forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Under Construction => Topic started by: BigBlue on July 26, 2014, 04:25:00 AM
-
Hello All,
As I mentioned in my post in the Group Build rules thread, I am a relative newbie to WWI aircraft modeling, so it I am both nervous and excited to join all you talented modelers with my attempt at "Red W".
(http://wwimodeller.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/WNW-1-32-Fokker-D.VII-F.jpg)(http://www.wingnutwings.com/ww/vCD3AAEAA/www/products/model_kitsets/32031/colour_schemes/Fokker%20D.VII%20F%20501~18,%20Red%20W,%20Jasta%2026,%20November%201918.jpg)
I have a E.II/III on my table at the moment which I will need to work through prior to starting this build in earnest, so it will be a few weeks before I start posting any legitimate updates. I am really looking forward to it.
I plan on using the fantastic looking Aviattic tailored-set decals for the lozenges, which brings me to my first request for guidance from those here who know more than I. The box cover art shows the aircraft with lilac rib taping, but the kit's decals use lozenge tape. (They do include tapes for certain schemes, but they are yellow/linen rather than lilac.) My question is which was more likely?
As I understand it, the tape color was correlated to the aircraft's manufacturer, and I have been assuming that the F aircraft were produced directly by Fokker. Wouldn't this indicate lozenge tapes (in keeping with the kit's provided decals?) The reference photos I have seen of this aircraft don't show the wing surfaces clearly enough to tell. So with the caveat that we don't really know for sure, what would an educated guess point towards?
Thanks for any help (and to both Des for organizing, and the generosity of those providing the prizes!),
Chris
-
Nice choice. I think you surmise pretty well, I'm sure the rib tapes WNW dictate are the safest bet. the purple on the box top illustration sure look dapper tho ;D there again that could just be my tired eyes playin trix
-
I can apprectiate why you chose that one Chris. It was one I was considering so I will enjoy seeing your build. All the best for it. I'm a newbie to these also.
-
Welcome to the Fokker D.VII Group Build Chris. 8)
It's nice to see a Fokker D.VII F that isn't ALL White or Post War! :)
These WNWs look like Great Kits and very straight forward
Cheers, Jay
-
Thanks for the information and encouragement. I hope I'll do her justice.
-
Chris,
Having seen what you did with the Snipe, I am REALLY looking forward to seeing your take on this one!
RAGIII
-
Time to blow some of the dust off of this thread. While my Eindecker is on temporary hold, I have started on my DVII F build. I thought I would start with the lozenge decals on the wings, a) because I have been eager to see those beautiful lozenge decals applied, b) because I didn't want Richard to think I had scammed a free set of decals to sell in some alley somewhere ;)
I started with my typical black primer (Mr. Finishing Surfacer 1500) followed by Gunze Off White.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps881ad2b2.jpg)
I tried to leave the areas along the rib tapes a little darker, but was afraid to leave the effect too strong, thinking that I could always add shading after application, but would not be able to recover if they looked too dark. As you can see in the following picture, I erred on the too subtle side, and the shading doesn't really come through at all. No loss other than a bit of wasted airbrush time.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zpse912ebde.jpg)
This is what everything looks like prior to any clear coats, weathering, etc. I applied the decals directly over the Gunze paint since it has a semi-gloss coat, and I didn't want to introduce the dust that seems to accompany a gloss clear coat in my workshop. Next time, I think I would try it with the clear coat for while the decals adhered without issue, there are a handful of small spots where the color is slightly lightened, which could be due to slight silvering. Not a big deal all in all.
It took me a little bit to get the hang of the decals, but once I did, they were quite easy to work with. I had one issue on the upper surface of the upper wing where I must have stretched the decal's width a bit as in order to line up the rib tapes, I had a bit of overlap with the rib ending the adjoining section, resulting in a dark line from the double decal. I attempted to trim the piece with an Exacto knife while wet, and got a bit of a jagged edge which is visible on the wing. From that point on, I made sure to slide the decals off of the backing paper north-south, rather than east-west and had no further issues. I also found that I got better results leaving a bit of clear film along the abutting edges as it was easier to make sure that the newly applied decal didn't mess up the edge of the one already in place if they overlapped rather than butted against each other.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps752d2ee4.jpg)
I definitely have some dodgy areas on the corners, particularly at the ends of the wings, but am satisfied with the overall appearance. I think the finished product has the potential to look great (assuming I don't mess it up too badly!) I'm very happy with the Aviattic decals, and want to thank Richard once again for his generous offer.
Next up is the cockpit, which I hope to have underway this weekend. I'll admit to being a bit apprehensive about the tolerances, and am thinking I will dry fit and spray some primer as has been recommended.
Chris
-
Brilliant start, Chris. The decals look awesome. Can't wait to get mine.
Cheers,
Bud
-
Your joint will look fine, just put a little bit of umber weathering over the ragged bit ;)
Field repair!
Thanks Bud & Justin. I know its not much of an update, but its a start!
Chris
-
A very good beginning.
Martin
-
Nice start and I think you have done as well as most of us with the application of the Lozenge. I have experienced many of the same issues while learning the technique of using Aviattic Lozenge. Once learned though it is Easy!
RAGIII
-
Chris,
As Rick says "Nice start" and I'll add excellent work on the Aviattic Product for a first try. I have found that you really have to check and double check to ensure there are no air pockets/bubbles under the decal once applied. Even the tiny ones if missed will result in a small silver patch. I've had reasonable success using a damp cloth and pressing as hard as is safe, and use Microsol on the corners, projections, and edges. I love the stuff but it does demand a little TLC.
Cheers,
Lance
-
I see that this thread had nearly fallen to page 3 of the Group Build forum, so it must be time to show some work! You wouldn't know it from the lack of updates (and the limited content of this one), but after a short post-Eindecker break, I have been making some progress on the D.VII F.
I started with the woodwork (not counting the prop), so that the oil paints I used for graining had time to dry. Most of the parts are still on the sprues, so the pictures would be a bit boring to share at this point. For the light colored wood, I used Tamiya Desert Yellow for my base, and Burnt Umber and Raw Sienna for the grain. The darker wood pieces are mostly Raw Umber over Tamiya Flat Earth. I will give them all a "varnish" coat of clear yellow & orange.
Since then, I have been focused on the BMW IIIa engine:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps66434e0d.jpg)
As you can see, I am using the Taurus valves & lifters, and so spent an evening removing the kit's molded arms from the rocker boxes. The intake manifold is a mix of Tamiya Flat & Nato Black over Citadel Hashut Copper (it was handy) using a bit of salt for chipping as has been described by The Baron in many of his build threads. Once dried, I treated the manifold pipe to a good scrubbing of MIG Pigments: Black Smoke and Russian Earth. The aluminum on this piece (and the crank case) was done with Mr. Metal Color Aluminum and a bit of Iron to vary the finish. I'm leaning towards a more uniform aluminum, and may re-spray the case.
