forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Under Construction => Vacform Kits => Topic started by: djuggie on November 23, 2023, 03:03:51 PM
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November 22, 2023
Another very old vacuform off my shelf, this one the Phoenix DH-6 in 1/72nd scale. I know that few modellers build vacs any more but I have a shelf load of them. In my collection of models, 43 of them are vacs. When I came back into the hobby in 1980, space and availability of kits were of great concern. The only offerings at that time were the Revell series and then I discover Airfix. About this same time vacuforms were just start to appear on one sheet of plastic and nothing else. I was not ready to scratch build machine guns and other fiddly parts until Aeroclub came into existence. I now had an entire selection of white metal parts that transformed vacuforming. Vacuform kits exploded on the scene followed by decals and there were kits that I figured would never be kitted in any injection form.
Veeday, Pegasus, Merlin, Toko and Eduard, along with others, came along years later to prove me wrong but the purchases had been made. Many years later I am starting vac # 44.
As you can see, everything is on one sheet. The instruction say no decals or metal parts are included leading me to believe that is a late run kit and metal parts are included. One beautiful thing is Datafile #103 with reference material that did not exist when I bought the kit.
I cut all of the parts off their sheet. There are two schools of thought on these cuts. One is to leave a lip around the part and you sand until the lip peels off. The other is to cut the part off at an angle right next to the part. This makes for less sanding but great care must be taken not to sand too hard. This work is done at the kitchen sink as I need access to a lot of water. The sandpaper is wet/dry 120 grit. I store the sandpaper under something flat the it will last for years.
The tape on the wings and tails surfaces is for gripping the part and applying even pressure as you sand. The wings will be sanded using less pressure at the leading edge and sanding the trailing edge to a razor edge. Touch up sanding will give me the rounded leading edge.
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-01.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-02.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-03.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-04.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-05.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-06.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-07.jpg)
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Great to see this one being started. I've picked up a few vacs over the last year or so and have cut some of the parts out on this one :)
Stumbling block I hit before going any further with mine was the cockpit layout since I couldn't find any reference to the overall cockpit area (good photos of the instrument panel in the front though) My thought was that there is no second instrument panel for the back seat, just rudder pedals, throttle and stick. ???
Pulling up a seat to watch and see how this comes along ;D
Paul
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Another trip down memory lane ;) I had several vacforms in my stash and vowed to build at least one after I retired. Guess what - I got rid of them all! Seems far too much like hard work to me..... :D
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Another trip down memory lane ;) I had several vacforms in my stash and vowed to build at least one after I retired. Guess what - I got rid of them all! Seems far too much like hard work to me..... :D
Got a lovely Otto Doppledekker sitting on the shelf with your name on it Nigel ;D
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Paul, Nigel,
I think this one of the reasons I took so long to build the kit. No reference material. Everything had to be scratch built and in 1/72nd could be very tedious and not very rewarding.
In my early vac days that didn't matter to me. Remember, I was after a large collection and no one could see inside anyway. But, for you two builders and the perfection you present in your kits, it does matter what the strap holding down the fuel tank looks like. Me, not so much. It wasn't until WINDSOCK began to be published that I started adding more details.
And, Paul, you should not so cruel to offer Nigel an Otto Doppeldecker. We do not want him running screaming from the room.
Remember, everyone has a breaking point where they will tell you anything to make the pain stop. :-)
Dennis
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You're a braver man than I, Dennis.
I did a quick scan through my WWI Aero indexes but the only photo was the one of the front cockpit from the Harleyford Bombers & Reconaissance book, which is probbly the same one RLR used in the Datafile.
A question, if you're sanding the trailing edges to a paper-thin profile, how do you stick them together? double-sided tape? it would seem liquid cement would deform them, and CA would squeeze out and stick to whatever you used to clamp them together...??
The only vac kit I ever got was one of Koster's, I think, of a Fokker E.V/D.VIII in 1:48. It has lovely lozenge decals with it, probably not accurate in light of modern research, but the colors are subdued and really appealing. Still got it kicking around somewhere.
Dutch
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Dutch,
Windsock 103 has a photo of the instrument panel. Nothing on the rear of the cockpit.
