Transportation of completed models

 

Posted By: Bill Steinberg <Bsteinbe@genre.com>

Date: Thursday, 17 December 1998, at 2:49 p.m.

 

Hello all:

 

I need some help with tips on travelling with completed models. I live in NYC and must travel via air to Atlanta and ultimately Washington D.C. with a completed 1/48th scale F4U-4B (sorry its not Japanese!). It is a present for my brother in law to be. Unfortunately, the model is finished wih a full compliment of bombs, rockets, and extended landng gear.

(Stuff just begging to come apart from the model.) How on earth do I travel without having

everything fall to pieces?

 

I came across an old- fashioned hatbox at my paren'ts house. It looks like it might work, if

I were to to carefully stuff it with styro "peanuts."

 

Any tips/hints/stories would be helpful

 

Happy Holidays,

 

Bill Steinberg

 

Re: Transportation of completed models

 

Posted By: Dave Pluth <info@j-aircraft.com>

Date: Thursday, 17 December 1998, at 5:38 p.m.

 

In Response To: Transportation of completed models (Bill Steinberg)

 

Bill,

 

For most of my traveling, I've had pretty good success with an old copier paper box. I cut out some packing foam and made something of a craddle. Through the foam I use a big fuzzy craft pipecleaners to tie things down. The paper box is basically cut in half to make it a bit smaller. It would probably be ok as a carry on for you, but I don't know if it would still survive the baggage handlers at the airport.

 

Hope this helpfs.

 

-Dave

 

Re: Transportation of completed models

 

Posted By: David_Aiken <David_Aiken@hotmail.com>

Date: Thursday, 17 December 1998, at 5:39 p.m.

 

In Response To: Transportation of completed models (Bill Steinberg)

 

Howdy Bill,

When I transported aircraft (carry on ONLY), I used the clear plastic "sweater box", or freezer box". They made good containers to stack ("clear plastic" to KNOW what was in the box), store (dust free), and transport.

 

Each plane was "jacked" on sponge rubber in the same jacking location the actual plane was "jacked" (usually under both wings and under the area forward of the tail wheel). Then they were "tied down" with strips of card stock across the top surface of both wings and across the fuselage and taped to the "floor" of the box.

 

Of course antenna, bombs, etc may change the location of the points noted.

Best wishes on the holiday season,

Mele Kalikimaka,

Cheers,

David Aiken

Return to Faqs