The resin bits got a coat of that same Mr. Metal Color Iron, and the springs got highlights of AK's Dark Steel pigment, which gives them a nice metallic look that is not really visible in the poor quality phone picture. The spark plugs are still unfinished. The cylinders (with their coils removed) and water pipe were painted with a different batch of Tamiya Flat & Nato Black (mixed to taste). The gaskets (?) are XF-9, Hull Red. (My engine knowledge is clearly limited... I'd be interested in learning more if there is a resource someone would recommend on the workings of these beasts.) Everything needs washes, weathering, some detail painting, etc.
The piece with the magnetos appears to be missing the bottom most bit which seems to have been lost in transit. (My kit also arrived with a broken "N" strut, which Wingnuts helpfully replaced for me... must have been a rough flight over.) Looking at reference photos, I have attempted to recreate the structure using some styrene rod and various diameters of slide-fit aluminum tubing (on the right):
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps3d89c799.jpg)
I have also taken a stab at a little drain that seems to go on the little U-shaped platform seen on the rear lower portion of the crank case above. I am unsure if I will use it, as I think it is a bit over scale, and won't be seen anyway. I also decided to replace the kit part for the tubes that hold the ignition leads using that same aluminum tubing:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/IMG_1615_zps6f61a03b.jpg)
I stuck a piece of 15 lb mono through the tubes, and bent them against a small nail I drove into a wooden base. The mono prevented the tubes from totally collapsing, but remained relatively easy to pull back out once bent. I drilled the holes by hand, using an old airbrush needle (aka a bodkin to a fly-tyer) to work a divot into the aluminum at the appropriate spots. I was then able to carefully work a .35 mm bit through the surface. The tubes have been glued using CA. I still need to cut the 2nd tube to size and form the mounting brackets. I have not decided what I am going to use for the ignition leads (this is my first non-rotary engine), but feel like I have more options now that there is an actual pipe opening (rather than drilled out plastic piece) to fit 6 lines into. I also need to figure out how I want to connect the leads to those tiny (i.e. fragile) spark plugs; I am currently thinking about trying an unskilled version of Bo's crushed, cut and drilled tubing, but we will see.
The prop is waiting with a coat of Desert Yellow. I don't feel like I have a reliable technique for painting / drawing the laminations, so it may be lonely for a bit.
I think that's all I've got right now. Hopefully more soon as this is now front and center in my mind and on my bench.
Thanks for checking in,
Chris
-
I've made some more progress on the IIIa engine:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps8a6dc35a.jpg)
It doesn't look like much, but that is the result of a couple of evenings at the bench (I'm slow). I replaced the kit's valves & lifters with the Taurus resin versions, and further installed a set of Taurus spark plugs. I showed the pipes that hold the ignition leads under construction in my last post, and they have now been finished and installed. Despite my priming the aluminum prior to painting, the Tamiya acrylic chips off if I look at it funny, so 'weathering' the pipes was straightforward. The brackets are made from flattened .4 mm brass tubing, and I used some fine brass wire ('French Tinsel' from my fly tying kit) for the leads themselves.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zpsf78e99ba.jpg)
I decided on using my standard rigging method of a nickel tube slip-loop to attach the leads to the spark plugs, but initially experimented with making connectors from the same flattened brass tubing that I used for the brackets. I didn't like they way they looked, so decided not to use them, but not before I spent a "relaxing" hour or two drilling all 12 of the little bastar... devils. I put two in the picture so my time wasn't totally wasted.
I've drilled the magnetos to accept the leads which I need to install out of the back ends of the pipes. I assume that process will take me a while, but other than that, finishing the engine shouldn't be too much of a challenge. Then I'll start back on the cockpit.
That's all I've got, thanks for checking in,
Chris
-
Thanks so much for the excellent update, Chris. I really appreciate
your explanations to go with the pictures, really helpful stuff.
The engine is amazing and a credit to your talents, my friend.
Looking forward to the next chapter! :D
Cheers,
Ernie :)
-
Thanks guys!
Bo: I also think yours looked pretty good (i.e great), but was less happy with mine. It was an execution issue rather than a conceptual one. While your clamps are nicely formed and consistent, mine were less so. I used .4 mm brass as well, and while I wouldn't want to go much larger than that, I had trouble placing a hole large enough to get over the head on the spark plug, so the clamps just sort of sat on top. I also had a bit of trouble with the plugs that angle back towards the cylinders during a test fit. There just wasn't much room for a natural placement between the pipes that carry the ignition wires and the side of the adjoining cylinder.
Ernie: I am very glad to hear you find the explanations helpful. As I've said before, I have learned a tremendous amount from this community, and am happy to contribute in some small way.
Justin: I may not have been clear in my haste to post before bed last night. The tubing is just Albion Nickel Silver Micro Tube (.6 OD- .4 ID). I'm glad you think it looks ok. It is not quite as easy to tighten the loops with wire as it is mono, but not too bad all in all.
I added the manifold and water pipe. Hopefully more to show this evening.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps687a7ba4.jpg)
Chris
-
Chris a very beautiful engine.
Martin
-
Beautiful to say the least! Outstanding work on those plug leads!
RAGIII
-
Here is a brief update:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zpsb600d799.jpg)
Boy, the digitally magnified phone picture is brutal. Be that as it may, I am close to finishing the engine, with just a bit of plumbing I want to add once I see what will be visible. I wired the magnetos using the same brass wire as the plug leads (since they're theoretically continuous). The connectors are small bits of polyimide tube (when you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail.... when I have tubing....) I fashioned the little do-hickey off of the rear end of the crankcase using styrene rod and, yep, more tubing (all seen above in my earlier post), since the kit piece arrived broken and detached piece was lost before I noticed. Thanks to Justin for the reference photo of his engine.
I haven't had as much time at the bench as I expected, so progress has been slow. I doubt I will get much more time before Sunday with the impending holiday here in the States.
Thanks for checking in; sorry there's not more to share. Happy Thanksgiving to those in the US, and my best wishes to those of us who are not.
Chris
-
Chris, don't worry about macro photography...with what
you have done here, you should be reveling in it! Superb
engine, my friend. :D
Cheers,
Ernie :)
-
It looks like a well used engine to me. I can't think of a better compliment. Well done!
Cheers,
Chris
-
I agree with Chris and Ernie, Chris! Brilliant looking engine.
Cheers,
Bud
-
Many thanks, Ernie, Chris and Bud. Your comments are appreciated!
Chris
-
Agree with all of the others. Beautiful Engine!!
RAGIII
-
Thanks Rick!
-
An exellent engine.
Martin
-
I realize the same.
I take a seat ;)
-
Season's greetings to all.