I use single thickness wings for 1/72nd so I avoid the need for gluing wing halves together. This may not work in the larger scales but single thickness wings appear to be in scale. And none of my vacuform wings have ever sagged. I was never happy with double thickness wings. Never could make them look right.
This will be an easy vacuform. It is all square, simple to make and repair. It is amazing from the Windsock the number of these planes in trees. But, it was a trainer.
Dennis
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Nice subject and start Dennis. I built this one several years ago but cannot locate my build log. Here’s the link to my completed build:
https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=13651.msg252529#msg252529
I have since painted the ignition wiring a dark brown color.
And just for fun: the Otto Doppeldecker can be built!
https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=13281.msg247130#msg247130
Really nice to see that there are still others interested in these vaccuform kits. They really are a wonderful medium to work with. Looking forward to seeing your work!
Tim
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Tim,
I just found my reference material, your beautiful model. Magnificent work. I just do not build at that level. Let me see if I can incorporate some of your skills into my kit.
Your weathering is subtle but effective. I have never mastered the art of weathering. I build mine off the showroom floor. I know for at least 15 minutes they looked like that.
Dennis
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I'll be following this one. I have a huge collection of vacs, and actually prefer them. They are far more to scale thickness wise, especially the wings.
Ian
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Ian,
The one thing that throws people off from vac is the cutting out of the parts. This step adds maybe two hours to the build. And a vac with metal parts and decals makes them even easier.
Like you, I have a lot of vacs, did I say a lot? Oh, yea
Dennis
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Took out the Harleyford book and the Datafile just for fun,
only Harleyford show the DH 6, confirming the "no instrument panel" theory!
The DF photo is captioned by HF as a Lloyd C.II.
Have fun with the build
Joachim
(https://abload.de/img/20231125_222120n1cgm.jpg) (https://abload.de/image.php?img=20231125_222120n1cgm.jpg)
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Thank you, Sir,
Between Tim's build and your photo, progress will made soon. Had something to before I could get back to building.
Dennis
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November 30, 2023
Instead of finishing the sanding on the wings, I decided to build the fuselage first.
For a little more detail, the frame was build using flat strips of plastic and glued in with Weld-On 3 liquid glue. The interior was sprayed olive and frame was painted with light wood. For some strange reason it was decided that interior bracing was necessary. No idea why. It is thin copper wire super glued in and then flat coated to remove the shine. No attempt was made to make it another color. After this was done, I realized I could have done this with a pencil and get the same effect.
The seats are the kit vac seats, the seatbelts are masking tape with silver paint for the clasps. The foot controls and stick are plastic rod and copper wire.
The engine section was trimmed to accept the white metal part. Also, the propeller and engine were painted. As of date, the cockpit section has been trimmed and one half of it is glued. Next up will be instrument panel and it will be glued together.
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-08.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-09.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-10.jpg)
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Nice progress on the interior, it will look nicely filled up when it's done.
I always used to use stretched sprue for rigging my 1/72 aircraft. It's great for interior rigging because it's easy to use and can be painted a suitable steel colour. You can also use it for lines running from the rudder pedals because it has enough inherent strength to stay straight over a relatively short distance (which is mostly what you have in 1/72).
And I just spotted Paul's comment about being offered a Doppeldecker vac - yes, I would run screaming from the room!!
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That’s looking great Dennis. Nice interior work.
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Looks great so far, Dennis, this is going to be another nifty addition to your collection.
I was rummaging around among stuff in the garage today and found the Koster Fok. D.VIII I mentioned before, plus two more vacs I'd forgotten I had; a 1:48 Roland D.II, and an ambitious Hansa-Brandenburg W.29, both from unknown manufacturers. You may have inspired me to actually start one of them... one of these days :)
Dutch
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Dutch,
I like the W29 and in 1/48th, it will be an ambitious project. I have never built a 1/48th vac and do not see any in my future.
I will have some more photos of the Dh-6 tomorrow. Tech Support was very tired today and unable to down load the photos.
Does anyone have the detail sheet on the Blue Rider sheet P9? I found the decal sheet but am not sure where the white strip and tail markings go.
Dennis
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I mis-spoke. I need information on the Phoenix Model kit P9, not Blue Rider. I need decal location for the sheet of decals.
