AEROCLUB 1/72 ENGLISH ELECTRIC LIGHTNING T5 CONVERSION SET

[SJPONeill]

Just wondering if anyone knows for sure if this conversion set comes with one or two canopies and if the Aeroclub clear plastic is prone to yellowing...?

I have just acquired a Whirlykits 1/72 Lightning T.5 however the canopies included are very yellowed. The Pavla T.55 canopy is rare than rare thing now although I have placed a notification request on it at Kingkit. All the resin and metal parts are immaculate - it's the cursed canopies...

Kingkit bhas the conversion set in stock. I'm thinking that if the Aeroclub conversion has two canopies, I can use one on the T.5 and use the rest of the conversion to make another T.5 in another scheme.

[skypirate]

I have the same conversion set in 1/48.
There is only one canopy, and it is fine.

Cheers,

David

[SJPONeill]

Thanks, David

Best I go off and learn the gentle art of replacing vacform canopies...

[TeeELL]

Simon,
yesterday I vacformed a couple of canopies for a friend although, I confess to having a vacform machine! I used an original vacform canopy to produce a buck using a high quality modelling ‘plaster’, this produced a perfect copy of the original. I then used some 0.5mm PETG sheet to create the copies:



The machine I bought (which is a bit underutilised tbh):



In the past, I have used re-cycled plastic from food containers (I have ordered some ‘Covid visors’ as they are now being sold off cheap and are made of PETG clear plastic!). I am sure there are articles on making simple vacform machines.

[TeeELL]

It occurs to me that you probably know all this!

[JamesPerrin]

I’d be cautious about Aeroclub canopies I have a small collection of them and some have yellowed over time. I’m sure John Adams would have changed the material he was using as soon as he became aware of the issue.

[iggie]

The one Aeroclub canopy I have has terminal jaundice....
But, it is very old I suspect as it was second hand when I bought it some years ago and it's just been knocking around in a soar parts box since so maybe an environmental issue more than the part itself

[TeeELL]

If those of you UK based want/need your ‘yellowed’ canopies replaced, I would be happy to make cast copies and vacform new ones. Postage and packing plus material cost only.