I have a small and much overdue update to post. The holiday's have made it a bit hard to find bench time, but I have managed to make some progress. Since last I posted:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps11ea9c7d.jpg)
These are the RB Productions WW1 Seat Belts, and the first time I have used anything other than photo etch. The belts are made from a reasonably durable paper, which comes pre-cut into strips of the appropriate size, and p/e hardware. You assemble the belts much like you would the real deal (with glue rather than stitching!) and the end result looks very nice. I found them to be a bit stiffer than I had hoped, which I guess is the tradeoff for the durability. In order to get them to conform to the seat in a semi-realistic fashion, I wound up wetting the paper which certainly softened them up, but also degraded the glue and some to the details (like the 'stitches' I applied with the serrated edge of the p/e fret.) All in all, I was happy with the product, but will probably try the HGW belts on my next build (in my quest for realistic draping). That said, I am sure a more talented modeler could get excellent results with these.
Next up is the instrument panel:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps6e0f681b.jpg)
Nothing too out of the ordinary here. The digitally zoomed camera picture is cruel. I added copper tubing to the back of the panel using wire, which is visible in the next picture below:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps2f70ea86.jpg)
Since the back of the panel will only be visible from directly above, I didn't spend too much time masking and painting, so please excuse the slapdash job. I tried something different with the cockpit floor boards, which can be seen in photo as well. After the base acrylic and oil paint grain, I gave it a coat of Tamiya Flat Clear. I followed this with a layer of hair spray, and this with Alclad Aqua Gloss. I used a damp cotton swap to remove the 'varnish' in areas that I wanted to appear worn, and used muddy colored pigments (which obviously bite into the flat coat more than the gloss) to dirty the wood up a bit. It isn't very obvious in the picture, but the different finishes are apparent in the way they reflect light.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zpsa8595fc2.jpg)
I have rigged the cockpit framing using EZ Line, which I don't love, but I wanted a bit of elasticity in case the framing shape flexes a bit after assembly. I made the turnbuckles using a small piece of aluminum tube, and suggested the wrapping using small pieces of white gift tissue paper from the Christmas presents. I thinned Gator's Grip glue with water and dragged the tissue through the slurry prior to "wrapping" them on (more of a mush than a true wrap.) Once dried, I gave them a brushing with some pigments. The framing still needs a coat of flat coat on the lozenge decals, and a light oil wash. The stick is rigged with a mix of monofilament, wire and EZ line (for the machine gun trigger cables). I used a pair of my rejected ignition wire connectors to mount the elevator cables to the control stick.
I am close to closing up the cockpit, but am still working my way through the proper appearance of the wiring and control rods that attach to the throttle and spark advance levers. The best picture I've found of the BMW throttle is from the Memorial Flight Association's website:
(http://memorial.flight.free.fr/gallery/fokkerd7/m4.jpg)
Their DVII F restoration photos are terrific, but unfortunately are very small so while useful, details can be a bit tricky to pick out.
Like I said above, it really doesn't look like much progress, but between the holiday schedule and my propensity to slow down during detail work, it has taken me longer to get here than it probably seems like it should have. I hope everyone had a happy and healthy [insert holiday of choice], and wish the same for you all for 2015.
Thanks for looking in,
Chris
-
The interior bits are looking terrific! Well Done!
RAGIII
-
Some really nice work going on here, Chris. This will be even more impressive once all of the sub components/assemblies start to come together. This is going to be a beauty! 8)
Cheers,
Lance
-
You are doing a great job, Chris. I really like your
wooden floor and the use of the tissue for the wrapped
turnbuckles is an excellent idea. I look forward to
your next updates as the bits come together. Well
done, my friend!
Cheers,
Ernie :)
-
Realy great work and paint for the interior.
Martin
-
Good job, Chris. I just gotta use that hair spray method one of these days! :D
-
Now where was I? Ah yes...
First, thank you Rick, Lance, Ernie, Martin & Gary for your kind comments; they are much appreciated. I thought I'd have an update to share, and therefore would wait to respond until it was ready.... sadly it has taken me longer than I expected.
I have made further progress on the interior, and think I am now ready to assemble the cockpit structure and move towards closing the fuselage up. I have added the wiring and linkage rod-a-ma-thingies to the throttle and spark levers, and put the sample of interior lozenge from Richard to good use:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zpsf2228f8c.jpg) (http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zpsc760aba6.jpg)
The throttle wiring is made from cut aluminum tubing and bits of fine wire. Other than the C/A glue's random decision to bind or not, there isn't much to tell here. The linkage rods (I apologize if my terminology is erroneous) are stretched sprue. I have left the rods long (as you can see) but plan on cutting them back as I assemble the interior.
Moving on to the fuselage walls, I decided that I wanted to allow the both the exterior stripes and the weight table to be visible through the linen. I started with an undercoat of light gray (rather than white) and slightly darker gray stripes thinking the painted exterior would limit the light transmission through the fabric walls, and thus darken the colors. Strictly realistic or not, I wanted the black stripes to be perceptible from the inside. Additionally, I used a bit of earth colored pigment to add some dirt and staining prior to adding a gloss coat. For the weight table, I scanned the original decal, opened up the image in Photoshop, flipped it, and then lightened the intensity in a somewhat haphazard fashion to simulate the uneven transmission of the paint/ink through the linen.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/table_interior_zps580c2ee1.jpg)
My assumption is that the weight table would have been applied at the factory, and I made the leap that it was applied prior to the dope coating, and thus would come through the linen. Again, accurate or not, I wanted to add a little visual interest. I printed the modified table on inkjet decal paper, and applied it to the painted fuselage.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps558ba0de.jpg)
The Aviattic interior lozenge was a pleasure to use and I am happy with how the transparency allowed the undercoat and pre-staining to come through. It could just be my brain playing tricks on me, but I do think that the pigments under the decal are somehow more convincing than the reverse would be. The thickness of the extra table decal is apparent in certain angles, but happily is not visible when viewed from above, particularly when tucked behind the framing and rigging. With the framing in place, all of the effects are very subtle, which is good.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps7301e68f.jpg) (http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps7a68672d.jpg)
That's what I've got for now. Next step is to assemble the internal structure from the parts that have been waiting patiently on my desk for the last few weeks. I would love to be spraying paint on the fuselage over the weekend.... well, its a reasonable goal at least.
Thanks for looking in,
Chris
-
Continuing success, Chris. It's nice to see how it
should be done! Superb work, my friend. :D
Cheers,
Ernie :)
-
Chris,
I really like the work you are doing. The pre shading light and dark areas on the interior is awesome. Everything is looking terrific!
RAGIII
-
Richard, thank you for the comment and for the lozenge material. As I said, I am very happy with how they worked for me and will be coming to you for more.