Also, in my travels in the my inventory book, I realized I have built the Dh-6 about 10 years ago. I guess they released some of the kits with decals.
Dennis
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I mis-spoke. I need information on the Phoenix Model kit P9, not Blue Rider. I need decal location for the sheet of decals.
Also, in my travels in the my inventory book, I realized I have built the Dh-6 about 10 years ago. I guess they released some of the kits with decals.
Dennis
Think I've got the same kit in a box Dennis so I'll have a look later for you ;)
Paul
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December 3, 2023
Next step is to close up the fuselage and putty the seams. I use Bondo 907 glazing putty, sanded it smooth and applied Olive Drab by Tamiya.
A DH-4 gave up its under carriage, wing tip skids and its rudder. I lost the vac rudder to only who knows where. The Airfix kit rudder is larger than the DH-6 so it was an easy fix. The horizontal tail plane was scribed on the bottom to give the illusion of a framework.
The DH-4 under carriage fix perfectly, was installed and painted. The wings are next and should be done in a few days.
I discovered just yesterday that I already have a DH-6 in my collection. Also discovered in my vast decal supply was the decal sheet for the Phoenix kit P9, so both planes will be slightly different.
Dennis
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-11.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-12.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-13.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-14.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-15.jpg)
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Excellent work. It appears you can never have too many DH6s...... ;)
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Couldn't find any reference to decals or their placement on the instruction sheet so the Datafile is your best bet Dennis ;)
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Thank you. Let the digging begin.
Wings should be sanded today.
Dennis
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Zipping right along as usual, Dennis! She’s looking so close to completion that I have to ask, what’s next in the build queue?
Dutch
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A WNW Pfalz is already under construction. I seldom build two models at the same time, but I build the DH-6 at home and Pfalz is for my workshop.
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My thanks for the information on the Phoenix decals sheet. I found a photo of the decal sheet online. A slight modification of the color scheme is all that is needed on the build. Also, the wings have been sanded and are ready for paint. Photos soon.
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Dennis, I had a look at the Roland D.II vac and discovered that there were actually two kits in the envelope, the D.II and a Pfalz D.XII. And looking over the hand-drawn instructions, I see that they were produced by "Cramer". Ring any bells...?
Dutch
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Great progress Dennis. I like the PC.10 color.
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Tim, Thank you. The color is Gunzy Olive Drab.
Dutch, No, I have no bells ringing about Cramer kits. I do know I do not have any. A guy has to draw the line somewhere.:-)
Did you notice I am now a Jr. Member? Watch out. The little guy is on the rise. Today Jr. Member, tomorrow the WORLD! (Pinky and the Brain)
Dennis
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Conga-Rats, Dennis (as Diego used to say on the List), I remember my unbounded joy when "Newbie" vanished from my profile! Somehow I've gotten to be a Hero Member since starting to post back at the beginning of the summer, which is pretty cool considering 497 of my posts were focused on failed attempts at carving the Levasseur prop for my N.16 :D
Dutch
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December 7, 2023
Going into my vast inventory of stuff, I found the DH6 has already been built and there was a decal sheet from Phoenix/Blue Rider for the DH6. With an on-line search and excellent advise from this group, I found a copy of the decal sheet that gave me decal locations.
The wings are now sanded and the lower ribs were scribed with an engraving tool. Paint was applied and the decals were added. The fuselage required some minor paint correction and the fuselage had decals applied. My procedure is to apply the decals as soon as I can as I find it easier than when the model is complete. This step took about an hour. One amazing fact is the decals were printed in 1990 and then went on with no problems. Other than hanging them in a window for a week or so to get rid of a little yellow, they applied flawlessly.
Not too far from breaking out the Aeroclub jig and attaching the wings. My completion date is mid-December.
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-16.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-17.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-18.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-19.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-20.jpg)
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Very nice Dennis. Nothing like decals to bring life to a build. Not much further to go!
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I'm sorry I'm so late to this (I've been away from the forum for a while) but your speed and success has me wanting one of these kits now! Lovely work!
