Are Vacuform Kits Worth Building?

[Mr. Ed]

I have a vacuform 1/48th scale G3M Nell from Sanger. As far as I know it's the only way to build this aircraft in 1/48th scale. I've been thinking about trying to tackle it, and if I do it will be my first vacuform kit. What is your experience with these kinds of kits? Obviously it will involve a massive amount of work, from scratchbuilding to panel scribing to pushing my spares box to the limit. Tamyia will probably come out with a kit on the day after I finish.



Are vacuform kits worth the effort?

[Wurger]

As you have mentioned it was the only way to build the model in the 1/48 scale.That's way these kits are much expaensive that the injection kits. SImply these series of kits aren't huge and are quite rare. In my opinion what effect can be achieved it depends on a modeller only and doesn't have anything in common with a kind of a model kit. Of course these vacu kits require much more work than those injection ones but the effect can be very nice as well. So it is up to you only if you follow that.


Here is a few pics of my very old vacuform P-39 Airacobra. Taking all my skills at that time I have to say it was quite easy to make the model.The only problem was the propeller and the spinner ( I had to make them scratch-built), also all landing gear legs for all wheels ( it was much easier to make them scratch-built that use these from the kit) ALso I made new front wheel bay doors and uses injection needles for MG barrels. In the cockpit I had to make the pilot's pane myself buit the rest of details comming with the kit could be used.

Of course today it could be made better if I started it again.

[Wayne Little]

Vacform kits certainly are a challenge...and a lot of work, but they can build into a great model with good preparation and patience.....

[Vic Balshaw]

They are a challenge, they need patience and at times ingenuity, but if this is the aircraft you want to build, then its worth the effort and as you can see from Wojetk's plane, the outcome can also be stunning. Go for it Ed and have fun and if you get stuck, this site is full of helping hands