Wings of Intent: Miles M.38 Messenger - Aeroclub 1/72nd vintage vac

This model has been completed and posted -unusually for this blog- before I could post this step-by-step build:

https://wingsofintent.blogspot.com/2026/07/miles-m38-aeroclub-172nd-scale.html

As the material for this post was in another computer unreachable at the time.

So here it is, the step-by-process:

Those of us with many winters have seen the evolution of the industry from rather primitive injected kits to more developed ones, the coming of the vacuum-formed kit (in its many guises, from simple to very detailed and elaborate), the “resin revolution” that has given us a singular range, from despicable to almost perfection, the booming of the aftermarket offerings, the ever-increasing numbers of excellent injected kits (along with some current offerings that insist on still being in the Stone Age), and lately the “3D-printed revolution”, once more from rather coarse and sub-par efforts to what seem to be emerging as a new era in detail and kit manufacturing.

As a modeler I have reveled in all media and quality, finding pleasure in good kits as well as in those that with some care could become something better. Still today I am building kits of all media, and for some reason frequently find happiness and solace in a medium many modelers rather skirt: vacuform, since to me the hobby has been always a challenge to improve skills: manual as well as intellectual, plus behavioral (patience, persistence, self-improvement).

I don’t know what the future of the hobby may be. Perhaps every modeler will have a high-def printer and “manufacturers” (literally “those that fabricate manually”, who will obviously be that no longer) will just provide files. No idea where skill or challenge will then lay.

Thus, even as I keep an eye on what’s new, I regale myself with occasionally coming back to the origins: to tools, materials, skill and ingenuity.

This blog has many examples of vacuformed builds, dozens of them, from simple to complex. Today, to hopefully entice the reluctant ones amongst you, here is a build of a rather simple vintage vac kit from the shop of John Adams, of Aeroclub fame. This is an early effort and John has produced of course many examples of much more evolved kits, but for today this will do, plain and simple. I am aware that this medium is rather “niche”, but besides many manufacturers that are no more, there are still a couple keeping things running. Among them is Khee-Kha Art Products from Wasilla, Alaska, offering a range of vac kits and resin accessories (many of its creations are posted here in this blog).

Now, this is not intended as a vac-building tutorial, just as a nudge, a way to acquaint the interested modeler with the a few basics, as there are books out there on the subject and a few vac manufacturers provide detailed instructions and guidance with their kits (the above-mentioned Khee-Kha kits come with an extensive brochure full of very good advice).

The kit offers the possibility of being built with the aft squarish or teardrop windows. As I have leftover decals from a KP kit of the same plane, I will do the squarish aft windows version. For that, as per kit’s instructions, a larger section of the fuselage has to be removed. Beware, because doing this will render a somewhat flimsy structure that will need support and some creative solutions (hence the need for previous experience). But there is a silver lining: the panels of the center section of the canopy on the original plane open up as gull wings held by a structural member running in the middle at the top connecting windscreen with the aft windows section, hence making the fit much less critical. This is important on a vac as sanding the fuselage too little or two much impacts the transparencies fit. But fear not, many times just a bit of glued styrene sheet or stick will make up for too much sanding enthusiasm -or uneven sanding- restoring the part to its correct size.

To complete the build you will need decals, joysticks, rudder pedals, instrument decals, small diameter tube or stretched sprue to provide a missing member for the landing gear, and perhaps a hint of an engine to be seen through the nose opening. Beacons, Venturi, flap connecting ancillaries and exhaust will need to be provided too.