Classic Aviation GB 1903-1938 (Feb 5-Oct 31, 2010)

Simpilot,

Thank you for the compliment.  I plan on entering it at the Evergreen Aviation Museum show this year.

B17Pilot,

Thank you for the compliment and the thoughts about the "torphy" .  LMAO!  I'll run it up a flagpole, so to speak, and see if it flies.

That is some mighty fine work you are doing on the Cub.  It's sounding like there are quite the fit issues to contend with.  Nonetheless, you are making quite a build out of it.

Cheers

Dave

I have made some progress on my little Cub.  Man this thing has been fighting the whole way.  After fixing the missing corner, I had to straighten out the wings.  Then the front windscreen refused to fit until I sanded it.  The simple engine did not want to go in the cowl.  Had to sand the cowl very thin to get the engine to fit.  Hopefully I won't run into any more problems once the seams are fixed.  Abot the only thing that didn't cause me problems was the rudder.

Here she is ready for seam repair.

Dave that is one excellent build!  I have no doubt that will take home a torphy!

Do us all the honor of entering it in the next contest and just see how well you go!!! That is really outstanding!!!

Simpilot,
Thank you for following along with this build and the compliments.  After building a lot of armor it was rather difficult to restrain myself not to overdo the mud.  Now I'm onto an armor kit but I will keep up with this GB.

Cheers

Dave

Dave she is just stunning mate!!! What a finish!!!!!!!!! Love the mud splatters, very well done!!! Enoguh there to draw you closer but not overdone!!!!

Aaron,

Thank you so very much for getting this GB off the ground and for following this build.  The wood graining you will find is actually quite simple and easy.  If you hit a snag you've got my number.

Thank you all for the compliments and support on this build.  I am calling this one done.  I will stay abreast of builds here as I want to watch the rest of them progress and move across the finish line.  So keep 'em coming gentlemen.

I actually had some sun to shoot the pics.  The coolant pipes were added.  These were incredible as the portion where the pipe meets up with the junction at the cooler is actually represented as hose clamps.  I realized this when I painted the clamps.  Hose portion was painted with Vallejo Dark Rubber.  As for the weathering on the bottom and side was done with MIG European dirt mixed with mineral spirits and spattered on with a tooth brush.  The dusting on the wheels was done with the same pigment only it was applied dry I did not affix it.  

There are a lot of pics.  So, again I am sorry for those of you with dial up.  

Cheers

Dave

Andrew the Swordfish is looking great, what is that in the back seat? It looks like the little known super hero laundry basket man.

Dave the Junkers just keeps getting better. I haven't had a chance to try out the wood graining but thanks for the tips I hope to try it soon.

Dave, OMG that looks good!!!! Absolutely stunning mate!!!! That is a beast, the overall shot gives a bit more perspective of its relative size!!! AWESOME!!!!

Bob,

Thank you for following along and your support my brother.  The prop wasn't as insane as it may look.  

Cheers

Dave

Dave - brother that prop looks insane.

Bob

I got a fair amount done today.  Washes and flat coat on.  I have never used up that much oil paint, mineral spirit, or flat coat in one setting.  There is still some weathering to do however, the thing that really brought it closer to the finish line was getting the prop on.  There are a fair number of pictures. Sorry dial up people.

I'll be doing some highlighting to bring out the stitching.

The control cables are 2# test painted with Vallejo Oily Steel.

The scarf ring was painted with Tamiya XF-59 and treated with W&N Burnt Umber oil paint and gone over with mineral spirits.  

The gun stock was gone back over with the Burnt Umber oil.  I had inadvertently rubbed some of it off with handling.  I opted not to flat coat the stock as I like the appearance of the stock as it was.

The weathering will be kept to a minimum.  I wanted to show the bird fairly new.  Not at the end of its lifespan. The underside will get a bit more weathering such as mud spatter. I'll be using MIG pigments for this.

The wheels will get more weathering with MIG pigments. The stitching on the wheel covers were done with Vallejo German Black Brown.

There is still a couple of  fiddley parts to put on but, that will have to wait until tomorrow. I'll probably get this bird wrapped up here in the next day or two.

