Bullbasket Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 As somebody who stopped building aircraft more than 10 years ago, I'm thinking about taking the plunge again into things with wings. Although over the years I've sold off all of my kits, there was one that I wouldn't part with because I still wanted to build it. It's the LTD 1/48th scale kit of the Commonwealth Boomerang, but I have virtually no info on it. What I want are drawings/photos of the cockpit and u/c bays. The kit is very vague in these departments. If anyone can point me in the right direction, I will be very grateful. TIA. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpie22 Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 Commonwealth Boomerang by Zbigniew Lurang, Wydawnictwo avia-press, (ISSN 12134 - 4109), is the best 'one stop' ref on the Boomerang. It has reasonably good drawings and a good selection of photos. If you can't find what you want there, pm me and i should be able to help. Magpie22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted December 18, 2016 Author Share Posted December 18, 2016 Thanks for the info and the offer Magpie. I'll see what I can find. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattJ Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 Not sure about on-line sources, but another really good book is Valiant Wings Publishing's "(Airframe Album 03) CAC Boomerang: A Detailed Guide to the RAAF's Famous WWII Fighter" by Richard Franks. I'd reckon it's a one-stop book, although I'll check tomorrow to see if it has the info you want - will let you know if it's not in there. The blurb reads: "8 x 11 paperback. 100 pages. The third title in the Airframe Album series covers the Commonwealth Boomerang, and provides an excellent contrast to the previous two titles on The Heinkel He 219 and Hawker Sea Fury. The Boomerang has proved to be a popular subject with scale modellers in recent years with kits available in all major scales. A wealth of historical and modern photographs; pictures before, during and after restoration; Isometric views by Jacek Jackiewicz; colour profiles and camouflage detail by Richard J. Caruana; lists of all Boomerang kits, accessories and decals available in 1/32nd, 1/48th and 1/72nd scales." Cheers, Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted December 18, 2016 Author Share Posted December 18, 2016 12 minutes ago, MattJ said: Not sure about on-line sources, but another really good book is Valiant Wings Publishing's "(Airframe Album 03) CAC Boomerang: A Detailed Guide to the RAAF's Famous WWII Fighter" by Richard Franks. I'd reckon it's a one-stop book, although I'll check tomorrow to see if it has the info you want - will let you know if it's not in there. The blurb reads: "8 x 11 paperback. 100 pages. The third title in the Airframe Album series covers the Commonwealth Boomerang, and provides an excellent contrast to the previous two titles on The Heinkel He 219 and Hawker Sea Fury. The Boomerang has proved to be a popular subject with scale modellers in recent years with kits available in all major scales. A wealth of historical and modern photographs; pictures before, during and after restoration; Isometric views by Jacek Jackiewicz; colour profiles and camouflage detail by Richard J. Caruana; lists of all Boomerang kits, accessories and decals available in 1/32nd, 1/48th and 1/72nd scales." Cheers, Matt Thanks Matt. That's two references for me to track down although this one seems more readily available. If it does contain cockpit and wheel well detail, I'll order it. Thanks again. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattJ Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 Will have to find it amongst the boxes in my garage - will let you know tonight when I get time after work. Actually, I bought the book a year or two ago for the same reasons as yourself - I wanted a model of the aircraft, and have been holding onto a Special Hobby kit for years but had been frustrated by the lack of helpful references until Valiant Wings released their book. Have read it, and remember being impressed, but don't recall the specifics. (I have a Special Hobby CA-12 (early) in my pile, and have been tempted by their CA-13.) : ) Matt 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted December 18, 2016 Author Share Posted December 18, 2016 OK, thanks Matt, I'll wait till I here from you. John.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradleygolding Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 There is an airworthy Boomerang in mainland Europe somewhere which you might be able to look at. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Puff Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 Be careful when consulting that Valiant Wings book. There are questions as to its accuracy. Richard Hourigan is well known in Australian restoration and aviation history circles and has helped restore a couple of Boomerangs. He also has, or until recently had, another under restoration in his shed. He has been scathing in his reviews of it. I'd be inclined to stick with Magpie 22's recommendation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJP Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 13 minutes ago, bradleygolding said: There is an airworthy Boomerang in mainland Europe somewhere which you might be able to look at. Unless there's another, I think you will find it is NX32CS, a T-6 that's been hacked about rather than a real Boomerang. It flew in the States for a number of years prior to going to Europe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColFord Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 A good online resource with a number of links to other available online information on the Boomerang is here: http://dbdesignbureau.buckmasterfamily.id.au/ The book recommended by Magpie22 also seems to get the 'thumbs up' from this site as it indicates they consulted with Dick Hourigan in preparing their book and drawings. HTH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Smith Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 15 hours ago, Bullbasket said: As somebody who stopped building aircraft more than 10 years ago, I'm thinking about taking the plunge again into things with wings. Although over the years I've sold off all of my kits, there was one that I wouldn't part with because I still wanted to build it. It's the LTD 1/48th scale kit of the Commonwealth Boomerang, but I have virtually no info on it. What I want are drawings/photos of the cockpit and u/c bays. The kit is very vague in these departments. If anyone can point me in the right direction, I will be very grateful. TIA. John. If you want interior