A message from Aircraft in Miniature's Neil Gaunt

[SpaceRanger]

On behalf of Neil Gaunt, founder/proprietor/chief designer of Aircraft in Miniature, manufacturer of the forthcoming Cessna 310 kit, I am posting this message:

"I am reading so much about our first DH86 kit that I would like to put the record straight.

"It was produced in the mid to late 1990s, and was a vacformed fuselage with resin flying surfaces, metal detail parts and silkscreen printed decals. The masters were made by Roger Hardy who started the Rug Rat range. We have always used heavy (2mm) polystyrene for the large models and so used our standard material. As a result, the corners never formed sharply, and it was always unsatisfactory. We stopped production of this kit around 2002 or 3.

"I have read stories about the fuselage halves being different lengths, but we never received a complaint, and I could not see any difference. We are also asked about costs - material prices are rocketing. Brass has increased by 50% in the last five years and metal up 20% in the last two months. And so it goes on.

"We are currently working on the new DH 91 Albatross kit, and if it proves a commercial success the intention is to produce a new all resin DH 86 with full interior in the usual format, i.e. resin model, metal detail parts, and silkscreen decals.

"I have frequently been told that our DH 66 Hercules is the best kit we have done, so will see if we can better it!"

[F-27pax]

A new DH-86 is on my wish list, in 1/72 and 1/144. QEA and ANA decals would be good too

Leigh