Ernie and Rick, thanks to you both for the kindness. You have both been very supportive participants in my builds, and I am very appreciative (particularly given the high regard I have for both of your talents!)
Chris
-
Very nice update Chris.
Martin
-
This is coming together really well Chris, I love the seat colour, very rich, and the remainder of the interior is well done. Great work on the throttle lever and quadrant, it is only a tiny part but it now looks excellent.
Des.
-
Thank you Martin and Des; I sincerely appreciate your comments!
I have progress to share:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps7c0aba92.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zpsd1b908c5.jpg)
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps6527aa20.jpg) (http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps799758d3.jpg) (http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps437aae95.jpg)
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps7e0fb71c.jpg)
Sorry for the large number of pictures, I am probably a bit over excited. Getting the cockpit structure assembled is always a favorite build stage for me, especially with these WnW kits which offer such eye candy. I have gone further in adding details like wires and cables on this build than I have on any previous ones, and I wanted to take pictures before it all gets hidden in the fuselage.
The engine is just sitting in the frame to make sure all of the support members dry in proper alignment. The twisted brass wire sticking through the firewall is supposed to represent the cable connecting to the tachometer, and the two strands of black EZ Line are the bowden trigger cables which will get trimmed and connected to the Spandaus when I am ready to mount them. I also have I fashioned a pair of synchronizing cables from twisted wire which will also attach to the underside of the machine guns.
I have been a bit fearful of getting the frame together given the horror stories about tolerances. Time will tell if I managed to get things lined up properly, but I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to ensure that everything is square and true. The engine mounts were particularly fiddly. Like I said, I am glad to have reached this stage!
Thanks (as always) for checking in,
Chris
-
Chris,
Neat, clean, and nicely detailed! Enough said!
RAGIII
-
Thank you Rick!
-
Exceptional work on the cockpit and engine, Chris! She's destined to be a stunner.
Cheers,
Bud
-
Great job Chris!
Yes, I think everyone finds the engine mounts particularly tricky - I certainly did!
Guy
-
I like it very much - i would be happy if i were able to build as cleanly as you do.
Stefan
-
Nice to see the cockpit done as it should be! Superb
work, Chris...excellent job, my friend. :D
Cheers,
Ernie :)
-
Thank you very much Bud, Guy, Stefan & Ernie, as I sincerely appreciate your comments.
I have closed up the fuselage and am in the midst of my dreaded fill-sand-fill-sand-∞ cycle. My least favorite part of every build. In addition to the dorsal seam, my chosen aircraft has the early style extended fabric fuselage, which means I have two additional seams to fill and hide. I'll admit that those gaps were larger than I would have liked, which has me a bit concerned about potential issues down the line. I'll feel significantly more comfortable once the upper wing is mounted (hopefully successfully).
Thanks again for the kind words, guys; hopefully they aren't premature!
Chris
-
Wonderful work to both cockpit and engine.
Martin
-
Michael, you are way too kind! I think I have the seams relatively tamed (foamed last words), but am concerned that the larger-than expected gap between the panels may be indicative of some improper internal alignment, and a harbinger of pain to come when trying to fit the wings. Fingers crossed...
Martin, thank you once again for your generous comments; I am ever appreciative.
As I mentioned, I am close to being done with my foray into filling & sanding. I have the internal goodies masked off, and hope to be spraying paint in the near future. Pictures to follow.
Chris
-
That is really stunning work! Beautifully done.
Drew
-
Those forward fabric extensions are 'gappy' - in fact they should have about 0.3mm gap to the main fuselage if fitted 'correctly'. I filled mine with superglue. You may want to also remove the detail on the outside of the forward frame members so that you can ensure that they sit in exactly the same plane as the fuselage - even the slightest twist makes for some difficult sanding around the fuselage details.
That is comforting to hear, Justin, as that is in line with my experience (give or take); many thanks. I stretched some sprue and jammed it into the gaps with Tamiya cement which did most of the serious filling. I did experience the twist induced sanding challenges (because that's just how I do things), but it is what it is. The access hatches are now a little less crisp than they were, and I've lost the little triangle details at the wing root. I may still try to replace them with something home-brewed.
Thank you very much for the nice comment, Drew. I appreciate your checking in.
Chris
-
Justin, thanks for the suggestion. I wound up using a couple of small pieces I cut from .13 mm Evergreen. They're not perfect, but they're tiny, and they're close enough.
Having finished my fill & sand purgatory, I was able to finally start spraying paint today. I started with a base of black Mr. Finishing Surfacer as a primer. I masked off the framing prior to the initial coat, and that went over the exposed areas with a second thin coat in attempt to leave some subtle hint of structure:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zpsc1045e1d.jpg)
I think I'd have been happier just putting down the primer base, and then adding detail with regular paint as the thicker Mr. Surfacer left slight edges where the tape had been. Either way, the next step was a couple hours of masking stripes. Aside from the challenge (for me at least) of all of those parallel lines, the decals line up with the stripes in a particular way, so I had to measure every gap as precisely as I could. Additionally, rather than spray the entire fuselage white, and the mask for the black, I decided to mask the black areas, spray the white, and re-mask to spare the black in an attempt to minimize the layers of paint. For both, I sprayed a loose & mottled undercoat followed by a thin topcoat in the final color. For the white stripes, the undercoat was deck tan, and the final coat was Gunze Off-White, and for the black, the under coat was a mix of Tamiya Nato Black & RLM Gray, which was followed by a final coat of Nato Black:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/IMG_1662_zpsfe257a0a.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/IMG_1664_zps754b5b2a.jpg)
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zpsf22efb9b.jpg)
By and large, the masking worked well, and there are only a few spots needing touch up (one can be seen on the dorsal surface above). I knew as I was painting that the high contrast of the black and white stripes would flatten out the subtle variations in tone that I tried to achieve, but I still overdid the top coats; what looks downright patchy when the tape hides the contrasting stripes looks perfectly monotonous when the masking is removed. Must learn to override what my eyes are telling me in those situations.
Thanks for checking in,
Chris
-
Terrific work on the stripes! Nothing Monotonous about them to me! Black and white stripes seem to have an effect on the eye that just makes them POP! Lovely!
RAGIII
-
It looks great your painting.
Martin
-
Thank you Rick and Martin, I appreciate the comments.
Rick, the skill with which you executed your scheme's diagonal stripes was certainly made clear to me after my day of masking and painting (not that it wasn't already). Maintaining the proper angle and spacing over that many lines had to be much harder than my relatively simple pattern. Well done.
Just to be clear, I don't think the overall pattern is monotonous, but rather that the high contrast between the blacks and whites makes it very hard for the brain to recognize the relatively subtle contrast within the black tones, and within the white tones. What was easily discernible within the white paint with the black stripes covered disappears when the full pattern is revealed, and vice versa.
