Floats! Getcha Floats Here: Red Hot!

[John Howling Mouse]

Have many bright ideas about floatplane conversions: Stuka, Avenger, P-47, Skyraider, P-35, P-36, Gazelle Helo, Mustang, P-38, and now the Corsair too, etc.

So, I've pulled out all the stops and am making up floats to be cast in resin.

LOTS of floats!!!

Didn't like how plain some of them were to begin with, especially the vac-formed ones.  So, I've embellished most of them with additional details for better or worse.  None of these are cleaned up yet but they should look "interesting" once cast and painted/weathered.  Again, like the laser-pod thingey, I realize these floats would be horribly un-aerodynamic but (again like the laser-pod), I don't care.

Floats aren't exactly adding to a plane's aerodynamics in the first place.

So, the first one I embellished was the vac-formed pair of floats from an IMPS Norway kit of the Northrop N-3 PB (1:48).  Good thing I decided to do two different versions as I learned that each pair of floats from this kit end up being over an eighth of an inch different in length!  With the different details, I'll know which resin castings go together in the end.

[John Howling Mouse]

The two pairs of floats from the, ah, inexpensive 1:48 SMER Fairey Swordfish are also two noticeably different lengths as well.

I am planning on cutting and lengthening these with plugs shaped to fit.  The available floats on the marketplace are really not long enough for some of the big planes I'd like to convert to floatplanes such as the TBF Avenger, P-47 with elongated canopy (see my "Seabolt" thread), or the Skyraider.

[John Howling Mouse]

Then it gets more involved.  Here are the halves from a Wings vac-form kit of the Seagull floatplane.  This would normally be the single large center float under the fuselage but I will turn the castings into paired floats for twin-float planes.

They had some nicely engraved panels, etc.  but were pretty bland anyhow.
So I added all sorts of surface details.  This is a rough shot, nothing has been cleaned up yet (red stuff is Bondo glazing putty).

Trick is to get all the details on the future joint lines to match up.

[John Howling Mouse]

The modified vac-form float halves taped together for test-fitting.  Some walkway grating and other details on top.  The lengthwise anti-splash ribs are the really challenging part.

Can't wait to clean these up and primer them.

[John Howling Mouse]

This was the most complicated embellishment.  A Hasegawa float from some Japanese warbird.  Again, it's supposed to be a single central float but I will recast this into pairs for twin-float planes.  So far, this is the longest float option I have.

Lots of added details.  The s-curved ribs are actually sharpened and flow with the float's compound curves.  And they're quite thin. That was a fun gluing job, let me tell you.

[John Howling Mouse]

This is what this float will look like assembled.  Again, this is by no means cleaned up yet.  I added mini-grating for traction to the built in steps.

As always, the fun is going to be in figuring how and where to put the custom-made struts for the various aircraft I want to convert.

[John Howling Mouse]

Hey Nev: MORE CyberSubs!!!!

UCS: Unmanned Combat Submarines?

[cthulhu77]

You wouldn't happen to be able to make such floats in 1/72nd, would you ? (he asked hopefully)

  I have quite a few planes that need floats...hint, hint...

                  greg

[elmayerle]

You wouldn't happen to be able to make such floats in 1/72nd, would you ? (he asked hopefully)

  I have quite a few planes that need floats...hint, hint...

I'll second that request.

[John Howling Mouse]

There are a lot of 1:72 floats out there: what length/style would you guys need?
I could not do the same embellishments at 1:72 but I could mold and cast some resin float halves up for you!

 

[Leigh]

I'll take a pair in 1/72 for a
Fulmar
Gannet
Battle
Gladiator
Harrier
B-17
F-18
C-130
and a space shuttle please?

[luft46models]

I'd love a sigle centreline 1/72 Rufe float - got a hold of some plans from Unknown 3 by Mercado and would love to do the Okha on float described , actually if anyone has a nother okha I'll take a second if possible - sure I can trade something for this.


Regards


William

[cthulhu77]

There are a lot of 1:72 floats out there: what length/style would you guys need?
I could not do the same embellishments at 1:72 but I could mold and cast some resin float halves up for you!

I would be using mine for wif's, so an assortment would be great !!!  The shortest being about 3.5", up to maybe 5 inches
  Would love to get rid of some landing gear on my ww2 birds !!

                   greg

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

I'll take a pair in 1/72 for a

Harrier
B-17
F-18
C-130
and a space shuttle please?

R O F  L M A O        

Thanx, bud, just brightened-up my 12hr shift without trying !

Ian

[noxioux]

Hey John, I don't see any rivets. . . :dum: