VideoAviation USAF Flight-Line Extinguishers w/Modern Figure (201848) 1:48

[Mike]

USAF Flight-Line Extinguishers w/Modern Figure (201848)

1:48 VideoAviation

 

 

Flight-lines are sometimes dangerous places thanks to start-up and shut-down of aero-engines being a little bit prone to spontaneous fires if something doesn’t turn on or off correctly.  That’s why you see ground-crew standing at a respectful distance with a fire-extinguisher at the ready, just in case.  This set from VideoAviation depicts a crewman wheeling his tubular trolley that contains a large extinguisher, as well as a couple of smaller ones that are dotted around for when additional help arrives.  The crew-figure is of recent vintage, wearing the kind of standard BDU trousers and tshirt that you would see on every US airbase.

 

The set arrives in a small clear clamshell box, with the contents cocooned in bubble-wrap behind a header card.  The crewman and trolley frame are 3D printed in stereo-lithographic resin (SLR), and due to their delicate nature, they are again wrapped in blankets of foam sheet, which we removed for a better look.  The seven other parts are in a cream-coloured resin, with a small decal sheet and roll of flexible tube bringing up the rear plus an instruction sheet that completes the package.

 

 

Construction is simple, removing the frame from the supports, gluing the wheels and large canister to the frame, then making up an extended hose with nozzle at the end using the parts provided.  The spare extinguishers are each a single part, and all three have stencils applied once they are painted.  The crew figure just needs his supports cutting away, and will be ready to paint once you have cleaned up any attachment marks.  The printing of the figure is excellent, and well up to the standards of any traditional sculpt, which is mind-blowing (a little bit) because before printing it only existed in a computer.  He scales out at just over 1.7m or around 5’8”, which is a tad small, but within the range of plausibility.  Some very detailed meshes went to make him.  Painting instructions are given at relevant points, offering suggestions in colour names where applicable.

 

Highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

[Julien]

That 3D printing looks good.

[Mike]

3 hours ago, Julien said:

That 3D printing looks good.

It is - I couldn't really see any layer lines, even after I'd removed the supports out of curiosity