Author Topic: ideas for 1/48 upgrade for existing kits?  (Read 1895 times)

Offline ALBATROS1234

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2657
ideas for 1/48 upgrade for existing kits?
« on: May 02, 2015, 05:21:11 PM »
i was interested in the 1/48 engine conversation thread and some were talking about wanting albatros fuel tanks, what else is needed for 1/48 kits.

as far as fuel tanks idea, what about that whole area being upgraded on eduard albie kits, for instance the kit bulkhead is solid when it shouldnt be,the ammo box is wrong as well . should the tank be a whole tank or just a top half that would sit on the engine deck. if a whole tank is made the engine deck would have to be cut down by modellers to give it space.

what else do you think we could use for our dated kits?why should 1/32 get all the fun stuff right?

Offline radio

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3952
Re: ideas for 1/48 upgrade for existing kits?
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2015, 03:18:32 AM »
Hi Scott
what is about oiltank, generator and fuselage frames.
Martin

Offline ALBATROS1234

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2657
Re: ideas for 1/48 upgrade for existing kits?
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2015, 09:10:49 AM »
i was thinking about those things too martin. this is the problem i get to. if i make an engine deck with the tops of the frames exposed the 1/48 modeller can cut off the cowl to show engine detail like they do in 1/32 all the time. the problem is that the eduard fuselage is very tick compared to scale of the walls of the fuselage so in order to show with cowl off this must be thinned. so if i make parts for thinned fuselage it wont fit the out of box fuselage, different modellers might thin the fuselage differently.this is what i wonder about. so the project grows. it can go so far as to make a whole new fuselage which is close to scale thickess and have a full sent of formers and stringers. but how many modellers want to take it this far. is it worth all the effort to design,build,make molds and cast to only sell a couple of units? perhaps many would want to upgrade the bulkhead/ammo box/fuel tank.

Offline ALBATROS1234

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2657
Re: ideas for 1/48 upgrade for existing kits?
« Reply #3 on: May 04, 2015, 09:54:50 AM »
thats what i think, the question about engines is the eduard is small the roden only fits the roden d.vii kits. the vector and pavla am engines are made from a roden block but as you know they dont fit 95% of all 1/48 kits that require that engine. i think most modellers want and need an engine and other parts like the tank/ammo box thing above that modellers can stick right in all their kits without too many headaches. thats what i think would be great and i have wished for for many years. you used to and still sometimes model 1/48 how great would it be to have at least a set of cyl with nice springs and accurate rockers etc  for 160hp and 180/200hp to stick on top the eduard block . dream come true for me.

Offline ALBATROS1234

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2657
Re: ideas for 1/48 upgrade for existing kits?
« Reply #4 on: May 04, 2015, 01:25:59 PM »
thats my thoughts exactly,just wanted to make sure i was moving in the right direction.

Offline radio

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3952
Re: ideas for 1/48 upgrade for existing kits?
« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2015, 06:51:46 PM »
Hi Scott,
What is about beginning with aditional parts for the original kit?
It`s a beginning.
Martin

Offline dtomko

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 527
Re: ideas for 1/48 upgrade for existing kits?
« Reply #6 on: May 05, 2015, 12:11:33 AM »
Scott, if you could do a drop in engine compartment with everything from the fuel tank forward, you would make a lot of people happy.  You could make the tank small enough to fit in the thick fuselage.  Alternately, you could just do a fuel tank and then perhaps 160 and 180 HP versions of the rocker box and valve spring assembly.  Then they would be appropriate for D.IIIs, D.Vs and D.Vas.  For me the biggest issues are the lack of a fuel tank and the poorly molded rocker arm boxes and springs.

Drew

Offline ALBATROS1234

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2657
Re: ideas for 1/48 upgrade for existing kits?
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2015, 02:54:10 PM »
agreed its been a shame that 1/48 modellers have no good options for the bulk of our kits. its either major surgery or use the kit supplied lumps.

Offline Brez

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 126
Re: ideas for 1/48 upgrade for existing kits?
« Reply #8 on: May 06, 2015, 05:50:36 AM »
Regarding the Eduard Albatros kits, one of the things that I'd like to see is a replacement spinner. The kit one is too rounded, like a football (soccer ball) cut in half. I'ts also the same diameter as the fuselage and could do with a backplate.
I've tried sanding them, glueing the spinner to a metal shaft and fixing it in a drill chuck, with mixed results. The spinner inevitablly flying off the shaft acoss the room!

Tony.

Offline ALBATROS1234

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2657
Re: ideas for 1/48 upgrade for existing kits?
« Reply #9 on: May 06, 2015, 08:43:05 AM »
lol,that is a good idea brez.