Jump to content

Gull Models 1:48 Macchi C.202


Recommended Posts

Don't know much about this manufacturer at all. Nothing in fact.

I trawled the net and found one chap on a forum (who's contact I think I lost) who said that this kit was the man-vegetables before the Hasegawa came out, which killed it stone dead.

Anyway, I bought this of evilbay a couple of years ago during my reckless stash aquisition, and is the only vac form in my collection.

_D9O9579.jpg

Standard fare from a vac form? White metal prop and undercarraige, sparse cockpit (a floor, seat and IP), and a canopy, and thats it.

The panel lines look like something Tommy Atkins would have dug into the Flanders earth, and the surface quality isn't fantastic. Lovely!

There are no decals, and if it ever gets to the stage where I will continue with it, I'll see about getting some from Pacific Coast Models, or begging for some spares!

_D9O9581.jpg

_D9O9584.jpg

_D9O9583.jpg

To it's credit, it does come with a really nice instruction book, with scale drawing references which should help massively if I rescribe it.

I've gone round the outlines of the major parts with a black pen (a bit thick around the airframe I know), and will make a start on cutting it out over the weekend.

_D9O9588.jpg

Watch this space!

Cheers,

Nick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've just checked the fuselage halves against the supplied scale drawings with the kit, and I'm amazed how a manufacturer could get the two so different!

One of the major boobs is the fuselage shape behind the pilot. Instead of a sweeping arc, it looks more like a hunchback, so I'm going to have to take a copy of it, and scratchbuild a new hump out of thin plastic.

Add to that, all the other bits and bobs on the fuselage are in the wrong place, I'm thinking, what the hell were they thinking building it, and what the hell am I thinking building it too!

Much easier to get a Hasegawa!

Oh well. Why make life easy? I'll go build myself a nice Tamiya as therapy after I finish this!

Cheers,

Nick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This kit is crap.

1. The entire fuselage length is shorter than the scale plans provided. Go figure!

2. The fuselage hump behind the pilot's head is too short, and lacks the indent on either side.

I haven't even checked the wings against the plans yet, as they're still on the sheet.

It needs:

1. A new hump making.

2. Complete rescribe.

3. A scratchbuilt cockpit (not too big a deal).

4. Wheel bay scratchbuild.

5. A set of decals.

The kit cost me 7 quid. Do I

a) Bin it?

B) Continue with it in the hope of building an acceptable representation out of it, and a possible GB prize?

Hmmmmm?

Nick von Dontlikegullmodels

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If it were me Nick, I'd persevere, and use it as a skills-building exercise. It will stand you in good stead not only for when you tackle your next (and hopefully decent) vac kit, but in fact for any models at all really. If you take that approach, you won't get so hung up on how it ultimately turns out.

JMHO,

Kev

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd treat it as a learning exercise. Do what you can and experiment with differing ways of solving the (many) problems.

If (when) it is finished, great. Should it get binned then at least you will have a better idea of what to buy/do with the next vac!

Think of all the fun and excitement it will give you for the price of a couple of pints!

Go on builds it I says!

Christian the Married

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My vote's for the learning exercise route too. It's amazing what you learn, even when you think you're failing. The next model you try just seems that much easier as a result of what you've learned :)

Go Nick! Go! :frantic:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My vote's for the learning exercise route too.

Yep , me too.

With those skills then you can go to town on something more accurate if you wish. I am treating my build this way. I am not worried about accuracy, I just wan to ttory and make a nice go of mine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glacially...

Been working on a Hurricane, Spitfire and P-47, and haven't done anything on the Macchi since I filled in the panel lines..

Get on with it, you lazy oik! :fight:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Minor reporting in on this one...

Filling in the trenches moved on to sanding the gloop back, and I should be in a position shortly to overlay some scale drawings over the top to scribe the panel lines and other details.

Thanks for those Gregory. They're just right!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I was really going to get to grips with this, but life has forced my hand to pull this one out of the GB. Sorry.

I'm probably only going to get the time to finish my Johnny Red Hurricane and the Spitfire and VC-10 for two friends before I have to pack up my modelling bench for the forseeable future. :raincloud:

Good luck with the GB though.

All the best,

Nick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nick,

My friend I hate to hear you're leaving the GB. I hope all is well,but understand how life ccan be at times.At some point in time I hope to see your Macchi finished and you back at the bench.Take care my friend and remember things have a way of working out in time.

Highest Regards,

Gregory Jouette

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nick,

My friend I hate to hear you're leaving the GB. I hope all is well,but understand how life ccan be at times.At some point in time I hope to see your Macchi finished and you back at the bench.Take care my friend and remember things have a way of working out in time.

Highest Regards,

Gregory Jouette

Thanks Gregory.

With the house move soon to be upon us in September, our stuff in storage whilst we stay at the inlaws, and then relocating back to the UK next spring, who knows when this little kit will see the light of day again.. Soon I hope.

Thanks for the kind words anyway.

All the best,

Nick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good luck with the move Nick, we're hoping to move soon, only about 20 miles or so from where we are now though, which is bad enough. I can't imagine the hassles involved in moving country!

Don't be a stranger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

Just a note here on Gull Models. They were if I remember (from Geoff Prentices Vacform View in Scale Models from the late 80s/ early 90s) a Japanese company.

The 202 was highly praised at the time, and I think they also did an Aich B7A Ryusei "Grace" ( big IJN late war attack plane).

Hasegawa, when they were in their full mid 90s WW2 love in did both these models - consigning Gull to the "where are they now" file of model manufacturers. The Aichi is probably one of hasegawas best models IMHO, and their 202 is a nice kit aswell.

Gull werent cheap at the time I seem to recall either.

Sorry - not of help for Nicks build, but may be of interest.

Jonners

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...