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DC-3 kit - who produced it - mystery solved by JohnAero!


czechnavy

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During a sort out in the loft I have come across a kit of a 1/144th DC-3 in a snap-top polybag with no instructions nor decals. 

 

This polybag was tucked inside box containing a 1/72nd Italeri DC-3 I bought secondhand at a show a couple of years ago - that kit is complete with decals and instructions and I assume the previous owner had forgotten about the 1/144th kit in with it!

 

The 1/144th DC-3 kit is injected moulded in the caramel-coloured plastic I have seen AeroClub use for their own kits in the past and has finely cast metal parts in a separate polybag.

 

A Google search brings up no mention of an AeroClub 1/144th DC-3 but lots of mentions of Welsh Models 1/144th vacform kits - this definitely is not vacform!!

 

Can anyone help identify this kit?

 

Second question is ' is it accurate' - it looks like a DC-3 but ......

 

See JohnAero's reply below for the full story - many thanks for the info, John!!

Edited by czechnavy
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These are the only 1/144 DC-3 on Scalemates, but none that I could see mention metal parts. Only a few have reviews, so I suggest trawling through to see if any of the sprues match:

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?fkSECTION[]=Reviews&q=1%3A144+dc-3*&fkTYPENAME[]="Full kits"

 

 

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Many years ago Welsh Models produced a plastic DC-3.  It was a short-run moulding in a sort of beige coloured plastic and it's almost certainly the kit you're talking about.  It had metal props and undercarriage and it might possibly have had metal engine cowlings.  My guess is it's probably about 15 years old. Outline accuracy was pretty reasonable, certainly a lot better than the Minicraft version.

 

HTH

 

Dave G

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Yes, the DC.3 was an Aeroclub produced kit. At the request of Welsh Models we initially converted his Vac kit into injected form but it was revised with a new pattern from Brian Fawcett and we did a production run of a few hundred. To help with the cost we agreed to let Welsh models  order it in small batches but consequently we were eventually left with a large stock of mouldings we couldn't sell and Welsh models wouldn't take them. The same happened with the Saab 350 and Ju 52 which were from patterns produced by Brian Fawcett. The surplus mouldings and moulds were land-filled many years later.  It's probably nearer 20 years ago these were produced, if not more. The DC.3 was a nice little kit and it's my opinion that with more decal options and effort it could have sold very well.

 

John

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I built that DC3 years ago and was very pleased with it. I built it as a silver post war RAF  machine for my dad as he had some experience of painting the real thing in the air force. I have to agree with you that sales and production can be enhanced with more decal options and I would also take this opportunity to thank Ray at 26 for encouraging me to buy at least six Britannia's and assorted decal schemes. Please let us in on your moth models and can I ask how the Wapiti is coming on?

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Hi John

 

Many thanks for the story of this kit.  I have been looking at it in detail today and I wish I had more - so sad that such a good kit met 'an early end'!

 

Hope you are well and that we will see you at Telford next weekend.

 

Mike

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In the case of the DC.3. I owned the moulds but not title to the model. The moulds were stacked in the racks for years until I needed the very expensive Aluminium Bolster frames in which each individual mould side is mounted then the mould has to be broken out of the frame so the frame can be reused. A pair of frames were over a £100.00 as they were cast,  machined and doweled. There were four pairs for the DC.3.

 

John

 

The Wapiti project has changed direction as I'm retired but I've been researching and draughting up entirely new drawings for another company to use along with a number of other interesting types.

 

John

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Thank you John for the update and appreciate that since retiring myself there are still not enough hours in the day. Enjoy your well earned retirement and don't let the likes of us hungry modelers cramp your style! :D

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