Robin Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 Hi Mike, really getting a feel for this, the bracing wires look good, even though I doubt that they will be seen. You mention the rudder bar and control column for the gunner, I presume by that you mean that he took control of the aircraft on the bomb run, as was common practice for a bomb aimer many years later. Let the saga continue. Robin. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted March 17, 2005 Author Share Posted March 17, 2005 I presume by that you mean that he took control of the aircraft on the bomb run, as was common practice for a bomb aimer many years later. Hi Robin, Actually the bomb aimer was in the front and he had no flight controls at all. The gunner was just there "just in case", as there wasn't any means for the crews to move positions once in flight. Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted March 18, 2005 Author Share Posted March 18, 2005 Just a couple of shots of testing the fuselage halves for fit before I add anymore details inside. I have the fuel distribution valve in place, the bomb aimers instruments and bomb sight and the throttle/mixture controls. I'm in progress of doing the INstrument board dials and gages, but have the board in place for test fitting. By the end of the day today I hope to have everything inside installed and be able to glue the halves together. Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted March 18, 2005 Author Share Posted March 18, 2005 Left side of cockpit showing throttles and Airspeed indicator for Bomb Aimer. Instrument board is in place but no gages installed yet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted March 18, 2005 Author Share Posted March 18, 2005 And here's the right side showing Fuel Valves and lines, and Altitude Indicator for bomb aimer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted March 18, 2005 Author Share Posted March 18, 2005 Well the interior is about 95% finished, at least to the point I can button it all up and glue the halves together. That will be this evening's project, and tomorrow I hope to start painting the fuselage and getting it ready for assembly. The Instrument Board is done and installed, along with the control wheel and the seat board. I am going to have to do some ejimicated guessing about the seat, as the Datafile doesn't show a picture of the seat, so I will make a seat similar to other DeHaviland aircraft of the era and call it close enough. I added some wire runs for the instruments, and also the trim wheel on the pilot's right side. It was a rudimentary design, using bungee cords and cables to preload the controls to relieve excess force on the controls. It didn't trim the airplane aerodynamicaly like trim tabs on later aircraft, it just trimmed the force the pilot needed to apply to the column to maintane level flight. The only items to add are the seat board for the bomb aimer and rear gunner, the nose glazing, and make the scarf rings for the guns. It's shaping up nicely I think, I'm pleased with the results so far. Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted March 18, 2005 Author Share Posted March 18, 2005 Here's the left side, with the instrument wiring and throttles. I dullcoated everything to cut the shine of the metalic thread and wire. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted March 18, 2005 Author Share Posted March 18, 2005 Here's a better view of the Instruments. I used Copper State Models British Gage set for the dials and the Bezels. I also have two of Eric's Lews guns to make and stow in the aircraft. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted March 18, 2005 Author Share Posted March 18, 2005 And lastly, with the Fusealge sides together and taped checking for final fit. Everything is in order, so I can now glue the halves together and get this beast going. I wanted to begin painting this weekend, but I'm running only a day later than I wanted. I think I'll be able to get it done by May 4th for sure. Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Old Man Posted March 25, 2005 Share Posted March 25, 2005 Very sweet interior work, Mr. King! I particularly like the instrument board. I presume the "cylinder" amd pipes on the starboard half is the fuel system's cockpit manifestation? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted March 25, 2005 Author Share Posted March 25, 2005 I presume the "cylinder" amd pipes on the starboard half is the fuel system's cockpit manifestation? That is correct OldMan. It's the fuel distribution manifold. There should be one valve for each line, but I lacked drill bits of small enough diameter to be able to drill the holes in the copper wire, so I just leftit as is. The effect is still there. One of the gratifying parts of doing a scratchbuilt model is making something out of nothing. Conversely, one of the most frustrating things about scratchbuilding is making a part you are really happy with, but totally screwing it up in either shape or size, and not finding it out until later. Such has happened with the rudder. I ASSUMED the kit's rudder was good in shape... it looked right using the ol' eyeball technique. Placing it on the model as a test prooves otherwise however, as it is a full 1/8th inch too short on the bottom. :D So back to the drawing board. I'll have to make a new rudder, or try to correct this one. Sheesh... just when everything was going smooth. Cheers anyways Mike :lol: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted March 25, 2005 Author Share Posted March 25, 2005 oops.. forgot the picture. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Robin Posted March 25, 2005 Share Posted March 25, 2005 :P Hi Mike, what do they say, measure twice, cut once, and never, never, assume. :D Otherwise looking good. :lol: Robin. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted March 25, 2005 Share Posted March 25, 2005 Mike, that is some amazing detail work! Looks great, look forward to it evolving even more. :D Cheers Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted March 26, 2005 Author Share Posted March 26, 2005 Hi Mike, what do they say, measure twice, cut once, and never, never, assume Hi Robin, My Gramps used to say the same thing, he was a carpenter and I'm sure somewhere he is chuckeling at my ignoring one of the basic mantras in building..lol. that is some amazing detail work! Looks great, look forward to it evolving even more. Thanks Ken, I have been following your A-10 BoSox build too. I'm not a huge fan of blowtorches, but there's a couple I like, the A-10 being one of them. Yours is an interesting and well done subject. The setback with the Rudder was not a huge deal afterall. I stripped off the skin, coped my three view onto the core and laminated .020 in strips along the trail edge, then sanded down to the new profile. All in all it took me about 30 minutes to fix it. I'll reskin it and you'll never know I boo-booo'ed. Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted March 26, 2005 Author Share Posted March 26, 2005 Here it is taped in place to check the look. I was never really happy with the shape of the trail edge anyhoo, as it was a bit short on the bottom to begin with, so this was really a blessing in disguise as I was able to fix two shortcomings at once. I made it just a smidge longer than needed, so I have a little room to play with when I final sand the skin. Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete "Pig" Fleischmann Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Hi Mike! Well...I'm pleased to see that this is another incredible build! The interior came out looking fantastic!..Nice work there..and all over...Heck, It's all GREAT! :lol: Regards, :D :D Pig Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted April 2, 2005 Author Share Posted April 2, 2005 Hi Pete, Thanks for the comments. The fuselage is for the most part, finished. I primed it this morning to look for any last flaws, and with any luck should be able to paint tomorrow and begin assembly. I made skins for the fabric covered areas of the fuselage, embossing the framework and wire bracing from the backside before gluing over the plastic substructure. You can see the fabric areas are a bit lighter in shade then the "plywood" covered areas. The gray is pretty much the color the plywood will be, and the fabric areas were painted with PC10. After painting and weathering I'll add the PE stitching that holds the fabric in place, then spray Floquil dust on the top surfaces to lighten them up a little. The machine I am building served in Egypt in 1919, and the sun did a number on the upper painted surfaces. I think the Dust will lighten it up without affecting the overall hue of the gray and PC10. Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted April 7, 2005 Author Share Posted April 7, 2005 Someone must have lit a fire under my butt because I have made some good progress in the last week. The fuselage and lower center wing sections are painted, along with the fin and stabilizer and elevator. I have to paint the wings yet, that will be this weekends task, then I will begin assembling the beastie. All my rigging holes are predrilled and I cut the wing struts to fit, so I stuck it in the jig for one last check, and I am very happy with the results. I am in a bit of a dilema though, if anyone has any extra roundels that are 5/8 in diamter, with the thin white outline, and you don't need them, I sure could use them. I pirated the wing roundels from a 1/32nd Hobbycraft Camel kit, as they were within 1mm, so I figured close enough, but I need the fuselage roundels yet and I have nothing in my spares that size. If it's a smidge off either way it's no biggie, otherwise I will have to paint the things and I'm not too excited about doing that. Reply here or email me offboard if you have anything. I'll gladly reimburse for postage, etc. Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattCar Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Coming on really nicely, I am very impressed. Its nice to see this level of attention to detail being paid to an 'obscure' subject. Your patience and commitment is an inspiration to me to try to stop my rushing and impatient ways. What else is in the pipeline? Cheers <_< Matt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Robin Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Hi Mike, looking more like an aeroplane now, the jigging looks to be doing its job. Have hunted through the decal store, but unfortunately I have no white outlined roundels at all. If you will build such way out aircraft what do you expect. Much more satisfying than all those F--teen aircraft though. <_< Robin. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted April 7, 2005 Author Share Posted April 7, 2005 Hi Matt, What else is in the pipeline? I have just acquired a set of drawings for a Curtiss MF Flying boat, which is basically a Seagull with a full Clark Y Airfoil instead of an undercambered wing the Seagull used. I am deviating from my preferred scale of 1/48 and will do this in either 1/24th or 1/16th, as it’s a tiny airplane, and it will go to the Curtiss Museum when it’s finished. I took some pictures top to bottom of the real MF on display at the Curtiss Museum to use for references. Hi Robin, Have hunted through the decal store, but unfortunately I have no white outlined roundels at all. Not to worry Robin, Mike Kendix from the WW1 list came through with what I need. Thanks for looking just the same. Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete "Pig" Fleischmann Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Someone must have lit a fire under my butt Mike ...Nahhhh..Thats just the Mexican food talkin'! Aways a pleasure to watch you work Mike..I learn something with every post! Regards, Pig Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyking Posted April 12, 2005 Author Share Posted April 12, 2005 The engines are installed into the nacelles and the exhaust was made from solder wire and plastic tube from Evergreen. All struts are cut to length now, so I epoxied the nacelle struts to the lower wing and installed the cross brace struts. Also the fuselage decals have been put on, and... a first for me... the fuselage and lower wings are weathered with a wash of Burnt Umber and Light Gray. After all is assembled I will overcoat the tops of all surfaces with Floquil Dust. I should have the wings painted by tonight, and get this thing ready for final assembly and rigging. Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mbittner Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 Looks awesome, Mike. Tell me, where do you get your solder? I'm looking for really thin solder, as well. TIA! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.