Frog Penguin

Just received a note from Peter van Lune regarding the warping/ disolving of Frog Penguin kits which we discussed a month or so back.

Peter has seen far more Frog Penguin survivors than I have, about 250, and he says that most are in good condition with minimal warping, nif any, and no disolving. I yield to his superior experience and I want to add that the disolving problem was not meant to be in reference to Frog Penguin kits, but rather to many of the wartime "ID" models, of which I have seen many in this condition in the last few years.

Thanks, Peter. Always happy to be corrected if it means an increase in knowledge.

Tom

Reply to
maiesm72
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There's info on why they go bad toward the bottom of this very large webpage:

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they go bad, they go _really_ bad:
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once it starts, there's no stopping it.

Pat

Reply to
Pat Flannery

Hi Tom, Glad to be of some assistance. Even more glad this 'dissolving' problem does not affect Frog Penguins at all, the 'warping' problem is enough! Both problems have different causes, for the first the type of ground material, for the second the fact that the part was taken from the mold too soon (before cooling down) or when exposing the Penguin to too much heat. I guess many boys owning a Penguin model in the

1936-45 period must have been astonished and angry to find their aeroplane turned to a blob, after playing with it and leaving it in the sun for too long... No such problem for the polysterene Airfix etc. models, issued after the war. All the more understandable since these last type of models were quite affordable 'pocketmoney' toys. Not the Penguins, for which they must have been saving for sometimes months. Warped Penguins is a serious problem, but many times restorable, if you know what to do. Expert restorer Bill Matthews will surely be able to give all the fine details, as well as possibilities and difficulties to do this delicate operation. As I wrote to you Tom, the larger models are more vulnerable, because of their weight (cellulose acetace is much heavier than polysterene) and should never be stored in a too warm area, neither be placed on the undercarriage for longer periods. Dropped wingtips will be the result, a type of warping often seen. Best to keep them stored with proper support under all surfaces, wings and fuselage. The 1939 Wellington seems especially vulnerable for warping. But the majority of the Penguins I have seen in the past 10 years are in good to fairly good condition. Not in case if you want to build them, since then even the smallest warping of, for instance, the fuselage, will prevent a proper fit. But unbuilt Penguins found today should not be built anyway... (only restored to their former glory). It will ruin its historical value and more than enough other brands are available to make that model.

Peter van Lune

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Reply to
lunetix

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