Knights of the Sky WWI GB The End

Thanks, Stephen.  I'm going to try that pretty soon here-- probably tonight!  Luckily, the kit that I'm dealing with is a DML kit, and yes, it does have the roller. 

I'll post up some pics on how it turns out.

And yeah, I'll try to stop bashing my head... 

Daywalker wrote:

Wow Stephen, nice work!

Thanks Daywalker,  I am starting to rig the Rumpler C.IV by the way.

MrDrummy wrote:

Ok. Question time! How do you make those photo-etched gun cooling dealies bend so nicely?  I can get them to turn into little angled deals, but not circular tubes.  I've had to flatten them back out a couple of times now.  Hopefully this next time, I can do it right! Tips?  Hints?

MrDrummy Forgive me but, Dude you got to quit hitting your head like that. . .ouch!

The answer is simple.  Heat.  Most companies try to avoid litigation by not mentioning it. (If you set your house on fire they don't want you suing them.)  BUT you must apply heat to pre 2002 designed photoetch parts to get it to bend smoothly.  I am doing a "how to" on that other site concerning PE so we're right on time.

PE that consists of brass over 0.15 thou thick usually requires annealing, depending on the part it represents. Machine gun jackets are the main concern.  Gripping the part in a metal clamp pass it over an open candle or lighter flame until it glows red and remove. Let the part cool down thoroughly and wipe gently to remove any soot (usually from the burned nickel coating.)  DML used to include a jacket roller in their kits.  I would break off the thin end of the roller and wrap the gunjacket by curling one end over it.  Then on a ceramic tile or sheet of glass from a common picture frame use your index finger and roll the jacket onto the plastic roller / rod. Viola! or Whallah if you prefer.  Don't forget to remove the roller by pushing it out of one of the open ends.

Newer photoetch designed after 2002 maybe made of metal that is commonly called silver nickel (which is neither silver or nickel.)  Prime examples are in the newer Eduard kits Fokker D.VII kit PE.  These never need annealing with heat.  Also the Tom's Modelworks PE is too thin  to ever need annealing.

Ok.

Question time!  

How do you make those photo-etched gun cooling dealies bend so nicely?  I can get them to turn into little angled deals, but not circular tubes.  

I've had to flatten them back out a couple of times now.  Hopefully this next time, I can do it right! 

Tips?  Hints?  

silentmodeler wrote:

hey   been away from the computer and my projects.   Blame on the summer lol  Sopwith 1 half strutter  (i dont know what 1 half stutter means)

Greetings silentmodeler;

The 1 1/2 Strutter was nicknamed this because of the struts that extented out from the fuselage to the midway point in the upper wing.  These plus the outer (or interplane) struts gave the British crews the impression that the machine has 1 & 1/2 struts rather than a two bay arrangement.

hey   been away from the computer and my projects.   Blame on the summer lol    i just finish my first ww1 aircraft from testor which i just do it for fun.  I did pretty ok job on it since im awakard with silver paint from testor   since i kept on leaving my fingerprints all over it even tho i leave it dry for couple of days.  argh  

boy u all give alot of good references   need to catch up lol.  i was looking thur my photos thur photobucket  and guess what   i have some photo from last year airshow  and i would like show to ya all, didnt take alot of shots at it but dont worry  this sunday i will go and take more shots at it smiles.  here is it

Fokker Dr 1

Red Baron

Sopwith 1 half strutter  (i dont know what 1 half stutter means)

SE-5a (i believe this aircraft was filmed in Flyboys)

not sure abt this one   i will guess SE-5a

MrDrummy wrote:

"Awesome photos there, Stephen.  That cockpit looks awesome, not to mention your model--amazing.  I think that I'm going to start the painting tomorrow.  Lots of little fiddly photo-etched parts.  Oh joy!!! :) Do you guys make use of really thin sheets of actual wood on larger scale aircraft?  I saw a little slip of wood that came around a cigar yesterday and thought that would be nice for some areas of large scale aircraft."