Regardless, I love the stripes, and am thankful that the Luftstreitkräfte gave us such fantastic liveries.
Chris
-
Fuselage crosses painted:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps33fa5b89.jpg)
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps47592378.jpg)
Thanks for checking in,
Chris
-
Very nice work on painting the fuselage cross! By the way I can see some tonal differences in the black stripes in your latest photos so you have succeeded with your original intent!
RAGIII
-
Thanks Rick!
Shaking some tail feathers:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps7388ec24.jpg)
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps62da3a18.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/6a2143c2-84d5-410a-846b-895229f643df_zps2850fefa.jpg)
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps853bf84e.jpg)
After taping the rudder's internal structure, I sprayed some thin dark gray, and then went over it with Gunze Off White. I made a paper template for the cross, placed it on the rudder and then placed the mask around it. I am now trying to determine if I have the nerve to paint the wing's crosses as well, as they are slightly more complicated due to the white borders and the registration that they imply.
That's all for now,
Chris
-
Chris it is very nice.
Martin
-
I am now trying to determine if I have the nerve to paint the wing's crosses as well, as they are slightly more complicated due to the white borders and the registration that they imply.
You better have the nerves to do. Using your own paint for the fuselage/rudder crosses will show on the upper wings, as the decal's black will be different. If you want to skip some masking, you should use decals on the lower wings only, as they won't be seen so easily.
Stefan
-
Thanks Martin and Stefan for your comments and suggestions.
Marking continues:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps976a486c.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps26ecf0c3.jpg)
I have been looking into purchasing a cutting machine for some time now, and decided that this build provided me the perfect excuse to give myself a late Christmas present. Based largely on budget and space, I picked up a Silhouette Portrait. The red W's represent the first harvest.
I scanned the appropriate kit decals, and used them to create the vector art in my drawing program, iDraw. I cut the masks using Grafix Frisket film after a couple of hours of playing with the machine's settings to get the results I wanted. Now that it is dialed in, cutting further masks should be straightforward. I am planning on painting the crosses and W's on the upper and lower wings, but am concerned about lifting the lozenge (especially since I did not do a textbook job of getting them applied in the first place, and can see pockets of silvering here and there.)
I also decided to pick up a set of the Gaspatch Spandaus (really nice!), and experimented a bit with the Taurus cowl nuts:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps2951a1aa.jpg)
I discussed this in a thread in the Hints and Tips section of the forums (http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=4851.0 (http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=4851.0)), so I won't go to much into it here other than to say that I am still unsure if I will use them for this build. They are up to the usual Taurus standards, but I concerned that they are too prominent (in scale though they may be). I am, however, warming up to them. :)
Thanks for looking in; comments and questions are welcome,
Chris
-
So, what's the verdict on the issue of the cowl nuts? Do they seem too big, or are they OK in the opinion of most of you?
I was thinking of using them if they enhance the model, but you raise a good question, Chris. But you really can't judge until the cowl is painted. Your cowl is black so they will appear a bit less prominent (since we all know black is slimming ;)) so I guess I'll wait as see.
-George
-
Chris, your paintwork is amazing! I really am impressed with
your work on the vert. stabilizer/rudder. That is inspired! It
is such fun watching a lovely model such as yours take shape,
my friend, and very informative as well. :D
Cheers,
Ernie :)
-
Thanks very much guys!
Bo, I use iDraw on my Mac, and for the price, you can't beat it. My old version of Illustrator eventually went obsolete on me, and I couldn't justify the price (or subscription model) for the occasional use it got. For a hobbyist like myself, it does what I need it to do (other than export dxf files, but I have a workaround for that as well.)
George, I think you are right about holding off judgement until the final paint is sprayed, and will post a picture when I do. When I first put the cowl nuts in place, they REALLY jumped out at me compared to the molded kit representations, especially with the dark resin against the light gray styrene. I put a coat of primer on the piece to make it easier to compare to the unmodified counterpart. In addition to the color issue, I think the size is emphasized when looking at the panel in isolation; when the piece is placed in context, I think the nuts are less prominent:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zpsac871b07.jpg)
Ernie, I sincerely appreciate your kindness. I had just recently been looking at how you finished your cowling panels for inspiration!
Chris
-
Yes, seeing the cowl in place really helps, even before final painting. From your photo I can see the cowl nuts look great. I'm convinced they work very well, I'm going to add them.
Thanks for posting the newest photo.
George
-
I am planning on going ahead with them as well, George. Glad the picture was helpful.
Well, as I feared, my poor application of the Aviattic decals has come back to haunt me:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/IMG_1691_zps333a954d.jpg)
The white marks around the 'W' are not from the mask leaking, but rather the mask taking away bits of poorly adhered decal. :( In the photo above, you can see additional pockets where I did not get the decal to adhere properly. I am probably going to end up re-covering the wings, but am open to any tips to attempt to fix the adhesion issue after the fact....
Sadly, I think this will put the GB deadline out of reach. Oh well,
Chris
-
Thanks Justin, I'll give it a go.
Chris
-
Well Chris, I think Justin has given you good advice for adherence issues. On the other hand if this were mine, ( Note I am relatively Lazy), I would step back and evaluate what it would take to touch up the lozenge using paint. To my eye it isn't beyond reasonable. Somewhere in Bos' Albatros thread he has done a very elaborate touch up on Lozenge decals. I touched up some glitches, read some Idiot used Lacquer thinner to try and clean off a bit of paint, on my DVII just by mixing a very close match and carefully brushing on the paint. I only had to match 2 colors and as no one seems to have noticed must have been successful :o There really isn't a tremendous amount of affected areas on yours. JMHO, If your level of perfection demands a re- do then go for it and I will cheer you on!
RAGIII
-
Thanks for the support Rick!
I'd still prefer to paint the wing crosses at this point since every other marking on the aircraft has been masked and sprayed, and as Stefan pointed out a page or so ago, the tones of the kit decals will not match. That isn't going to work out well with the wings in their current state. So while I'd prefer not to strip the wing, not doing so will require: disguising the current blemishes with paint and or weathering, encouraging a better grip for the lozenge decals (particularly where I want to mask), and getting lucky that I won't lift any further spots. I de-tacked the Frisket so much before spraying the white 'W' that it barely remained down in a few locations along the opening.
I've been reasonably happy with how this build has turned out so far, and want to finish with that same feeling. Now I just need to figure out what I need to do to make that happen.
Chris
-
Sorry you missed the GB deadline Chris but I'm glad to see this build is now here and will continue, looking forward to seeing what solution you come up with for the lozenge blemish.
Des.
-
Chris,
"These things are sent to try us"! My vote is for Ricks paint touch up remedy. You have a beautiful Build going on here and the less repairs the better. It's thankfully in very small areas so I believe the paint touch up would be very much hidden in the overall finish. On the other hand Richard's generous and kind offer would tempt me as well, can't beat the financials on that! (how do you stay in business, Richard?!?!)
