Hotntot
Senior Airman
Ditto T Bolt Terry. I have only one in my stash and I'll need all the help I can get as and when I ever try doing it.
No 56 Squadron, RAF, 'The Firebirds', 1918 - 2008.
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- #222
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
I'll take the pics guys, and I'll let you know how to do it when I find out!!
I haven't done any rigging for at least 30 years, so I hope I can still do it - soon find out !
I haven't done any rigging for at least 30 years, so I hope I can still do it - soon find out !
Crimea_River
Marshal
Looking good Terry and I'm sure the rigging will all work out nicely in the end.
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- #224
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks Andy. It should be OK, the only thing I'm bothered about is whether my knackered hands will cope with the fiddly work!
In this instance, the model will be painted first, then the exhausts and other small bits added, then decaled, then the rigging added to the top wing, before this is attached to the main plane and cabane struts. The rigging will then be fed through the appropriate holes in the bottom wing, glued, trimmed, and all the holes sealed and re-touched.
In preparation for this, work is underway on the top wing and inter-plane struts, with more holes being drilled, making it more than fifty of the little blighters drilled so far.
PIC 1 shows the under side of the top wing, with the holes for the flying wires, bracing and control cables drilled.
PIC 2. The inter-plane struts provided in the kit are rather 'heavy', and straight, with only a token gesture of an aerofoil section, but hey, this kit has it's origins in an early 1960s moulding. To improve the look of them, work is underway re-shaping, thinning and creating a better aerofoil appearance. On the left, a kit part, and one undergoing re-profiling on the right.
PIC 3. A test fit shows a better scale appearance, although by no means 100% accurate. Once these are properly fitted, the ribs between the struts will be sanded flush, and any gaps filled and smoothed.
Meanwhile, it's back to cutting, shaving and sanding!
More soon, when I make some worthwhile progress.
In this instance, the model will be painted first, then the exhausts and other small bits added, then decaled, then the rigging added to the top wing, before this is attached to the main plane and cabane struts. The rigging will then be fed through the appropriate holes in the bottom wing, glued, trimmed, and all the holes sealed and re-touched.
In preparation for this, work is underway on the top wing and inter-plane struts, with more holes being drilled, making it more than fifty of the little blighters drilled so far.
PIC 1 shows the under side of the top wing, with the holes for the flying wires, bracing and control cables drilled.
PIC 2. The inter-plane struts provided in the kit are rather 'heavy', and straight, with only a token gesture of an aerofoil section, but hey, this kit has it's origins in an early 1960s moulding. To improve the look of them, work is underway re-shaping, thinning and creating a better aerofoil appearance. On the left, a kit part, and one undergoing re-profiling on the right.
PIC 3. A test fit shows a better scale appearance, although by no means 100% accurate. Once these are properly fitted, the ribs between the struts will be sanded flush, and any gaps filled and smoothed.
Meanwhile, it's back to cutting, shaving and sanding!
More soon, when I make some worthwhile progress.
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a great improvement Terry
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- #228
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks chaps, it's appreciated.
A4K
Brigadier General
Great stuff Terry!
Mine is in for a paint-strip bath tomorrow, got the DOT-4 brake fluid as Wojtek suggested (thanks for the tip Wojtku!)
Mine is in for a paint-strip bath tomorrow, got the DOT-4 brake fluid as Wojtek suggested (thanks for the tip Wojtku!)
Vic Balshaw
Major General
It's these little struts and the fixing of them that scares the hell out of me when building bi-planes. Rigging, not so much of a problem providing you have a good diagram to guide you.
What? the rigging is not done yet! 
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- #232
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Long way to go before any rigging is attempted Wayne!
Vic, I agree, getting the struts in place, and properly aligned, scares the c**p out of me !
Vic, I agree, getting the struts in place, and properly aligned, scares the c**p out of me !
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- #233
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
So far, the struts haven't been as bad as I expected, although it hasn't been all plain sailing, with lots of test-fitting, checking and alterations to do.
The pics explain the sequence so far.
PIC 1. With the inter-plane struts re-profiled, they have been cemented in place into the slots in the upper wing, and checked for alignment with the holes in the lower wing. Here is one of the struts before blending-in the horizontal joining bar.
PIC 2. Once each set of struts had fully set, and the alignment was acceptable, the recessed joint bars were filed and sanded flush with the wing surface.
PIC 3. Once smooth, any small gaps were filled with PVA. This should look acceptable once painted.
PIC 4. The cabane struts I expected would cause a few problems, and I was right. They are quite basic and a little over scale, but not much can be done about that, apart from a light sanding. The base of each strut had to be filed, cut, and sanded, to allow them to locate into the very shallow and poorly defined recessed mounting points on the fuselage. The gaps will be cleaned-up and filled when fully set.
PIC 5. The cabane mounting points before being hollowed out more, to allow a better fit - sort of!
PIC 6. Aligning the inter-plane and cabane struts, the latter one side at a time, and one strut at a time. Note the upper locating pins are not fitting into the holes in the upper wing at this stage, with only three of the cabane struts tackled so far.
