WWI Digest 2920 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: How Limited Are Limited Edition Kits? by LEONARDPeterL@aol.com 2) RE: Woodman method scratchbuilt wings by Shane Weier 3) RE: Plastic under the tree? by "Sharon Henderson" 4) Re: Mercedes Madness by "Steven M.Perry" 5) Re: a little late but... by "Sharon Henderson" 6) RE: new page by "Carol & David Solosy" 7) Merry Christmas by "Kenneth Hagerup" 8) Season's Greetings from down here by "Carol & David Solosy" 9) OT Christmas present by "David Calhoun" 10) Re: How Limited Are Limited Edition Kits? by Todd Hayes 11) Re: Mercedes Madness by Dave Watts 12) Burgess-Dunne Aeroplane by "cameron rile" 13) Re: Mercedes Madness by "John & Allison Cyganowski" 14) Re: Burgess-Dunne Aeroplane by Mike Fletcher 15) Rigging Size by Rob & Sherry 16) RE: Plastic under the tree? by Shane Weier 17) Re: How Limited Are Limited Edition Kits? by TomTheAeronut@aol.com 18) An even-better present beneath the tree by TomTheAeronut@aol.com 19) Re: Web site by LEONARDPeterL@aol.com 20) RE: Rigging Size by "Ray Boorman" 21) Re: Rigging Size by LEONARDPeterL@aol.com 22) Blue Max Musings by LEONARDPeterL@aol.com 23) ICM's kits/ was: Plastic under the tree? by "Michael Kendix" 24) Re: How Limited Are Limited Edition Kits? by "Michael Kendix" 25) scratch wing issues solved by "Bucky" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 25 Dec 2000 18:37:51 EST From: LEONARDPeterL@aol.com To: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu Subject: Re: How Limited Are Limited Edition Kits? Message-ID: In a message dated 25/12/00 22:53:48 GMT Standard Time, thayes_52601@yahoo.com writes: << Aren't all resin kits Ltd. Eds.? >> yup, sure are. You don't get hundreds of pulls from a silicone mold. Once it's worn out you have to make another and up go the production costs. When I was into this kind of thing I typically did not produce enough kits to supply one to each member of this list, but I was at the low tech end of the market. Limited run plastic is produced in larger quantities but still not huge. Blue Max I know makes1500 injection molded plastic kits from each set of molds and each kit has a numbered certificate to prove it. Gannons new "Silver Wings" range is apparently restricted to 1000. Get 'em while they're hot cheers Peter L ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 10:32:08 +1000 From: Shane Weier To: "'wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu'" Subject: RE: Woodman method scratchbuilt wings Message-ID: <7186131CB805D411A60E0090272F7C710174896E@mimhexch1.mim.com.au> Bucky asks: > > My problem is that I just can't seem to get any kind of a fold without > having the whole sheet just crumple up into a uselessly deformed wad. You can't have read my descriptionof this posted just a few weeks ago. You need two planks of balsa or bass wood. Tape the plastic blank to the planks so that the fold line is along the join between the planks leaving about a 1/8" (or 3mm) gap between the planks. Heat from the *wood* side so that only the fold line is *warmed* (we are not trying to melt the plastic like you would for vacforming, just soften to prevent splitting. When heatedflip over one pland so that they are face to face with the now folded card in between - the planks will align correctly if you taped the card on carefully and ensure that the ribs match at the trailing edge. This is the *easiest* bit of making a plastic sheathed wing though it can also be done by simply scribing along the LE if you use the thinnest card and don't mind sanding out the ridge it leaves. I suspect that the scribe and fold method is better for 1/72 scratcbuilds though St Harry may disagree Shane ********************************************************************** The information contained in this e-mail is confidential and is intended only for the use of the addressee(s). If you receive this e-mail in error, any use, distribution or copying of this e-mail is not permitted. You are requested to forward unwanted e-mail and address any problems to the MIM Holdings Limited Support Centre. e-mail: supportcentre@mim.com.au phone: Australia 1800500646 ********************************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 Dec 2000 16:34:32 -0800 From: "Sharon Henderson" To: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu Subject: RE: Plastic under the tree? Message-ID: <200012260034.QAA31149@mail14.bigmailbox.com> E. got: >Ok, I got a Tamiya Swordfish, which is ot but it's still got lots of >struts and strings. I got the 1:72 Roden Fokker F.I tripe, with an option to do it in the colours they think 102/17 was when Wolff went down! Morbid but cool.... :-) But to be fair, it must be on the bottom of the list. There's an Alb to finish, then a SPAD and a Nieuport, and a couple other Germanic things mit wings.... Merry/Happy y'all! Sharon ------------------------------------------------------------ Powered by Microsith Lookout - http://www.microsith.