There is a third option, which I used for a similar problem on my first D.VII. Cutting tiny patches of lozenge patches from the White Backing product. With a final overspray of acrylic sealer it was virtually invisible when complete.
Whichever route you choose it will produce a winner, lovely work so far.
Cheers,
Lance
-
Michael, Richard and Lance: thank you all for your generous comments and support, they are much appreciated! Richard, thanks further for your incredibly generous offer which I am going to decline as I explained in a PM.
Here's where I currently stand: Given that I am no longer under any pressure to meet a deadline for this build, I have purchased a fresh set of lozenge and will take a second go at it when they arrive. I took Justin's advice and attempted to re-bond the silvered pockets, which seemed to help reduce the silvering somewhat. I also added a couple of fresh coats of Aqua Gloss in an effort to build up the platform for masking. Additionally, I spent a bit of time working through mixes for the lozenge colors to repair the damage shown above. All good so far....
After letting the gloss coats dry for a day, I decided to take a go at painting the crosses using the file I set up for the Portrait cutting machine. Rather than risking the frisket material which caused my initial problems, I cut the masks using some thin origami paper that we had in my kid's craft supplies. I purchased a stick of 3M Scotch Repositionable Glue Stick, which basically turns any paper into a Post-It note, and used it to apply the masks to the wings. As is probably obvious by this point, I'm not happy with the results:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zpsf4566043.jpg)
There are two issues, both of which can be seen above. The first is that my homemade "post-it" masks just didn't give me a sharp enough seal, and the borders look sloppy. The second and bigger issue has nothing to do with the masking materials, but rather the poor job I did aligning the crosses with each other. Unlike using decals where you see alignment issues immediately, it can be tricky (for me at least) to see small alignment issues until paint has been laid down and it is too late. This is especially true when the opaque masking material (origami paper) conceals much of the wing surface (and further confuses the eye by introducing additional edges). To assist with this going forward, I have amended the masks to include small strips running through the black cross area (which is removed prior to painting anyway) that line up on the wing ribs to keep things in line. Additionally, I have cut a strip of paper the width of the crosses to make sure the pairs are pointing towards each other. I hope that all makes sense.
I am chalking all of this up to a learning opportunity (actually a number of them... decal setting, insignia masking, etc.) and moving on; hopefully not making the same mistakes twice. The universe has told me to re-group, and I have decided not to fight it.
Thanks again for the comments and suggestions that everyone has given me; they have been very helpful. Thanks again to Richard for his generosity. Comments, suggestions and questions are more than welcome.
Chris
Oh, p.s., in other news, I have added the few small (id number) decals to the fuselage and tail assembly, and have begun work on the Gaspatch Spandaus. I will post pics when I have a bit more done.
-
Well Chris, I must say you are the one you must please. Again I don't see an issue that can't be fixed with a very slight touch up. But that is me. You Obviously have a higher standard and I applaud your perseverance!
RAGIII
-
Thanks for the support, Rick!
I have to say that I don't think its as much high standards as it is my inability to get past something once it gets under my skin. This is a trait my wife really enjoys. That aside, the issue for me here isn't the touchups, but rather the faulty orientation of the upper wing crosses. It would drive me crazy if I didn't re-paint them, and I don't think I can strip them off without making a mess of the rest of the finish.
I have a small update to share:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zpsb5571d28.jpg)
As I've mentioned before, these are the Gaspatch Spandaus, which are really quite nice. They are not a direct drop in replacement for the kit parts (see: http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=4495.0 (http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=4495.0)) I've cut the notches in the rear lower corners in order to fit them to the Wingnut mounts, and inspired by Bo's solution I cut the front mount brackets from 5 thou Evergreen sheet (styrene and glue vs. brass and solder....) Additionally, I removed the shell ejection tubes with a #11 blade. Painting began with black primer, followed by a light coat of Alclad Airframe Aluminum (heavier on the breech than the heat shield). Next came a thin coat of Tamiya Nato Black and some light dry-brushing with Mr. Metal Color Stainless Steel. The fittings on the bottom are Mr. Metal Color Brass.
Thanks for checking in,
Chris
-
Beautiful job on the machine guns Chris.
Des.
-
Just catching up on this Chris,
I share your pain on the little glitches :P can't really offer any advice.. But great job anyway :)
You've painted the Spandau's beautifully!
Guy
-
Chris, I applaud your perseverance and look forward to the
"new and improved" lozenge. :D In the meantime, your
paintwork on the Spandau's is bloody marvelous! Well
done, my friend.
Cheers,
Ernie :)
-
Incredible work on the MG's. I am very envious.
Stefan
-
Your Spandaus are looking awesome!
RAGIII
-
From all the way back in page 4 of the "Under Construction" forum.... an update!
First I'd like to offer a very belated thank you to Des, Guy, Ernie, Stefan and Rick for the kind comments; I have been negligent in responding to your kindness, but they are always appreciated.
Progress has been slow, even by my standards, but between down time due to a nasty winter cold, a bit of travel, work commitments and a ridiculously large amount of time spent shoveling snow, I have managed to move this build along. Not that I'd expect anyone to remember after all this time, but being unsatisfied with my efforts on applying the lozenges and painting markings on the wings, I had decided to strip them down and take a second pass at them. Here are the results:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps44e877ea.jpg)
While they are by no means perfect, I am much happier with the results this time around. I was much more diligent about ensuring that the lovely Aviattic decals settled in without air pockets, and the improved results were immediately visible to me. I put my new Silhouette Portrait cutting machine to good use during the masking process, cutting 3 separate layers for each mask: a 4 mm wide mask for each shape cut from sheets of Tamiya tape, a broader mask cut from copy paper, and a piece of clear frisket film to use to transfer the mask to the work surface.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zpscdcacb55.jpg)
I used a bit of Scotch Repositionable glue stick along the inside edge of the paper mask to stick it to the tape mask like so:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps920f3fda.jpg)
Now that it is behind me, this was probably overkill, but my thinking was that I would minimize the opportunity to lift the lozenge decals by using only a thin outline of tape, and the protect the broader area with what amounted to a big custom shaped Post-It note. Using the tape for the actual mask edges gave me a much cleaner paint job than my previous attempt at using paper for the whole thing. As it turned out, proper application of the Aviattic decals and a handful of coats of clear meant that I had no issues with lifting.
The other issue I had with my original attempt at painting the markings was poor alignment due to the difficulty I had in judging mask placement with so much of the wing surface covered (see the effect with the paper masks in place above). In addition to the thin tape border and the clear transfer material to aid in visibility, I also cut guides out of the portion of the mask which would be removed for painting. I removed strips which corresponded to the rib tapes (seen in the 2nd picture above), and by aligning the ribs with the open areas in the mask, had an easier time getting passable results. Again... not perfect, but significantly better to my eye than my first attempt.