detail, etc and are looking at buying a book, you maybe better off getting a Special Hobby kit, though while well detailed, they are noted as being a 'classic' limted run kit, in that not everything fits, but with some reading of other build, I'd think it would be less work than upgrading the LTD kit http://www.hyperscale.com/2016/reviews/kits/sh48117reviewme_1.htm note also Quote LTD released a 1/48 scale Boomerang in 1996. This was a typical limited run injection kit of its day, requiring some experience and suffering from a few serious errors including the placement of the cockpit opening. SH review http://modelingmadness.com/review/allies/cleaver/tmcca13.htm google up some more reviews it will also have a usable decals sheet, i doubt the LTD sheet was that good to start with. HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilneBay Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 (edited) I've built the SH kit and it is not for the fainthearted. While the actual detail is good the parts fit and the instructions for the interior, especially, require clairvoyance of the highest order. The engine is a finely cast example of the best in resin casting which unfortunately doesn't fit inside the cowl without major surgery to both it and the cowl until a great deal of that fine detail is lost. The same also applies to the interior frame work which after you have established contact in the great beyond with the designer of the Boomerang Sir Lawrence Wackett to find out where the various bits provided go needs some major sanding and surgery to fit inside the fuselage. I've built the one example, which turned out OKish, and that is the way it's going to stay I'm afraid. A kit from a mainstream maker would be nice but unlikely. Edited December 19, 2016 by MilneBay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpie22 Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Col, thanks for mentioning Derek Buckmaster's site. A bad error on my part. Very useful info on both the Wirra and the Boomer there. I fully concur with Admiral Puff re the Valiant Wings publication. Useful for the photos, but the drawings are not up to the standard of those in the Polosh book. There are also some glaring errors in the text. As Troy states, the Special Hobby kit is better than the LTD offering, but also has its fair share of errors. Both require some work - it depends on how AR you are with your modelling. I get a bit carried away sometimes and ended up scratch building a new fuselage to which I added modified wings and tail from the SH kit. Magpie22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 I've got some scaled drawings of the fuselage structure if that helps (courtesy of Ed Russell on here)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted December 19, 2016 Author Share Posted December 19, 2016 Well, that certainly gives me a lot to be going on with. Thanks to all those who replied. I'm going to wade through the links and see what comes up. Thanks again. Regards, John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kahunaminor Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Hello John, I would concur with all the above re being wary of the Valiant book, good to look at but not without errors. Not to blow my own trumpet but here is my build thread on the Special Hobby CA 12: http://www.aussiemodeller.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=8855&hilit=special+hobby+boomerang&start=0 . I had a lot of advice and help along the way and turned out a good result. SH have just re released the CA 13 with some updated mouldings to address some of the previous issues. I would suggest bagging one of those. If I can be of help, just ask away. Regards, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tempestfan Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 While it's rather dated by now, Kookaburra had a booklet called "Boomerang described". This is a slim and small one but should contain drawings and a lot of pics (for its size). No idea how the drawings fare, but I wouldn't be all that surprised if they "inspired" later draughtsmen from the Mediterranean and/or Poland . The LTD kits did not have a reputation for buildability back in their days - not quite sure but I think the Boom was one of the first three (D.520 and Yak-9 were the others, methinks). IIRC from the Reviews they featured bulkheads and internal structure that were nowhere near the shape of the parts they were supposed to fit in. The series was the brainchild of Squadron, commissioning the kits from possibly MPM or Sword, similar to the more recent Czech Models brand (and the contemporary Encore). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradleygolding Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 14 hours ago, RJP said: Unless there's another, I think you will find it is NX32CS, a T-6 that's been hacked about rather than a real Boomerang. It flew in the States for a number of years prior to going to Europe. Yes I know it's not ideal, but that was the one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted December 19, 2016 Author Share Posted December 19, 2016 35 minutes ago, Kahunaminor said: I would concur with all the above re being wary of the Valiant book, good to look at but not without errors. Not to blow my own trumpet but here is my build thread on the Special Hobby CA 12: Hi Kent, Trumpet blowing is good. Especially when it brings out useful articles like this. When I do start the build, I'll definitely be referring to it. Many thanks. Regards, John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpie22 Posted December 20, 2016 Share Posted December 20, 2016 17 hours ago, tempestfan said: While it's rather dated by now, Kookaburra had a booklet called "Boomerang described". This is a slim and small one but should contain drawings and a lot of pics (for its size). No idea how the drawings fare, but I wouldn't be all that surprised if they "inspired" later draughtsmen from the Mediterranean and/or Poland . The drawings in the KJokabura book are very inaccurate. Unfortunately they were used for several kits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted December 20, 2016 Author Share Posted December 20, 2016 23 hours ago, SovereignHobbies said: I've got some scaled drawings of the fuselage structure if that helps (courtesy of Ed Russell on here)? PM sent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted December 20, 2016 Author Share Posted December 20, 2016 1 minute ago, Bullbasket said: PM sent. Scratch that. I've just seen that you've included your email address so, email sent. John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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