The group build to end all group builds - THE GREAT WAR

I've been back to the WNW site to look at that Pup 1/2 dz times.  I may pull the trigger soon.

wing_nut

I've been back to the WNW site to look at that Pup 1/2 dz times.  I may pull the trigger soon.

Wing_nut, saw that in FSM, that is about as cool as a plane gets. It seems so long ago, but then, the Buff has been around 60 years next year, give or take a generation.

I'm thinking of building the Konig in 1/350, but man, that detail is a bit over my head. I was going to build the Warspite, but I have the post WWI refitted single stack version, after they repaired all the holes the Kaiser put in her at Jutland.

I've got all of these buttons, a few spent cartridges, and regalia lying around from a sapper, my wife's grandfather, so maybe I should be thinking about a theme with bags and bags of Amatol.....

I also have that series on WWI by Hew Strachan, I think I need to go over that this summer. It's a slow start, but the topic is huge and full of potential.

Too bad it's not a very popular subject with model makers, it would be fun having to settle on an artillery kit.

Bockscar, don't be put off by detail.  One step at a time.  Parts are parts.  Remember the time frame so a post war re-fit won't be eligible.  Surely there must be some WWI artillery out there. No?

So...I ALMOST started the Pup last night. Pulled out the instructions, looked at the cockpit build-up, and saw about a dozen pieces, two different stains of wood that need to be done, along with some metal, and decided to drybrush the Achilles instead.

This build is going to take some planning. Think I'm working out a plan of attack to tackle ALL the wood bits at once...I WILL get started tonight!

DoogsATX

Hey Marc - can I add a second build? 

Just picked up the 1/32 Academy/Hobbycraft/whatever Nieuport 17. 

Wish I had more choices on the markings front...but the kit looks like a clean, easy build.

I believe those markings would be for Charles Nungesser, one of France's top aces. It they don't do anything for you though almost everybody flew the Nieuport 17, French, British, Russians, Italians, Belgians, even the Germans had a few.

If you are still worried about building a biplane this would be an easier plane to build than the Pup, as a sesquiplane, the struts come to a V on the lower wing making them much less fiddly to assemble than the individual struts on the Pup. The rigging should be simpler too. 

wing_nut

Bockscar, don't be put off by detail.  One step at a time.  Parts are parts.  Remember the time frame so a post war re-fit won't be eligible.  Surely there must be some WWI artillery out there. No?

Yeah Wing_nut, that's kinda what I meant. I promise not to build the Bismarck either! Hey and now you and Doogs got my little brain thinking about aircraft....I wonder if there are any Zeppelins around....or a Handley Page bomber....

Doogs, ya got me antsy to see some WIP pics!

...and now that the Pfalz is complete, construction should soon be beginning on the SE.5 as well (soon, as in today!) Really looking forward to this GB!

ruddratt

(soon, as in today!)

WOOHOO

Bockscar

Hey and now you and Doogs got my little brain thinking about aircraft....I wonder if there are any Zeppelins around....or a Handley Page bomber....

Airfix reissued their 1/72 H.P. 0/400 earlier this year. I'm quite sure it will be a beast to build, but what a cool model to have on the shelf.

There are models of the Hindenberg and Graf Zepplin, but I don't know of any WW1 zepplins.

Hi everyone...
Well I thought better post something before this becomes an exclusively aircraft group build - /jk.
Seriously though, with about six weeks till official start date, I didn't want to wait any longer to avoid losing momentum or forgetting any  info I've read up on the subject of my build.  Plus I've no projects on the table, so I've started on the Austro-Hungarian lieutenant.

Zebrano is a Russian company and is the first time I have dealt with their kits.  The sculpting looks really good but the same can't be said for casting quality.  It required quite a bit of clean up, filling in holes and there was numerous rough and uneven surfaces.  The left armpit had a huge mass that had to be remove, which could have been avoided had the arm been cast separately.  When cleaning up the bread bag hanging at his left hip, the straps broke off so these were replaced with scrap brass cut to size. 

The handgun was also a bit lacking in detail.  Some brass was cut to represent the cocking lever, trigger finger guard  and a raised piece for aiming.  A very short piece of round plastic was cut and attached to the front end representing the barrel.

Originally I had intended to group both figures together, but from research I've learned the Austro-Hungarian uniform went through numerous changes during the course of the war.  So I've decided to complete these figures individually to illustrate some of the differences ( I'll delve into that in future posts - right now I see some more clean-up is required).

regards,

Jack

Aaronw

 

Bockscar:

Hey and now you and Doogs got my little brain thinking about aircraft....I wonder if there are any Zeppelins around....or a Handley Page bomber....