Beyond the wings, everything is now painted and ready for assembly other than the exhaust pipe and propeller (the former because I mistakenly finished the wrong version for my chosen build, and the latter because it requires some kind of dark arts as far as I can tell.) Despite Stefan's wise advice, I opted to add all the Taurus cowl nuts to the various pieces prior to adding them to the model, thinking it would be more difficult to attach and paint them in situ. Yes I have lost a few (I have made the most of replacements crafted from stretched sprue), but still tell myself that my logic was sound. As you can see below, I have yet to add the side cowl panels, so there is still opportunity to regret my decision.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps6bb7b404.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps9be1cbb2.jpg)
The fuselage and wings received some light (I think) weathering with oil paints of various shades. Additionally, I tried out the Tamiya Weathering Master materials to muddy up the aircraft's belly. Once I have everything assembled, I may add a few unifying touches, but otherwise this is about the extent of the weathering I am planning for this build.
The engine dropped in without issue, the radiator assembly, while fiddly to line up, seems to be ok as well. This build doesn't use the upper cowlings, so that is one less thing to worry about lining up. I will be a bit more relaxed about alignment once mounting the upper wing is behind me (the edges of the fuselage are a bit proud of the green cockpit cover...). Aligning the pair of machine guns, never my strong suit, was complicated a bit since I am using the Gaspatch Spandaus. I snipped off the kit's molded front mounts, and had to build up the mounts I fashioned using a bit of .75mm styrene rod. After spending time making the synchronization cables from twisted wire and brass tubing, I erroneously left them off when mounting the guns. The reality is it is too crowded in there to have seen them anyway, but I liked the way they looked! I am still a bit hung up on the slight misalignment between the two guns, so there is a small chance my obsessive nature will overtake me and I will rip the guns out...
Other than showing you the various sub-assemblies waiting to go, that pretty much catches us up. The perfect build still eludes me, but I can live with my efforts. I think the finish line is near (I never said which Group Build deadline I'd hit...)
Thanks again to all for checking in on this. Hopefully the remaining posts will come a bit quicker now.
Chris
-
I am absolutely in awe of your work on this project, Chris.
You mention being short of perfection, but I think you are
darn near there. A wonderful update and I am looking forward
to the next. Well done, my friend!
Cheers,
Ernie
-
Beautiful work, Chris.
Best wishes
Nigel
-
Thank you, Ernie and Nigel... you are both very kind, and far too generous. Yet another reminder of what a supportive community we have here.
-
Absolutely great built, @BigBlue
Love Aviattic's Tarnstoff on the wings - a very realistic interplay with the outstanding weathering and aging on the fuselage.
-
Looking absolutely gorgeous Chris, a stunning model.
Des.
-
Richard, Bertl, Bo, Des and Big Mike from Queens: I am truly honored by your comments; you have my sincerest gratitude.
-
Sorry I am a little late with my reply. Your masking of the crosses and Ws turned out absolutely terrific! Lovely work on that fuselage and the Lozenge works well with the markings. Well Done!
RAGIII
-
Your build looks just great! Nice work!
-
Thank you (belatedly) for the comments and support, Rick, Kreston, and Justin.
Small update to share:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps36d653ed.jpg)
I hollowed out the opening using the grinding bits shown in the picture and a pin vise. Alclad Aluminum base with an uneven over coat of Mr. Metal Stainless Steel. Tamiya Flat Clear, followed by various pigments, including MIG Old Aluminum to represent the lead around the exhaust's opening. I thinned Model Master Acryl Rust significantly with water and used it as a wash around the seams. A finishing Flat coat and and some very light sanding with fine grain Micromesh to expose the underlying metal layers.
I had a small setback when I went to attach the rudder: the Tamiya Thin Cement I used decided to spread and made a hash of the paint, requiring repair. There isn't much interesting to discuss in that process other than to point out that it is difficult to match an off-white color that has been weathered a bit, both through underlying base coats, and washes/materials applied after the fact. I got it as close as I could, repainted the crosses and it now awaits attachment. C/A this time I think.
That's all for now; hopefully more soon. Thanks again for checking in on this,
Chris
-
Really impressive painting and weathering! I agree with everyone, the metal on the exhaust looks great.
George
-
The perfect build still eludes me, but I can live with my efforts.
Chris,
Your comment above makes me smile a lot, the epitome of "we are all too critical of our own efforts"! This is a beautifully done model and most enjoyable to follow along. The detail, paintwork, and weathering are superb, and if I could get this close to the elusive perfect model I'd be a very happy camper indeed. Lovely work, keep those updates coming!
Cheers,
Lance
-
Looks like a very great build.
Martin
-
Your comment above makes me smile a lot, the epitome of "we are all too critical of our own efforts"!
I think it can be hard to look at one's own work outside of the shadow of the ideal vision that was the original target. When we see other people's work, it is without this context, so it can be judged on its own merits rather than on how it measure up to your original intent. Either way, I am awfully appreciative of the comments you all have been kind enough to share.
There's a Japanese expression used by Zen artists that goes something like, "Seek Perfection, Accept Excellence".
Eastern wisdom for sure. Doubly so given its conclusion. :)
My exhaust "formula" leans heavily on lessons gleaned in these forums (including, but not limited to Bertl's great post in the Expert Building Tips section) using materials that I have on hand. Hopefully I have similarly absorbed the amazing techniques presented here for finishing my propeller!
Thanks again to all,
Chris
-
Chris,
This is just a really beautiful build sir. Just gorgeous, and thanks so much for sharing your exhaust formula.
Warren
-
Thanks for your kind comments, Warren.
Tail feathered:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps2e1235d9.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps174fd6a4.jpg)
Not too much to tell aside from a scary moment when I knocked the model off my desk and onto the carpeted floor. No major damage (that I've noticed yet) aside from a popped rudder stay line, and the engine getting knocked a bit askew. I needed to re-glue the engine to its mounts (as well as wrestle with the radiator pipe that attaches to the front - only partially successfully), and re do the busted rigging. All in all, pretty lucky.
The rigging is .127 mm mono colored with a silver Sharpie. I attached the control lines inside the fuselage prior to closing it up so they were well secured. Gaspatch 1/48 scale turnbuckles on the rudder stays and upper elevator horns. For the latter, I wound up removing one of each of the turnbuckles' eyes and mounting the exposed posts into slits cut into the control horn. The control line swaging is #29 Polyimide tubing.
