would look gorgeous! The nosebowl would be a tedious thing to build! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Griewski Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 Depending on the kit bashing approach mixing resin and styrene and CA glue could be a sanding/finishing nightmare. The resin is so much softer. The CA glue turns to glass overnight. I would pick the SB kit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thierry laurent Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 On 6/27/2020 at 7:51 PM, RadBaron said: Staggerwing info is out there. Well, if you can give me information about the military seaplane version, I'm really interested...! RadBaron 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadBaron Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 13 hours ago, thierry laurent said: Well, if you can give me information about the military seaplane version, I'm really interested...! Are you after any information in particular? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thierry laurent Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Actual pictures of the plane are elusive to say the least. I have plans and profiles but have yet to find useful pictures of that version. They must exist somewhere but I've yet to find them! RadBaron 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadBaron Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 @thierry laurent You're not wrong about Stags on floats!! You've probably already seen them, but the best my sources have is this pic: Seems she IS an elusive bird! Are you after any particular details of the float set up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thierry laurent Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 Thanks very much! This is the first picture of a military Staggerwing on floats I'm seeing!!! I have different pictures of civilian ones but none of a US military version. There should be at least another one showing one plane in Alaska as this is the one you commonly see in profiles and in some kits such as the Roden one. With regard to the floats, I've normally everything to build them (various scale plans obtained from different sources as well as some pictures of the floatplane in civilian use). However, for sure, I've no detailed picture of the floats fixtures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now