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 Dec 2000 19:37:13 -0500 From: "Steven M.Perry" To: Subject: Re: Mercedes Madness Message-ID: <001d01c06ed3$fe34c580$3af1aec7@default> Facinating post Dave. I'm no engine man, but two thoughts come to mind. Might it have had to do with synthetic oil. I know they were experimenting in that area due to the blockade and they did come up with a synthetic for rotaries. The cold thickened oil in winter is a good idea too. I don't know how often these engines were rebuilt in service, but if they were low hour units, then it may have been practical to install "winter" bearings to get that cool oil moving quicker on start up. I'll print your post and wave it under the antique engine guru at work's nose and see if he knows anything. sp > I hope everyone had a merry Christmas. > > This question may seem a bit beyond the resources of most, but possibly > someone knows of an old motor guru that is able to "solve this riddle". > > I recently picked up a friend's Mercedes D.IIIa, for rebuilding/overhaul. > The motor is completely original with all matching parts, (other than the > carb). Upon inspection of the main bearing, I first thought someone had > ruined the bearing with some strange idea, but upon inspection of my old > original main bearing and the connecting rod bearings, I concluded this > "damage" was actually an intended "modification" by Mercedes. > > The "modification" I refer to is a widening of the bearings on the sides. > > Before I go into detail, first let me clarify the standard D.IIIa design. > > The D.IIIa crankcase is split or divided horizontally into a top and > bottom half cover, with each cover containing seven "half" bearing shells > to support the crankshaft. That way when you put the two halves together > with the crankshaft in the middle, you have the basic crankcase assembled. > > The design of the main bearings is; two bronze half shells with a babbitt > lining. The main bearings are feed oil through the center of the bottom > bearing shell. The bearing shells or halves have 45% beveled "pockets" > along each side of the bearing shell half. Where the two halves come > together it forms a large oil pocket. The important thing about these oil > pockets is they do not extend the length of the entire bearing. Say, for > example, the bearing is two and a half inches long, the side pocket would > be two inches long centered on the side of the bearing. This is normal > standard practice for bearings of the period. Today, they did away with > these "pockets" and they have the inside of the bearings, a perfect > circular surface. > > Now for the strange "modification". For some good reason, our friends at > Mercedes decided to add a special "touch" to the bearings. As you recall, > we have the side "pockets". They come down the side of the interior > bearing half shell surface about 1/8th of an inch, and do not extend the > length of the bearing, so as to form a "pocket". Well, after all of this > was done a workman would come back, and hand scrape all of the bearing > halves wider. By this I mean, on the sides where the "pockets" extend > about an 1/8th inch down, the workman would scrape down about 3/8ths of an > inch down on the entire bearing sides at about a 70% angle, right over and > including the oil "pockets". Normally, this would be the opposite of what > you would want to do with a motor, because you are now giving the oil > pressure an easy way to escape from the main bearings and the crankshaft. > In principle, you would be lowering the oil pressure to the crankshaft, but > you may get more volume of oil to pass through the bearings. The > connecting rods have this same widening of the bearings. > > To further explain the oil system, there is an oil pump, with no pressure > relief valve. Each main bearing is fed oil by pipes coming from the oil > pump. The oil goes into the main bearing and the main crankshaft journal > fills up with oil, and there is a passage going from the main crankshaft > journal to the connecting rod journal on the crankshaft. So each main > feeds a corresponding con-rod. The oil than passes up a tube on the > con-rod to the piston wrist pin, and passes out into the crankcase sump and > back to the oil pump. > > I do not know of any good reason for doing this widening of the bearings, > but Mercedes did. > > I know this is way out there, but I would appreciate any input. > > My only guess was it had to possibly do with oil viscosity during the > winter months, or at altitude, and it allowed easier movement of the oil so > the pump wouldn't be over stressed. > > By the way, all but one of the bearings in my friend's motor appear okay, > the number two top half bearing shell is scorched, and the babbitt began to > blister. This is exactly what I would guess would happen from the widening > of the bearings, the top half of the main bearings would get very little > pressure. Especially the front bearings since the oil pump supplies the > bearings from the back forward, and the number one bearing may get the > least pressure. > > > Thanks for any assistance, > Dave