VLE Models 1/144 scale Ford Trimotor
Photos by Björn Bäcklund
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Introduction
Bob Wheeler's VLE Models has long been known for excellent vacforms
of pre-1939 civil aircraft. His early kits were in 1/72 scale, but for
a number of years he has concentrated on 1/144 scale. Just released -
the product of four years' work - is his latest, a 1/144 scale Ford Trimotor.
The Kit
The skill that has gone into this kit is astonishing. All parts are
correctly corrugated, and the pitch of the corrugations is 1 mm, as far
as I know the finest ever applied to a kit. The fuselage is built on a
new principle: a full-length resin frame is provided, to which the vacform
sides, top and bottom are attached. This method of construction makes
for ease of assembly, strength and accuracy. The frame itself is hollow,
and into its centre fits a resin part comprising 16 beautifully-cast seats.
Another resin part provides a detailed cockpit, and two tiny etched brass
control columns fit into this. There is a choice of clear or white pilots'
canopies and cabin windows. In my opinion, it would be criminal to use
decals for these, thus making all that lovely interior detail invisible.
 VLE's
Ford can be made up to represent either a 4-AT or a 5-AT-B, alternative
wings, engines and noses being provided. Unfortunately, the wings exhibit
the kit's only real fault. These are formed as one-piece uppersurfaces
for each type, with two identical sets of lower outersurfaces, and lower
centre sections appropriate to each aircraft. The main uppersurfaces are
noticeably short in span, by 0.15" in the case of the 5-AT and .07"
in that of the 4-AT. Moreover, the trailing edges of the ailerons are
curved rather than straight, with the result that the wingtips are too
narrow, particularly on the starboard side. Though the actuall shortfall
is small, so is the scale; 0.15" is 18" in full size.
Happily, all this can be improved, if not entirely corrected, without
too much difficulty. The shapes of the separate outer wing lower surfaces
are better, and removing these from the one-piece uppersurface and replacing
them with new ones made from a pair of undersurfaces will produce a marked
improvement. After doing this, the span of a 4-AT model is nearly right,
and the error in one of a 5-AT less apparent.
 Engines
appropriate to both Fords are provided - beautiful little uncowled ones
in white metal for a 4-AT and cowled ones in resin for a 5-AT. The nacelles
are of cast white metal, and the struts (and even the control levers!)
in etched brass.
The decal sheet is beautifully printed, giving markings for no less
than six airlines, but contains a major error. The wing registrations
are in the wrong style, and far too heavy. From photographs, it seems
that all Fords had registrations in the same style when new - large square
letters and numbers with rounded corners and quite thin strokes. VLE's
wing registrations are unusable - a pity. Two of the schemes (Maddux and TAT)
include large 'walk here' signs, but no instructions are given for their
placement.
The instruction sheet is highly detailed, but has some omissions. One
of the oddest is that it has no indication of VLE's address, website or
phone number, which makes it somewhat difficult to order a kit! Two resin
noses are included, but the modeller is not told which is appropriate
to which aircraft. Good references, as recommended in the instructions,
will certainly be useful.
 Conclusion
At $20, VLE's Ford is a bargain - too much of one, I reckon. I doubt
if Bob Wheeler makes even a cent on each kit at that price, and I'm sure
that anyone wanting one of these little beauties would gladly pay $25.
As I have pointed out, it isn't faultless, but its problems can be corrected,
especially if it is made as a 4-AT. Despite these, buy it, it's a little
jewel. I'm looking forward to seeing mine in one piece. |
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