Couple of Kits

[flyingbrian]

Here are a couple of model kits that I finished last week. One is a Do-335 night fighter, and the other is a V35 Bonanza.
-Brian674166741467415

[Ivan]

What scale are they? I saw a Beech Bonanza this weekend at Udvar Hazy.

- Ivan.

[flyingbrian]

They are 1/48 scale
-Brian

[Ivan]

Whose the manufacturer of the kits? I have a zillion kits myself but haven't built one in years.
I am pretty sure I have a Monogram Do 335 in one of the closets someplace.

I see you build them in flying condition with gear up also.
I still can't understand why an airplane with all its guts hanging out is so appealing to most other modelers.

- Ivan.

[flyingbrian]

The Do-335 is a Revell kit, and the V35 Bonanza is a Minicraft kit.

I just got back into building kits, having bought a Revell TBF Avenger last week. It is on hold, though, because the wing-folding hinges are not cooperating. I might post some WIP pictures later. So I have finally started a USS Saratoga kit I got from a friend a couple months ago. On the reason why people build "airplanes with all its guts hanging out," some people like the detail of the innards. I like models with retractable landing gear, so I have the option of how to display it, but if I can't do that, I retract the gear so I can hang it.

-Brian

[Ivan]

I think we are pretty much in agreement on how to build and display with perhaps one exception.
I believe the Monogram and Revell kits are the same kit because the two companies merged?
I don't believe I see a pilot in your planes and I prefer to put them in mine.

One of the things I am considering right now is how to build a retractable tail wheel for a Monogram A6M5 that I built a few decades ago. The original didn't have a retract and it broke off some time back.

- Ivan.

[flyingbrian]

The Do-335 came with ground crew, but no pilots for the cockpits as it was ment to be displayed on the ground. I think the same is true for the Bonanza. If they had pilots, they would be in the cockpit. As for the tailwheel on the A6M5, I have nothing to say execpt I hope you find a way to do it.

-Brian

[Ivan]

When there is extra ground crew, sometimes I cut up the figures and then use them as AIR crew. I remember doing this for the B-26 Marauder I built for my neighbour.

So far, there is no reliable way of stocking up on pilot figures that I know of.

- Ivan.

[srgalahad]

Not to deliberately resurrect an old thread, but I just ran across it...

While not specifically for aircraft, there are tons of figures available, and many that would work with minor modifications through Walthers

Scale compatibility might be a problem in a few cases, but like most modelling, that's part of the fun... in others there are direct fits - O Scale is 1:48 for example

http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=Figures&scale=&manu=&item=&keywords=&words=restrict&instock=Q&split=30&Submit=Search

[Ivan]

No issues with old threads here.

My problem with working with a generic figure to start is that I don't really know what pilots of various air forces carried or wore. This is yet another research subject that can get as complicated as the basic aircraft model. Also, I suppose one can model an entire aircraft from a wood block but the quality won't be as good as a commercial kit. I expect the same kind of thing but worse with making your own air crew figures. The references are going to be harder to find for a subject that is only of cursory interest to the aircraft modeller.

Just my opinion.
- Ivan.