1/72 AS.5 Courier - Options?

[Tweener]

Are there any available AS.5 Courier kits in 1/72? I have seen mention of a Rug Rats Resin kit a time or two, but can't seem to find out anything about it, and I certainly haven't seen one for sale either. I would be willing to pay quite a good price for one.

 

Thanks, Tweener

[Mr T]

The Rug Rats resin kit appeared, as far as I can remember, in the mid-late 1990s. It was taken up by Aircraft in Miniature some years back and has then disappeared completely. Even Scalemates has little information on it. I can recall seeing a build article by Alan Hall on it in SAM. Worth a look around the traders online, but I cannot see it being cheap. Some of these old resins of lesser known types seem to be quite hard to come by. I have been on the lookout for  a Magna Models Percival Q6 Petrel for a while now. 

[CarLos]

You could convert an RS Envoy...

[tempestfan]

Dekno perhaps? If it was used in the SCW, that is. But then this is another resin kit that was only available briefly in the mid/late 90s. 

[JWM]

1 hour ago, tempestfan said:

If it was used in the SCW, that is.

They never came to Spain I think (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_of_the_Spanish_Republican_Air_Force). Wiki says that ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airspeed_Courier )

"In 1936, a gun-running organization, Union Founders' Trust, bought five Couriers with the intention of selling them for use by the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War. However, protests from the non-interference lobby in England stopped delivery. Two Republican sympathisers on the Airspeed staff made an abortive attempt to steal G-ACVE. One of them, Arthur Gargett, died when it crashed after taking off at Portsmouth on 20 August 1936; the other, Joseph Smith, was sentenced to four months in prison"

 

1 hour ago, CarLos said:

You could convert an RS Envoy...

Great idea! 

 

Are there any WW2 RAF schemes for Courier?

J-W

 

[Tweener]

7 hours ago, Mr T said:

The Rug Rats resin kit appeared, as far as I can remember, in the mid-late 1990s. It was taken up by Aircraft in Miniature some years back and has then disappeared completely. Even Scalemates has little information on it. I can recall seeing a build article by Alan Hall on it in SAM. Worth a look around the traders online, but I cannot see it being cheap. Some of these old resins of lesser known types seem to be quite hard to come by. I have been on the lookout for  a Magna Models Percival Q6 Petrel for a while now. 

I was considering getting into contact with Roger, but I don't imagine he still has possession of the moulds or kits after all these years. I too would like a Petrel - I think it is one of the best looking birds of it's time in many respects. I'll keep an eye out for one and let you know if I find anything.

 

6 hours ago, CarLos said:

You could convert an RS Envoy...

Theoretically yes, practically no. My scratchbuilding skills are still infantile at best.

 

4 hours ago, JWM said:

They never came to Spain I think (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_of_the_Spanish_Republican_Air_Force). Wiki says that ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airspeed_Courier )

"In 1936, a gun-running organization, Union Founders' Trust, bought five Couriers with the intention of selling them for use by the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War. However, protests from the non-interference lobby in England stopped delivery. Two Republican sympathisers on the Airspeed staff made an abortive attempt to steal G-ACVE. One of them, Arthur Gargett, died when it crashed after taking off at Portsmouth on 20 August 1936; the other, Joseph Smith, was sentenced to four months in prison"

 

Great idea! 

 

Are there any WW2 RAF schemes for Courier?

J-W

 

I have seen 2 different schemes so far today, so I imagine a few were used throughout the war. I may try to upload them tomorrow.

[Eric Mc]

I have a vague memory that the old Chris Ellis book - How To Go Advanced Plastic Modelling featured a conversion article for a Courier. The book is very old now (1970) and I expect the conversion used the FROG Oxford as the starting point.

[viscount806x]

2 hours ago, Eric Mc said:

I have a vague memory that the old Chris Ellis book - How To Go Advanced Plastic Modelling featured a conversion article for a Courier. The book is very old now (1970) and I expect the conversion used the FROG Oxford as the starting point.

I think you might be thinking  conv of Oxford to Envoy, I have that book somewhere.

 

Regarding the Rugrat Courier, definitely AIM issued it under their 'Historic Wings' sub brand. I have one in the stash but it is quite basic, the whole top is a piece of clear vac and the rest resin with metal parts. I have a Portsmouth & IW Airlines kit planned long term. Give them a try - you may get lucky...

