The Little World

Well there we was just driving along heading back to Missoula, and all of a sudden there was this damn noise. We knew it couldn’t be anything good, so we stopped. We were right.

The Minicraft 1931 Ford Model A has come to a halt by the side of the road. It has been a journey – one I am not all that keen to repeat. I do like the larger scale that this company used for these models, but the quality of the plastic, the precision of the moulding, and the foolish complexity that the designers have incorporated meant that each stage of the trip was fraught. I am glad that I decided to make a worn car of it, as I do not think that a pristine model could ever have been got from that box of parts.

Let us say that, while many parts fitted well, there are major sections of the assembly that depend upon beds of Weldbond glue for integrity –  and this is not a model to handle roughly.

I shall enter it into the 2019 WASMEX show, though perhaps not for the prize judging. It is sufficient to have completed it to a decent standard and let it go at that. I don’t think that I’ll try another 1:16th Minicraft. I’m even hesitant to explore their 1:72 aircraft, though there are a couple of types that I would like to build. The only saving grace may be that they will have gotten better moulds from someone and perhaps not tried to do the improbable in the smaller scale.

All the above being said, I am pleased with the first experience of salt weathering on the chassis and bodywork. Also pleased with the acrylic wash that dirtied up the engine without making it too much of a gob. I am encouraged to try this on some of the die-cast models in the collection – if I can get them to come apart.