Levasseur Pl.8, L'Oiseau Blanc

[RichieW]

Thanks Stephen, still off the fags and finding it easier now.

I ended up using semi matt varnish to fill the little surface imperfections. Worked a treat.

Very nice start to this most interesting project.  I wasn’t aware of this flight and the fate of the crew.
Good luck with the Be2 completion and of course, kicking the cigarette habit!

All the best,
Tim

Thanks Tim, I wasn't aware of this flight either until recently. I think that's why I find it so exciting.

Great start on this ambitious project!  Looks like you're moving along nicely.
What ideas do you have about making the fuselage (if you won't be divulging any trade secrets  )?

Thanks Ken, I'm not sure exactly how I will make the fuselage. The lower boat shape might have to be carved out of wood. There will need to be a lot of vac forming too which suggests I will end up carving the entire nose section. The windscreen looks 'fun' too. Like everything else I will throw myself off that bridge when I come to it.

Richie

[RichieW]

Evening all, shortly after my last update I had a bit of a mishap that involved spilling Mr Levelling Thinner on the tailplane. The damage to the surface shows up as yellow car primer. Not as bad as it might have been and easily remedied but deeply annoying.

Setback No. 1, thinner spillage. by Richard Williams, on Flickr

After a bit of gentle sanding, micromeshing and a bit of white Mr Surfacer 1500

20230721_133655 by Richard Williams, on Flickr

The tailfin and ruddder gave me a lot of grief. I tried to use the same method as I used for the tail plane but it all went horribly wrong.

It looked so promising after a quick check on the drawings;

20230721_092655 by Richard Williams, on Flickr

What I should have realised is that where the yellow car primer still shows represents low spots. These became very apparent once I skinned the part and I had to start again. The second attempt failed because I made the decision to cut out the rudder and skin the parts separately. Somehow I managed to misalign the ribs so a third attempt was made which finally proved successful.

20230726_213408 by Richard Williams, on Flickr

So here are all the tailplane components together.

20230726_213539 by Richard Williams, on Flickr

I need to learn how to draw the Levasseur anchor emblem on the computer so I can make a decal next.

It doesn't look like I have done much so far but much time has been spent remaking and attempting to rescue failed parts. Despite the problems I remain cigarette free and cheerful!

Many thanks for reading, I must get back to mt BE2c soon or it will never get finished!

Richie

[Davos522]

Per ardua ad astra, Richie... through spilled thinner to the stars! Glad to see your progress (and preserverance!), that's some beautiful work going on. And I haven't forgotten about the search for refs, just having trouble making the connection with Harlan... forgot it was a big race weekend just past :-/

Dave V.

[Borsos]

Extraordinary what you do here! Those parts look even better than kit parts.
Andreas

[lone modeller]

Excellent progress on both the model and the smoking!

Keep up the good work Richie.

Stephen.

[RichieW]

Thanks so much for your generous comments Dave, Andreas and Stephen, it really does help keep my enthusiasm high.

I've been a bit distracted recently but have a small progress update. Firstly I have now been a non smoker for 4 weeks and secondly I couldn't help but apply the first splash of colour to the rudder.

This was followed by a first go at printing my own decals. I spent many hours mucking about with various ways of drawing the anchor but in the end just downloaded a French Aeronavale roundel and a friend isolated the anchor for me. While I was at it I managed to find a picture of Nungesser's skull,coffin and candles emblem.



20230801_210101 by Richard Williams, on Flickr

These have just been applied so will need a clear coat, I'm a bit concerned about how thick the decal paper is but maybe they will dry nice and flat by the morning. Not a huge step forward but if the decals look OK tomorrow it is a new string to my bow.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my project.

Richie

[Davos522]

Looks great from here, Richie! I was wondering how you were going to do them. What did you print them on? I remember back in the day on the WW1 List the hot setup was the ALPS printer, but no doubt those have gone the way of the Baluchitherium by now.

Dave V.

[KiwiZac]

Great work Richie, I may not always comment but I read and enjoy every update on this build.

[RichieW]

Thanks Dave, it's a Lexmark MS310 laser printer I've had for years. I just typed it out as a word document, couldn't have been easier!
I tried using letraset but lining up all those letters was too much of a pain. The decals seem to have settled down really well overnight, I'm pretty pleased with that!

Richie

[RAGIII]

The decals look perfect Richie! Oh yeah, the fin, rudder and Tailplane look Awesome also!
RAGIII

[RichieW]

Many thanks Rick and Zac, sadly the feeling of triumph I got from my decal printing was rather short lived. The decal paper was rather thick and there were very obvious raised edges. Treatment with Micro Sol didn't really help and neither did a few layers of varnish. I didn't take photos to show you before removing the decals but I did put one on the shiny side of  a fresh  piece of styrene. I ran a little oil wash along the bottom which I hope enables you to see what I mean.

 
20230802_220705 by Richard Williams, on Flickr

 

I really hate this kind of thing, not even Tamiya decals are this thick.

 

I have some Experts Choice decal paper on order and will see how that works out. If all else fails it will be back to the Letraset and masks or, even though it goes against the grain, I may get the decals printed.

 

Sadly removing the decals and varnish caused a little surface damage which meant a little primer and filler so it really isn't looking very well at all.

 
Back to square one. by Richard Williams, on Flickr

 

Nothing that can't be fixed and a very minor setback compared to many of my modelling misadventures. I'm away for a few days so at least the primer and filler will be fully cured when I get back.

 

Richie

[KiwiZac]

Time away may give you the opportunity to look at the problem with fresh eyes. Good luck, Richie!

[lone modeller]

Time away may give you the opportunity to look at the problem with fresh eyes. Good luck, Richie!

....and get back to the BE 2c and finish that first!

Stephen

[KiwiZac]

 

[kensar]

Can you cut the decal film so it lines up with the rib lines?  This is what I am planning for my Strutter.