DJPFlightpath

You are about to have some good luck - email [not PM] me. You can do this from our web site. David Parkins, Flightpath

Nick, We have provided links to soldering advice on other threads - but here is the best one. It relates to soldering of railway kits [mainly our own MMP kits] but is equally applicable to any areas where etched assemblies are made and cast metal parts added to them [such as on our large sets] - http://www.7mmlocomotives.co.uk/index.php?...7&Itemid=45 As regards the Sea Harrier ladder - all the ones that I have photographed are flat with all the side edges chambfered [a very shallow double D!]. That is exactly how I'd assemble our ladder - solder all the sections of each side panel up in register to make each one a rigid assembly and then clean up the edges and chambfer them at the same time - this only takes a few minutes. The beauty of doing it this way is that the unit is incredibly strong and all the detail on both the inner and outer sufaces of the ladder sides are in perfect register and much finer that could be scribed onto a bit of plastikard [which would still need to have chambfered edges anyway] - its just that plastikard is so much more difficult to work with in my opinion, it being easier to make mistakes due to the softness of the material. As far as resin for tanks, stores and radomes goes, I fully agree - those are exactly the things we use it on - including the resin AIM-9Ls in our current 24th Harrier/Sea Harrier Sets. A warped missile cast in metal though can easily be straightened by rolling it of a hard flat surface for a few minutes, just as a resin one can - though in the latter case, after first placing it in recently boiled water. Regards, David Parkins Flightpath

Nick, I think this does, as you rightly say, in many ways come down to a question of the preference of material. As you state, you do not like etched metal! The fact that you get superglue over the etched parts is telling. In 24th you should really be using solder for some of the etched sub-assemblies in our sets. Then assembly get easier - and very much quicker. Now I do not like resin! I only use it where it is absolutely unavoidable - thats because of my model railway background, I suppose. It has no 'true' dimensions, a fault it shares with cast metal, although casting alloys have other redeeming features, in my opinion. One of the main problems with resin is that it is so often poorly cast and comes on huge blocks [often bigger than the part], due to it being drop cast. Many manufacturers use it because it means that they can make all their patterns [masters] out of mixed media such as re-worked kit parts [naughty!], plastic and odd bits of wire. All our masters are engineered in metal. This removes the sub-master stage, which can mean additional shrinkage, distortion and surface pitting - particularly for cast metal parts. Anyway I wouldn't listen to my ramblings as we've only been manufacturing kits for 34 years. As regards our Harrier GR3 & Sea Harrier Sets being overpriced at £52.90 each [not £60.00 as stated elsewhere on this forum] - the prices have not changed for years [ten years in the case of the GR3 set]. They certainly cannot appear too overpriced to most modellers given the quantity we have sold over the years! This is particulay true if you use all of each set, including all the display accessories that are also supplied - access ladder, FOD guards, wheel chocks for example - not to mention the weapons. If we split all these components up and sold them for a total of £80 no would question it at all. Of course, if you regard etched metal parts as peripheral to the cast parts in a detail set, rather than being at the central core of it, then I do agree that such a modeller is much better off working with a box full of resin - but then that is almost a different hobby really. Regards, David Parkins, Flightpath www.djparkins.com

Possibly Sommerfeld Tracking? This was used at several Advanced Landing Grounds in the UK during the run-up to D-Day. We do that too! Regards, David Parkins, Flightpath

Its not too difficult really - especially as you can also order by phone! We have it in stock - 42 sections in a pack for £10.90 It clips together like the real thing and you can stagger the individual sections of course, to make it go further. David Parkins, Flightpath, www.djparkins.com

Hi Selwyn, Fully appreciate that. I shall not bother to change all our labelling etc. though as most people know exactly what is mean't by it - as you can see from some of the other links - even though its an error! Best Wishes, David

I bow to your experience naturally but I'm not sure why you singled me out as the sole culprit - as you can see I'm not the only one using this title: http://www.blackburn-buccaneer.co.uk/0_Gulf-missions.html - there are several more including the RAF [RAF Yearbook Special - Air War in The Gulf] Run a google search for CPU-123B & see what you find! David Parkins, Flightpath

