Gentlemen, We Have A Race

[mpennock]

I've been working on a Golden Age Air Racing game to run at HMGS Little Wars in April. Here are the first planes:



The models are 1/144 scale and were 3D printed by Shapeways in their white, strong and flexible material. These eight planes replicate the starting lineup of the 1932 Thompson Trophy race, won by Jimmy Doolittle in the Gee Bee R-1, Race 11.

Mike

[B.E.A.R]

Looks great! I hope I get a chance to play!

[Wirelizard]

Looking forward to seeing this progress, the air racers included some very, very cool designs and as a convention game on a big table this should be spectacular!

[Helen]

They look really cute. Any chance of some interwar aircraft. For example; SCW, Chaco War or Sino/Japanese War?

Cheers,

Helen

[SBRPearce]

Your participants look splendid! What rules will you be using?

[Arlequín]

Very original and very nice! 

[inkydave]

They look fantastic  

I know nothing about air racing and the birds used but I think I can spot a Supermarine Spitfire. 3rd from right?

[mpennock]

Thanks for all of the great comments;

Any chance of some interwar aircraft. For example; SCW, Chaco War or Sino/Japanese War?

I've been seriously considering modeling some Chaco War aircraft. I'm not sure what scale would be most useful, though.

Your participants look splendid! What rules will you be using?

I'll be using a set called, appropriately enough, Golden Age Air Racing. They were written by Dave Schueler and are available as a download from the Air Pirates Yahoo group. I've built a set of six pylons, now I just need to get them painted.

I think I can spot a Supermarine Spitfire. 3rd from right?

You know, I'd never noticed the similarity until you pointed it out. The wing plan is very similar, but that aircraft is actually Race 39, Benny Howard's DGA-5 "Ike". The Ike is only about half the size of a Spitfire (20' wingspan, as opposed to 36'), and they don't really look alike from any angle except for the one in the picture.

Mike

[Helen]

Thanks for all of the great comments;

I've been seriously considering modeling some Chaco War aircraft. I'm not sure what scale would be most useful, though.

Mike

Chaco War would be great in any small scale, thank you.

Cheers,

Helen

[Arlequín]

Chaco War would be great in any small scale, thank you.

I'll have to suggest 15mm (1/100) and also offer up aircraft like the Nieuport-Delage NiD-52, Breguet BR-19, Curtis P-6 Hawk, Curtis A-3 Falcon and the Boeing P-12 and their ilk, as I'm selfish like that.  

[Sheerluck Holmes]

this shapeways is the way of the future.

Only if they change their postage policy - it is too expensive to buy anything if you live 'in the rest of the world'

[mpennock]

this shapeways is the way of the future

It's a great way to make odd stuff that you can't get anywhere else, but price goes up rapidly with size, and its still more cost effective to cast in resin or white metal if your quantities are large enough. A lot of companies are using rapid prototyping to make the masters for their molds, though.

How much did it set you back to make those 8 planes?

Around $35 (US), plus shipping.

[NickNascati]

Brings back memories. A dear friend of mine, Robin Hunt, gone from us more than 10 years, did something similar, but used the 1/32 scale Williams Bros. models. now in the collectable category.

[mpennock]

I had originally planned to do this using 1/48 scale Hawk kits, re-released by Testors. The smaller planes will fit much better on a standard sized gaming table, though.