fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 A vac Gee-Bee from 10 years ago (the one posted before was an injected Amodel one): Original text: It is as if my friends were trying to prove that there is no kit impossible to build...as long as it is other modeler who builds them. The Gee Bee needs no introduction; it is just a manned, slightly winged, aerial engine cowl. This vac, together with a few others, was given to me by fellow modeler Keith Hudson. I am grateful of course but now I may have to build them. Humbug. In any case, the Airframe vacuformed kit is old but generally nice if your standards are flexible like mine, but the styrene in this one is definitely on the thin side (I have seen other offers from this manufacturer with a pleasant thickness) to the point of both flimsiness and cause glue terror -a syndrome you develop after you melted a kit trying to glue it-. The iconic wheel pants were so thin that I decided just to hold the halves together with my fingers and wick down a bit of superglue. I had, nevertheless, to explain friends and neighbors why I was holding a minute white part on my hand for the next two days. Kidding. The decals, by Microscale, were detailed; nevertheless the shape of the larger ones (on the wings, fus, and pants) is not really well designed to wrap around the areas they are supposed to cover. I am not talking here about not being able to stretch and adapt to the model curves (which is understandable to a certain extent) but of shapes that tend not to coincide, being in general a bit large. I wonder if the decal designer ever applied them on a model. If that would have been the case it should have been realized that some adjustments (drastic in a few cases) were in order. My decal sheet was incomplete and badly crackled (nothing to blame the manufacturer for here), a fact that I caught just in time not to use them before spraying on them a few protecting coats to build up a carrier. The plan worked only for the smaller decals, but the condition and age of the larger ones was so bad originally that they shattered anyway. I had to print a set from a scan I took before doing anything with the decals, which proved wise. I also made some louvers that go on the front fuselage. At the end, a total decal nightmare. The Amodel Gee Bee (which I built long time ago) decals were less attractive and a tad pink, but the bits conformed much better to the contours, if the area they covered was smaller (more painted areas to match for the modeler). As usual, you have to ride your spares’ box (or supplier) to get engine, wheels and prop and scratch any other things you wish to add. It is worth of note though that a transparent vac canopy was provided. The model compares well to a portrait of a remote auntie I had that was a little on the chubby side. Since this was supposed to be a quickie for an informal build, a succinct interior was added and things were kept as simple as possible, which is never really simple with vacs and small models. Images depict how the parts left on the building board in the vacuum chamber magically attach to each other to eventually form a model, by gravity mainly. Anyway, did I enjoy it? you betcha. I only wish I had had a decent, new, decal sheet, because do you know what happens when you match your cowl and spats to a certain hue of a decal set, and then you have to change decals? Yes, that. The rest was pretty fun. 29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Little beauty. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John R Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 I believe the real thing had some "interesting" characteristics if throttle and/or controls were moved too quickly. Nice model, Moa, but I thought that you had promised to stop taunting us with your old builds and let us get on with modelling instead of being distracted by things like this. John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted March 25, 2019 Author Share Posted March 25, 2019 8 hours ago, John R said: I believe the real thing had some "interesting" characteristics if throttle and/or controls were moved too quickly. Nice model, Moa, but I thought that you had promised to stop taunting us with your old builds and let us get on with modelling instead of being distracted by things like this. John What can i do, John, they keep springing from my modeling past! cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pheonix Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 I do not mind if your modelling past keeps coming back to life - these are all wonders to behold. When I was a teenager I bought my first Profile publication: it was on the Gee Bee racers so I know a little about them. (Well what little I can remember as I no longer have the monograph). All enginse with a pilot hanging on for dear life at the back as I seem to remember. You have certainly captured that well in this delightful example. P 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corsaircorp Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 Hello Moa, Really nice little brutes !! The ones I get are a 1/32 William Bros one Aaaaaand a 1/48 testors one. The testors will be fun from the start since the decals are figured and embossed on the kit... So it will start with a lot of sanding.... but I will first take some blueprints since ther is... No decals... I will surely push a bit of detailling on the William bros one. you really did great on yours, high standard indeed !! The tesyors one is destined to stay beside the Tokyo raider B-25 of Doolittle. Sadly, William bros kits are now rare and expensive, they had a great serie of racers ! Sincerely CC 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted October 23, 2019 Author Share Posted October 23, 2019 4 hours ago, corsaircorp said: Sadly, William bros kits are now rare and expensive Sincerely CC Looking forward to see those builds! But hey, they are all available for between 15 and 30 USD, I call that a bargain! https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=1%2F32+Williams+Bros&_sacat=0 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amo Aero Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Very impressive! I have the Testors kit in the stash. At 1/48 it is very tiny. I can't imagine building one in 1/72, it must have been like gluing a fly's wings on a grain of rice! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted October 24, 2019 Author Share Posted October 24, 2019 1 hour ago, Amo Aero said: Very impressive! I have the Testors kit in the stash. At 1/48 it is very tiny. I can't imagine building one in 1/72, it must have been like gluing a fly's wings on a grain of rice! Thanks Amo Aero Yeap, it is a small thing in 1/72. But not as small as the Eshelman Flounder (that's bigger than some of my other models): 3 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matti64 Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Miraculous. I've seen an unbuilt Airframe Geebee in the flesh and thought that there is no way that it could be built from the kit parts. Yet again you've worked a wonder! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Sherratt Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 That's a remarkable little model - like it a lot - John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted October 24, 2019 Author Share Posted October 24, 2019 7 hours ago, matti64 said: Miraculous. I've seen an unbuilt Airframe Geebee in the flesh and thought that there is no way that it could be built from the kit parts. Yet again you've worked a wonder! Thanks matti64 It's incredible what Borg technology can accomplish 🛩️ Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted October 24, 2019 Author Share Posted October 24, 2019 7 hours ago, J Sherratt said: That's a remarkable little model - like it a lot - John Thanks John The pistons, crankshaft and connecting rods were especially difficult. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Pete Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Another beauty. Admit it... You have an army of elves hidden in your workshop, right? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjaweijfopi4j48 Posted October 24, 2019 Author Share Posted October 24, 2019 21 minutes ago, Uncle Pete said: Another beauty. Admit it... You have an army of elves hidden in your workshop, right? Hi Pete The model was posted on March, and made 10 years ago. At that time elves salaries were beyond my pocket, and i had to use a labor force entirely made of discarded 1/72 military crew members, that weren't very happy about being recalled from retirement. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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