too fiddly for my old hands, but im really enjoying watching you build this. i noticed there were 2 props in the kit?  what is the criteria for which prop you use?

Chuck Davis

Tim - as an option for bases, you could check this place out: http://www.modellers-warehouse.com.au/Wild%20places/Foliage%20mats%201%20page/scalemodelinggra.html

I don't want to tip my hand, but I'm not going with a realistic base. I'm shooting going for one that commemorates the GB.

Phil - beautiful work so far, sir!

Tim - as an option for bases, you could check this place out: http://www.modellers-warehouse.com.au/Wild%20places/Foliage%20mats%201%20page/scalemodelinggra.html

The Pup is progressing nicely, Phil.

I've started giving some thought to my D.VII's base. Gotta get out to Michael's or Hobby Lobby and look for some materials.

Phil

Looks like a marvelous build coming along. For recreation sometimes I look at the gallery at Des Delatorre's terrific site www.ww1aircraftmodels.com or at Bob's Buckles.  Yours looks like it's going to be in that category. Must be something about biplanes or ships that brings out the creative juices because even though I like all modelling, a good bipe or ship is something special. Maybe it's the fishing line. (In case you want to check another very nice Pup build, Doogatx here did a WNW Pup for the Great War GB on this board and is on his site doogsmodels.com/.../sopwith-pup-rnas ).

The ship modelling guru Jim Baumann came up with a terrific idea for fighting rigging sag: works for monofilament, stretched sprue and coated fly tying line. He burns an incense stick and watches the smoke go up: it's warm enough maybe an inch and a half away - just keep it moving. Only way I know to be able to see where the heat is going and quit as soon as you see things tightening up. It works really well on planes and 1/700 ships because you can handle the model as well as the incense and come up from any angle. (I screwed up some rigging once doing that because of a California earthquake tremor - caused me to touch the line with the lit incense: burning incense will cut 1lb tippet. Minus such things it works great.

If you use metal tubing, how long do you make it for 1/32 scale? I'm going to make a run to Bob's Buckles to replace some that I misplaced and am not really sure about the length.  Advice?

Be watching. I've got a Pflaz III at home and am waiting inspiration.

Eric

Ok new update with pictures below.

Had a good think about the cockpit control cables and decided that I needed something to glue them too so added a bit of bracing.

I've fixed one side and will be sorting the control cables this weekend. I have noticed one problem with the Wingnut instructions, the cockpit cover isn't mentioned at all! It just appears (bit of a Dragon flash back there). I was a little worried that it was going to be a problem but the part is there so will add it at some point.

I have done some work on a base for the kit. Used the old fashioned picture frame which I built up with some heavy artist card and a good coat of Tamiya Field Gray

I then added a mat from Reality In Scale which looks very nice. Small problem in that it was about 5mm short on both sides. I've filled the gap but I think it still needs some work to blend it in

I should get the cockpit closed up this weekend and start work on the green paint and some other bits to get a good run at it on a long weekend

Phil

Great work! I'm watching this thread with interest as I just ordered a SE.5a 'Hisso'

from Wingnut Wings.

Phil: Just fantastic Phil, you guys are going to convince me to run out and pick up one of the Wingnut models myself...

Nice work, Phil. Having rigged my cockpit recently, I'm happy to be through that particular gauntlet. Is that lozenge I see up under the pedals?

Picture updates

In the past 15 minutes I've managed to get the cockpit side up after running the rigging for all the controls. For a change I used Ez-Line, its a little thinker and is a nice black so should stand out against the back ground. I'll get some pictures together this week end when i should be able to get the seat and instrument panel installed

Phil

Hi Phil,

So how goes the Pup?

The rigging looks pretty good, Phil.  Apparently I have that to do next on my DH-9a.  Anybody ever try Spider Wire fishing line?

Looking good Phil. I can relate to the time involved in fabricating and wiring in those buckles. A lot of it can pass quickly - probably why I opted for the Gaspatch buckles this time 'round - actual bench time is hard for me to come by these days.

Bob, I've been tempted to try that 2lb test, especially for the added structural strength it gives to the airframe (IOW, does what rigging is supposed to do). A few ?'s though, like how well CA bonds to it, and also if there is a tendency for lines to sag over time, and if so, how to re-tighten them.