Watts > ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 Dec 2000 16:36:32 -0800 From: "Sharon Henderson" To: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu Subject: Re: a little late but... Message-ID: <200012260036.QAA31272@mail14.bigmailbox.com> :-) That's one of my favorite BC's, Lee. Thanks for posting it! Never too late if Christmas greetings are given before Epiphany... :-) Blessings of the season one and all, Sharon >There is a cartoon called B.C. by a man called Johnny Hart. >He often speaks a volume in a small poem. > >It seems to me that since the "fall" >-without even thinking it odd. > >That man has no trouble at all >believing that he can be God. > >How he would do this I can not conceive, >tho he certainly thinks that he can > >-and yet, he cannot bring himself to believe, >that God can become a man. > >Why we have Christmas. >Lee ------------------------------------------------------------ Powered by Microsith Lookout - http://www.microsith.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 08:53:04 +0800 From: "Carol & David Solosy" To: "WW1 list" Subject: RE: new page Message-ID: Peter Nice SPAD. Evocative image. Now, get on with the Nieuports and the VII. It is your quest. David S ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 Dec 2000 19:03:26 -0600 From: "Kenneth Hagerup" To: Subject: Merry Christmas Message-ID: <000d01c06ed7$a80815a0$a5b1fcd1@hppav> Best wishes to all on the list for a merry Christmas and a joyous, prosperous and productive 2001 I didn't get any OT plastic, but did get a Tamiya 1/72 Spitfire, a Nieuport print, and some of the holes in my WS Datafile collection filled in. Ken >From Nebraska, where it was -10F last night and is snowing right now. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 09:03:09 +0800 From: "Carol & David Solosy" To: "WW1 list" Subject: Season's Greetings from down here Message-ID: Well, it's as hot as hades down here. The muzak in the shops seems to constantly be Bing Crosby singing White Christmas. To see snow on Christmas day just once would be nice. But it won't be in this place. Christmas day in Perth, Western Australia, was 34.8 degrees centigrade. The hottest Christmas day for 27 years. Today is going to be 40 degrees C! No modelling will get done as the outlaws are coming for Boxing Day lunch and probably hanging around for dinner. So far I have only received one modelling related item from Santa - well one of my work colleagues actually, and that was an ot Hasegawa FW19thingie. Season's greetings to everyone on the list, and may all of your modelling wishes be realised in the coming year. David S ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 Dec 2000 21:41:06 -0800 From: "David Calhoun" To: "Multiple recipients of list" Subject: OT Christmas present Message-ID: <007001c06efe$7259a500$e2083ccc@oemcomputer> Hi all, One OT thing in my pile of presents, a Blue Max Nieuport 28 (which I ordered from Squadron in the Dec sale, but my wife paid for, took and wrapped up. Suprise? oh well, hope all had a great day. Dave Calhoun ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 Dec 2000 19:13:20 -0800 (PST) From: Todd Hayes To: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu Subject: Re: How Limited Are Limited Edition Kits? Message-ID: <20001226031320.40550.qmail@web9007.mail.yahoo.com> I'll only buy the "Silver Cloud" kits that are 1:48 and OT, but I doubt he'll do any WW1 in that scale outside the Blue Max line. I'd almost bet that they'll all be post-WW1 and WW2 in mixed scales. Todd --- LEONARDPeterL@aol.com wrote: > In a message dated 25/12/00 22:53:48 GMT Standard > Time, > thayes_52601@yahoo.com writes: > > << Aren't all resin kits Ltd. Eds.? >> > > yup, sure are. You don't get hundreds of pulls from > a silicone mold. Once > it's worn out you have to make another and up go the > production costs. When I > was into this kind of thing I typically did not > produce enough kits to supply > one to each member of this list, but I was at the > low tech end of the market. > > Limited run plastic is produced in larger quantities > but still not huge. Blue > Max I know makes1500 injection molded plastic kits > from each set of molds and > each kit has a numbered certificate to prove it. > Gannons new "Silver Wings" > range is apparently restricted to 1000. Get 'em > while they're hot > > cheers > > Peter L __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. http://shopping.