Pete, I bow to your experience naturally but I'm not sure why you singled me out as the sole culprit - as you can see I'm not the only one using this title: http://www.blackburn-buccaneer.co.uk/0_Gulf-missions.html - there are several more including the RAF [RAF Yearbook Special - Air War in The Gulf] Run a google search for CPU-123B & see what you find! David Parkins, Flightpath

Not here they aren't! We have them in stock - both Mk.1 & 2 Sets. Hannants had a load from us recently but have obviously sold them. David Parkins, Flightpath www.djparkins.com

Andy - It was insprired by who? Could you possibly elaborate? I only ask out of interest, as I don't remember anything cropping up about a particular person/s being the basis for these figures when they being sculpted [there were actually two in the set - the other was waering his flying helmet]. Itwas all a very long time ago that we added them to our Firing Line range so I may have just forgot. With Regards, David Parkins, Flightpath/Firing Line www.djparkins.com

Hello Julien, Only problem is though that our current Lightning Set is matched to the Airfix F3 & Hasegawa F6 kits. This will continue to be available but as I said in my posting above - we will be introducing several Trumpeter-matched Lightning items in the not too distant future. Incidentally I note that the 72nd access ladder that the OP links to appears to have flat-faced seps to the ladder, instead of circular rungs. Regards, David Parkins, Flightpath

Gentlemen, If you can just shelve those Lightnings for a few months yet, there will be a whole host of Trumpeter Lightning-specific goodies from us in both 72nd & 32nd Scales - AND an access ladder will cost you a lot less than that pro-rata [although it may be part of a pack with some other very useful Lightning display goodies!. Regards, David Parkins, Flightpath, www.djparkins.com

Congratulations Al - This was indeed a generous gesture on your part. With Regards, David Parkins

OK then - see my PM to you. What you have posted is a first Gulf War era TIALD Pod - as we used to produce and that is all I have to say on that subject. However - in an unusual act of generosity [!!!] - if you email me with your postal address I shall send you free a current Flightpath TIALD Pod so you can fit it to your Harrier - How is That? Only one point - don't pass it on toyour friend - just fit it to your model. Regards, David Parkins Flightpath www.djparkins.com djparkins@aol.com

Yes Indeed. It looks VERY famliar to me! David Parkins, Flightpath

[quote My only comment would be that the there instructions for all the etched bits (and there's a lot) are more written text than pictures (I can read it's just not as easy to follow I don't quite see how you can say that there is more text than pictures. The instructions comprise 2.5 pages of text and 4.5 pages of assembly drawings and photos + a hints & tips page of drawings & notes. What I think you might be missing is that you are mean't to read through the written instructions step by step as you go and apply the comments in them that relate to that assembly stage to that illustrated in the assembly drawings - in the time-honoured method of railway kits. I personall dislike all modern plastic kit instructions without any written text [only symbols] - I just cannot get my head around them. I find I need step by step assembly text to guide me through. I liked the original style of Airfix instructions back in 1960s, when they also had step by step text that went with the assembly drawings. Regards, David Parkins, Flightpath, www.djparkins.com

On the off chance as well that anyone has spare Flightpath Tornado jet nozzles (long shot I know)...... Thanks James Firstly - you are in luck - we do have a slightly over-etched section of sheet with some other parts missing BUT with these sets of parts still on [and before anyone else asks - we only have ONE!!!] - so email us with your address & the fret is yours. Next time though - some advice! Do not [if you did] try forming these parts freestyle [like with finger & thumb]. Get yourself something like the Brass Assist Rolling Set [made by Small Shop EU] and available here in the UK from Cammett Ltd. This will enable much easier and regular forming of the rings. Basically you have to 'trap' brass as you form a radius into it. A basic rule is that if you allow it to, sheet metal will always go into the very shapes & in the directions you do not want in to! This tool will assist you in that repect. After that you need to get the different rings inside each other reasonably quickly as the assembly progresses, as this gives strength to the whole thing. Getting the rings 'in register' is helped by the fitting of all the parts 6 [folded to double thickness], as they pass through the slots in the rings. As regards soldering - you make no mention of flux. Have a read of this link - http://www.7mmlocomotives.co.uk/index.php?...7&Itemid=45 - although it deals with soldering railway models [mainly from our own range] the 'method' remains the same. You must keep your iron clean and use a good flux and so: if you are in the UK, you could do no better than get a botle of the water-based flux available from the same web site - http://www.7mmlocomotives.co.uk/index.php?...1&Itemid=52 Regards, David Parkins, Flightpath, www.djparkins.com