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December 12, 2023
The first picture shows the installation of the lower wing. No locating pins or grooves in the body. Just eyeballed it. Broke all modelling laws here. The wing edge had glue applied and it was attached to the model right over the painted surface. The model is then put aside until the glue dries completely. This leaves a slight gap on the lower surface which was filled with super glue.
Next step was the rudder. The kit decals were too wide and the numbers were too large. So I painted the strips on to the proper width and used Pegasus decals for the tail numbers. It was attached to the model and when dry, it was rigged. The white strip is the kit decal.
I am now aligning the model in the Areoclub jig but am having problems. I think one of the wings may have sagged so it will have to be repaired. The structs are cut and drilled and will be painted soon.
Dennis
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-21.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-22.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-23.jpg)
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Coming along nicely. I hope the modelling gods have not taken revenge on you for breaking their laws when you attached the lower wing...... ;)
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I can't rule it out. There are consequences for breaking the law. But it's not the first time I have been a lawbreaker and pretty sure it won't be the last. :-)
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Looks nice and straight on the wing alignment. What will you be using for the struts?
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You're a magician, Dennis. Can't believe this is a vac...
Dutch
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Great to see this old kit come to life!
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Struts will be made from plastic strut plastic I have had for years. I may have gotten it from Aeroclub but those brain cells have passed away.
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More excellent progress here Dennis.
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December 24, 2023
I am alive but not that well. Got a real bad case of the flu that put me the hospital for 5 days. Enough of that
The struts fought me as I was in a weakened state and they took advantage of me. However, I did prevail.. With the exception of the fuel tank, struts and touch up, the model is complete. It is on the table and is about 50% complete. There is a good chance it will be completed today.
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-24.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-25.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-26.jpg)
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Merry Christmas, Dennis! Great to hear you battled your way through that one (the flu, I mean, not the vac!)
The D.H.6 is looking better and better, it's inspirational... I've been hankering to build a Roland D.II, and keep eyeing that Cramer vacuform sheet, muttering "No, Dutch, don't go there..."
DV
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Merry Christmas also and I'm glad you are making progress here despite being under the weather. Keep going!
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December 29, 2023
Done!
This was a model I should have put back on the shelf until I felt better. Hospitals frown on air brushing in your room. They are funny that way.
I found the kit very hard to build even though it should have been easy. Square wings, straight fuselage, a box. Not to be. I struggled with most of the kit to finally beat it into submission. Looking back on the DH-6 built 10 years ago, it should not have been that hard. There are things on the newer model that were not on the older one but nothing major. The modeller was the problem and he should have stepped aside for a while. The results are a pleasing looking aircraft but no where near my best work.
Thank you for looking, Dennis
PS: Does anyone have any information on B2678; squadron, location, date? The name tag looks a little bare.
Next up: WNW Pfalz DIIIa, Max Holtzem color scheme.
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-27.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-28.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-29.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-30.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-31.jpg)
(http://priswell.com/djuggie/dh6-32.jpg)
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Well done for keeping going to the end! It's a very nice model of an ugly plane.
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Couldn't sum it up any better. An ugly plane but I had no idea it would return the favor. It is in the case sitting next to its older brother.
Next up will be the WNW Pfalz for my customer. Then I will need something easy for myself and I need to add to my German collection. That could mean another Dr1 to add to my collection withing a collection. Although I do have a lead on an Elf DFW Floh. Of course the Roadshow could travel again with a German or Italian seaplane. Wait, that's not easy! I may not be feeling as good I think.:-)
Dennis
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Looks great, Dennis, and it's even more impressive considering what an uphill battle it was to get it done. I never took much notice of the D.H.6 before, but now I'm picking them out of the crowd because of this thread.
Looking forward to seeing what you can do with the WnW Pfalz!
Dutch
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I'm sorry to hear of your Christmas troubles Dennis, bravo for sticking with the build as the end result is delightful. And I think this is the first time I've ever seen two DH.6* models together - well done! And I reckon the Pfalz will be a great chaser after the bitterness of this build.
*I really do need to get one for myself.
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Nicely done Dennis. Glad you got this one across the finish line. The pair look great together. Vaccuform kits pose all kinds of interesting challenges but I find them to be very rewarding.
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Looks wonderful!. Can't believe it is a vucform.