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 Dec 2000 22:10:43 -0500 From: Dave Watts To: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu Subject: Re: Mercedes Madness Message-ID: <200012260314.VAA05520@linux.wpds.net> Thanks Steven, >Might it have had to do with synthetic oil. I know they were experimenting in that area due to the blockade and they did come up with a synthetic for rotaries. I am no expert with regards to the oil used in 1918, but am certain it would not nearly be the quality of today. I recall they had problems with supplies of castrol oil with the rotary motors, and may have had shortages with oil in general, but I believe it wasn't critical with the regular motor oil. >It may have been practical to install "winter" bearings to get that cool oil moving quicker on start up. The more I think on the matter, I don't think it was related to cold oil all that much. My motor was made March 9th, 1918, my friends' was made May 14th, 1918, so neither one needed any particular "winterizing", unless it was for the effect of altitude cooling. The motor was, of course, water cooled and normally there were adjustable shutters fitted that the pilot could control to moderate the engine temperature. It would be interesting to know if this was something they had done all along or just later in the war as airplanes began to operate at higher and higher altitudes. Recently I was able to closely examine the D.VII at Knowlton, and it is a very late example with electric generator for heated flying suits and a holder for an oxygen apparatus, so the Germans were certainly pushing the aircraft to the extremes, as well as the flyers. There is a possibility that they "relieved" the bearings to allow easier self starting and operation of the motor, but this "relieving" of the bearings goes against everything you would think of with bearing clearances. >I'll print your post and wave it under the antique engine guru at work's nose and see if he knows anything. Thanks, it will be interesting to see what his thoughts are, and thanks for your input. It's a puzzler. Best, Dave P.S. If anyone has any questions as to what the hell I'm talking about or any specifics, I'll be glad to explain any part of it in more detail. I'm sure most guys are just hitting the delete button on this one anyway. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 Dec 2000 22:18:55 -0500 From: "cameron rile" To: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu Subject: Burgess-Dunne Aeroplane Message-ID: <610EFBA2B8AD4D115AC50005B80A2E33@cameron.prontomail.com> Happy Xmas to all, I recieved a request via a circuitous route for information on a Burgess-Dunne airoplane that was in Australia in 1917. It is as follows; "Probably in late 1916 or early 1917, the Australian industrialist H.V.McKay acquired a Burgess-Dunne biplane and had it shipped to Melbourne, Victoria. Apparently incomplete, it was ultimately donated to the Central Flying School at Point Cook, Victoria. No photographic record of this machine exists, and the written record concerning the machine is at best ambiguous, which means we cannot identify it correctly as to type. " Is there a Burgess-Dunne enthusiest on this list that may be able to help? Does anyone know anything of the Burgess-Dunne type? cam AFC - http://members.xoom.com/pointcook/ ________________________________________ Get your email at http://www.prontomail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 Dec 2000 22:20:19 -0500 From: "John & Allison Cyganowski" To: Subject: Re: Mercedes Madness Message-ID: <000e01c06eea$c74b7e30$7037183f@cyrixp166> Not at all post away. Cyg. > P.S. If anyone has any questions as to what the hell I'm talking about or > any specifics, I'll be glad to explain any part of it in more detail. I'm > sure most guys are just hitting the delete button on this one anyway. > ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 00:30:15 -0500 From: Mike Fletcher To: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu Subject: Re: Burgess-Dunne Aeroplane Message-ID: <3A482CE7.92DFEF55@mars.ark.com> IIRC there was an article on the Burgess types in WW1 Aero a while ago that may be of some help. (I don't have access to it though...) Mike Fletcher cameron rile wrote: > > Happy Xmas to all, I recieved a request via a > circuitous route for information on a > Burgess-Dunne airoplane that was in Australia in > 1917. It is as follows; > > "Probably in late 1916 or early 1917, the > Australian industrialist H.V.McKay acquired a > Burgess-Dunne biplane and had it shipped to > Melbourne, Victoria. Apparently incomplete, it > was ultimately donated to the Central Flying > School at Point Cook, Victoria. > > No photographic record of this machine exists, > and the written record concerning the machine is > at best ambiguous, which means we cannot identify > it correctly as to type. " > > Is there a Burgess-Dunne enthusiest on this list > that may be able to help? Does anyone know > anything of the Burgess-Dunne type? > > cam > AFC - http://members.xoom.com/pointcook/ > > ________________________________________ > Get your email at > http://www.prontomail.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 01:07:21 -0500 From: Rob & Sherry To: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu Subject: Rigging Size Message-ID: <3.0.1.32.20001226010721.007ed900@pop-server.tampabay.rr.com> Could I have the list's opinion on the proper size rigging for 1/72 scale models? I have read about .006". Is this the correct size for rigging and control cables? Thanks Rob P.S. One final Merry Christmas to all!!!!!! ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 16:39:19 +1000 From: Shane Weier To: "'wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu'" Subject: RE: Plastic under the tree? Message-ID: <7186131CB805D411A60E0090272F7C710174896F@mimhexch1.mim.com.au> Glen says: > Well, I did get some OT plastic, the wife surprsied me with > teh ICM Grosser Kurfurst. I'm working on Konig. Plastic is the same I believe and *sweet* There has been some discussion on r.m.s that the ICM Spitfire is inexpertly moulded (short shots, sink marks), yet my Konig is utterly faultless, and the likes of booms and masts are finely moulded and complete despite being thin enough to make Lewis gun barrels! > I also got an Arsenal warm up jersey. My two > favorite teams? > Arsenal and whom ever is playing Man U ;) Hey Michael !!!! Look above ;-) Shane (Arsenal fan since age 3) ********************************************************************** The information contained in this e-mail is confidential and is intended only for the use of the addressee(s). If you receive this e-mail in error, any use, distribution or copying of this e-mail is not permitted. You are requested to forward unwanted e-mail and address any problems to the MIM Holdings Limited Support Centre. e-mail: supportcentre@mim.com.au phone: Australia 1800500646 ********************************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 01:48:01 EST From: TomTheAeronut@aol.com To: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu Subject: Re: How Limited Are Limited Edition Kits? Message-ID: In a message dated 12/25/00 10:14:10 PM EST, thayes_52601@yahoo.com writes: << I'll only buy the "Silver Cloud" kits that are 1:48 and OT, but I doubt he'll do any WW1 in that scale outside the Blue Max line. I'd almost bet that they'll all be post-WW1 and WW2 in mixed scales. Todd >> They are 1/48, WW2 and post-war pre-jet. Blue Max is OT 1/48, Pegasus is 1/72 OT. I think the bunch of you should take the sneer out of your tones when an OT manufacturer does an ot release. The Eduard P-39 series is selling like gangbusters (and very deservedly), and its success will allow the Nieuport 11, Camels, S.E.5s, etc., to see the light of day. Airplane modelers are a small minority of modelers (car modelers reign supreme), and cuckoo-birds who build things with more than one wing that require 100" of wire to rig are an even smaller minority. No disrespect - I'm one too, remember? - but the entire fraternity world-wide of people who model biplanes (and I include pre-1939 on that) probably isn't much more than the run of a BM limited-run kit (i.e., 1,500). Be thankful they don't just drop the WW1 line for the financial bust it really is. The fact they don't is proof that model companies are run by modelers, who make decisions accountants would never allow. I have it on very good authority that Tamiya was ready to release the Swordfish three years earlier, and that the time was spent arguing with the bean-counters and the marketing people, until Mr. Tamiya said "We're making it - I like it." It's a similar fight that we who try to make movies that aren't vehicles for selling toys at McDonald's know only too well. And the bean-counters at Tamiya are already calling the Swordfish a "non-recurring phenomenon," a term that has been used in Hollywood for thirty years I know of to explain any movie that becomes a hit that doesn't have a "II" or "III" behind it or isn't made from a comic book or a TV show. Tom Cleaver ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 02:02:00 EST From: TomTheAeronut@aol.com To: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu Subject: An even-better present beneath the tree Message-ID: Actually, I guess this one depends on what you like in your life, by my SWMBO knows that someone who writes mystery-thrillers can be really turned on by myustery-thrillers by others that are good. For me, as a writer and a member of the Magician's Guild who knows how to pull the rabbit out of the hat while amazing you in the audience, having someone else knock my socks off is a rarely-experienced pleasure. There are in fact only three writers whose stuff is so good all I have to know is it's been published and I go get it - and two of them aren't currently in production - so it was a real pleasure to open one of the presents under the tree today and discover Sara Paretsky's newest V.I. Warshawsky, "Hard Time," (or at least the newest one in paperback) which is very good indeed. In fact, I used the opportunity of "checking my e-mail" as a way of pulling myself out of the story enough to get my head together sufficiently to feed the thundering feline herd. As soon as that's done, I am diving back in. Any of the series is great to start with. God damn Disney and their over-development for ruining what could have been a tentpole series when they screwed the pooch with the best actress to play to role - Kathleen Turner. (And if you want to know who the other two are, they are James Lee Burke - the Dave Robicheaux series are superb, and Tony Hillerman - even if it only takes two of his