Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I’ll start. There is only one for me, the Spatman.

 

For such a small simple model it’s just so much big fun. It’s the model I always take to the field and fly in weather I wouldn’t fly some of my bigger models. It’s amazing how much you can throw it around with just the rudder and elevator. Rolls are great fun, full throttle and full rudder and around she goes, there even better if you pop the gear off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

It's time to update my database.

 

Over the last few mouths, I've been busy with a restoration, a second little Spatman, the one I saw on eBay at the start of December. This time I'm keeping it original with a IC power. Starting with my OS10 Max, but will be replaced later with a SC15 for some big fun. She all done and read for her re-maiden some time soon.

 

Then after Christina reached out with her late stepdad's 50-inch Hawker Hurricane, a deal was done and Monday the postman delivered it to my door. For a kit that was made around the 80s, it's in fantastic condition. So once my 2nd Martin Baker MB5 resto is complete, then the Hurricane will hopefully be the next one up. I'm thinking it's time to upgrade the power to electric, of course.  A set of retracts will be a nice addition, after all it does say on the box "For greater realism can be fitted with retractable undercarriage". Having had a quick look at the versus Mk's I'm taken with the Mk IID Tank Busters of No 6 squadron with the two big cannons.

 

Bowman Database Jan 23.JPG

20230113_120324.jpg

20230113_120420.jpg

20230116_114311.jpg

20230116_114648.jpg

20230116_115622.jpg

Edited by Roy Thompson
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
On 23/04/2021 at 19:47, GONZO said:

You may already know this but there is a lot of similarity between some of the Bowmans kits and the Galaxy models kits of the same era. Specifically the Bowmans Simple Skyman and the Galaxy models Escort. In fact there was a legal battle over copyright which Galaxy lost. Flow both in the past as 3ch and 4ch models and couldn't tell the difference. Got the Galaxy models Escort plan stashed away somewhere and an almost complete Escort GT, a version that had a semi symmetrical built up wing for 0.40cu in motors.

I had the Galaxy Models Escort GT, I flew it at the Aqua Nats and Leisure Lakes float plane comps. 

 

 

Escort GT.jpg

Edited by Stephen Rawsthorne 1
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 07/02/2023 at 17:15, Stephen Rawsthorne 1 said:

Found a old black and white picture of my simple stuntman, think its from 79 or 80. 

 

I'm assuming that wasn't Fairy Liquid you were put in your stuntman!

 

I wouldn't mind having a go at putting together a stuntman one day, and Ron Evens offer on page one still keeps tempting me. Trouble is, it would be joining an ever-growing project waiting list.

 

On that subject of the project list, we have managed to tick one thing off. The glow powered Spatman restoration had it maiden Monday powered by my old OS 10max currently. Not much to report apart from the little wheels didn't like our grass, but she got away nicely from a hand launch and flew well, only needing a couple of things seeing to like, a little bigger prop, bigger wheels and tick over adjusting.

 

The Hurricane has been put away for the time being until my old glass fiber MB5 (Not Bowman related!) has been complete and off the building board.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, Roy Thompson said:

I'm assuming that wasn't Fairy Liquid you were put in your stuntman!

 

I wouldn't mind having a go at putting together a stuntman one day, and Ron Evens offer on page one still keeps tempting me. Trouble is, it would be joinad bothing an ever-growing project waiting list.

 

On that subject of the project list, we have managed to tick one thing off. The glow powered Spatman restoration had it maiden Monday powered by my old OS 10max currently. Not much to report apart from the little wheels didn't like our grass, but she got away nicely from a hand launch and flew well, only needing a couple of things seeing to like, a little bigger prop, bigger wheels and tick over adjusting.

 

The Hurricane has been put away for the time being until my old glass fiber MB5 (Not Bowman related!) has been complete and off the building board.

No the fairy liquid bottle contained the cheapest fuel I could buy, the radio was a Waltron, wish I still had it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

It's been some time since I last posted here, but I have news of a new bowman project, and it's a bit bigger than the last bowman model I rebuilt.

 

First the bad news, the Bowman Hurricane kit is going to wait a bit longer. Good news, The MB5 I was working on is now finished, and another project has replaced the Hurricane at the top of the to-do list.

 

Found on eBay recently not one but 2 Bowman Miles Magisters. One is a complete model in need of TLC, the second is an incomplete, part built kit.

The hope is between the two I can put together one very nice example.

 

The model I've already collected, It's bigger than I first imagined! As you can see, its main problem is the delamination on the wings, the kit I will collect later this weekend. Then I will go through both and make a plan on how best to complete the model.

s-l1600.jpg

s-l16001.jpg

s-l16004.jpg

Bowman Model kits DataBase 03-06-23.JPG

20230530_174635.jpg

Edited by Roy Thompson
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Well, I collected the other magister kit shortly after my last post. So between the two we should have every thing needed to complete a refurbished model. The second incomplete kit will be the part's bird for the first model. The two outer panels are in good condition, but the mid-panel veneer is shot, however. Unfortunately, no plan and none of the wood stock were with it, but most of the hardware was, including untouched cowl and spats.

