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Contrail/Sanger - Bristol Bombay/Handley Page Harrow


Eric Mc

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I am pretty certain that even MPM/Valom etc are unlikely to ever produce injection moulded models of these two aircraft. So, the only games in town are the Contrail/Sanger vacforms. Has anyone ever built either of these and, as vacforms go, how good are they?

I know that Contrail's products were pretty variable but they did get better towards the end and have Sanger improved the mouldings and package over the original Contrail offer.

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I have the Contrail Harrow. It is pretty horrible - the engine cowlings are in different positions on the upper and lower wing halves. The transparencies are awful - presumably this is one point which could be improved by Sanger but I have no experience of them.

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I bought a box of vacuforms a few months ago and I found there was a Contrail Harrow in the collection, I'd take some photos of the parts but it's in it's original package and I don't want to open it as I might sell it. What I can see of it though, I can agree with Graham, it isn't one of Contrail' finest.

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I am pretty certain that even MPM/Valom etc are unlikely to ever produce injection moulded models of these two aircraft. So, the only games in town are the Contrail/Sanger vacforms. Has anyone ever built either of these and, as vacforms go, how good are they?

I know that Contrail's products were pretty variable but they did get better towards the end and have Sanger improved the mouldings and package over the original Contrail offer.

Some of the earlier Contrail kits were re-molded and repackaged. Look for the box versions

Ken

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Both are current in Sanger's range (at about £27 each).Would they be improved on the original Contrails. I am sorely tempted but am reluctant to part with any dosh until I have some idea of whether they aren't to become instant bin-fodder.

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I would very much doubt that the Sanger versions are much improved. There may be some additional white metal details but these are often fairly crude themselves. With either Contrail or Sanger you will need to perform major surgery and scratchbuilding to get the desired results. Still, that is true modelling and can be very satisfying.

:giles:

Darius

Edited by Darius at Home
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As stated above Contrail often released updated versions of their kits, the early ones in bags are really for collectors but the later boxed ones don't seem too bad apart from the transparencies which are better in the Sanger version.

I have the Sanger version of the Harrow and the transparencies are much clearer than the ones in the Contrail Manchester I also have. If you're willing to tackle a vacform then the Sanger kits are probably OK for you but I wouldn't recommend one of these relatively big ones as a first vacform, get a little one from fleabay to play with before you commit to an expensive one. Rareplanes, Waku, Modelland are some manufacturers I've found to be quite good, early Airmodel and a lot of East European ones generally not so good.

Aeroclub can often provide detail parts (engines, props, guns) if the kit ones are not up to scratch.

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As stated above Contrail often released updated versions of their kits, the early ones in bags are really for collectors but the later boxed ones don't seem too bad apart from the transparencies which are better in the Sanger version.

I have the Sanger version of the Harrow and the transparencies are much clearer than the ones in the Contrail Manchester I also have. If you're willing to tackle a vacform then the Sanger kits are probably OK for you but I wouldn't recommend one of these relatively big ones as a first vacform, get a little one from fleabay to play with before you commit to an expensive one. Rareplanes, Waku, Modelland are some manufacturers I've found to be quite good, early Airmodel and a lot of East European ones generally not so good.

Aeroclub can often provide detail parts (engines, props, guns) if the kit ones are not up to scratch.

I have built some vacforms in the past (I've been modelling for yonks) but have never really been satisfied with the outcome.

Blame Michael Turner and his art for my abberation in this direction. My 2009 Michael Turner calendar is currently showing a lovely picture of a Bombay touching down on a Desert airstrip.

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Nowadays it is pretty well only the large ones that are worth doing in vacform, because the range available injected is so much wider. For a while it was the way to go for WW1 models - to some extent perhaps it still is. The market size and product runs matched, as did the more fragile requirements. (Not something that could be said about a Contrail kit!) I was happy with the result of my Formaplane IAR 80, and my Rareplanes He 112: I did a Airmodel conversion for a Ju 388 but many more just got chucked or resold on.

I did dig out the Harrow last night: as I was always intending to do the Sparrow I could avoid much of the poor transparencies and awkward internal work. I think it can be made into a fair representation, although the poor fit and crude surface detail does not appeal,and the thickness of the mother sheet aill make sanding the smaller parts not a lot of fun. Does anyone know if the windows were painted out, as on wartime civil aircraft?

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Nowadays it is pretty well only the large ones that are worth doing in vacform, because the range available injected is so much wider. For a while it was the way to go for WW1 models - to some extent perhaps it still is. The market size and product runs matched, as did the more fragile requirements. (Not something that could be said about a Contrail kit!) I was happy with the result of my Formaplane IAR 80, and my Rareplanes He 112: I did a Airmodel conversion for a Ju 388 but many more just got chucked or resold on.

I did dig out the Harrow last night: as I was always intending to do the Sparrow I could avoid much of the poor transparencies and awkward internal work. I think it can be made into a fair representation, although the poor fit and crude surface detail does not appeal,and the thickness of the mother sheet aill make sanding the smaller parts not a lot of fun. Does anyone know if the windows were painted out, as on wartime civil aircraft?

The Putnam has an IWM photo which appears to show the windows. Several more pictures on the IWM Website seem to show the windows. Put in sparrow as the keyword and you'll get them.

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