Help identifying porthole/window frame part (first post)

[Michael DelamarParticipant @michaeldelamar21097]

hello there guys

Im a little ashamed to admit that I have joined this forum to ask you chaps of your vast knowledge

my names Mike 24 from Liverpool, and I am a big model making fan, particulary model railways and Gerry Anderson sci fi shows

still awake? ;D

im sorry I do appreciate great model making, but I do know very little about ships and boats.

what it is, I am constructing a replica of a weird and wacky helijet vehicle from the 1960s TV show Thunderbirds, using the original 1960s aurora, revell and hawk kit parts as the studio model did,

problem is, stuck on the side is a rectangular porthole/window frame with rivet detail, Ive been told this may be from ripmax? as a detail accessory for wooden boats
you can see it painted silver on the side of the picture above

but Ive been searching the net for ages now trying to find this out, it is approx 20mm x 35mm and I cant find it at all, and it is holding up my build

does anyone recognise this part at all? I would be very greatfull for any help

and I dont mind any micky taking at all  ;D

thanks

Mike

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Mike

Why should any of us take the micky over your choice of model, in fact I think that the Thunderbird series had some very gifted model builders.

Can’t help with the part but I would suggest that it would not be to hard to make your own out of plasticard…..this might be your only option given the lapse of time.

So Thunderbirds are GO

Paul

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Hi Mike,

Certainly would not wish to for any ‘micky taking’. Some years ago a colleague moulded ‘Stingray’ in fibreglass. He regularly sailed this dynamic diving in lakes in the NW of England ( the illuminated craft sailed just under the surface) Much as I tried I couldn’t persuade him to mould me a hull. Contact was lost over the years.

p.s. the theme tune to ‘Fireball XL5’ is superb.

Good luck, Tony

[Michael DelamarParticipant @michaeldelamar21097]

thanks fat controller and Tony

a few people have made replicas, and they have scratchbuilt the window, it aint a problem, just wondered if it was a part that was still available, it seems to be a bit of a minefield of all the accessory detailing parts that are available, realise it was over 40 years ago, I think I may need to have a look at a ripmax or similar catalogue from the period?

Thunderbirds and thomas the tank in fact, are the reason why I got interested in model making from an early age, and my thunderbirds projects are a bit of light relief away from normal model railway building

cheers

Mike

[Michael DelamarParticipant @michaeldelamar21097]

"Some years ago a colleague moulded ‘Stingray’ in fibreglass"

 I would love a RC stingray or maybe Thunderbird 4 if it actually would work as a real submarine so will be sticking round to learn

 with regard the window porthole thingy ( I dont know terminology that well which is probably why Im having trouble searching) the only thing Ive come close to so far is a picture of a real one

 

Mike

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Mike

You are a man after my own heart, I also started model building after watching Fireball XL5, Stingray and most of all Thunderbirds.

I would dearly love to build a 6ft model of Stingray (I saw one once when I was a child and it was the most amazing model that I had ever seen) but I am not to sure regarding the dynamics of diving such a large model.

The technical term for the porthole thingy is Window…..

Good luck with the build and please let us know how you get on.

Paul

[Michael DelamarParticipant @michaeldelamar21097]

hehe ok window it is

 any idea what type of boat it would be from? anything to narrow the search down

 id imagine the scale would be 1/24

 is there any accessory manufacturers from the 1960s that are still going now?

I dont think there would have been as many as there are now

 i realise its probably a crude accessory that people maybe wouldnt use nowadays?

 and yeah will keep up to date if people are interested

 cheers

Mike

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Mike

Sorry for the technical terminology but after a life time in the building game I have just got used to all the technical jargon

I don’t know where to get such a window frame from as I tend to scratch build my own, all I can suggest is trawling through all the model shops and looking at all their old stock.

If people who like Star Trek are called "Trekkies" what are people who like Thunderbirds called?

Perhaps "Gerryites" or "Andersonites"

Vinnie will know.

Paul

[Michael DelamarParticipant @michaeldelamar21097]

gerry atrics?

 someone suggested they may be from a firm called Billings, wondering if that name rings a bell with anyone?

 cheers

 Mike

[mickParticipant @mick]

hiya michael delamar

i like to see something a bit different try [email protected] he does windows

in different scales for model life boats he might have something to help with your model

hope this helps mick  and happy modelling

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Mike

Billings do have a lot of fittings but I don’t think that they do a window like this, their web site is   http://www.billingboats.com

I do like "Gerry Atrics" it fits the bill very well.

Paul

[Michael DelamarParticipant @michaeldelamar21097]

thanks gents

 I have tried billings, and its not one of theres

the person who told me they where by ripmax was pretty certain of it, said they where plastic available chromed or white, and he’d seen it in a ripmax catalogue from the 70s years ago.

so Im searching for ripmax now, problem is the internet doesnt seem to have anything on it, Im not sure weather ripmax tend to concentrate on rc planes moreso nowadays?

 what Im asking for now really, is does anyone have any advice as to good shops that may still have them knocking about? or maybe an old ripmax catalogue, with say an item number or something?

I only want 1 or maybe 2

gotta be some still left out there somewhere

 cheers

 Mike

[Len OchiltreeParticipant @lenochiltree67043]

Checkout Bootfairs on the kids toy tables,you may be lucky,

dare I mention Profiles?

[Michael DelamarParticipant @michaeldelamar21097]

thanks Len

im ashamed to admit that in my impactience to discover the part, this wasnt the only model boat forum Ive registered to and asked, a chap has found this from a vic smeed magazine from the 1960s, it shows the part numbers and is definatley the ripmax part, so I least i know what to search for, but any advice on where to keep looking, such as good old shops people could recommend, any advice gratefully recieved

and I thought members here may be interested to see this…  its a collection of the Thunderbirds team shooting scenes using model boats back in the 1960s

http://www.eagletransporter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5288

cheers

Mike

[Len OchiltreeParticipant @lenochiltree67043]

Simple enough to make surely?

Len.  

[Michael DelamarParticipant @michaeldelamar21097]

guys, really appreciate the help, and Ive managed to track a few down, could have made one, but I just like to have the actual things they used,

 thanks

 Mike

[Len OchiltreeParticipant @lenochiltree67043]

Hi Mike,

Glad you got sorted,The thunderbirds photos were great,not to sure about balancing an electric fan on the edge of the boat pool though!

And your Profile is filled in on that site, Mmmmm.

Len.

[Michael DelamarParticipant @michaeldelamar21097]

yeah I dont think health and safety was heard of back then

will find a good pic and update my profile

 cheers

 Mike

[Michael DelamarParticipant @michaeldelamar21097]

Requesting help from eagle eyed modellers of an old model boat accessory part

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