 

Since then, work has been under way stripping, inspecting and staring on doing the repairs.

 

In the meantime, another Bowman kit has appeared on eBay, so that's been added to the collection. It's a Raider 26 sports model, not one I've come across before, but worth putting together with an electric conversion at some point.537443489_BowmanDB5-7-23.thumb.JPG.7c3e56df36920af65df4c874bb659945.JPG

20230604_131805.jpg

s-l1600h.jpg

XCWB4256.JPG

20230703_215957.jpg

IMG_E1437.JPG

IMG_E1439.JPG

IMG_1434.JPG

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 months later...
1 hour ago, Roy Thompson said:

That’s looks like a late kit, going by the address on the box art. I wonder if its from when they were sold to Complete-A-PACK. Any idea’s?

Roy, I thought Bowmans moved to the West country in the later years. Did they then move back to East Anglia?

Maybe you could add a timeline for them if you know it; I certainly don't.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Robin Colbourne said:

Roy, I thought Bowmans moved to the West country in the later years. Did they then move back to East Anglia?

Maybe you could add a timeline for them if you know it; I certainly don't.

Don’t quote me on ANY of this, 🙂 but as far as I can remember and I can’t put dates to a lot of this, it goes like this  

 

Start: 37-39 Upper Orwell St, Ipswich.

 

Next: Franklyn, Deymans Hill Tiverton.

 

Then: A tie up Compete-A-PAC.

 

Anglia Model Centre, buy Bowman’s & I think Complete-A-Pac and then continued to support the brands until they close.

 

JoTiKa ltd (Caldercraft) buy Bowman’s brand among others from AMC (2019/2020) plan to relaunch the range at some point in the future (could be some time off yet!).

 

If any one wants to correct or add to any of this Please feel free..

 

Silly me if I looked at the box art properly I would have seen it came from the Anglia Model centre. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, Roy Thompson said:

Don’t quote me on ANY of this, 🙂 but as far as I can remember and I can’t put dates to a lot of this, it goes like this  

 

Start: 37-39 Upper Orwell St, Ipswich.

 

Next: Franklyn, Deymans Hill Tiverton.

 

Then: A tie up Compete-A-PAC.

 

Anglia Model Centre, buy Bowman’s & I think Complete-A-Pac and then continued to support the brands until they close.

 

JoTiKa ltd (Caldercraft) buy Bowman’s brand among others from AMC (2019/2020) plan to relaunch the range at some point in the future (could be some time off yet!).

 

If any one wants to correct or add to any of this Please feel free..

 

Silly me if I looked at the box art properly I would have seen it came from the Anglia Model centre. 


Thanks Roy, that's a big help.  Very interesting that they may still see the light of day again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

As it's been some time since I last updated here, I thought I better pull me finger out.

First up, the Raider is still waiting to be covered, over projects have taken over for now, but we will soon be back at it.

Front 3/4

As for the Magister, that is all done and had a few flights last year and is currently in storage until the nice weather returns. I realise that I've not posted any finished pictures here, so I'll put that right, with some before and after shots.

Looking good in the sunshine.

 

Img_9036s.jpg

Img_9033s.jpg

Img_9015s.jpg

Img_9002s.jpg

s-l16001.jpg

s-l1600.jpg

s-l16003.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Someone pick up a bargain  yesterday on eBay. NIB SKYMAN 55” 3ch with a roll of film to go with it. The roll of film probably worth 1/4 of the price alone 😀

 

Thats the second Skyman in as many months to pop up. I was tempted but resisted the temptation to add this to my stock of kits, and if they had been the 4ch versions, I may have had a bid.

 

I wonder if we’ll see either of them crop up on here, I hope so.

 

IMG_1739.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 27/02/2024 at 08:45, Roy Thompson said:

Someone pick up a bargain  yesterday on eBay. NIB SKYMAN 55” 3ch with a roll of film to go with it. The roll of film probably worth 1/4 of the price alone 😀

 

Thats the second Skyman in as many months to pop up. I was tempted but resisted the temptation to add this to my stock of kits, and if they had been the 4ch versions, I may have had a bid.

 

I wonder if we’ll see either of them crop up on here, I hope so.

 

IMG_1739.jpeg

Very nice find Roy!  Was that the kit that 'A Plane Olde Bargain' was advertising recently?
Is this completed one on Ebay a Simple Skyman or Escort?  It appears to have a strange hump behind the wing, or is the wing too far forward?

I spent ages searching "Galaxy Models Escort" on Google.  Very interesting, but I didn't see any model aeroplanes... 🤪

Bowmans Simple Skyman or Galaxy Models Escort on Ebay888085023_BowmansSimpleSkymanorGalaxyModelsEscort(cropped).jpg.f84d877602e4834be1f290ada300091d.jpg

Edited by Robin Colbourne
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...