Partly OT: Rodney Williams' Totally Scratchbuilt Models

[Pisis]

I paste it here as shown on SimHQ.com by ColJLanders:

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Hi People,

In 2001, I had the privilage to be put in contact with a gentlemen by the name of Rodney Williams.....and before any of you jump to high, NOT the Rodney Williams from the NFL...lolol

Previously being an aircraft engineer, I approached Rodney asking him for any information he might have regarding P51 manufacturing records and serial numbers.....but he knew nothing. However, what I did realise is that this man is most likely the greatest model aircraft builder there has ever been!

In offering the links here, please be aware that Rodney is the COMPLETE 'scratch builder' and this means that EVERYTHING you see is totally hand-made! Nothing is from out of box, and each rivet, wire, cable, switch, gear, cog, wheel, spokes, gunsights, radiators, exhausts stacks, entire engines, wheel platforms, panels, straps, buttons, dials, buckles etc....have ALL been hand made to scale! As a result many of his aircraft take 2 years or more to complete, working hours a day.

Not so much models, these are museum pieces of the most outstanding order!

Hellcat :
http://www.skywriters.net/Gallery/hellcat.htm

P51D - 'The Duck'
http://s96920072.onlinehome.us/Fea1/101-200/Fea194_P-51_Williams/Fea194a.htm

http://s96920072.onlinehome.us/Fea1/101-200/Fea194_P-51_Williams/Fea194b.htm

http://s96920072.onlinehome.us/Fea1/101-200/Fea194_P-51_Williams/Fea194c.htm

http://s96920072.onlinehome.us/Fea1/101-200/Fea194_P-51_Williams/Fea194d.htm

P40 - Sharks Mouth :
http://www.p40warhawk.com/Models/RodneyWilliams/P-40E_1/P-40E_1.htm
(links at the bottom of each page for full article)

Speaking to him, I found out that he has incorporated such amazing items as single threads of ladies nylons for cables. Heated strips of plastic and pulled it apart to make long, thin hair-like wires. Cutting to scale tiny minute pieces of 'mm' grade copper tubing for hydrolics, and so much more it's mind boggling!

Now these planes come at a price!....And in Rodney's case, it had cost him the eyesight in one of his eyes (operation pending), and, unforunately, due to constant hemeraging of the good eye, he has recently offically retired from modelling all together. The few lucky people that have a 'Williams' model in there house or office now have them insured for big money......and you can see why.

It is my contention gentlemen, that Rodney has set a new benkmark in the whole genre of aircraft model making, and I just wanted all of you to see this guys extraordinary work now that production has now stopped for good!

Possibly the best there's ever been? You decide!

Thanks for reading!

Col.
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Pisis

 

[evangilder]

Wow! His models are really works of art. I wish I had that kind of time!

 

[cheddar cheese]

They look great! 8)

 

[JCS]

Wow those are great! I've scratch-built about a dozen models but mine look like out-of-scale junk compared to them....

 

[Bf109_g]

They are amazing!!

James.

 

[Matt308]

Museum quality is the perfect description. Fantastic work!

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

i agree they're amazing quality and that a lot of work has gone into them but they don't look too different to some of the better kits that've been made up?

 

[BlackWolf3945]

but they don't look too different to some of the better kits that've been made up?

Far from it...

Comparing what Rodney does, whether it's fully scratchbuilt or a heavily reworked kit, to any plastic model that's built straight outta the box (or given a typical treatment of aftermarket fixins) is like comparing my grade school airplane doodles with the aviation art of Ferris, Copic or Trudgian.

There is not one plastic model kit on the market today, nor has there been one in the past, which comes anywhere near to what this fella does...


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