Cheers

Dave

Konig that is looking superb mate!!!

Well got some more build time in tonight and its now ready to be joined. I think the hardest part of this build is the research for cockpit items and colours. Using as much web research as I could and two good reference books 99% of the the pics are the wrong colour or mark or both, even aircraft of the same mark could have different layouts (I'm guessing as equipment was replaced not everything was stock standard). See pics below for current status

Andrew

Aaron,

Thank you for the compliments. 

It depends on whether you are using enamals or acrylics.  With enamals, you must clear coat it first. Future works well.  If you are using acrylics, you do not have to clear coat it. 

First, relax.  Breath. Initally,  it's going to appear overdone.  Just brush on the oil color of your choice.  Myself I use Windsor & Newton Burnt Umber (most of the time).  Here's one of the beauties of this technique:  You don't have to wait for anything to dry (at least not for the first part).  Next, take a brush dipped in mineral spirits. Touch the side of a brush to a paper towel, or rag of your choosing. This will keep the area you are working in from getting flooded with mineral spirits and removing too much of the oil paint giving you more control.  The type of brush you use (i.e. round. angled, flat, etc) depends on the area and surface you are working. There are no hard set rules there.  Experiment and find out what works for you.

Once you get the effect you want, then, it's time to seal it.  I seal mine with Model Master lacquer. You can use flat, semi-gloss, gloss.  Use what you want to achieve the effect you want..

Check your PM. You will have an inbound message.

Konigwolf13,

Thank you for the complient on the kite.  From what I see so far on your stringbag, you are certainly headed in the right direction for a fine looking finished kit!  Thank you for the scale items.  Holy smoke!  That Beast is BIG!  Say Hello to Sackboy.  How are things on Little Big Planet?

Cheers

Dave

Hughes great looking kite, I hope my stringbag turns out as well.

Well current update. Cockpit cage it together, and everthing else except for a few paint touch ups done and ready for fuselage to go together. Also included as per request a some scaling items. First items were photographed on a 1x1cm grided mat. second is a bottle of tamiya paint. Third sackboy wanted to say hello.

I like the laminated prop, and the MG is really nice.

I was going to give your wood grain method a try on some tool handles. I'm trying to figure out how you don't end up with the whole piece the oil color. Do you just sort of dry brush the oil paint on to give streaks, then wipe it down after it has had a little time to dry?

LMAO you never know sometimes!!!!! I would get on the net and look around and when/if you find one show it to her and let her know you're serious and THEN you will get the real reaction, and THEN see if she was serious as well!!! Looking forward to more pics!!!!!!!

Simpilot, 

Thank you for the compliments, critiques, and following along. There are a total of seven "laminate" layers to this prop as I painted it.  Two are on the back side that you can't see as I did not take a side long pic.  I did entertain the idea about more layers but, as you said those line start to get real thin, real fast.  My hands are steady but, not that steady.    I showed my wife the Maxim and she liked it.  Then I said that I wanted a 1:1 version and, her reply was, "How does one go about otaining one?".  Sometimes I cant tell if she is encouraging me or, enabling me. .  I think today I'll seal up the decal with a clear coat and, by the time my stretch of work is done it will be nicely cured.  Then the real fun starts.  Weathering!

Cheers

Dave

OHHHH that looks good!!!!!!! The Maxim is amazing!!! The prop is outstanding as well!!!! Maybe more laminations, but as you get closer to the hub the lines would get awfully thin. But as for effect, I would leave it. Awesome work mate!!!!

Simpilot,

I can't wait until WnW releases their Gotha.  I did get the prop and the Parabellum LMG14 painted today.

Here is my first attempt at painting a laminated prop.  I used Vallejo New Wood and German Orange Ochre for the wood and Oily Steel for the prop boss.  Comments on it?  I'm leaving it for now and I'll come back to it tomorrow and, see if I still like it.  I may just waterboard it and start over.  

