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Felixstowe F.2A - Roden - 1/72 - WWI


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:cop: Finished at Last :)

It took 17 months of hard work, interesting research and training to achieve this model, featured with a great deal of "hand-made" parts, some so tiny they are hardly noticeable to the bare eye.

The kit and the sprues with all parts, except the instructions leaflet and the scratch-built parts. Missing is the Part photo-etch, which is a great help to populate the inside of the hull.

Felixstowe-1.jpg

The wings, with an impressivly large span, are hold together with a maze of rigging wires, most of them double, as featured in almost all British WWI airplanes.

Felixstowe-1_111.jpg

The control surfaces are all deflected. The command wires, with their brass pulleys, combined with the complex rigging gives the impression of a flying kite. Drag was not yet well known to aircraft engineers...

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The upper part of the hull remains open to unveil the fully equipped inside: seats, steering wheels, command wires, radio, navigation table and instruments, fuel tanks, dashboard and even a first aid box with its red cross.

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Every engine, measuring only 3cm, is built with 127 parts, most of them being scratch-built additions. The radiators are PE, as are the propeller hubs. The valve camshafts are made with soldered brass and has tiny valve springs. The V-12 Rolls-Royce engines have a total of 48 valves !

Along the front center mast the aileron command wires run upwards to the brass pulleys, turned on a watchmaker lathe.

Felixstowe-4_25.jpg

I painted the hull with artist's oils to simulate wood. The bow is upgraded with a bunch of ropes. A pair of Lewis machine guns mean no good for the mighty German Zeppelins!

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Two little footsteps helped the four-man crew boarding the plane. Protection of the flight crew was restricted to two tiny windshields.

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At the back of the engines are the oil tanks. Four exhaust pipes lead the hot gases away from the upper wing fabric.A double Lewis gun mount aims at bad fates for Zeppelings. Above the center of the hull are two small propellers, acting as fuel pumps as soon as the airplane caught up speed.

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Under the lower wing are two bombs, targeting German U-Boote. The floatplane sits on a wood trolley, allowing the plane to be pulled out of the waters and manoeuvered on the ground.

Felixstowe-8_3.jpg

Eventually a fine aircraft model, recalling the old-time memories from when flying was a hard experience, for which you needed thick leather jackets with furred inside, a warm leather helmet and googles, along with warm boots and a solid will to stand the lengthy patrolls over the North Sea.

Flying is long stretches of boredom and sheer moments of terror

Learning watchmaking and how to use the precision tools was a great help to build parts that would have been impossible to evenen think about in 1/72!

The building thread can be read here

Thank you all guys for the supportive comments along the long months it took to complete this highly interesting build. :)

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As I said before, it's a real triumph- cheers!

Has anyone from Roden contacted you? I would imagine they must be quite chuffed to see their kit get the Pierre Treatment!

chuk

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I've had my jaw dropped all along on this build. It's incredible. As I asked in the build topic, has anyone seen one of these kits built straight from the box? I don't know how they could make all that rigging look good with a kit. The extra work you put into this, especially the engines and rigging make this kit truly impressive. The small size makes it even more incredible.

Phenomenal work, as always Pierre.

Edited by RedHeadKevin
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