first wingnut wings kit ?

[Trackpad]

Guys, I hope that we're not highjacking Michael's thread.    I'm sure Gregory will rein us in if he thinks that we are!

Red Baron: sorry to say that I did not keep the patterns, but I do have photos of the individual wings and tailfeathers of the model. If anyone wants these as references I'll be glad to send them along. However, a couple of things must be kept in mind if one wishes to build 586/18: it needs some extra work. First, the upper wing crosses are not included in the kit: they are slightly non-standard (in comparison with the decal sheet markings) and must be painted on. Second, the required rudder cross (slightly non-standard again) is also not included and must be painted on: same reason. Third, the fuselage registration is not included or, more accurately, the "6" in the "586" is not there. A friend of mine was able to make this up, but for personal reasons he is unable to do more. However, with the state of computer art these days I am confident that it can be made up. Fourth, the mauve is noticeably darker than, for example, the Misterkits offering. I had to mix mine using Xtracolor paints to match what I saw on the airframe (the green is easy to obtain). The undersurface tan is a mix of Modelmaster paints, again easy to do. The five-colour undersurface lozenge is available from Wingnut Wings.

Here's the composite of the lower left wing, and you can see how dark the mauve is compared to the green:


All to say that, although it is nice to be able to do a model of an aircraft that still exists, you are accordingly constrained to "build what you see and what is there." Hence the mixing of paints, detailed disruptive cam pattern work and attention to national and manufacture markings. As noted, I'll be glad to help anyone who would like to give 586/18 a try, but just be prepared to expend a bit of extra time and energy to "get it right!" 

Hope this helps!

Gary

[Trackpad]

Gary,
     I just turned the "68" corner last month, so you aren't alone! We may be older then most of these  characters but were smarter!
     I"ve been to the Museum several times over the past 10 years and didn't know about the J1; how did you discover it buried in the storage area? Also I really like the effect you produced with the Microsculpt over the Lozenge, absolute realism. I'm tempted to try it on my 1:32 Albatros however I've got the rib tapes on and I'm not sure how that would work; I should have put it over the Lozenge and then added the tapes........I think??............ any ideas/thoughts?
    Having said all that, very nice build!
Cheers,
Lance

Hi, Lance, Can't quite recall how I found out about the storage hangar location for the J1. You can get into it if you call ahead and arrange a time and date with the staff. They will have a staff member with you at all times for "due diligence" and safety purposes, but they're pretty good about access.

I'd be willing to bet that you could apply the fabric decals right over the lozenge and tapes. The tapes are fabric, as are the bolts of lozenge, so you might try that and see how it works on a test section on a sheet of plasticard.

If you've been to the museum over the past few years you may be fairly close to Ottawa. I'm about two hours north. Maybe some time we can get together and talk plastic! 

Salud!

Gary

[N.C.S.E]

Poor old thing, should they restore it or shouldn't they? The world's first production all metal aircraft should have a memorial rather then just a rusting hulk...

[Trackpad]

Poor old thing, should they restore it or shouldn't they? The world's first production all metal aircraft should have a memorial rather then just a rusting hulk...

It's a thorny question, actually. The thin metal of the J.1 can easily be damaged more by trying to restore it. The problem is to either "make it look great," and thereby lose a great deal of the authenticity of the airframe, or to retain the authentic artefact, maintain and preserve what you now have, but accept the fact that it doesn't look 100% great. I'm of the opinion that, if they do put it on display, that a thorough, gentle cleaning be done and it is displayed with a large scale model (1/24th scale is the museum standard for their models) to show what it looked like in 1918. It's the only one left in the world, and it certainly deserves all the care and protection we can give it. BTW, you can see 1918 photos of 586/18 on the Wingnut Wings site under archival photos:
http://www.wingnutwings.com/ww/C23F029608E3D0ACD16AC6DE270BC292#

Actually, it's not terribly rusty. The aluminum skin is in pretty good shape except for the bumps and dimples, the framework is the same, and the armoured bathtub is only superficially rusted. The original paint is chipped and worn, but still generally quite good. That's why I'd advocate a "gentle, thorough cleaning." 

[lcarroll]

Gary,
     I just turned the "68" corner last month, so you aren't alone! We may be older then most of these  characters but were smarter!
     I"ve been to the Museum several times over the past 10 years and didn't know about the J1; how did you discover it buried in the storage area? Also I really like the effect you produced with the Microsculpt over the Lozenge, absolute realism. I'm tempted to try it on my 1:32 Albatros however I've got the rib tapes on and I'm not sure how that would work; I should have put it over the Lozenge and then added the tapes........I think??............ any ideas/thoughts?
    Having said all that, very nice build!
Cheers,
Lance

Hi, Lance, Can't quite recall how I found out about the storage hangar location for the J1. You can get into it if you call ahead and arrange a time and date with the staff. They will have a staff member with you at all times for "due diligence" and safety purposes, but they're pretty good about access.

