Airmodel AM-048 Arado Ar 197

Matthias Simon
Hello Friends ... I just want to share one of my first ever vacform kits built back in 2002.... I hope you will enjoy 🙂

Alec K
Wow, really impressive work on this vacuform kit. Not sure if I'll ever muster the courage and skill needed to try one. Are you the creator of these kits?

Paul Juliano
What makes vacuform kits particularly challenging? I'm totally ignorant on the subject, but your kit looks nice!

Paul Juliano
After looking at the other pics, wow! I get it!!

Matthias Simon
At Alec K mate..... It is not so difficult as everybody tries to tell us. As I wrote in the description, it was one of the first vac kits I ever built. Most vac kits come without all the small parts like seats, landing gears aso.... but most modelers have some equal in their sparparts box. If not one has to scratch build these parts. f.e. landing gear. But that often is not so difficult, I just use plastic and/or brass tubes in various thicknesses.
THIS kit is a so called "combi-kit" ... also known as multimedia kit! Here are small parts in resin included, which makes it easier to build. Combi.kits are more expensive than normal vac kits (understandable 🙂

And YES ..... I am the producer of these/this kit .... my company is AIRMODEL PRODUCTS in germany 🙂

airmodel.de

Cheers Matthias

Matthias Simon
At Paul Juliano mate ...... Well .... the kits are defenitivly recommended for the more advanced modeler. I wouldn´t recommend them to absolute beginners. They need bit more work than normal injectionmolded kits and sometimes some scratchbuilding skills. But beside that.... as I already said in a previous post ..... not so difficult as some modelers saying. I have learned that cutting out and sanding the parts is nearly as fast as if I prepare an injection molded kitpart.
In the early days modelers often used a saw to separate the parts from the plate and that tooks in fact realy long.
I only mark the outline, scribe it 2-3 times with a dull knife and break the parts appart. Then removing the thickness fracture roughly and sand it on 80 grid sandpaper for a view seconds to the final shape and ready! Other moderlers may use different techniques, but as the saying is "there are many ways leading to Rome" 🙂

Alec K
Thanks for the advice and info Matthias. Very impressive selection of items you have, definitely will add to my resource list. Cheers, Alec.