[Grumpy61]

Tweener, 

 

RS Models has four AS/5 Envoy models in their lineup. One with the Lynx engines, and three with the Cheetah. The only difference in the Cheetah kits is the markings as far as I can see. I have the Lynx powered kit which I need to adapt into the AS.8 Viceroy for my 1934 Centennial Air Race project. If you like to see some photos of the kit and markings please feel free to message me through the site.

https://www.rsmodels.cz/en/p/323/92095-airspeed-envoy-cheetah-engine

https://www.rsmodels.cz/en/p/325/92102-airspeed-envoy-lynx-engine

[viscount806x]

19 hours ago, Grumpy61 said:

Tweener, 

 

RS Models has four AS/5 Envoy models in their lineup. One with the Lynx engines, and three with the Cheetah. The only difference in the Cheetah kits is the markings as far as I can see. I have the Lynx powered kit which I need to adapt into the AS.8 Viceroy for my 1934 Centennial Air Race project. If you like to see some photos of the kit and markings please feel free to message me through the site.

https://www.rsmodels.cz/en/p/323/92095-airspeed-envoy-cheetah-engine

https://www.rsmodels.cz/en/p/325/92102-airspeed-envoy-lynx-engine

 

Just to clarify for my own thickness, since the Envoy is a twin and the Courier is a single and as It was the latter you posted about originally, is it an Envoy or a Courier you are looking for or have both now grabbed your interest ?

Incidentally RS do indeed do an Envoy but there is a small glitch possibly because it is a fabric winged example and many were smooth ply skinned

 

Cheers.

Edited June 29, 2021 by viscount806x
Clarification

[Dave Fleming]

On 23/06/2021 at 22:07, JWM said:

T

 

Are there any WW2 RAF schemes for Courier?

J-W

 

 

Yes, in fact the RAF had one before the war too (K4047) which was used at the RAE from 1934 until 1943, so it had both silver and camouflaged paint schemes. There were another 9 impressed and used by the ATA (X9342, X9344, X9394, X9346, X9437, X9345, X9347 and X9343 plus one which appears not to have been given an RAF nUmber)

 

 

Edited June 29, 2021 by Dave Fleming

[JWM]

Thank you very much - however both looks a bit like a pre war (alu overall and when camouflaged the roundels B on fuselge...)

Here (viadejavu.ru/Site/Crafts/Craft30492.htm) the first one is described as coming from 1936.

BTW - there is my scratch conversion of Pavla Oxford into Envoy

Regards

J-W

 

[Grumpy61]

5 hours ago, viscount806x said:

 

Just to clarify for my own thickness, since the Envoy is a twin and the Courier is a single and as It was the latter you posted about originally, is it an Envoy or a Courier you are looking for or have both now grabbed your interest ?

Incidentally RS do indeed do an Envoy but there is a small glitch possibly because it is a fabric winged example and many were smooth ply skinned

 

Cheers.

Mea Culpa, I screwed that one up. I blame the heat wave I am currently living under, yah that's it, the heat wave.

I do have a RugRat Resin AS,5 Envoy kit. The metal landing gear si rather soft and I do worry about the gear holding up the kit when finished. I could email you some photos of the kit if you'd like

I had also spoke with Roger about  a year ago on the possibly of reissuing the kit. He said he had been considering it but I've heard nothing since then. you should try contacting him ans maybe a show of interest in a reissue will convince it is worthwhile.

[Tripod]

Do you mean the RugRat AS5 Courier? Mine has been sitting happily on its original landing gear for eight years, and it hasn't collapsed yet!

[Tweener]

On 6/29/2021 at 4:45 PM, Grumpy61 said:

Mea Culpa, I screwed that one up. I blame the heat wave I am currently living under, yah that's it, the heat wave.

I do have a RugRat Resin AS,5 Envoy kit. The metal landing gear si rather soft and I do worry about the gear holding up the kit when finished. I could email you some photos of the kit if you'd like

I had also spoke with Roger about  a year ago on the possibly of reissuing the kit. He said he had been considering it but I've heard nothing since then. you should try contacting him ans maybe a show of interest in a reissue will convince it is worthwhile.

In that case, do you know how Roger could be contacted?

 

[jhutchi]

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/rugratresins-rrr7202-airspeed-as5-courier--253156

 

Apologies if this has been posted already 

[alancmlaird]

On 6/23/2021 at 8:13 PM, CarLos said:

You could convert an RS Envoy...

Did that very thing 50 years ago from a Frog Oxford to a Courier (I'd already done the Oxford to Envoy conversion!) I never quite finished it (it really wasn't very good) and, in the days before laser printers and computers, the only option was to hand paint the lettering.

I still have it somewhere - I'll post a pic if its not too embarassing 😵. Might inspire you to have a go and make a better job of it.

Edited July 11, 2021 by alancmlaird