vac form pitfalls

[farnboroughrob]

I am really starting getting my modelling mojo back and would like to build a nice collection of 1950's airliners in 1/144. I have the Eagle Airways Viscount on my birthday list and would love a Vickers Viking to go with it. Welsh models do one but the fuselage is vac form. What are the pitfalls with vac form, especially with something so fundamental as the fuselage? Also how good are Welsh Models and are they worth the price? Dont think I have ever spend more then £20 on a kit before?
Rob

[ArabJazzie]

Rob,
I have used vac fuselages from Aeroclub before and found the company owners own guide of great help. Only thing is i cant remember where on the net i found it!!!
Arabest,
Geoff.

[Maisie]

Get yourself to a model show, you can pick up vacforms for £3+, cut one up and practise. They're not hard, you just need to take your time, check out some guides online. Mark out then score around the fuselage at an angle, snap off and sand off any excess (so the fuselage looks like a normal injection moulded kit), take your time with this bit by keep putting the fuselages half's together until they sit nice. Fit some tabs on the half's and join the two together. If they're good, glue it together.. Don't forget the weight if you need it... (welsh kits btw are really good, Sanger are poor, same make as the IL-76 below)

Marked out

Rareplanes vacform - McDonnell XP-67 Bat by Radleigh Bushell, on Flickr

Test fitted before sanding back just to show you

Test fit, prior to sanding. by Radleigh Bushell, on Flickr

Sand away up to the bottom of the green line

Rareplanes vacform - McDonnell XP-67 Bat by Radleigh Bushell, on Flickr

Some kits need a keel in the middle as seen below, Welsh models may even have this on the sheet, I'm unsure... might won't be needed for something that big in 1/144th though...? (check out the tabs I added which help align and fit together)

Sanger Vacform IL-78 - IL-82VKP conversion by Radleigh Bushell, on Flickr

Joined together and filled with car filler, you won't need this on a Welsh vac though, they're pretty good! Just normal filler will do.

Sanger Vacform IL-78 - IL-82VKP conversion by Radleigh Bushell, on Flickr


The IL-76VKP is stalled at the moment as I've moved house 4 times in the last 2 years and not had chance to work on it, but the Bat is being worked on.. I can add a thread if you want to see how it progresses?

[Irishaernut]

Yep please put up the bat and il-76 wip that would be cool.

[Keefy041]

Wow, the XP-67 bat, first vac form I ever built, ( not the best ).
Had better success with others.

[Pen Pusher]

Rob,
I have used vac fuselages from Aeroclub before and found the company owners own guide of great help. Only thing is i cant remember where on the net i found it!!!
Arabest,
Geoff.

This one?

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/inde ... %2Bvacform

Brian

[ArabJazzie]

Rob,
I have used vac fuselages from Aeroclub before and found the company owners own guide of great help. Only thing is i cant remember where on the net i found it!!!
Arabest,
Geoff.

This one?

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/inde ... %2Bvacform

Brian

Thanks for that Brian.
I did search at the time but didnt find it quick enough!
Arabest,
Geoff