"A thought about barrage balloons" Topic
9 Posts
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| Bellbottom | 18 Aug 2013 2:48 p.m. PST |
Having seen the post from Kieven at Lancer miniatures on 18th August 2013 about his vac forms, I had a thought and sent him the following e-mail, produced below, at his request, in an attempt to pick brains and canvas the membership for any interest:- "Hello there.
Re your impressive vac-forming skills, have you thought about making barrage balloons? If made as 2 halves with an interior flange, the 2 halves could be stuck together and mounted on wire. My interest would be in 1/100 scale
(15mm) for wargaming, mmmodels.co.uk did make a balloon winch vehicle in that scale. I'm sure other, smaller scale, aircraft gamers would buy smaller scale models. Just a thought." Over to the membership for your thoughts, thanks |
| Yesthatphil | 18 Aug 2013 3:44 p.m. PST |
Very good idea … had wondered how best to do them inexpensively and I think you have it  ! 1/100 for me too (though 1/144 would also work). 2 vac formed halves would make it light enough to stand on a wire mount I suspect … Phil |
| jgawne | 18 Aug 2013 4:02 p.m. PST |
too bad you can't just get a balloon shaped like one and fill it with helium. |
| Toaster | 18 Aug 2013 9:09 p.m. PST |
Can't do an interior flange with vac-forming due to the way the plastic is sucked down over the mold. The way to assemble vac-form kits it to sand away the exterior flange and then glue scrap plastic around the inside of one half to create a lap joint, it's easy enough but tends to freak out those raised on injection molded kits as too much work. Robert |
| Bellbottom | 19 Aug 2013 3:43 a.m. PST |
@ Toaster,
I know what you're saying, could not your scrap plastic be moulded in with one of the halves, forming a step which would fit inside the second half? This wouldn't necessarily need to be over the whole joint, but could be in the form of small tabs to provide stability for the joint.
Bear in mind that the lower, vertical one,of the 3 inflated tail fins would be in 2 halves anyway, and would provide a stable joint at the rear. |
| By John 54 | 19 Aug 2013 9:41 a.m. PST |
I would sell my mother for WW1, 1/72 scale
Balloons to go with my Airfix planes.
John |
| By John 54 | 23 Aug 2013 6:48 a.m. PST |
Actually, thinking about it, 15mm balloons
Would do. SOMEONE must make them?
John |
| spontoon | 24 Aug 2013 7:38 p.m. PST |
I would think with the centenary of WWI coming up barrage/observation balloons would become a hot selling item! |
| Etranger | 25 Aug 2013 5:30 a.m. PST |
I seem to recall that there was a vac formed barrage balloon available many years ago. There is a quite decent, if pricy 1/144 observation balloon in the Wings of War/Glory range. |
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is back from Council of Five Nations.
