My local club chose “It Floats!” for this year’s show theme. Each show in this region that we typically attend we will bring a display. This year it was 1/72 floatplanes, seaplanes, flying boats, amphibians.
I finished this flying boat just in time for MarauderCon but because I was headed to Scale Model Challenge (more on that in another post!) I asked Whitey to take it for me. But given I’d broken the tail support wheels twice just taking pictures of the finished model, I knew I had to ensure it was properly packed for travel.
A simple solution that I’d had success with taking models all the way to IPMS Nats the last few years is to get a plastic bin with a locking lid. I then place a piece of 1 inch foam in the bottom, and then position blocks of 3 inch foam to support the model under neath in 3 points that keep the landing gear off the foam. I sit the model on this and reposition the foam blocks until I know they are in the right positions to ensure plenty of room around the model. Then I squirt some white glue between the blocks and bottom foam to hold the blocks in place.
Next I position some foam blocks on the top deep enough to ensure the model is suspended between the foam under pressure. I don’t want the model moving!
Sometimes I need more than 1 block on top of the model. In this case, I used a longer strip and built it up (gluing the blocks together as I went), placing it on the wing top. Another block was needed on the tail to ensure the model did not tip forward when the bin’s top was placed. I cut a V in the block to fit on the vertical stabilizer.
Once the lid goes on, it’s sandwiched tightly and the model won’t move. I wouldn’t toss it, but typical bumps and knocks will protect the model. The PBY came home with no damage at all.
Thanks for looking…
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