Additionally, the bottom wing is attached and I will let the plane sit overnight while it cures. Part of the reason I take so long to complete my builds is that I seem to stop myself before every major assembly point to think and re-think about what I am about to do before I commit to glue. I spent a full day thinking about how to insert the turnbuckles into the control horns, and then wound up improvising. Now I have paused before putting the upper wing on while giving myself a last call to adjust anything that would be difficult to access once that wing is in place. Hopefully I will have a biplane tomorrow.
Thanks for looking in,
Chris
-
Well, it didn't happen the next day as I had hoped, but the upper wing is on:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zpsb37dc188.jpg) (http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zpse4032a1c.jpg)
In fairness, it has been a biplane for a few days now, but I have not had time to sit down and put up this post. Nor do I have anything but these iPhone photos to share (but will take better ones once I have finished the aircraft). The upper wing went on without too much difficulty once I had double up on my efforts to clean out the mounting holes of decal material and paint. I decided to attach the rear, single, cabane struts (B4 & B5) to the upper wing, thinking it would be easier to slide the bottom ends into their mounting holes on the fuselage than it would be to add two more connections to line-up up top. I think this simplified things for me as it reduced the wrestling match to the two square holes in the center of the wing (3-pronged cabane struts) and a pair of holes for the N-shaped wing struts on either end. Not too bad. I used 2 part epoxy in the holes to give me a little working time.
I followed Justin's example in handling the twin control lines from the fuselage to the upper wing as explained here: http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=4423.msg80162#msg80162 (http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=4423.msg80162#msg80162).
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps4bcb8dd2.jpg)
The 'RB Method' worked like a charm; dead simple to achieve perfect results (you can make out the port side rigging in the 2nd picture above). Highly recommended.
This build is nearly finished. I still need to tackle the propeller, which I have clearly been dodging. Other items on my list include: one or two clear coat touch ups dues to stray C/A, a couple of small weathering items now that everything is together, and attaching the rear lift handles, which I will do when everything else is done to minimize the number of times I break them off.
That's all for now. Hopefully, I'll have a completed D.VII soon... but we know how that goes here. Thanks for checking in,
Chris
-
Abeautiful bird and fine weathering Chris.
Martin
-
Speechless, Chris! Absolutely gorgeous model. The weathering is spot on.
Amazing work and I am already looking forward to your next bit of magic!
Cheers,
Ernie :)
-
Chris, this really is a beautiful build.
Warren
-
Hello gentlemen,
I agree with mates. Beautiful work on this Fokker. Well done. :)
Best regards.
Alain.
-
Absolutely convincing weathering on this Fokker. I enjoy following your updates immensely.
Stefan
-
Absolutely brilliant build Chris, the finish you have achieved on this model is superb.
Des.
-
Beautiful! I love it!
-
Beautifully done all around Chris! The weathering on the fuslege is outstanding!
RAGIII
-
First off, thank you very much Richard, Martin, Ernie, Warren, Alain, Stefan, Des, Richard, Michael, and Rick. Your generous comments are sincerely appreciated, and I apologize for my delayed response. The support from this community is incredible.
I am declaring this one done. The last major step for my to undertake was the Heine propeller, and as I think I made clear, I have been dragging my feet on this for some time. Having attempted various masking schemes I finally decided to attempt it free-hand with color pencils:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/IMG_1855_zps4c353e66.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/IMG_1856_zpse1902dcb.jpg)
Better than I expected, given that I had no faith in my ability to mimic the lamination curves, but still rougher and less distinct than I would like. The base coat is Tamiya Desert Yellow (XF-59), and I colored the darker wood with various shades of brown pencils from Prismacolor and Derwent (primarily Dark Brown 946 from Prismacolor). In the interest of closure (the first post showing work in this thread was September 27th!) I decided that these results were close enough to what I want, but I am still trying to figure out a way to accurately map out the lamination curves for future builds...
I finished the propeller using Alclad Aqua Gloss, Alclad Aluminum for the hub, and Mr. Metal Color Stainless Steel for the nuts:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/FullSizeRender_zps24c53d34.jpg)
In addition to the prop, I added the lift handles to the rear of the fuselage, touched up a few spots here and there, and that was about it. I have not yet taken any decent pictures of the final results, but will post some when I do. I really enjoyed this build, and am happy with the final result. I have always liked the lines of the D.VII, and enjoy seeing this one now that it is all together. I am also very happy with the various after-market additions that I included: the Aviattic lozenge really looks beautiful, the Taurus BMW upgrades improve the kit engine significantly, the cowl nuts add a nice little bit of extra detail, and the Gaspatch LMGs are very convincing.
Thanks, once again, to everyone for following along with this glacial build, and especially to the many of you who were kind enough to leave comments. I am very grateful that so many of you took the time to participate in this with me.
Chris
-
Chris,
You did very well with the prop IMHO. I tried masking a 1/72nd prop with, IMHO, very sketchy results. I'm going to have to try the pencil method myself the next time.
You did great!
Warren
-
Thanks, Warren.
I can't imagine how hard it must have been masking the 1/72 prop. I figured the laminations were a bit less than .5 mm wide in 1/32nd scale, i.e. a bit over .2 mm in 1/72!
The pencil technique is capable of some really spectacular results as Bertl and a number of others here have demonstrated: mine alludes to a wooden propeller, the proper hands can make theirs look like one.
Thanks again,
Chris
-
Superb job on the model and you finished it off beautifully with the excellent propeller.
Des.
-
Outstanding results on the prop! I really need to figure out why I can't make the technique work :-[ Your build has been great to watch. As Michael said your dedication to getting it right/the way you wanted it to look, resulted in a beautiful model!
RAGIII
-
Perfect prop Chris.
Martin
-
The propeller looks very good.
Your D.VII will be a very nice modell at the end of the day.
It is in the nature of a modeler, that their own work even never so pleased as the work - or model -, of another modeller.
This is my own as well :-\
There is a good saying in German for it:
The grass on the other side of the fence looks always greener than that on your own site.................... ;)
-
Justin, Des, Michael, Rick, Martin and Bertl: thank you all very much your kindness and support.
I finally took some pictures and put up a post in the Completed Builds section (http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=5497.0 (http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=5497.0)) . Here is a final picture for this build thread:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/DVIIf/IMG_0009_zps4d7ab49d.jpg)
Thanks again to everyone who was kind enough to take the time to provide encouragement along the way... I can't tell you how much your comments were appreciated. Thanks once again to Richard for contributing the lozenge as part of the Group Build, and to Des, as always, for providing the forums for this community to exist.
Chris
-
Chris you made a gorgeous model.
Martin
-
Chris, you have completed a stunner! Besides all the great points you
have done in the build, the finishing touch is the propeller which looks
just amazing! Congratulations on such a raging success, my friend. :D
Cheers,
Ernie :)
-
I really love it.
Warren
-
Martin, Ernie and Warren, thank you all once again for your very generous comments. Appreciated as always.
Chris