 

 

 

Airfix reissued their 1/72 H.P. 0/400 earlier this year. I'm quite sure it will be a beast to build, but what a cool model to have on the shelf.

 

There are models of the Hindenberg and Graf Zepplin, but I don't know of any WW1 zepplins.

Thanks Aaron;

I''ll take a look Monday, maybe one of our remaining HS's has it. If all else fails, I found a couple of 1/35 scale Skoda shells...

Hey wing_nut, I finally figured out what to to build.  Being a treadhead I have to build a tank so add a 1:35 Emhar MkA Whippet tank to the list.   I saw that some on the GB  had already listed the Emhar Mk IV as their builds so I decided to go with the Whippet!  

I'm also doing a second build!   I finally decided to try my hand at building an airycraft thingy! !!

YEP!! Add a 1:48 Glencoe Models Pfalz D.III  !!  I was at Military Hobby in Orange County a couple of weeks ago and the owner convinced me to try the Glencoe kit as a inexpensive, easy to build, easy to paint WWI aircraft.  We'll see how it turns out

I won't get started on either for a couple of months yet as I have to finish some kits for other GBs! 

Then a Whippet it shall be.

now whip it
into shape
shape it up
get straight
go forward
move ahead

And I don't care how easy it is it takes some onions to make WWI rag wing your 1st aircraft build.

the list has been updated.  "Let it be written, let it be done"

ruddratt

Doogs, ya got me antsy to see some WIP pics!

It'll probably be a few more days yet. I officially "started" - as in, cutting parts off the sprue - on Saturday. So far, all I've got are a bunch of different parts white-tacked to cardboard squares, with a coat of primer on one side. I'll be primering the other sides tonight, then moving on to shooting the base colors for the wood on Tuesday. Good thing, too, since I realized last night I didn't have any Tamiya XF-59 that WnW recommends for the light wood.

I've also decided I'm going to build "Black Arrow" rather than the 9901a. I like the Vickers gun better than the Lewis, and that weathered black cowl should look pretty slick. I think it'll set the engine off a bit more, too.

There's actually a pic in the instructions showing Black Arrow flipped over on its back from a strong gust of wind...tempting diorama fodder for sure!

I like the black cowl.  With just about every Sopwith anything is green, it's tough to pick.  I agree that will make the engine stand out more.

Question for the WWI experts.   I see a lot of WWI planes modeled with the tail up and a wood sawhorse.  Is there a reason?  Was it commonly done?  Gun testing?

wing_nut

I like the black cowl.  With just about every Sopwith anything is green, it's tough to pick.  I agree that will make the engine stand out more.

Question for the WWI experts.   I see a lot of WWI planes modeled with the tail up and a wood sawhorse.  Is there a reason?  Was it commonly done?  Gun testing?

You mean like this?

Think the sawhorse in this case is to help with the really, really short takeoff space!

@wing_nut

if you wanted to go a little outside the box, quite a number of the pups were quite colorful, http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww1/f/530/9 windsock datafiles have quite a few profiles of checkered ones, striped ones, one with a diamond lozenge and another that looks something like a rising sun motif....  

-sean

Sean... some interesting schemes there, thanks.

OK aircraft guys.  If you have not seen this site already... WOW.  check it out.

http://www.ww1aircraftmodels.com/

Sean, those are some colorful birds! Thanks for posting that!

Doogs, that mount with the black cowl is a looker for sure! Good point about the color contrast too.

Marc, great website! Got it bookmarked!

...and what's all this about Ernest building a plane - and it's a bipe to boot?! Told ya these suckers can be addicting!

Thankee for the Wings Palette site - that's a goodie. Even gave them a couple of bucks. The WWIaircraft site is a real gem: the guy that runs the thing is very genial and would not mind helping out with if you're stuck on something. He's very good.

Eric

wing_nut

I've been back to the WNW site to look at that Pup 1/2 dz times.  I may pull the trigger soon.

Marc, I may not be too far behind you. Been eyeballing that one for a while along with the Roland, all the while keeping my eyes peeled for the D.VII.

I'm hoping they come out with their "Master" kits soon....  

just googled around a little....  found this:

Special Edition Kits:

The first Special Edition kits will come out this year but there are no dates set yet. The photo etched content will be extensive. Richard showed me a proof of the LVG photo etched fret and it is very impressive. Lots of extra detail for the engine and the interior. Some of the PE sets for Special Edition kits will run to 200-250 pieces! Wahoo! This will be a tough decision for the modellers who already built the basic kits because the desire to pick up the Special Edition version will be very strong. 

wing_nut

Sean... some interesting schemes there, thanks.

 

OK aircraft guys.  If you have not seen this site already... WOW.  check it out.

http://www.ww1aircraftmodels.com/

Dude, that site is full of win. Bookmarked!

