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Post by harrysone on Apr 1, 2021 16:47:41 GMT 12
I've got a wee contract to build these  The Saab 340 is the Broplan vacuform (Never before have I encountered such thin plastic!!) and the Metro III id the RVPHP resin kit (not bad at all!). I still need to build a Broplan ATR-72. I wouldn't mind building the Metroliner again for myself, however the Broplan kits are so lightweight I'd be afraid to sand right through it!  IMG_4409 by Harry Follas, on Flickr ...with my own Convair model...interesting size comparisons  IMG_4412 by Harry Follas, on Flickr |
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Naki.
Flying Officer
Posts: 67
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Post by Naki. on Apr 1, 2021 17:44:49 GMT 12
Lovely models. Interesting, thought the Convair would be quite a bit bigger than the other two
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Post by harrysone on Apr 1, 2021 18:14:41 GMT 12
Oh, the Convair is quite a lot bigger actually..perspective of the photo perhaps doesn’t show it 😉. The wing span differences are particularly noticeable
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2021 21:34:47 GMT 12
Lovely work Harry! I think that's the first Broplan I've seen built - one of those brands I've heard about for ages but never seen much of.
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Post by harrysone on Apr 2, 2021 11:56:21 GMT 12
The Broplan models aren’t bad, great shape with injection moulded parts (props, wheels, cockpit detailing) but the plastic is very thin and the SAAb could have done with a few more fuselage frames as it tended to banana. It’s also interesting the parts breakdown and how they manage to fit such a large model into such a small box!
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Post by harrysone on Apr 7, 2021 10:40:53 GMT 12
I have the Broplan ATR-72 underway...its unbelievably fragile! The skin of the tail section is absolutely paper thin!! I had to put in an additional 3 bulkheads in order for it to even maintain shape. The plastic in the vicinity of the front wing fairing was only a few microns or so & needed filler and reinforcement prior to assembly. You can see some cracking extending from one of the aft window cutouts! The fuselage assembly at this point weighs only 36 grams, at this point you could just about put a micro R/C system in it and some small electric motors and have a flying model! Also note the size of the fuselage and then note the size of the box that this vacuform came from! Its the only show in town if you want to build a 1/72 ATR-72 but its pretty pricey at 63 Euro & pretty rich considering that they have only basically provided 'skeletal' plastic Perhaps I'm being a bit harsh? I don't know, we shall see what it looks like on completion (providing I don't sand through it!), I must say that the ATR is definitely not my favorite aircraft anyway (very, very bland), so I cannot get too passionate about this one!  atr by Harry Follas, on Flickr |
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Post by harrysone on Apr 9, 2021 14:44:36 GMT 12
65 gram (thats pretty light for this size of model!) ATR-72 500. I must say that for something so lightweight it has good structural strength with wing spars & other supports. By comparison That wing looks so ridiculously tiny & fragile compared to the Convair !!  Untitled by Harry Follas, on Flickr  Untitled by Harry Follas, on Flickr |
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Post by denysjones on Apr 9, 2021 20:25:21 GMT 12
Harry,
back in the dark ages of vac-form modelling folks like me used to use brass tube to provide spars in wings to provide strength for the u/c but at least with the ATR its the fuselage near the u/c attachments you need to worry about.
Good luck with the build.
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Post by harrysone on Apr 10, 2021 8:12:33 GMT 12
fortunately the fuselage sponsons are well reinforced for landing gear, however this will be mounted on a similar stand to the Metro and SAAB & there fore will require either brass or plastic tube reinforcements in the wings & fuse as per the Broplan SAAB as not enough structure in the skin to support the stand attachments
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Post by harrysone on Apr 14, 2021 10:44:14 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 14, 2021 12:40:45 GMT 12
How long has Air Chathams had ATR-72's? I did not know they operated them. Are they replacing the Convairs?
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Post by harrysone on Apr 14, 2021 12:48:43 GMT 12
Not sure at this stage Dave, it seems their 'ATR' MCO is currently going to be replacing the Convairs on all pax services (including Norfolk when it comes back). They occasionally use a SAAB as a freighter to the Chathams (recently CIY). The Convairs are due to be retired this year and are currently doing the odd pax charter and Chatham Island runs as backup to MCO.
The issues with the Convairs appear to relate to a shortage of certified props worldwide (would explain why their freighter KFL has been parked up minus props), apparently Conair (in Canada) who fly Convair 580s as firebombers are shortly going to retire their aircraft for similar reasons.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 14, 2021 13:39:29 GMT 12
Thanks Harry. Ray Deerness just sent me this: 3rd Level New Zealand: Search results for ZK-MCO (3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com) 3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/search?q=ZK-MCO"Chat's got the ATR in 2018 and it was intended for the summer charter work for the American Tour company. To that started a little late in 2019 and when that finished, the ATR went on the weekend flights to Wanganui in June 2019 through to September when it restarted on the American tours. During 2019 it also shuffled around the ANZ Netball teams and well as the Wanganui Rugby team. It never flew overseas as it did not have HF radios or Liferafts and that was an expensive fit but they bit the bullet and did it during lockdown. So now it's based out on the Chat's and they have a Metro, dont know which one doing the freight runs almost every day." |
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driver1
Leading Aircraftman
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Post by driver1 on Aug 30, 2021 22:52:32 GMT 12
I've got a wee contract to build these The Saab 340 is the Broplan vacuform (Never before have I encountered such thin plastic!!) and the Metro III id the RVPHP resin kit (not bad at all!). I still need to build a Broplan ATR-72. I wouldn't mind building the Metroliner again for myself, however the Broplan kits are so lightweight I'd be afraid to sand right through it! IMG_4409 by Harry Follas, on Flickr ...with my own Convair model...interesting size comparisons IMG_4412 by Harry Follas, on Flickr |
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Post by harrysone on Feb 28, 2022 21:37:52 GMT 12
RVPHP resin SA227 Metroliner III (ZK-CID) for one of Air Chatham's pilots (hahah...I have also officially changed the rego on MY Convair from CIE to CIF as that was the one I have flown on)  Untitled by Harry Follas, on Flickr  Untitled by Harry Follas, on Flickr |
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