Hi Phil,

 Great work thus far

You may want to take a look at fishing line made by MAXIMA. Their 2lb (0.12mm) line is just the ticket for 1/32 birds. It's the line I use 90% of the time. It passes through the 0.5 tube and eyelet with wiggle room (tube run through with a 0.3 HSS drill bit to clean out swarf)  to spare. Image below.

Good luck!

Von Buckle

This weekends update

Doesn't look like much today but its about 3 hours!!

Things I learn are the slower you go the better and breath deep often. I manages one side without problems, on the second side I was tightening the lines using a very little heat and they all just snapped. lesson there to all is as always you can always do more you cant do less. The way I did it successfully was to light a match then put it out and use the burnt match heat to give the heat. I'm not sure may sanity will take doing many more so I'm going back to the normal construction for a while.

Should do more next week as we have a four day weekend, I think its time to get some paint on some parts too. As always any ideas let me know

Phil

Mike

Like the idea and I'll give it a go on this build. I'm looking to paint the wings as usual for a WW1 aircraft before I attach them to the build so it will be a lot easier to paint.

Last night I was building turn buckles so didn't get a lot done other than that, my eyes just wouldn't take it, but I'll take some pictures and post when I can

Phil

 Phil - great idea to shade the ribs, but have you considered post-shading them? I've seen it done and tried it myself, and the results blew me away. For the upper surfaces, start with a light-to-medium coat of your PC-10 color just on the ribs, then mask the ribs with tape the appropriate width. Next, apply your final coat of PC-10 to the entire wing, remove the masks, apply a very light coat of your PC-10 for blending and post-shade over the ribs front to back with Tamiya smoke. It highlights the ribs beautifully. For the underside, apply your CDL color, mask the ribs, and lightly post-shade with a thinned medium brown/earth color, remove the masks, apply a second very light coat of your CDL just on the ribs and just enough to blend them, and you're good to go.

Nice stuff, Phil. It will be awesome to see how all this work pays off in the end.

Lookin' good so far. I'll keep on checking in on your progress. Thanks again for posting it.       Bob

Yes the plan is to do as much as possible, push myself and give info to people who may be a bit scared of going outside their comfort zones

Phil

Phil, nice work so far man!  Are you going to do the wing ribs as well?

This weeks update below

First I've decided on the line for the rigging. After my experiments I decided on 0.1mm, thin enough to be workable think enough to be able to see it. Pitty the EZ-Line is just way too think, Picture below shows top 0.25 middle 0.1 and bottom 0.06

Next I did some more work on the engine and after the suggestions took of the line I had used for the plug leeds and used 0.25mm which looks much better. The engine was painted Allclad Stainless Steel then a wash of Tamiya Black was used to pick up detail.

The exhaust was painted Copper using Oro Liquido - not a company i have heard of before but I like the look

I have done some work on the cockpit wood painting up the inside frame

I also decided to be clever and try preshading for the wing spars. As I said at the start I would be honest about mistakes and I made some here, got a bit too excited and put way to much paint on for preshade, I need to decide whether to just paint over with primer or see how the top colour works. I could always just use some sanding and take it back that way.

As always suggestions or ideas welcome

Phil

Update to the experiment for the turn buckles. The 0.25mm (10lb line) is way too big, it will go through but there is no way it will double back and go through again. The 0.06mm (1.4lb line) will go through twice no problem but looks too thin to me. So it looks like I'll need 0.1mm to look right and work, lucky i have a friend who fishes really! Below is a picture to show what I'm talking about, as always any suggestions happily recieved

Phil

Ok quick loot today and monofilament (or fishing line to us mortals) will go down to 0.06mm, I've got some of that and 0.25mm on the way. As an experiment when it arrives I'll use both so everyone can see the difference

Phil

VTmodeldude28  - cost me with shipping £60 so will be about $80 or so

ruddratt - I agree on the thread and need a lot thinner for the rigging but I'm having trouble finding it thin enough. Can't figure out what weight I need so if anyone can help with that it would be great

Phil

Phil, you're off to a fine start. The only thing I may have done a little different is used a finer monofilament thread or stretched sprue for the ignition wires and ran them straight from A to B with no curve. Taurus models really makes some neat stuff, don't they! - those spark plugs are cool!

Looking good, I'm very curious to see how one of these builds up! How much did it cost you? Those kits seem expensive...

That is one ambitious project.  Looks good.

It looks like you're on the right path so far. I'll try to keep tabs on this build as I am looking to learn as much as I can. Thanks for taking the time to post your project.                               Bob