Slight progress on the Pup. Last night I turned all the interior pieces over and...primed the other sides! Basecoating starts this evening, with wood grain not far behind!

Between this and the Achilles, I think I may need to crack open a simple build that I can turn to when my eyes start aching from all the detail work.

Speaking of which, a few questions:

- For parts that need wood grain on two sides, any holding/positioning/whatnot suggestions? I'm not too keen on wooding one side, then waiting several days for the oils to cure up a bit.

- Has anyone ever tried Vallejo's "woodgrain" transparent color? Picked some up at the LHS today. Looks interesting...like if it works it could make a nice shortcut to the usual oils + Tamiya clear orange approach.

Aaronw

 

DoogsATX:

 

Hey Marc - can I add a second build? 

Just picked up the 1/32 Academy/Hobbycraft/whatever Nieuport 17. 

Wish I had more choices on the markings front...but the kit looks like a clean, easy build.

 

 

 

I believe those markings would be for Charles Nungesser, one of France's top aces. It they don't do anything for you though almost everybody flew the Nieuport 17, French, British, Russians, Italians, Belgians, even the Germans had a few.

If you are still worried about building a biplane this would be an easier plane to build than the Pup, as a sesquiplane, the struts come to a V on the lower wing making them much less fiddly to assemble than the individual struts on the Pup. The rigging should be simpler too. 

Sorry man, meant to respond earlier and then the pages advanced on me...

It's not that it's Nungesser, it's that I've seen plenty of other, more colorful Nieuport 17's, and it's kind of disappointing that the only options in the box are silver dope. That and...Academy decals.

Howdy! Just got my loot from the fly tying joint this morning - have to say that that tubing looks AWESOME. I can think of all kinds of uses for that stuff! May have to place another order just to get all of the different sizes.

Ditto with the lead wire...not sure about the ultra wire yet, pretty small gauge stuff. Not sure if it has quite as many applications for (non-rigged) other projects.

Doogs, if you're not keen on using oils, one technique I've used with success is after the base coat and a heavy, well-cured coat of Future, I'll mix up a thick, flat enamel 'wash' of the grain color, usually a few shades darker than the base color and apply it sparingly with a small piece of that squishy foam packing stuff in the direction of the grain until I get the look I want. Then a generous overcoat of tamiya clear yellow or orange (again, depending on the effect you're looking for) seals the deal. Really cuts down on 'cure' time. HTH.

Even though the rigging on the SE.5 is a loooong ways away, been toying around with a few ideas to do the double wires and keeping them parallel to each other and maintain uniform spacing for each of the double runs. My idea is to cut the .05mm brass tubing into the 1/8" segments, then CA two of them side by side. Copper wires will be CA'd into one end to allow for angle adjustments where they attach to the fuselage/wings, and the rigging wires will be done with the .003" EZLine. Sounds good on paper anyway - we'll see how it pans out.

Dupes, I love my Ultra Wire and want to marry it.

Mike, I like the double tube idea but won't the wires be too close together?  What about using the twisted wire eyelets like the ones made on the ww1aircarftmodels web site?  With the level of quality and care in the way you build I think they will probably turn out right the first time anyway.  But if they are a tiny bit off all you would have to do would be to slightly bend the eyelets to adjust.

Marc, you bring up an excellent point. I just did a test run on one pair and sure enough they were way too close. However, when I CA'd a 1/16" long shim between them, flush with one end (cut from a PE fret attachment point), they were spot on - matched up perfectly with the pre-drilled holes on the kit.

WnW site has some excellent close-ups of their restoration. The sleeves (my 1/8" x .05mm brass pieces) will almost have to butt up against the aircraft's surface, so there will not be much room for eyelets unfortunately. I'll most likely be going with the origional plan, but with the added shims. I do appreciate the tip though, and the heads up on the spacing!

ruddratt

Doogs, if you're not keen on using oils, one technique I've used with success is after the base coat and a heavy, well-cured coat of Future, I'll mix up a thick, flat enamel 'wash' of the grain color, usually a few shades darker than the base color and apply it sparingly with a small piece of that squishy foam packing stuff in the direction of the grain until I get the look I want. Then a generous overcoat of tamiya clear yellow or orange (again, depending on the effect you're looking for) seals the deal. Really cuts down on 'cure' time. HTH.

Oh, I have no problem using oils...I just like to keep my eyes peeled for different options. 

I actually ended up testing the Vallejo woodgrain on some pioneer tools and a 17-pounder ammo box that are going on the Achilles. It's basically a transparent brown/red...not sure I like the effect on lighter wood, but it looks pretty friggin' good on a piece of "dark" wood with Tamiya NATO brown as a base. Will have to wait for a final coat of Tamiya clears to be sure.