Halinski standard on new Modelik kit

[Leif Ohlsson]

I just wanted to mention that among Modelik's latest new kits you will find a Twin Mustang in silver printing, plus a version of the Thunderbolt. If you click on the "more..." legend for each of the models, you will find that Modelik is offering a very generous pre-view of all their new kits.

My attention was caught, more so than the war-birds, by the AVIA BH-5 model, an obscure Czech civilian two-seater sports aircraft from 1923. From the preview, I would say that Modelik now has reached Halinski standard on some of their models, and the instructions in particlar.



The AVIA BH-5 1:33 model was designed by B. Grala & P. Siewierski. I don't know if these designers may have submitted models for Halinski as well, and it would be interesting to know.

To increase the interest for this the first among a possible new range of Modelik Models, I attach the pictures supplied on the Modelik page for the AVIA BH-5. Note particularly the very detailed control-rod linkage in the cockpit, the individual external instruments, the detailed prop, and of course in the first photo the very detailed engine.

[bagpiper]

I was immediatly directed towards the engine when I saw this. Looks like a very nice model with some fine detailing in the cockpit as well. Many thanks for posting the pictures from the website too.

Appreicate you sharing this with us.

Cheers
Jim

[Bomarc]

The bar is definitely being raised by Modelik. The F-82 appears to be the same kit that Mark (shrike) is working on, only with different markings (same designer at any rate). I recently purchased a Modelik model (German WWII search light) along with a Halinski (P-38G), and the struck me in those two kits was that there is printing on both sides of the card stock. I guess that's the new trend. There would have to be a lot of trust in the printing company they use if things were to be in perfect register front to back.

Mike

[Leif Ohlsson]

Searching for photos & history of the AVIA BH-5 I came upon an Avation Forum thread dedicated to the building of a replica of this vintage aircraft, plus the Avia BH-1. There is an enormous richness of photos in this thread!





As it turns out, the BH-5 made an historic flight between Prague and Brussels in 1923. And 85 years later this flight was replicated by two beautiful replicas of the BH-1 and the BH-5! Read all about it!

An image search for the AVIA BH-5 will turn out several photos displaying what a colourful aircraft it was. This one is by Mladá Boleslav:



Photos like the last one would indicate the need for some recolouring (beige or very light tan instead of bright white). Which makes the model all the more interesting to the masochists among us...

Leif

[GreMir]

Originally Posted by Bomarc

...The F-82 appears to be the same kit that Mark (shrike) is working on, only with different markings (same designer at any rate)....

Mike,
This is the same design.

[Gil]

It's heartening to see Modelik rise to the new standard set by Halinski. Selection of a homebuilt is not bad either.

Production of new models from Halinski has been unusually small of late (last year and a half)?...

Any word of the organizations health?

+Gil

[Alcides]

Leif thanks for the information and the links. The kit looks incredible.

About the planes the BH-3 is nice but I love this one, the BH-1:



Regards
Alcides

[Leif Ohlsson]

I couldn't stop thinking about the new Modelik kit of the Avia BH-5. Why did this particular model make me so happy? It's not that the type as such appealed to me overly much, and I had never, ever heard about it or come across it before. So why this inexplicable appeal?

As I set down to see what I could find about the original aircraft, some answers began to emerge. And they mostly, I found, had to do with why I love being a member of the paper model building community.

Let me explain what I mean with the help of a few of the photos I found on the web. (I'll get back in a later post with the sources. Let's just keep to this particular quest for answers yet a little while.)

Here's a couple of photos of the engine:



And a similar row of images of a single cylinder:



Do you see what I am getting at? - In what other branch of model-building could I hope to, in principle, master the whole process from images and drawings of an original, designing a model, and then building it to great detail in a very small scale? And all for the monetary cost of a few dollars or euros?

True, I as a person can't master this level of detail. But I can still appreciate how it is done, and - in another lifetime perhaps - I might be able to duplicate it with the resources I have even now.

By the way, note how the designers have modeled the engine down to the level of single valve springs. And built them in 1/33 scale! (Oh, how I would like to know what technique they used for those valve springs...)

How many models in any other technique do you think are available at this level of detail and scale fidelity? For several hundreds of dollars I might be able to hunt down some rare wood & metal kits which might come close to this. All the more wondrous that I can push this kind of model through my scanner, spend some time on the computer enlarging & rearranging the parts, and work a bit on the colours to get a result which would be very hard indeed to replicate in any other technique, at an impressive scale, and for a very small monetary cost (at least in comparison to other techniques).

Which is why I love being part of the paper-modeling community, even if I don't build much and finish even less.

Leif

[Lex]

I think Modelik has maintained a high standard and also a continual improvement. Only thing I'm still not seeing is the weathering present on Halinski kits, but that might as well be a characteristic of the publisher's preferences

[Ron40]

Lief,
Thanks for the link to Modelik. I agree they are approaching the
quality of Halinsky. I was not aware that they also have Laser
frames and some canopies. In the near future I plan on ordering
some more of their Models. I already have several and they are
some of the best on fit and Quality. Ron