Book review - Building and detailing scale commercial aircraft by mark Stanton

[Kev1n]

Building and Detailing Scale Commercial Aircraft
By Mark Stanton - Crowood Press

There are a number of books on building plastic models, covering pretty much every genre but one area that has been a bit neglected is that of commercial aircraft. Or to use one generic term; Airliners! There is a school of thought that suggests airliners are not real models at all and don’t really count. This book goes some way to dispelling that particular myth and demonstrates that building an airliner model uses the same techniques as most other plastic models and in some ways, requires skills and knowledge that can be just as demanding of the builder as those needed for any other kit.

Author Mark Stanton (Busdriver on Britmodeller) is a modeller of some ability and also an airliner pilot; consequently he is in the enviable position of not only being in the right place to check references but also to speak with authority on a real one. That inside knowledge is transferred to his building and it shows. He takes the reader on a journey through the history of commercial aviation, starting with his own experiences, the tools needed and with each chapter, describes building airliners from the days of biplanes and bracing wire, right up to modern jets.

Each chapter deals with one particular aircraft type and is written with an easy on the eye style, making understanding that much clearer. No unnecessary technical gobbledegook or overblown phrases are used, meaning that anybody who has never made an airliner model can take it up with comfort. Yet there is also much on offer for more experienced airliner builders as well; Mark makes a number of points in his comments which all builders can find invaluable and this is a book that everybody will find useful.

One of the most invaluable chapters is the last one, dealing with the potential hazards of using materials that can be, if used unwisely, dangerous to one’s health and how to protect yourself from harm. This is a book that could be worth having for this chapter alone if you’ve never thought about this aspect of modelling before.

There are a couple of drawbacks however. There is a tendency to gloss over some of the issues one or two kits have in that most kits will have some build problems somewhere. For example, Concorde is one aircraft that no book would be complete without and the chapter dealing with the Revell Concorde doesn’t mention the kit’s poor wing design and the problem the unwary can have in fitting them together. The other minor issue is that the book leans towards one way only of building an airliner model, the more traditional way, with everything closed and up apart from the gear. Frustratingly, there are references toward adding a lot of extra detail, even at 1/144 scale, including photos of some interior detail on a partly built kit – but no photos of the finished model. It would have been better for those who wish to add such detail to have this aspect covered more completely.

Despite those minor gripes, this is a good book. Those who do build airliners should have a copy for the extra impetus it gives, and those who occasionally build an airliner should find it extremely useful. And anybody who has never built an airliner model, go buy it. And build your first commercial aircraft; this book will help you.

Review sample courtesy of
Crowood Press

[Jessica]

How does it compare to the Aaron Skinner book recently released by the Finescale Modeler people?

[Kev1n]

no idea I haven't got a copy

[bzn20]

Might buy it then.Its got a VC10 chapter by the look of the contents page.

Edited February 16, 2013 by bzn20
Off topic

[halcyonjet]

How does it compare to the Aaron Skinner book recently released by the Finescale Modeler people?

I've recently bought both books and find them very good bed-time reading, getting lots of tips and ideas from both.

One thing I certainly picked up from Mark's book is the use of 'Berna clamps'. I've just invested in some and tried them out on a Zvezda Tu-134 today with great success.

Dave

[Kev1n]

there y' go then

As I said I dont have a copy of Aaron Skinner's book so it would be nice to know what's in it

and I'll be interested to know how you get on with the TU134 dave

[halcyonjet]

Aaron Skinner's book Modeling Airliners is made up of 7 main chapters.

Construction -dealing with tools, windows (filling or not), fuselages, obliterating seams, windshields, wings, engines, panel lines and short-run kits.

Painting -tools, paint, finding the right colour, prep and priming, using a spray can, gloss white, other colours, masking, painting wings, metallics, decanting spray paint, airbrushing Future, hand brushing, washes and dry brushing.

Applying decals -tools, wetting the decal, positioning, conforming, troubleshooting etc.

Conversions -measuring, cutting, joining, wings and things.

Detailing and improving kits -antennas, pitots and drains, landing gear and bays, wing fences, engine intakes, flaps and slats, reshaping parts, fuselage lobe creases, photo etch, casting resin and vac formed parts.

Weathering -what to weather, mixing and applying washes, stains and streaks, rust.

Airliner gallery -17 lovely pictures of finshed models (some made by other well known modellers).

Everything that is explained is backed up by excellent clear pictures featuring a multitude of different kits.

Dave

PS. Kev, the Zvezda Tu-134 is a little beauty -everything fits perfectly so far. Just had to alter a couple of windows for doing an Aviogenex machine. Bit nervous looking at the very fragile looking undercarriage though.

Edited February 16, 2013 by halcyonjet

[Kev1n]

it was the gear that made me ask...

[rich2010]

I've bought and (skim) read this book. On the whole it looks pretty good. I liked the foreword where Trevor Snowden of Airfix suggested the possibility that new airliner moulds may be produced in the future.

I've also ordered the Skinner book off the back of the mention here and from Jessica's review elsewhere.