Model Forum / General / Models / January 2008

There's info on why they go bad toward the bottom of this very large
webpage: http://www.commercemarketplace.com/home/CollectAir/Museum.html
When they go bad, they go _really_ bad:
http://www.commercemarketplace.com/home/CollectAir/b17iddamage.jpg
http://www.commercemarketplace.com/home/CollectAir/b17idturret.jpg
http://www.commercemarketplace.com/home/CollectAir/corsairid.jpg
And once it starts, there's no stopping it.

Pat

On 10 jan, 23:34, "maies...@netscape.com" <maies...@netscape.com>
wrote:

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
www.frogpenguin.com