The Parabellum was built up as per instructions with a couple of small additions.  The rod that attaches from the ammo drum to the front of the gun is stainless wire.  The barrel got snapped off at some point so I added a replacement made of hypodermic tubing.  The gun was base coated with Tamiya NATO Black and then painted using Vallejo Gun Metal Blue.  This was far too blue to my liking so it was toned down with Vallejo Black Glaze followed by some built up layers of a black wash. Again using Vallejo.  I hit the raised areas lightly with a #2 pencil.  The grip panels and stock were painted with Vallejo old Wood followed with and couple of quick wipes of W&N Burnt Umber oil paint.  

Cheers

Dave

Dave that is really looking the part now!!! WOW that is a beastie!!!!!!!! Looking forward to seeing the prop go on!!

Andrew,

I am looking forward to the pics, as I am very curious to the scale of this one.

Aaron,

Thank you for the compliment.  I understand about the stash growing at an alarming rate.

I spent several hours today with just decals.  Wingnut says not to use decal solvent with their kits but, there was just no getting around it with the corrugation on this beastie.  The crosses still have some spots that are not snuggled down yet.  I am just going to have to get back to them tomorrow.  There just wasn't enough hours in the day to get that done and all of the other things that HAD to get done today.  The decals are by Cartograph.  Thin and very strong.  I only had a couple of near disasters with them.  Both, my doing. the first was the Jasta number on the left side had started to silver.  The gloss coat was not quite substantial enough.  Fortunately everything had not set up yet so, I was able to get the edge of the decal lifted with a toothpick and got a couple of drops of Future under it and worked it through.  No silvering!  For the Jasta number on the right side, I preemptively put on a drop of Future and then the decal.  Worked perfectly.

The last near disaster occurred when I was pulling the last of the Iron Crosses out of the water to put on the upper wing.  These are about two inches across.  The whole bottom corner folded over on itself.  OH . . Long story short I got it unfolded ( a first for me)  and on the wing.  

Cheers

Dave

Glad to see there is still some work going on over here, unfortunately I haven't been so productive myself.

The Junkers is looking great, I almost picked up the Junkers monoplane on tuesday but restrained myself as my early aviation stash is growing at an alarming rate.

The swordfish are nice too, I have the Matchbox / Revell kit and may do it in the silver scheme before this build is done.

WW2psycho, you might try a post in the aircraft section, someone may have a spare prop and spinner. It would be a shame to see all the work you've done be abandoned at this point.

Thanks Hughes!!! yeah the rigging wasn't too bad actually, just had to take my time with it.

Thank you as well Andrew!!! It is a kitbash of Airfix and RoG. I used the fuse, lower wing and landing gear of the Airfix kit and the upper wing, engine, and tail feathers from the RoG kit. Added partial PE sets from both Airwaves and Novo. I say partial sets because I didn't realize there existance until I had already started and had closed up the fuse!!! Added what I could to the interior and moved on lol.

Simpilot, more SNAFU than FUBAR, you could still recognise it. And yours looks great. What brand is it?

Hughes, finished the cockpit sub assembly last night so will post some updated pics with a sizeing item soon.

Andrew

Andrew,

It looks like you are off to a very good start.  I like the IP!  WIth your future pics, would you mind placing something next to your sub/assemblies?  Something to give the rest of us a sense of scale.  I built Tamiya's 1/48 version and was impressed with the size of it.  I can only imagine the size of this beast.

Simpilot,

That is a very nice Stringbag and, you rigged it in 1/72 scale.  That makes my brain hurt!

Andrew that is looking great!!!! Looking forward to seeing another stringbag come together!!!

Oooooo sounds like the 1/72 one is FUBAR!!! Here is a shot of the !/72 one I finished last year.

And a scratchbuilt cradle for the fish.

Cheers

Looking good peeps.

Sorry to hear about the '109 psycho, I did a similar thing to a 1/72 swordfish over in anti-submarine GB (melted the front of the fuselage trying to straighten it).

OK Gave got some build time again. Here is where I got to before I have to take a few weeks off

IP, mostley easy but melting the decals into the exact position wasnt easy.

Radio

Pilots office

Observer Station

Very Pistol Flares? cockpit framing

Cockpit deck and gunner station

More soon

Andrew