SMER Tiger Moth alights unexpectedly

[Maginot]

My neighbour is a dealer in collectables. His garage, which I have come to call Aladin's Cave, is overflowing with all manner of exciting cultural detritus, interspersed with the occasional treasure that catches my eye. A recent example was a large, hand-made, live-steam locomotive in derelict condition (a scale Victorian Railways R-class Hudson, I think) that was too heavy to lift, covered in brass fittings and sold for a pretty penny. I bumped into Aladin in the back lane at smoko this morning and he presented me with this Tiger Moth, requesting I show him the finished result. I'm smitten by 30s RAF types and 1/48 is my preferred scale, so I was absolutely chuffed.

 

The box is crushed, but no more than my last delivery from overseas. The parts are all there, sealed in a plastic bag, only one minor breakage apparent. Even the decals are in decent nick. A quick i-search suggests this is a more recent (there's a bar code on the box) reboxing/rebranding of a kit first released by Aurora in 1958. The thick plastic, crude molding details and prolific flash confirm this kit is an artefact. Would it be pulling too much of a swifty to substitute the Airfix offering and show him that when I get around to construction? We shall see.

 

[AWFK10]

I built this kit once. If I were you, I think I'ld tell him, apologetically, that my dog ate it. Even if I had to go out and buy a dog to make the excuse sound more convincing.

[alt-92]

Cmon... It's not that bad..

All you have to do is

- sand off the molded-in markings on wings and fuselage

- reduce the fabric effect on the upper wings

- add the stringers on the fuselage halves with masking tape and Mr.Surfacer 500

- ditch the pilots and use the Airfix instructions/walkarounds as a guide to scratchbuild the cockpit parts

- cut open the doors in fuselage

- redo the engine cowlings by sanding down the molded ones and adding .13mm evergreen sheet to mimic the overlapping panels

- reshape the prop or replace

- thin down the treetrunk struts

- retexture the upper wing fuel tank

-....

Really, it's not that much work I've been slowly working on this since 2019 and plan to have it finished by the time I retire (in 20 year's time).

 

 

 

[gingerbob]

I'd suggest building the Airfix kit alongside- don't be a lunatic and try to "modernize" the SMER kit (sorry alt-92!)

 

I've got my (unbuilt) example out in plain view, pending comparison to the Airfix kit, though for some odd reason that's not an exercise that I've made a top priority.

 

bob

[alt-92]

29 minutes ago, gingerbob said:

(sorry alt-92!)

Eh   don't worry. I only grab it from the Shelf of Doom when I feel the need for self-punishment 

 

[ianwau]

Build it AND the Airfix! You'll gain appreciation for both as a result...

[Maginot]

Thinking of practical and disrespectful uses...

 

I could knock it together quickly and use it to practice painting and fabrication techniques. But is it large and robust enough?

Perhaps save it to use the wings and other bits in a hangar diorama?

Exquisitely wrapped and presented as a nasty Chris Kringle pressie (yet more evidence of US infiltration into Aussie culture; or is that an oxymoron? %~))

 

Or just added motivation to get the Airfix kit, which desire had alredy begun to form in my mind's eye.

[Admiral Puff]

Build it for what it is - a relic of times long since passed. With the greatest respect to those who have tried, it's not worth the grief of even trying to make it look like a real Tiger. That's why we were given the Airfix kit ...

[AMB]

1 hour ago, Admiral Puff said:

Build it for what it is - a relic of times long since passed. With the greatest respect to those who have tried, it's not worth the grief of even trying to make it look like a real Tiger. That's why we were given the Airfix kit ...

Yep, it's actually the original Aurora mould that I built many, many moons ago. Not bad for its time.

[Richard Humm]

It's not actually the Toltoys/Aurora kit, but a Merit kit, that was also sold by Artiplast before going to Smer. Unlike some Merit kits, it was an original design, not a copy of the Aurora.

[RJP]

That's right, two different toolings.  Instructions for both are available on Scalemates and show a slightly different parts breakdown,

 

Some of the Merit stuff was quite good.  The Avro 504 I recall lusting for when my older brother had one.  Fondly remembered as having some pretty scale thickness wings.

 

 

[Admiral Puff]

I had a Toltoys Tiger, which I bought in 1957 or '58. In 1959 I was sent away to do five years' hard labour boarding school and in 1960 my parents moved house. As it was mid-term at the time, I wasn't there to gather up my goodies, and Mum consigned the Tiger (and the twenty-odd other kits in my collection) to the bin. Needless to say, I was a good deal less than pleased when I came home and found out! Her reaction: "It's about time you stopped playing with those things!" That worked well, didn't it ...

[snipeboy]

Just F.Y.I I purchased  the original Aurora Tigger a few years ago, remember matching to the Aeroclub plans and the John Adams short run 1/48 Tiger. As I recal the two matched up pretty close, although not exactly. By the time the Airfix came up I had completeley forgot about it. It currently lies hidden in some dark, deep recess of my loft, seems it could be an idea to dig it out and compare to the new airfix kit soon. I do remember being surprised, and impressed at this 1950s kit, definitely  the best by far of all    other Aurora aircraft kits, even with raised details, and beats the old Smer Tigger by a Country mile. If you see one on sale cheap anywhere take it, it may surprise you.