Jack - Short of any rolling bars - that Brass Assist Rolling Set from the Small Shop is a worthwile investment - would help the nose ring & the jet pipe parts on the Lightning set for instance. Regards, David Parkins, Flightpath

Jack - The link you provide to the adhesive looks OK - I would try brushing it on. The Brass assist Rolling set featured in the other link is OK too - I have one and it will probably be adequate for the Lightning nose ring or similar items but this link will show you the type of thing I'm really talking about - http://www.metalsmith.co.uk/rolling-bars.htm I'm not suggesting that you need anything remotely as heavy duty or expensive as the ones shown but the little animation in the top LH corner of the page shows the basic concept behind geared rolling bars. The metal really has no choice but to move through the bars once gripped, resulting in a neat continous curve. The amount of curvature you put into the metal is controlled by adjusting the third bar at the rear of the unit. I've seen Lightweight units of this kind at model railway shows in the UK but I have not done a thorough search on the web for them tonight. You can certainly make simple folding bars from bits of ironmongery from a hardware store, as you say. Regards, David Parkins

Jennings - Yes - but the etching has been designed to be formed with rounded edges around metal rod of a suitable radius - that is just my point. These radii have been designed into the etching. Obviously some modellers have been making acute 90 degree folds in the etchings instead. David Parkins

You are absolutely right - I mean't to say that in my previous post. Do not 'quench'!!! Heat it exactly as Bill describes but then leave it to cool naturally. David Parkins, Flightpath

Bill - Having been a builder of etched kits since 1974 I can assure you that you can anneal nickel silver - and then re-polish it with a dremel [with some very interesting effects! - great for tail pipes]. There have been postings of our 32nd F15 Tail Pipe set on one of these type of forums - left unpainted from the effects of annealing. We are only talking .008" material here - its hardly heavy engineering! With the Lightning nose ring you don't have to anneal it - just put it through a set of miniature rolling bars and it will form into a consistent curve and then stick it on with a contact adhesive. None of this is rocket science. Rolling Bars are available from many model engineering sources and are a great tool for any serious user of etched parts. Same thing with proper Folding Bars. In my opinion these Hold & Mate [sic] type tools are of limited value for any serious user of metal. What you need are proper folding bars & rolling bars + a long smooth jawed vice, steel rule and some really good smooth jawed pliers. Bite the bullet on the soldering Bill - Whole new vistas of the hobby will open up for you!!! To the original poster of this thread my meassage is - Go on give it a try, you'll never know until you do! David is the name BTW. Regards, David Parkins, Flightpath, www.djparkins.com

Well that is subjective and might well depend upon how confident you are at working with etchings and [preferably] soldering. I think you would be extremely hard-pushed replicate the filter panel detail in resin in the way in which we have managed to [almost without compromise] in .008" brass. David Parkins, Flightpath www.djparkins.com

Hi Phartycr0c I think the trick is a temperature controlled iron with a really fine 'bit' so that you get a lot of heat very quickly to only a very localised area + a really good water-based flux like the one at this link - http://www.7mmlocomotives.co.uk/index.php?...1&Itemid=52 There is also a good article on soldering techniques on this site - http://www.7mmlocomotives.co.uk/index.php?...7&Itemid=45 Though this is a model railway site - the techniques can be applied to any model soldering. That will give you more info than a bumbling old cretin like me could ever impart! Regards, David Parkins, Flightpath