So, some progress... I decided to mate the wings up to the fuselage, just dry-fitted, to check all the alignment and make sure it looked like a Dr.1... and here I had a few surprises.. suddenly the wings weren't exactly parallel when viewed from above. and it seemed to be the lower wing that was throwing everything out via the wing struts... there was also a small gap where the middle wing under-surface met the fuselage...
The tailplane is dry-fitted and the fuselage seam needs attention. No one has really commented on the different plastic colour of the two fuselage halves.. well, I lost a fuselage half (put it in another kit box) and thought the kit was history... then another kit came up for sale really cheaply here in SA so I nailed it... and was surprised to find the plastic colour completely different! I subsequently found the other fuselage half, so there will be another Triplane! So on with the build! The best wing fit was the middle wing but I needed to fill those gaps on the lower surface - so I cut strips of 10 thou plastic card and glued them to the fuselage stubs, seen here in the photograph as white strips...
Some putty on the fuselage join as well, leave it all to dry and add the other fuel (or oil) filler on the right upper fuselage cover... made a bit of a pooch of that, so no detail photos... weathering is very forgiving...
Then glued the middle wing to the upper fuselage cover as it mates up well, makes a strong structure, and sets the angle of attack.. I see Rick did it this way.... and leave it to dry... and trim my bits of plastic card....
....and finally glue this structure to the fuselage for ever, ensuring it is at exactly right angles to the fuselage center line... good-bye cockpit... I do not intend to detail the top of the ammo boxes as precisely nothing will be seen..
....and sand the fuselage join, (will still need surface primer). The tailplane is dry fitted and the gap at the front edge (prominent on the real plane) will be improved.... so far everything lines up and is square... and that's OK for now...
ATB,
Marc