to figure out the structure of his story: the person who is dismissed as a "red herring" at the end of act one is the bad guy - the interest is in how he gets there on the last page.) Tom Cleaver (who would definitely rather read a well-written story than build the best-designed model on the planet - too bad there's more of the latter than the former) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 04:11:55 EST From: LEONARDPeterL@aol.com To: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu Subject: Re: Web site Message-ID: Gotta get one of those digicams. But first I have to get my hamfisted efforts in the manly scale to look as good as your cereal box stuff. A twenty year old Practika Nova with a broken frame counter and a knackered hot shoe covers a multitude of sins;) cheers Peter L ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 01:09:25 -0800 From: "Ray Boorman" To: Subject: RE: Rigging Size Message-ID: Rob, Its about as close as you can get. 72*.006 = .432 of an inch or just over 4 tenths of an inch. I've read somewhere that flying wires were around 1/4 of an inch or .25 of an inch. For some reason 1/4' British Standard Fine sticks in my mind as one measurement for RAF wires on some Sopwiths (Camel or Pup not sure which). If you can get .004 wire that would be closer but I have never seen it and it would be extremely fragile. Imho stretched sprue can be closer to that size and is readily available. Not sure that helped. Ray -----Original Message----- From: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu [mailto:wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu]On Behalf Of Rob & Sherry Sent: Monday, December 25, 2000 10:11 PM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Rigging Size Could I have the list's opinion on the proper size rigging for 1/72 scale models? I have read about .006". Is this the correct size for rigging and control cables? Thanks Rob P.S. One final Merry Christmas to all!!!!!! ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 05:44:16 EST From: LEONARDPeterL@aol.com To: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu Subject: Re: Rigging Size Message-ID: <95.4bd7386.2779d080@aol.com> Wouldn't argue with Rays' maths, or his conclusion that scale thickness is probably impractical. Just a suggestion to add to his stretched sprue notion. Stretched clear sprue appears much thinner than it actually is. Additionally, if you can find a "T" section clear sprue, the kind Arfix use for kit stands, it creates the illusion of a double wire. Try it, no need to stick it to the model if you don't like it. cheers Peter L ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 05:46:12 EST From: LEONARDPeterL@aol.com To: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu Subject: Blue Max Musings Message-ID: This is going to enhance my reputation as a miserable old b@$+@Rd no end, but I've been having a think about Blue Max/Silver Wings developements. Please to not attatch any weight to these musings. It is not my intention to start any rumours. The Chris Gannon of the eighties was a gifted and successful junior competition modeller with a strong inclination to the OT. The Chris Gannon of year 2000 is a buisinessman with the prime objective of producing kits which sell and then selling them. To do this he has a limited production facility able to turn out one kit at a time up to an annual total of 6-8 kits equally divided between 1/48 OT and 1/72 OT/ot mix. This is a zero sum game, so, unless he has either increased his capacity or contracted out to accomodate "Silver Wings" production, one ot = one less OT. The fact is that in comparison ot far outsells OT, just ask Eduard. a cheerful thought at Christmas time Peter L aka Ebenezer Scrooge ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 13:26:11 From: "Michael Kendix" To: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu Subject: ICM's kits/ was: Plastic under the tree? Message-ID: >From: Shane Weier > >There has been some discussion on r.m.s that the ICM Spitfire is > >inexpertly moulded (short shots, sink marks), yet my Konig is utterly > >faultless, and the likes of booms and masts are finely moulded and > >complete despite being thin enough to make Lewis gun barrels! > Shane: First, I never got any plastic presents - only two sweaters, one each from my parents in-law and sister-in-law. I spent Xmas Eve morning under the sink fixing a bunged up dishwasher steam vent, and the afternoon at "Rugrats in Paris". Tom Cleaver! Next time you're misbehaving on the list, you have to watch continual loops of this drivel for 12 hours. Evening was at the parents-in-laws - say no more! As for ICM; their products appear to vary in quality somewhat, and I think this is in part because they re-issue kits that other manufacturers have made. For example, their re-issue of Omega-K's ZiL-157 are excellent. The Fokker E.IV and Pfalz E.IV are lesser lights but are apparently re-releases of a different company's products. The Ilya appears to be thier own and is quite decent in quality