Steve NZ Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 I am currently building a Hobbyboss Defender hardtop. The clansman TUUAM boxes don't really fit the era I was going for so I wanted to use BOWMAN. The only ones I have seen are done by Accurate Armour, however for the pics the casting doesn't look great and converting UK to NZ makes them pretty expensive. Does anyone know of another company that makes them or has experience of the AA ones to maybe advise me of their quality. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bozothenutter Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 not an armour modeller, and google is inconclusive. if it is a whip antenna, and you have a cat you could use a whisker (only found, leave the cat alone!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dads203 Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 I think AA are your only choice Steve, The Bowman bases are really quite similar to the US Army types so maybe a bit of conversion work or scratch building. Personally I wouldn't use a cat whisker as it's not straight enough, modern British whip sections are made from copper or fibreglass tubes and do not bend at all, they either snap or shatter which is why the bases are always spring loaded. Google Micro Carbon fibre rod and find a supplier in your area, I bought 2x 1.5m lengths of 0.3 diameter carbon rod from Easy Composites Ltd in the UK, and it came to about £5 , the postage was reasonable and it beats the price AA quote for 5 small pieces of antenna for £10 A link to a similar thread http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-sandhurst-surrey-uk-june-18th-2017-close-up-of-radio-aerial-or-antenna-147723980.html?pv=1&stamp=2&imageid=F3A27897-ECB8-42CC-BC6B-27086C56B1D9&p=457008&n=0&orientation=0&pn=1&searchtype=0&IsFromSearch=1&srch=foo%3dbar%26st%3d0%26pn%3d1%26ps%3d100%26sortby%3d2%26resultview%3dsortbyPopular%26npgs%3d0%26qt%3dbritish%20army%20radio%26qt_raw%3dbritish%20army%20radio%26lic%3d3%26mr%3d0%26pr%3d0%26ot%3d0%26creative%3d%26ag%3d0%26hc%3d0%26pc%3d%26blackwhite%3d%26cutout%3d%26tbar%3d1%26et%3d0x000000000000000000000%26vp%3d0%26loc%3d0%26imgt%3d0%26dtfr%3d%26dtto%3d%26size%3d0xFF%26archive%3d1%26groupid%3d%26pseudoid%3d%26a%3d%26cdid%3d%26cdsrt%3d%26name%3d%26qn%3d%26apalib%3d0%26apalic%3d%26lightbox%3d%26gname%3d%26gtype%3d%26xstx%3d0%26simid%3d%26saveQry%3d%26editorial%3d1%26nu%3d%26t%3d%26edoptin%3d%26customgeoip%3d%26cap%3d1%26cbstore%3d1%26vd%3d0%26lb%3d%26fi%3d2%26edrf%3d HTH Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingsman Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Have a look at BNA Modelworld in Oz. They stock a huge range of useful stuff, much of it intended for car modelling. I shop there even from the UK!! I've just found 64 "antenna" items in 1/35 on their site. Orange Hobby have a range of modern antenna types, for example. I have the AA antennas, but they seem always to go back into the stash in favour of metal products or wire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwidave4 Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 I can also recommend BNA, have used them for some bits. Dont know the number but RB used to make some brass bases, think they are US but would look the part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etienne Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 Hello, as said by Dads203, the only genuine option for Bowman aerial bases is Accurate Armour ... however, the AA bases are not complete as they lack the knob (sort of, don't know the exact word) that seats over the spring and has a threaded rod for the antenna. I used the AA bases for my RTR Chally and had to replicate those knobs ... I guess you should be able to find other modern antenna bases that look like the Bowman's and modify them. With regard to the antennas themselves, I'd rather use .5mm styrene (that's what I did) or brass rod than .3mm carbon fiber rods are good for Larkspur / Clansman aerials but not for Bowman's aerial that seem to have a bigger diameter, as suggested by photos. Just my 2 cents ... E 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dads203 Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 Just as a follow on from Etienne’s post. If you shop about for the Carbon rod you can find it in different diameters, 0.3 is great for Clansman era antennas but the supplier I listed sells the stuff in 0.4 , 0.5 and so on. They even sell micro carbon tube in really small diameters Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etienne Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 3 minutes ago, Dads203 said: Just as a follow on from Etienne’s post. If you shop about for the Carbon rod you can find it in different diameters, 0.3 is great for Clansman era antennas but the supplier I listed sells the stuff in 0.4 , 0.5 and so on. They even sell micro carbon tube in really small diameters Dan I just browsed their website ... great source for carbon fiber rods !! ... and microtubes Thanks for the tip, very appreciated !! E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dads203 Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 5 minutes ago, Etienne said: I just browsed their website ... great source for carbon fiber rods !! ... and microtubes Thanks for the tip, very appreciated !! E And cheaper than buying the Accurate Armour Antenna rods, I bought 3m of 0.3 rod for the same as a pack from AA , I think the AA pack gives you 40 cm ish of rod. Glad to be of help Dan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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