You could dope them by brushing on liquid crazy glue. I have a 37 year old row boat I doped up with liquid crazy glue, and people swear it's plastic. I would never do this again, the piece was on a stick, and I did it outside. It stunk so bad, I could not take it into the house, but 4 days outside, and that was gone. I then pained over it, and I have actually sailed this 9" boat down water tanks 100' feet long x 6' wide at a place I used to work at. There was a massive floor fan at one end, and the little boat, after a few trims, sailed smartly, and the water did not effect it. It is the oldest model I own. One of the Balsa side seats fell out, when my wife was cleaning, and I think she swept it up. I should re-do it, and make a new mast and sail. My sister has the first one, with a wooden deck, made out of Popsicle sticks. That one is around the same age, but is a Catboat. My sister treasures it, and has taken much better care of it than I ever would.
You damned right those models are expensive, and yes, they look it! If you think how much a mold costs to make a plastic one, with all the modern machinery, about that same amount of time, but mold is probably in the million dollar range. Of course, it will pop out a million models, but it won't pop out something like what you made. Something always get lost. It takes a fine plastic modeler a lot of sanding and greebling to bring a plastic models to life, and you're already there!!
I get it...oh well...Yep good idea...and I wasn't suggesting a replacement, but turning into some rust/war damage would work GREAT... You could try a bit of CV glue... place a drop or so on wax paper and use a toothpick to spread over the vent parts..and when dry you can coax them back to shape... they will then resist warping when you get some paint on it! and just wanted to say, OVERALL Looking GREAT!!!
