Resin kits are starting to appear.

This is a developing market with much to interest the modeller.

Resin cast upgrades are something of a fixture in the modelling world these days and have been a part of it for some years. As a recent returner to “modelling land” I have found them useful in any number of areas and have been able to upgrade several kits with these enhancements from makers like Czech master kits and suchlike. They are themselves often further enhanced with photo etched components which adds to the detail available.

There are, as far as I can divine, two separate methods of employing a resin product in the world of scale modelling. The first, (as I mentioned), is cast resin and the other is the 3D printed variety. Traditionally, the cast resin has been used to enhance low detail kits and you will find numerous examples on a local internet to you.

The advent of 3D printing technology however has further added not only to the choice of enhancements to existing products, but also now extends to complete kits for model builders. I was particularly interested in a new kit from a company called “Aerocraft” who have produced a Miles M52 in 1/48 scale. I promptly purchased it and felt that a brief review was in order which I append below:

I wrote an article about the Miles M52 some while ago and indicated within that piece that I would seek to scratch build a model of this subject, but as you can see circumstances and the advance of technology have beaten me to it, so I can now place another experimental aircraft into my collection without having to build it from spare parts, (so to speak). You can reread this article here:

The main point to remember with 3D printed resin is that one should be gentle with the components because they are quite brittle. If, for example, you were to use your new 3D printer to create a resin model of a naked lady, then you would be well advised to be careful with her breasts in case you crack one off.

The components that you see in my review are built up in a printer through (what I shall call) sprues which extend sometimes into the centre of the component being manufactured. This is the only way that the individual product can be produced with the level of detail that modellers have come to demand and is particularly the case within the jet tube as we see from my look at the kit.

The instructions are fairly minimal and this is largely to do with the low part count and therefore the operations to create a completed model will be fairly minimal. Even so, it may be wise to proceed with care, especially if you are unfamiliar with the material you are working with. Sharp knives and good sprue cutters are likely to be the order of the day. I would suggest that the notes provided are of good quality and cover all of the key points that those who are new to the whole 3D resin print area ought to bear in mind. I have gone through these in detail.

I anticipate that the finish of this model in what is known as “high speed silver” which I will accomplish using a mixture of Tamiya spray can silver and Alclad bare metal silver which I think should produce a suitable finish. It is open to question just how close to reality this will be as the test aircraft itself never flew, having reached only around 90% completion before the project was terminated. It is however likely that the completed aircraft may have commenced flying trials perhaps in early 1947, so the yellow “prototype” markings would seem appropriate but I am assuming some license with the colouring.

I am impressed overall with the 3D printed product as far as I can see it just now. The advent of such techniques seems to have some real promise into the future for scale modellers as it is allowing manufacturers to produce short runs of rare or less well known aircraft. I think here particularly of some of the less well known experimental aircraft developed in the late forties and into the early fifties, many of which only remain in museums. I think this technology has a much greater potential than the vac formed kits of yesteryear and is a great way of leveraging technology.

I noted that MOS6510 acquired a Humbrol 3D printer some while ago and detailed his adventures with it. He would, I am sure, admit that his foray into the world of creating parts for models was not that successful. It was clear to me that using the device was not at all straightforward and access to build programs at the time was very limited. I strongly suspect that software was proprietary and therefore using a design from someone with a different printer would not have been simple. All these things would need to change in order to make this technology more usable by everyday folk.

It is well to remember that we are at the early (ish) stages of the development of this technology and, as with many other emerging technologies, as it becomes more mature it will become more available and cost effective. Software will, in all likelihood, be developed that will allow modellers themselves to design and print their own models having sought the data out for themselves and we are beginning to see the start of this in some areas of “modelling land.” Examples like that of “Plasmo” and other widely known modellers show us what can be achieved by technically aware individuals as they produce enhancements to their own projects which they subsequently make available to others through their social media presence. As the software becomes more simple, ordinary folk like you and I may very well be able to make our own kits and not just a series of ever more decorative pegs with which to adorn our desks!

In this way as I have mentioned before, scale modellers and manufacturing companies preserve history in a similar manner to those who curate museums and the exhibits therein. Resin printing is a very promising development.

I mention Aerocraft Models in my piece today. You may find them here:

https://aerocraftmodels.com/index.asp