Wings of Intent: Aeromarine 39b Red Goose Shoes flying avertising conversion- Ardpol 1/72nd

(The completed model is here:

https://wingsofintent.blogspot.com/2024/01/aeromarine-39b-flying-advertising.html

This is my first Ardpol kit build. I was aware of the manufacturer, but never got around to buying any of their offerings. In looking them up, I saw that they actually released some beautiful 1/72nd scale civil kits, like the RWD-10, RWD-16, and PWS-24, now mostly unavailable, as well as gliders in 1/48th. But the opportunity came in the form of civilizing an Aeromarine 39b for friend and fellow modeler Tom Polapink, for an extensive article on the general subject on Skyways magazine #112:

https://www.magcloud.com/browse/magazine/170888

Ardpol produces resin kits with photo-etched accessories, vacuformed transparencies when needed, and decals. The level of detail is high, the surfaces well represented, the thickness of flying surfaces properly done, and the trailing edges are rendered commendably thin. Overall a very fine offering. The castings are pretty good, only requiring a touch here and there, and filling the occasional air bubble. Beware that some of the locating holes for the struts and rigging need to be "helped" a bit with a drill bit (a couple were almost undetectable) and others need to be located using the plan and drilled anew. As it's the case in general with this type of design, the major challenges are first the setting and alignment of the lower and especially upper wing, and then the very complex rigging. I consider some of the kit parts as wishful thinking, as resin is not particularly resistant for some uses, and prone to breakage (the loop skids on the wingtip, tailskid, several rod-like parts, etc.). Other parts are better replaced than going through the fuss of cleaning them up (control columns, tail struts, for example). The engine is well-depicted, as is the detail inside the cockpit, but the latter will require a steady hand and painting dexterity. I replaced the aft bulkhead as otherwise it would have shown a partition line in the middle. There is no parts' map or numbers for the parts. The smaller ones come all in the same bag, and you have your usual share of small parts broken. I think it's better to replace the two "A" central wing struts with metal ones, as they are a bit flimsy and surely fragile (mine came slightly molded mismatched and deformed anyway). There are a few parts that have no match in the instructions, and vice-versa. If it's true that this is definitely a kit for the experienced modeler, some extra help would have come handy. The instructions include a very good drawing that can partially help with rigging, the plan states "1/72", but the drawing is noticeably smaller than the parts, at maybe 1/74th scale.

As most of the detail comes molded-in in the cockpit parts, the build can proceed with relative speed. Washing the parts is mandatory, and even after doing that carefully, the wings showed under primer spots where oily residue was still present, and that required wiping with acetone, washing, and re-priming. One "blooper" of this kit is that it includes a prop that rotates the wrong way, so the modeler has to provide the right prop. Something most manufacturers apparently are reluctant to do is to look at photos of the plane they want to kit. I had to replace the prop anyway because the plane I am representing had more of a scimitar-shaped blade. If representing a plane not in naval service, all the details for that use should be omitted, and the prominent fairings on the fuselage sides that hide the springs for the arrestor hook removed.

Arctic Decals provided their usual high-quality set for this model.