Aluminum or brass tubing for 1/48 Skyraider barrels

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Techniques
1

Is the 1/16" aluminum and brass tubing small enough to replace the cannon barrels on a 1/48 Skyraider kit?

Thanks

Mike

2

Mike,

When I built my Monogram A-1 several years ago, I measured the kit weapons with a set of dial calipers and used the K&B tubing that was closest (couple of thousands larger). Not sure but think it was the 1/16" and it came out looking pretty good.

3

Thanks Quincy.

I have only seen the tubing online so I was unaware as to how it looked in person. I will have to locate some around here.

Mike

4

Scale-wise it’s going to be a bit big outside. 1/16" tubing is 0.0625 OD which would equate to 3" diameter at 1/48 scale. The inside diameter is too small for me to measure, but I’d say it’s around 1/32" or less. That would equate to 1-1/2" at 1/48 scale, or about a 38mm (or less) bore. If they had 30mm cannon you are in business. Even if they had 20mm I don’t think you’ll get alot closer.

I’ve got 3’ of it downstairs. How much do you need? [:D]

5

Scott,

The aluminum tube that Micro-Mark sells lists it as the following:
1/16 inch O.D., .014 inch wall.

I only need about 6" of it at the most. Does anyone make it smaller than 1/16" without having to find hypo needles?

Mike

6

These guys have it down to 0.0058 OD, but you pay for it to because it’s stainless steel hypo tubing!
http://www.smallparts.com

6" of HTX-22 (which has an ID of 0.016" that should correspond to 20mm at 1/48 scale) is $1.70!

7

Scott,

Thanks for the link. [tup]
I had seen this web site in the past but had forgot about it.

I wish their shipping prices were lower though as $8.95 for a piece of tubing is outrageous. [:0]

Mike

8

Oooowwwwwww … I didn’t even notice that. You are right, Mike, that is absurd. Sure raises the price per inch for those cannon barrels!

9

Mike,
Your order to them also has to be at least $20. I ordered several different varieties of tubing for the 40mm and 20mm guns for the Missouri I’m trying to piece together. The tubing is beautiful, though. I ordered in 2 and 3 foot lengths, and the stuff came packaged in nice plastic tubes. If you didn’t live 3,600 miles away, I’d go in with you on an order…

Gip Winecoff

10

Thanks Scott and Gip.

I am going to try and find some around here as there has to be some in this area. We do have the Silicon Valley here you know. [:D]
Maybe one of the bigger LHS like San Antonio Hobbies would have this tubing.
If not, I may just order several sizes of the tubing from “Small tools” to make the shipping worth the price. I will need the tubing for .50’s on the P-40 as well as most all of the WWII aircraft, so I will need a few feet of that. [;)]

Mike

11

Gip,

Their web site says, “No minimum order” in the terms and conditions section.

Mike