Tom's PE accy's

[Copperhead]

Hey all, just a few ????'s about Tom's stuff. I just got from 'Great models', the PE German guns, German interior, and the British guns, in '32nd. It really isn't very explicit, nor give measurements for anything. I can probably muddle my way throgh on the interior stuff, as it just replaces kit (missing) parts. However the guns are a bit of a challenge. Has anyone used them in this scale before? What should I look for and what surprises should I be expecting. The first thing I saw right off is the HC kit (Nieu. 17) has the1918 Lewis, and I need the 1915 lewis for the Laffayette Escadrille. I also have the German gun set for a MUCH later build. If you've used these, please let me hear some feedback, and suggestions, please. Also for replacement guns on the Nieu. 28 would you recommend Toms or the 1/28 offerrings from Copperstate? JW

I've used Tom's PE guns in 1/72 and 1/48. They are etched out of pretty thin brass and can be fiddly at times. They also require that you supply a plastic card spacer between the breech side pieces. I do this by gluing a side piece to a small piece of card and when that is good and set up, I trim and file the card to the outline of the brass piece and then add the other brass side piece. Toms "instructions/drawings" leave a lot to the imagination.

I have also used Copper State PE Vickers guns in 1/28. These are PE and resin assemblies. The jacket and fiddly bits are PE and the breech is resin. The PE is not brass but some chrome looking alloy. Much thicker metal than Toms brass. You definitely need to heat the jackets to red hot with a lighter or candle and then let it cool naturally. This softens the metal and makes rolling the jacket orders of magnitude easier. Eric's approach of PE jackets and resin breeches is quicker to build and basically indistinguishable from the built up method Toms uses. Both will finish out as highly detailed and realistic looking replacement guns far superior to injected or cast kit parts.

So in looking at your post, you used Nie.28 and 1/28 in the same sentence. Is there *a fabric shedder in 1/28??
sp

[Copperhead]

Hey SP, No there's not a fabric shedder in 1/28 that I know of; but I was thinking on using the Tom's set to detail the WM guns that came in the Blueprint kit. They're pretty basic and that's all that can be (IMHO) said about them. Actually (IMHO), the 1/28 kit guns from Revell, have more detail, that's why I was thinking of using Tom's. I just got a couple of Tom's british guns, German guns, and German interior, for some future builds and was wondering if there were any hidden secrets. I was figuring since the Revell kits they're obviously meant for were actually overscale, I could use them on the 1/24 Nieu. 28. JW

[Copperhead]

Hey SP, just one more question before I let this die. Have you ever done the Tom's British guns in any scale? If so how did you do the cooling jacket on the 1918 Lewis? Is it supposed to be the rectangular part with the square holes at one end, and perforated the rest of the length? Am I correct that the barrel assy for the 1915 lewis is just stock brass tubing, or plastic rod? JW

JW
I'd forgotten about the Marcos/Blueprint line. I believe the 1/28 guns may be a bit small for 1/24 in spite the Revell kit being a bit oversize. If you are going to use the fiddly bits to dress up the 1.24 kit guns, I believe that should work pretty well

As for Lewis Guns, you got me with my Fug boots down. I was vaguely aware that there were different models of Lewis gun. I have never assembled a Toms Lewis gun. I have made Spandaus, Vickers and Parabellums, but no PE Lewis guns.

sp

[Copperhead]

Thanks SP. I'll just test fit some fiddly bits on the WM guns from Blueprint and see how they look. As far as the Lewis gun thing;

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