[quote user="Fredthefoot`s Models"]

Armor_Aficionado great work so far mate :)

rooster513 gunports and the build is great mate :)

DasBeav mate think i will have the same problems and i see you just keep haveing more hastle lol

Rigidrider Hurricane is great mate and that euro fighter kit is a great kit i`ve built that one :)

Bossman thanks mate , dam shame about your build mate hope you get it sorted mate i`ve not built for last few days too dam hot in the cave lol

[/quote Many of the problems were my doing. Never done a Biplane before, so I wish I would have done some painting and priming before gluing alot of it together. My airbrushing skills and hatred of masking are to blame. The main thing to worry about is gluing on the top wing...it just fits weird to the engine nacelle. And have a plan about "wires"....I didn't! Should of watched some YouTube videos. Have fun with it....I hope I haven't worried you too much.....I think mine will turn out okay.

MC - Another master piece in the making, excellent progress.

Looking good there Steve.

DasBeav im sure it will look fine when your done mate , and no worrys mate i`m not put off by the problems i like a challange , and i watch out for that top wing engine problem thanks lol :)

modelcrazy looking great so far mate :)

scottrc builds looking good mate ,where did you get the little tiny eyelets from mate :)

damouav look forward to seeing your other builds mate :)

Fredthefoot`s Models

DasBeav im sure it will look fine when your done mate , and no worrys mate i`m not put off by the problems i like a challange , and i watch out for that top wing engine problem thanks lol :)

modelcrazy looking great so far mate :)

scottrc builds looking good mate ,where did you get the little tiny eyelets from mate :)

damouav look forward to seeing your other builds mate :)

 

Well Fred,

As it happens I do have a kit sitting in my very, very small stash, a 1/48 Roden S.E.5a. It's crying out to be be built. I just need some AM PE, EZY Line, Paint and most of all Patience.

Or, you can check out my F4U-AU1 build log...

Scott: My hat's off to you, gosh what a lot of work there. But the results will look amazing. 

Steve: Looks cool! Heck, when I buy a new airbrush needle it's not two-three painting sessions before it ends up bent too.... 

Gamera

Scott: My hat's off to you, gosh what a lot of work there. But the results will look amazing. 

Steve: Looks cool! Heck, when I buy a new airbrush needle it's not two-three painting sessions before it ends up bent too.... 

 

At least i ain't the bonly one, especially with the badger fine needles. And at £7 a pop they ain't cheap.

checkmateking02

Scott:  nice looking progress with the SE 5; how'd you manage getting the landing gear glued up at all the proper angles? 

Drilled out the holes in the bottom of the fuselage and the struts press fitted right in, then I was able to glue up the assembly and then remove it to paint later.  

Fredthefoot`s Models

scottrc builds looking good mate ,where did you get the little tiny eyelets from mate :)

Read a "how to" article on one of the WW1 modeler sites.  Its .6mm wire wrapped about a needle and then twisted with a pair of jewelers pliers.  

Gamera

Scott: My hat's off to you, gosh what a lot of work there. But the results will look amazing. 

Steve: Looks cool! Heck, when I buy a new airbrush needle it's not two-three painting sessions before it ends up bent too.... 

 

Thanks Gamera, and this is being done at the same time I'm trying to start that Akagi.

In regards to the airbrush comments, I really need to break down and order me some new needles for my Badger, I have been using the only one I have left all year and its bent.  Probably will make pre-shading go a lot easier eh?

scottrc

 

 

Fredthefoot`s Models

scottrc builds looking good mate ,where did you get the little tiny eyelets from mate :)

 

 

 

Read a "how to" article on one of the WW1 modeler sites.  Its .6mm wire wrapped about a needle and then twisted with a pair of jewelers pliers.  

 

modelcrazy

Good looking stuff everyone.

Here's my update. Although I have black based before without knowing it at the time, I'm trying it again this time with the molding. I noticed my airbrush has a bent needle so I'm not getting the tightest pattern but I think it turned out OK but I'm not sure it shows in the picture. I'm going to mask and paint the black tail and spine next.

 

Good looking results, mc!

scottrc

 checkmateking02

Scott:  nice looking progress with the SE 5; how'd you manage getting the landing gear glued up at all the proper angles? 