MrDrummy thanks for the kind words.  Being a fan of Texas you might remember the old Meikraft Models?  He used to sell 3" X 3" sections of 0.03 mm wood.  Just before he went out of business (cancer) I purchased his last few instock.  I use them sparingly. 

There is also Doll House Marqueting Wood. It usually comes in sheets with a sticky backing.  When I cut my own propellers I used their flooring woods. I used it to cover this build of the Eduard Alb. C.III.  The propeller is laminated wood like I mentioned.

Awesome photos there, Stephen.  That cockpit looks awesome, not to mention your model--amazing.  I think that I'm going to start the painting tomorrow.  Lots of little fiddly photo-etched parts.  Oh joy!!! :)

Do you guys make use of really thin sheets of actual wood on larger scale aircraft?  I saw a little slip of wood that came around a cigar yesterday and thought that would be nice for some areas of large scale aircraft.

That's why I'm doing my Dr I now, and the Albatross for the GB :)  Patience doesn't always work out for me... well, not this time, anyway.

I needed a test, anyway.

ruddratt wrote:

I'm looking at all the pics being posted here and my 2 Eduard kits and getting real antsy here guys! Isn't it October yet!?

Patience my friend! 

MrDrummy wrote:

I'm guessing that the cheek fairings are the wodden pieces coming through on the cockpit sidewalls between the two sections of bleached fabric?

In truth there were three.  One behind he cockpit and two on the fuselage sides.  Here a fellow modeler and good fellow at that - Lars Qvarfordt does his version of the Dr.I Cockpit on a Roden 1/32 kit.

I did a bit on two Aerobase kits.  Here is one of them.

I'm guessing that the cheek fairings are the wooden pieces coming through on the cockpit sidewalls between the two sections of bleached fabric? 

MrDrummy wrote:

Stephen-- A question for the resident pro: 1.)  I've started cleaning up my Fokker Dr I parts, and am getting ready to start painting (this is a PRE-Group build-build.)  I know that the Dr I was made of steel tubing covered by fabric, so I'm wondering how the inside of the fuselage looked.  Since there are no surviving Dr I's, I found some photos of a rebuilt one.  http://members.chello.nl/~a.vankan/FokkerDr1.htm Do you think that these are pretty accurate?

Greetings Mr. Drummy,

The images from the site you mention are from the Memorial Flight organization in France. Everything is reasonably accurate except for the fabric.  Of nescessity they used bleached linen (light grey coloured).   The Fokker company in 1915 through early 1918 used unbleached linen ( light yellow - cream colour) on their airframes.  Wood flooring and cheek fairings were clear or semi clear varnished.  The skeletal framing and instruments were usualy a grey - green or grey colour.  The seat backing was aluminum with a cloth -linen insert that was sewed into the edge or rim through eyelets,  The seat was usually a Heineke parachute pack starting in late 1917.  Check mywebsite and scroll to the bottom and check the links.    Here is a good one.

 http://www.fokkerdr1.com/

Stephen--

A question for the resident pro:

1.)  I've started cleaning up my Fokker Dr I parts, and am getting ready to start painting (this is a PRE-Group build-build.)  I know that the Dr I was made of steel tubing covered by fabric, so I'm wondering how the inside of the fuselage looked.  Since there are no surviving Dr I's, I found some photos of a rebuilt one. 

http://members.chello.nl/~a.vankan/FokkerDr1.htm

Do you think that these are pretty accurate? 

Daywalker wrote:

"I picked up one of Planet Models' 1/48 Hughes H-1's, was gonna build it for the civilian GB but decided against it."

Here's a bit of fun for movie fans;

http://www.aeroscale.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=1591

StephenLawson wrote:

razordws wrote: Has anyone seen Howard Hughes "Hell's Angels"?  Saw it at the local video store and was wondering if it was worth renting? Good flick.  Not history accurate but ok.  Great old movie from 1927. The movie "The Aviator" is about the life of Howard Hughes.  It opens with him producing the 1927 movie "Hell Angels".   Our full scale Fokker D.VII replica was in the 2003 version of "The Aviator."  Now that would be a great GB.   Aircraft from the movies.