PIC 7. The solution was to enlarge the locating holes in the upper wing. I've since drilled the four inboard rigging holes I'd forgotten about! The two central holes are for the Foster mount for the Lewis gun on top of the wing.
So, another couple of hours messing about should get things sorted, I hope, although I'll have to live with the poorly moulded cabanes. However, with the top wing in place, and once the Vickers gun, Aldis sight and other bits are fitted, along with the rigging, they should look passable.
Thanks again for your kind comments and continued interest, and I'll post another update when some progress has been made.
The pics explain the sequence so far.
PIC 1. With the inter-plane struts re-profiled, they have been cemented in place into the slots in the upper wing, and checked for alignment with the holes in the lower wing. Here is one of the struts before blending-in the horizontal joining bar.
PIC 2. Once each set of struts had fully set, and the alignment was acceptable, the recessed joint bars were filed and sanded flush with the wing surface.
PIC 3. Once smooth, any small gaps were filled with PVA. This should look acceptable once painted.
PIC 4. The cabane struts I expected would cause a few problems, and I was right. They are quite basic and a little over scale, but not much can be done about that, apart from a light sanding. The base of each strut had to be filed, cut, and sanded, to allow them to locate into the very shallow and poorly defined recessed mounting points on the fuselage. The gaps will be cleaned-up and filled when fully set.
PIC 5. The cabane mounting points before being hollowed out more, to allow a better fit - sort of!
PIC 6. Aligning the inter-plane and cabane struts, the latter one side at a time, and one strut at a time. Note the upper locating pins are not fitting into the holes in the upper wing at this stage, with only three of the cabane struts tackled so far.
PIC 7. The solution was to enlarge the locating holes in the upper wing. I've since drilled the four inboard rigging holes I'd forgotten about! The two central holes are for the Foster mount for the Lewis gun on top of the wing.
So, another couple of hours messing about should get things sorted, I hope, although I'll have to live with the poorly moulded cabanes. However, with the top wing in place, and once the Vickers gun, Aldis sight and other bits are fitted, along with the rigging, they should look passable.
Thanks again for your kind comments and continued interest, and I'll post another update when some progress has been made.
Attachments
T Bolt
Colonel
Looking good Terry! If I remember correctly the fit and alignment of the top wing went pretty smoothly when I built that kit. I used Testors tube glue so so I would have some time to get every thing right, and also for strength.
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- #235
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks Glenn. It seems to be lining up OK, and test-fitting shows the top wing should sit in place properly, to the point that it looks like it will be a lot stronger than I originally anticipated.
Crimea_River
Marshal
Coming along nicely Terry.
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- #237
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks Andy.
coming together nicely Dogsbody
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- #239
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Cheers mate. I hope to make some good progress tonight, all being well.
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- #240
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Well, I got a little bit done. The cabane struts are on, and aligned, a padded head rest made and fitted, along with a new Vickers machine gun, and the first coat of paint has been applied to the underside of both wings, tail planes and rear fuselage.
PIC 1 shows the cabane struts in place, with the cooling jacket and muzzle of the Vickers gun, made from ribbed tube from a cotton bud, and two gauges of plastic rod. The head rest is a piece of shaped plastic card. Theses latter additions have yet to be cleaned-up and sanded as required.
PIC 2. The underside has been brush-painted in a mix to represent the clear-doped bleached linen fabric, and has been applied in a deliberately streaky manner. The next coat will be thinner, to even things out, but give the impression of the almost translucent appearance between the wing ribs.
Once this has been done, the leading edges of the undersides of both wings and the tail planes will be masked, along with the lower, rear fuselage, before painting the upper surfaces. (The upper colour 'wrapped around' the edges of the wings and fuselage.)
The upper surface colour was known as PC.10 (Protective Coating No.10), and was a dark green colour with a distinct brown tone, and not the green often depicted. This will be mixed from Humbrol No. 163 Dark Green, black, and Humbrol No.26 Khaki. Once that's done, it will be time to apply some of the decals, and paint the individual aircraft identification markings, before thinking about starting on the small parts, then the rigging.
More soon, I hope.
PIC 1 shows the cabane struts in place, with the cooling jacket and muzzle of the Vickers gun, made from ribbed tube from a cotton bud, and two gauges of plastic rod. The head rest is a piece of shaped plastic card. Theses latter additions have yet to be cleaned-up and sanded as required.
PIC 2. The underside has been brush-painted in a mix to represent the clear-doped bleached linen fabric, and has been applied in a deliberately streaky manner. The next coat will be thinner, to even things out, but give the impression of the almost translucent appearance between the wing ribs.
Once this has been done, the leading edges of the undersides of both wings and the tail planes will be masked, along with the lower, rear fuselage, before painting the upper surfaces. (The upper colour 'wrapped around' the edges of the wings and fuselage.)
The upper surface colour was known as PC.10 (Protective Coating No.10), and was a dark green colour with a distinct brown tone, and not the green often depicted. This will be mixed from Humbrol No. 163 Dark Green, black, and Humbrol No.26 Khaki. Once that's done, it will be time to apply some of the decals, and paint the individual aircraft identification markings, before thinking about starting on the small parts, then the rigging.
More soon, I hope.
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