I'd be willing to bet that you could apply the fabric decals right over the lozenge and tapes. The tapes are fabric, as are the bolts of lozenge, so you might try that and see how it works on a test section on a sheet of plasticard.

If you've been to the museum over the past few years you may be fairly close to Ottawa. I'm about two hours north. Maybe some time we can get together and talk plastic! 

Salud!

Gary

Gary (Trackpad)
   My apologies for the delayed reply. Thanks for the suggestions on the Microsculpt, I'll be giving it a try on a spare panel I've done.
   I'm actually not in the Ottawa area, but in Cold Lake Alberta. We visit my Stepson in the Capital annually and he always includes the CWM and the Aviation Museum in the itinerary.
  Just read your profile in Modeller of the Month, the parallels between us are uncanny: I did 37 years in "Light Blue" with all the similar impacts on modelling, did my first plastic model at the age of 9 or 10 in 53 or 54, and would you believe it was the Aurora Hellcat? (as I recall it had 10 or 11 pieces if you included the decal sheet!)
   We may get to have a coffee or a drink together and talk plastic sooner rather then later. My Wife is turning on the pressure to move east (Hamilton girl who wants to go to the NOTL area) and, being old and wise, I secretly assume I'll lose this battle! I'll keep you and the rest of the Leaf Fans in the picture...............

Cheers,
Lance

[Trackpad]

Hey, Lance,

Guess what I got on eBay a few years ago, just for old times sake??



OK, back to the J.1 before Gregory kicks us off for highjacking this thread!     

[Modelnut]

Hope that pilot is okay after that cat bounces on the deck when the arresting hook catches...

[Trackpad]

Hope that pilot is okay after that cat bounces on the deck when the arresting hook catches...

Artistic license gone mad. How 'bout that destroyer in the background, making smoke? Nothing like giving away your position like that! 

[michael]

Hi Gary.

i have been away a couple of days (bruce springsteen concert) so have not been on here.

absolutely no problem posting on here, it's all good stuff for when i get round to my j.1

as for your offer to help/advise on my j.1 i thank you very very much 

the chances of it being better than yours i would say are very slim to non existant!

cheers

michael

[Trackpad]

Michael,

Glad to help whenever you wish. I promise to advise only as requested, and not to intrude on your build. It's happened in the past to me when I've asked for advice, and it can be annoying. And, just to be certain of it, there is no pressure on you to start soon, or at all for that matter, if things change. 

[Trackpad]

"I'm extremely impressed by your commitment to replicating the camo pattern here Trackpad. You went to a lot of effort and the results were worth it. I can tell from this just how commited you are to the hobby. I tip my hat to you."

My apologies, Chris. I spun off on a tangent and neglected to thank you for this wonderful comment. The build was a little challenging, but I am happy with the result. And if it helps others a bit, then I will be most happy with that as well. Thank you very much, my friend! 

[lcarroll]

Gary,
     Nice Hellcat find! You are right, we digress, however hopefully age has a few remaining privileges!! On the serious side, I don`t recall that box art; what is the date on the box and the instruction booklet.
Cheers,
Lance

[Trackpad]

Gary,
     Nice Hellcat find! You are right, we digress, however hopefully age has a few remaining privileges!! On the serious side, I don`t recall that box art; what is the date on the box and the instruction booklet.
Cheers,
Lance

Lance, The kit number on the box is "40A-79," and the date on the instruction sheet is "Copyright 1956." It's exactly the same kit that I built in '55, but this sample has a slightly later instruction sheet. Box art is the same in both cases, though. There were later versions of the box art, but this is the one on the box I got in '55. Aurora historians can clarify the situation, I'm sure! 

BTW, if you want to PM me your email addy, I'll send you a few shots of the kit contents. 

[lcarroll]

Gary,
   Sorry for the delayed reply; been laboring at my supposedly "part time-part time" job 7 days straight and now I'm ready for a break. Email Add. on my Profile, would love to see a shot of the contents.
Cheers,
Lance

[mike in calif]

Track pad, NOW I see how you did the cammo on your J 1. interesting. The one thing I did notice, is that the green-to-muave ratios seem to be about 50/50, or about even. Mine is slightly more to the green. Was the hellcat still .79c?
Michael, I'd reccomend the "Master barrels" set for the parabellum, and some of Radu Brinzen's PE turnbuckles for the rigging.
  Just a thought.