 Drilled out the holes in the bottom of the fuselage and the struts press fitted right in, then I was able to glue up the assembly and then remove it to paint later.  

 

Scott:  now that's an idea!  I've got a few WWI airplanes I haven't started, because of all the alignment issues of struts, landing gear, wings, etc.  Maybe this will work in 1/72.  Thanks!

Doug- Hurricane looks great. I love that EZ line product and yes it's an instant bond with the CA.

Chris- Sorry to see the decal problem. I would use a sharp #11 blade to carefully puncture and slice the affected spots and use some Solvaset to shrink things down.

Damian-Great looking skeeter.

Steve- Good start on your paint there.

I apologize if I left anyone else out, just too much activity in the short time I have not posted so great job to all.

Since doing the pit there was a slight fitting issue at the rear bulkhead. The part was assembled per the instructions but had a bad fit once the sub assembly was placed in the fuselage. I had to make a slight mod to make it fit correctly so no biggie there.

The rest of the parts went together rather well so the wings and fuse are together. Again, no filler was needed for any of the seams so far into the build. Plast i Weld and the Touch N Flow applicator do a great job at getting rid of seams and filling in any thin gap.

The clamp is holding the bottom part of the wing for a tight even fit

The tail feathers and flaps went together really easy and are clamped down with clothes pins and Harbor Freight mini clamps.

The pit bulkhead finally was coaxed into place.

Thanks check

plasticjunkie

looking awsome mate :)

My Build

Not been building last few days as been too hot in cave today is cooler in scotland so done a bit on the hurricane mkII c added a pilot as it never came with one , thats the little chap painted lol had to amputate his legs as he was to lanky to fit just as well when its all closed up you wont see it :)

Thanks Fred. 

Your lad looks very good minus his feet lol! Once closed up it won't be seen like u said. 

Let's see if I can confuse people on two issues brought up:

1. Damaged airbrush needles: first, I'd look very closely at the nozzle also. A bent needle can very easily damage a nozzle, and a damaged nozzle may still leave you wanting if you replace the needle. And nozzles are more expensive than needles. By all means try a new needle first - it may restore the brush. Sometimes what you really need is a new needle and a very complete cleaning - clean anything that can be easily extracted. You can try to fix a needle and there are a number of techniques that can improve the situation. Search "fix airbrush" on YouTube and you'll get several techniques. An apparently near perfect technique requires a "Sharpenair" tool. Sadly it costs $60 - but if you want a good pattern you really do want a needle that is smooth and sharp so it might be worth it. (I'm becoming an Iwata Hp-CS fan because needle/nozzle are steel and in excellent shape after two years - a much better lifespan than I've ever got from a much more delicate Harder Steenbeck needles and their brass nozzles. (I've got an Infinity, Evolution and a new Ultra. They all use the same neeles and nozzles. Might break down and try the Sharpenair to keep my .15, .20, .40 HS needles in good shape.) The various techniques that don't cost a penny will improve things, and no doubt make a real difference if your needle is badly bent. One other site worth checking: search "fix airbrush Dan Nelson" on google and it will take you to an art video given by Nelson who is a professional artist - he has free techniques ranging from very simple to a fancy dance that requires the damaged needle inserted in Dremel drill bit, ground carefully on a wetstone, then smoothened with fine sandpaper and lastly polished with a metal polish made for Dremel. Methinks that would work great or wreck the needle completely.

