Now don''t all run away! LOL! This is the first in what I hope will be a series of articles to try to convince you that vacuform modelling isn''t as hard as some would have you believe and, shock! horror! is actually fun!

Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Thanks Merlin!

Your article explains quite a bit, and the techniques will be put to good use when I finally get around to building my PM Do217 with the Koster Do217 N conversion set.

Not sure if you did this on purpose though, but the link sends you to the last page of the article.

Cheers Rowan, i'll feel a lot happier tackling one of this kits now.
Now i'm off to buy some Japanese bombers

Thanks David - I'll correct that.

All the best

Rowan

Nice article Rowan. Explains the process very nicely. Will there be some pics showing the rest of the build?Wingman out.

Hi Michael

Ermm! Yes.. I hope so... but you know my record for actually finishing builds.

All the best

Rowan

Nice article Merlin.....
I think we need a vacuform campaign.......
Something like 6 months or longer.....
I need a reason to build that Armstrong Withworth FK-10..... :-)

Very nice article Merlin !! You explained it very well.
After reading your article, I would like to try to do a vac model myself. What would be a good starter kit, or do vac's basicly have the same difficulty ??

Thanks for that Rowan.
Like so many I never realy considered Vacform kits, untill I won one in Costas's free draw give away. This is a great help seeing as I'm a total Facvorm virgin. looking forward to further instalments.




Good idea Dave, I'm in on that. Maybe an informal on-line group build? Not sure if we would find 10 people with a vacform kit... .

Cheers
Henk

Great Feature article, Rowan!
I personally have messed a little with vacu-form while building the wood and paper airbirds, but have never tried to tackle a complete vac kit...your tips and technique just may prompt me to do so! Thanks for the time and effort to put something like this together, sir...
Gunny

Very good and very usefull! Tanks for sharing!
Cheers and happy modelling!
Prato

I'd join in too! I have a TSR2 and a BAE Nimrod MR2 to build, but have shied away from them.

Hi all

Well, I guess I'd obviously have to join in! :-)

I've got quite a few stashed away, so I'd be spoilt for choice.




Hi mossieram

No, the difficulty can vary greatly. Depending what type of aircraft you're interested in, it'd be worth you checking out the models produced by Aeroclub, Dynavector, Koster and Sierra Scale - there are plenty of others, but those four are good for starters.

Sierra Scale's Consolidated P-30 and Fairchild PT-19 were the subjects of the first two reviews I wrote for Armorama.

The model I'm building is Koster's Martin Maryland - a neat kit, but probably a bit ambitious for a first vacuform kit.

All the best

Rowan

Rowan:

Thanks for the article !!!! Very informative & filled in at least one question I had (angle of blade when scoring).

I bought my first vacuform kit at the IPMS Nats -- the Sierra 1/48 P-30 / PB-2A. I wanted something "easy" (no big complex things) and yet something I hadn't done in plastic and something of interest to me.

I'm very pleased with the kit (great scale drawings to help with adding detail), but had only gotten around to the marker step, although not as neat & complete as you describe, so tomorrow I'll be sure to get in the cracks & crevasses.

If we're going to do a vac-GB, then I could be in with this kit, but I'd like to see a schedule for the GB, as I really want to get started on this.

Again, great article & looking for follow-ons.

John

A big help for people taking that first deep breath before the plunge in to the alternative world of Vacs.

And I notice its quite an old feature....I was a lot younger when this first ran on site, (not quite short pants).

So its a good idea its given an airing as the subject of Vacs seems to be cropping up more often recently.

Great job Rowan....any sequal(s) planned?

Cheers
Peter

Very good ... How about a little more advanced methods like building the bulkheads and such. is there info on that too.
Thanks,
Kelly

I'm with kelly on that one . More detail on bulkheads , and attaching the wings ?