of plastic, if not up to St. Harry's standards for accuracy. Their I-16 Type 24 is outstanding. >Glen says: > > I also got an Arsenal warm up jersey. My two > > favorite teams? > > Arsenal and whom ever is playing Man U ;) > >Hey Michael !!!! Look above ;-) Eyes rolling back into top of head! >Shane > >(Arsenal fan since age 3) Michael _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 13:56:08 From: "Michael Kendix" To: wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu Subject: Re: How Limited Are Limited Edition Kits? Message-ID: >From: TomTheAeronut@aol.com >Be thankful they don't just drop the WW1 line for the financial bust >it >really is. The fact they don't is proof that model companies are >run by >modelers, who make decisions accountants would never allow. I >have it on >very good authority that Tamiya was ready to release the >Swordfish three >years earlier, and that the time was spent arguing >with the bean-counters >and the marketing people, until Mr. Tamiya >said "We're making it - I like >it." I think other ideas might explain the presence of biplane kits on the market besides Mr. Tamiya being a decent bloke, which I hear second hand that he is, BTW. Tamiya really dominates the high quality end of the aeroplane kit market, via its reputation. That reputation is maintained by outstanding products and can be further enhanced by the occasional "Fantastic" kit such as the Swordfish. Producing this kit may not have made as much direct profit as a similar-quality, more popular model, but it feeds Tamiya's reputation as the best in the world. I would speculate that Mr. Tamiya made a "Strategic" decision. Such a decision is an "Investment" decision in that it doesn't pay off immediately but adds to the long run stream of profits. His financial advisors are probably more concerned with "Tactical" considerations, which would say that the immediate return on captial would be greater with a different kit. I would imagine that Hasegawa is Tamiya's closest competitor and in order for Tamiya to be able to charge higher prices, they must constantly assert their quality differential and reputation. As to why Eduard produces WW1/biplanes. Suppose you have money to invest in the stock market. You find the company you like best, with the best potential for future profits. Do you put all your investment in that single stock? Why not? Isn't it most likely to produce the highest profits? Well, yes, but such a strategy is risky. Similarly, investing only in producing the "Mainstream" kits is also risky. Sure, people like those the best but as a producer you face all sorts of competition and potential competition. You generate the facilty to make the best Me-thingy ever seen. It's a popular subject. Then along comes Tamiya and blows you out of the water. So, you invest in a number of areas of the market; for example, Hasegawa and Tamiya are staying well away from WW1 - so you're "safe" there for a while. Well, I've prattled on long enough. The office is practically devoid of humans. Michael _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 23:46:38 +0900 From: "Bucky" To: Subject: scratch wing issues solved Message-ID: <000801c06f4a$d5944160$1e4207d3@compaqcomputer> "bah-goo doh-rayss, bah-goo doh-rayss" (the Whoville Christmas jubilation carol from the REAL "Grinch") The Whos are happy in Whoville. Just at the point where they were ready to chuck the whole thing, they remembered the secret stash of imported (remember, I live in Japan) Evergreen stock at the local hobby shop! Meanwhile, back at the ranch... The main problem, it turns out, was with the extremely brittle nature of the Tamiya sheet stock I was trying to work with. Namely, it kept cracking every time I tried to bend it. Peter L., I ended up pretty much doing your "cold fold" deal, but with some balmy breezes from the wifey's blow-dryer to help things along when we got to pucker time at fourth and goal. Everything went beautifully, and I was rewarded with nice, tight styrene "envelopes" replete with embossed ribbing. Tres cool. Well, with the wings now out of the way and the wheels -- which was my other big stumper issue with the Fried. -- now taken care of (I built a master from 3mm solder and wheel rims turned on a "poor man's lathe", i.e., plastic stock turned in a drill bit and machined with razor blade, then made silicon mold and four resin copies), the Fried. has just taken several big strides on the nonetheless still very lengthy road to completion. Potential bitch kitties I see ahead are: 1) mating the lower wings to the fuselage; 2) getting the strut lengths all the correct lengths and angles, especially around the engine nacelles and in the landing gear; 3) gun rings for the Parabellum mounts; 4) transparencies (windows?) in the fuselage bottom; 5) getting things aligned properly and structurally firm with the twin tail doodad. Advice from the "experten" is always welcome, of course. Should I be taking pictures of all this? Bucky ------------------------------ End of WWI Digest 2920 **********************