Biplane buckles. Someone may have picked up the technique of making buckles from the splendid website run by a really nice Australian modeler Des Delatorre - (ww1aircraftmodels.com). Delatorre has detailed photo builds of all of his completed projects (all great), there's a series of invaluable tips, a very friendly and expert forum, and ads to point you to new products. (Des has always used 2lb fishing line for rigging - interestingly WingNut Wings - perhaps the best model making company on earth - now recommends EZ line. Check the WNW web site for more tips and examples of splendid models.) Personally, I find making my own buckles easier said than done. You can go to some place that sells the very inexpensive "Bob's Buckles" that are no doubt made the way Des recommends, except that Bob does it to make money in both 1/48 and 1/32 scale. He also sells buckle tubes in various lengths. Wire buckles work perfectly well, and if you make your own it's simple to fashion tubes that cover many tuckles out of very thin plastic tubing made for fishing fanatics that make their own flies.  You can throw money at the problem: you can buy combination buckles/tubes in either white metal (costly but neat) and PE (less costly and less neat). White metal turnbuckles (many have sleeves molded also) can be found on GaspatchModels.com: (they also have astounding machine guns of many types). Bob's Buckles (http://www.bobsbuckles.co.uk/) are fine and a lot cheaper: his website has several neat tips on rigging and buckling. RB productions (http://www.radubstore.com) makes terrific modeling accessors (their rivet maker is far better than the competition - formidable razor saws also) and very good PE. Included are turnbuckles/tubes for German/French planes (close to the same) and RAF rigging lines in different sizes because the RAF used a complex rigging system. Less cost than metal, more than Bob's buckles.

Eric

Not the way I wanted to spend the money . . .  but here 'ee is: My new modelling buddy along with 'Ol Frosty.

I was thinking of putting this in the "new aquisitions" thread,  but I wasn't sure everyone would understand the way that my mates in the RAF build would.  

Chris

Das Beav, Thanks... It looks like a good kit and so far so good.

PJ... Nice Pit! Nothing like a nicely detailed office.

E Bergerud... Thanks for the WWI Airplane site. Man, Turn buckles can be a butt to do, But I have real good luck by winding wire around a wire gauge pin or bit held in a pin vise, then cutting hypodermic needles to length and just a drop of CA holds the wound wire firmly. The hypodermic needles can be sourced in several different gauges and a bag of about a hundered or so go for about 5.00$ on E Bay...The Bob"s are beautifily done but as you said, a bit pricey. Thanks again or the web site!

Take care all...

Doug 

Thanks Doug. This Spit is slowly coming  together.

CMK02, PJ, Fred: Those are coming along great guys!!! 

Chris: Good idea there, hope it works out. 

Eric: Thanks for the advice on bent needles. I've found I can mostly straighten mine by rolling them along something hard and flat. They spray fine for almost everything I use mine for. I do have a new needle I'm keeping in the blister pack in case I do decide to do something I need a really good line like those crazy Japanese long mendering line camo styles. 

Alrighty then... More WIP...

Pit done... 

Fuse together. The Hobby Boss is kinda like the 21st century kits the way they build up. Not sure if its a copy cat or somewhat affiliated some how.

Wing and lower fuse attached... AND We have a HUGE problem...

MASSIVE wing root gap! Both sides... I've tried to file, re check for obstructions, I even "sooted" the mating areas and refit to see if there are any obstructions... None, Just a poor fit. Oh well...

Oh well... time to get to work with the putty. 

Thanks..

Doug

Fredthefoot`s Models

plasticjunkie

looking awsome mate :)

 

My Build

Not been building last few days as been too hot in cave today is cooler in scotland so done a bit on the hurricane mkII c added a pilot as it never came with one , thats the little chap painted lol had to amputate his legs as he was to lanky to fit just as well when its all closed up you wont see it :)

 

Fred, you got that right. Trying to model under a lamp with optivisor on head is just ridiculas. Now idea how these guys from how regions manage.

Nice job on the pilot. I have had to cut off the feet of one or two.

Nice work Doug, but that is a bit of a big gap tehre.

Checked on scalemates and no mention of these being a re-box. Was a new tool in 2008, so maybe they do have some othe rlink.

Gamera thanks mate getting there now just glued the fuselage together :)

Rigidrider looking good mate but dam i never had a gap like that strange :)

Bossman nice buddy you got there :)

plasticjunkie & Bish thanks guys im calling him Douglas Bader :)

Fred - Did Bader smoke a pipe ?

Chris

Guys, i am going to be leaving this in your capable hands for a few days. I am off to Rome tomorrow with the better half, coming back Monday night.

I wil try and catch up when i get back and make any updates to the roster. Keep up the great work and try to leave in it one piece for when i get back

Bossman lol yes he did mate also flew in the wars took out loads of the ememy he crashed and lost both his legs and still flew  and took out more of the enemy , he was a true ACE of the skys :)

Bish have a great time mate :)