CAF (Gary Austin) 1/72nd ID Model Project

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2012 11:49 am

Just thinking about this project that Gary had started for the CAF to better layout the main hangar in Midland. Alot of our own model builders were involved if Im not mistaken. What was the end result of this project? Did it fall to the wayside? Thanks in advance.

K5DH · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2012 11:58 am

I was wondering about this also. I sent Gary a C-45 model.

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2012 3:01 pm

I thought this was a really cool project and inventive. Bringing together the idea of the original WWII ID models with a modern usage. I especially liked Al's aircraft. Quite innovative. I was actually considering a similar project for our museum since were planning on having an actual hangar with which to move aircraft around. Thankfully we only have 12 aircraft to worry about right now. But Im torn...

Do I go with the all black ID models (identical to the CAF models)?

Or do I actually go for broke and create a really detailed diorama of the museum?

gregv · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2012 6:00 pm

I wonder about that project from time to time as well; I sent a few beefed-up models to Gary, including a Swordfish with folding wings, and I think I was organizing the who-was-building-what list.

Warbird Kid, personally I'd go for black models since it keeps things simpler and they have that cool WWII i.d. model feel to them. Would you do it in 1/72, or step up to 1/48 aka 1/4" = 1'-0"? Lemme know if you go ahead with this, I'd gladly build up another kit or two if you need volunteers.

greg v.

seabee1526 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 26, 2008 6:18 pm **Posts:** 459

Sorry, I don't mean to hijack this thread...but...if there are folks here interested in model making, Yankee Air has started a 1/72 Willow Run assembly plant. Maybe someone can make factory sections? Make a "group build" out of it, bring all the sections together to make one large complete Willow Run plant?

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Thu Sep 27, 2012 10:29 am

It's funny you mention that. Our museum (having the good fortune of also being directly related to a large factory) has been planning the build of a large 1/72nd diorama of the entire Vought main assembly line. Of course this is a monumental task, and will take thousands of hours to complete. Were also planning other various scales for different eras. More down the road at this point.

But the 1/72nd ID model and hangar diorama is more on the horizon for today than tomorrow.

Ztex · **Posted:** Thu Sep 27, 2012 10:11 pm

OK here's the scoop on the Gary Austin model thing...

A message from Brad...

Quote:

The model project was something Gary was doing in his spare time when there was no money to work on the airplanes. The CAF never really wanted it but Gary was just trying to do something different in the museum. All the models were in a box and in a storage room at the hangar. When Gary quit the CAF he didn’t take it with him for whatever reason.
Nobody knew about the box and I didn’t even think about it until about the time I finished selling all his stuff. I found the box by accident while looking for some stuff for “FIFI” and took it home with me. Several of the models were damaged from being crammed in the box and I threw them out.
About ten or twelve of them survived and I put them on a shelf in my office. Unfortunately, most didn’t survive the move from Oklahoma to Washington. I ended up throwing nearly all of them away. I probably still have one or two around here in a box. I guess I should have tried to find a home for everything when I discovered the box. But to tell you the truth, I was so emotionally drained from dealing with Gary’s death that I just didn’t have the heart to sell one more thing.

famvburg · **Joined:** Fri Oct 07, 2005 9:41 am **Posts:** 540

I remember at Harlingen, in the gift shop area, there was a big glass cabinet with 1/72 models of CAF aircraft. IIRC, it was fairly extensive and many models had been nicely converted to their appopriate full sized counterparts, i.e., the Me 109 was an Ha 1112, the Martin B-26 had been converted with 3 blade DC-6 props and I think there was an He 111 converted to a CASA 2.111 and all were correctly marked as well. What became of those? I can't imagine them surviving the move to Midland.

John Dupre · **Posted:** Fri Sep 28, 2012 8:48 pm

seabee1526 wrote:

Sorry, I don't mean to hijack this thread...but...if there are folks here interested in model making, Yankee Air has started a 1/72 Willow Run assembly plant. Maybe someone can make factory sections? Make a "group build" out of it, bring all the sections together to make one large complete Willow Run plant?

I remember seeing somewhere maybe the EAA Museum a diorama of a WW2 production line that used about 6 models and included mirrors at each end. When you looked in one of the mirrors the reflection from the other created what looked like an endless line of aircraft. Very cool.

gregv · **Posted:** Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:57 pm

there's the classic Sheperd Paine B-26 factory diorama:

http://sheperdpaine.com/gallery/aircraft/index.htm

It is however one aircraft with mirrors both sides.

greg v.

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CAF (Gary Austin) 1/72nd ID Model Project

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