I picked up one of Planet Models' 1/48 Hughes H-1's, was gonna build it for the civilian GB but decided against it.

razordws wrote:

Has anyone seen Howard Hughes "Hell's Angels"?  Saw it at the local video store and was wondering if it was worth renting?

Good flick.  Not history accurate but ok.  Great old movie from 1927. The movie "The Aviator" is about the life of Howard Hughes.  It opens with him producing the 1927 movie "Hell Angels".   Our full scale Fokker D.VII replica was in the 2003 version of "The Aviator."  Now that would be a great GB.   Aircraft from the movies.

Dave-

I've never seen it, but would like to someday.  Are you gonna check it out?

Scott-

I would have to agree with you, the traffic here thus far has been nothing short of amazing!  The GB doesn't start for three more months, but the excitement here is building so much that by the time October 1st rolls around, we are all going to be in a frenzy!  Also, I will update the list to reflect your choice. 

As for the GB badges in my signature, a friend of mine does them for me as I have no fancy computer skills.  About all I can do is send emails and download photos!

Daywalker,

I was just going back to catch up on my reading with the postings from this group.  I must admit that I am impressed with the amount of traffic thus far.  I guess that maybe I should move up the start on my build early.  Anyway, I took this week off with the Holiday being a "free" day for me, and spent time today sorting through and rearranging kits.  I am not sure when the kits started reproducing, but they have been busy.  I did pull down my Dragon Fokker D VII, and in comparing it with my Eduard plane, I am leaning more toward the Fokker.  Several years ago I built a Dragon Fokker Dr. I  that came with a 1/16 bust of Manfred Von Richthofen, which I built as his plane with a red upper wing and tail, and I planned on building a D VII to match one that his brother flew.  I still need to get a bit further on my present build before I start this one, but I think that the D VII will be my plane of choice. 

Before I forget, I do have a question for you.  How did you get your group badges in the form that they are in on your signature line?  I was admiring it as I went through the pages catching up.

StephenLawson wrote:

ollie wrote: ". . .I was more drawn to the Roden kit anyway. I plan to finish her as D8096 as the real D8096 is based barely 3 miles from my house. If i can find some decals for it i would not say no to doing one with that Fish scale paint job (serial no escapes me right now)." You mean this one Also here's a Bristol Babe like Ollie was mentioning. http://photos.kitmaker.net/showgallery.php/cat/19336

 Thats the one i am talking of. Im going to build her first. i love that colour scheme.

 O and the one in those photos is not my local one but it is not far from me being in London.  Im fairly lucky in that D8096 is just down the road at Old Warden, there is a static one at Duxford and the one in the photos at Hendon.

ollie wrote:

". . .I was more drawn to the Roden kit anyway. I plan to finish her as D8096 as the real D8096 is based barely 3 miles from my house. If i can find some decals for it i would not say no to doing one with that Fish scale paint job (serial no escapes me right now)."

You mean this one

Also here's a Bristol Babe like Ollie was mentioning.

http://photos.kitmaker.net/showgallery.php/cat/19336

StephenLawson wrote:

ollie wrote: "How do you find the Roden kit?" Why Ollie wih my hands unless I turn the light on!  Ok sorry couldn't resist.  The main difference between the Edaurd and Roden kits is buidability. Both are about equal.  The Eduard kit goes together well but has no engine. There are only facades to mount the exhaust pipes to. The Roden kit has tight fitting parts and a complete engine.   Eduard aims its kits at mainstream modelers.  The average Joe or Josephine.   2-3 colour schemes. Roden aims its kits at detail loving modelers looking for variety.  5-6 colour schemes.

 I was more drawn to the Roden kit anyway. I plan to finish her as D8096 as the real D8096 is based barely 3 miles from my house. If i can find some decals for it i would not say no to doing one with that Fish scale paint job (serial no escapes me right now).