British WWII 'Buckram' ID models

[grwebster]

Buckram models are molded using a stiff cotton cloth soaked in a plaster-like starch. They are fragile and not many survived wartime use. Here are two of these models. Most British ID models have a decal/transfer with a stores number under the item, but these, if they ever had them, do not today.


this model has some separation and the cloth material can be seen.

[BWBrown]

Hi -
Buckram models (aka Hessian Cloth in the UK) can best be repaired with some Elmer's glue. You can use it to seal cracks or separations, and it dries relatively colorless. You should try this on that frayed wingtip, GR! Regards -- Bryan

[grwebster]

good idea, will do

[BWBrown]

Another note: The buckram models are water soluble, so don't rinse them off to clean them. How do I know this, you might ask? Well, I had a pipe burst in my upstairs bathroom. It was, unfortunately, my hot water pipe. I came home to find water gushing out from under my garage door. The water was cold by that time, since the water heater had long since exhausted its contents. The cascade of hot-to-cold water removed the ceiling in my garage, from which many of my UK models hang. The wooden models and metal models were fine, but the buckram models were pretty much toast! As they say, a word to the wise .............
-- Bryan

[ramseyd]

Bryan,
Did you ever try to repair the ruined ones? Fortunately, our water pipes are in the floor so wil not have that problem. I do worry about the heat, even though mine are in an air conditioned room. Since they are hanging from a 10 foot ceiling, I suspect the Cruvers are getting a little more heat than I would like.
Dennis

[BWBrown]

hi Dennis -
Yes, I restored the damaged models as best I could. I still have them, and they are still hanging from the roof of my garage, but my Halifax never approached the crispness and beauty it possessed originally. I don't know if you have ever taken one of these apart, but they are molded over a simple wooden T-shaped frame. The problem with exposing any of these buckram models to an environment of high humidity is that the major panels collapse into concave configurations. I've never been able to successfully overcome that problem. Maybe if I tried injecting air into the model to expand it ...? I haven't gotten that adventurous yet, but with nothing else to lose I might try this next time.
Regards! -- Bryan