forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Under Construction => Topic started by: William Adair on May 04, 2024, 09:06:08 PM
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It's been a while since I've had a full and ongoing build to post, but I think at last I am ready to return to the fray :)
Earlier this year I embarked on a new scratchbuilding project with the aim of making a Jeannin Stahltaube in 1/144 scale. The build is intended as a bit of a challenge to see how far I can push things in 1/144, as adding all the bells and whistles to such a complex aircraft is just about the most difficult subject that I can think of in this scale.
To keep it humming along I'll be making the Taube as part of a buddy build, alongside fellow modeller, Max Bentley. We first got to know each other a couple of years ago when we each received an opportunity to write a book on modelling WW1 aircraft. Both of our books should be out this year. Mine will be First World War Aircraft in Scale - Scratchbuilding in 1/144 Scale, and Max's book is titled: First World War Aircraft in Scale - The Pfalz D.III and Pfalz D.IIIa, where he will be concentrating on that beautiful and waspish little German scout.
So, the Taube... wish me luck!
(https://i.imgur.com/orhMqjz.jpeg)
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Pulling up a very tiny chair to watch!
Sandy
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Ok, this will be a very challenging project, can't wait to watch along and learn new techniques!
Cheers.
Ondra
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Whenever I start a new build, the journey always begins with the first step. Then two steps back... Followed by a shuffle sideways and a sudden lurch into forward motion. This one wasn't any different! ::)
The Stahltaube was a big beast for its time but the structure is eggshell thin. I shaped and curved a keel plate for the fuselage out of 1mm Evergreen strip and clad the sides with 0.1mm styrene to try and represent the fabric-covered fuselage walls. But even with some discrete bulkheads in place, the whole thing was far too delicate to hang a pair of wings from and I needed to start again.
Below is a picture of the first iteration of the fuselage. The nose is solid block of laminated styrene, and a floor plate of 1mm material extends to the tail to try to give the whole thing some foundation. Unfortunately the sidewalls are much too thin and a better solution needs to be found.
(https://i.imgur.com/ziKZbw5.jpg)
References were a challenge. I had a hard-won copy of the Windsock Datafile Taube at War. However, the variants in the book didn't quite cover the one that I wanted to do. The cowling shapes were different along with some of the wing and rudder profiles. Wingnut Wings does the version that I wanted though, so I downloaded their low-res instruction sheet and squinted at the drawings to try and make the best of it.
Fortunately, a fellow modeller here at ww1aircraftmodels came to the rescue (thanks Davos!) and provided me with a scan from his WNW instruction sheet. Many of the shapes and alignment angles became much more discernable and I could move forward with greater confidence.
I retained the solid nose section and grafted on a new keel plate. Then added slightly thicker fuselage side walls from 0.15mm sheet. The upper decking between the cockpits and to the rear are both temporarily removable to allow the cockpit details to go in. Much better!
(https://i.imgur.com/0GWbw5m.jpeg)
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Pulling up a very tiny chair to watch!
Ok, this will be a very challenging project, can't wait to watch along and learn new techniques!
Thank you gents! I'm sorry that this one was started too early to take part in the GB in memory of David Wilson. But I'm hoping it will be a fitting "Dave Wilson shadow factory" build. ;)
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Fabulous William
(Great to hear that someone else's builds progress in a similar way to mine) ;D
Paul
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"I go one step forward then two steps back then shuffle sideways.......". Oh boy, I'm not the only one! I think you are extremely brave taking on a Taube in this scale. I hope you get the wings on OK.
Alan.
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I am impressed by your efforts to get the fuselage correct! Of course I am always impressed by your builds!!
RAGIII
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Another amazing build. Two steps forwards and three back completely reflects my own experience - but I work in larger scales than you.
I too have pulled up a tiny chair and put on my magnifying glasses to watch.
Stephen.
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More amazing work in such a tiny scale. Truly inspirational modelling.
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Hehe, I'm glad it's not just me! ;D
I have to say though, I'm much happier when the messing around occurs at the start of a project. It's way worse when something comes to bite you on the arse when you are halfway through. :-[
I seemed to find out fairly quickly that Taubes vary greatly from one example to the next, and the individual aircraft that I wanted to make (A.283/14) has some significant differences compared to the Windsock Datafile plans that I was using. I was struggling to get the nose to look right and was having a hard time reconciling the shapes that I could see in photographs compared to the dimensions that I was seeing on paper. Then Davos came to the rescue with a high-resolution scan of the GA drawing from Wingnut Wing's kit and this matched nicely with contemporary photographs.
I made a simple depth gauge, using the flat upper deck of the fuselage as a datum, to check where the propellor shaft ought to be... mine was way too low!
(https://i.imgur.com/XJkQEGk.jpg)
The arrow in the above photo shows the correct height of the prop shaft. There was nothing for it but to cut the forward part of the nose off, then reseat it further up and blend the area back in. It took a couple of night's work to make good on the area, but the whole nose section looks so much the better for it. So it's a win!
(https://i.imgur.com/ul5dIaW.jpg)
While I was in a redemptive mood, I also replaced the curved decking between the cockpits. Closer inspection showed that this was supposed to be a faceted piece and not rounded in profile. The new one was made from sterling silver sheet, then cast in resin so that it could be permanently glued down and flushed in with ease.
(https://i.imgur.com/NqEwoGY.jpg)
More later!
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Brlliant work, William, my hats are off to your skills and attention to detail!
Cheers
Ondra
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Amazing approach to modeling. I will follow this thread with great interest.
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That is simply amazing detail in such a small scale.
Really pleased that you have sorted out the problem: as you write, finding a problem halfway through a build is frustrating (to use polite and printable language).
Stephen.
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144 seems to be the new 32!
Very interesting project. Without your fingers or other size comparison it is so easy to forget the tiny scale which is a tribute to your great skill.
The top decking with the museum machine is fabric over steel tube.
Joachim
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Breathtaking work. It seems 1:144 is the new 1:32 judging by the threads that have been popping up in the past week!
One small clarification, the scans of those period measured drawings I sent (and which are providing such a dandy backdrop for your photos, no?) were actually from various articles in the old WWI Aero magazine, not the Wingnut instructions... I don't actually have the Taube kit, although I wish I did.
Really looking forward to following this build.
Dutch
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Whoops! Sorry about that. I no longer have the link from the gent who provided the page from the WNW instructions and pinned it on you ;D
Those drawings in the background are indeed the ones you provided. Thank you so much. They have been a great reference as well as an attractive backdrop! :)
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I am continuing to be Very Impressed with this build. The Taube has so many unique features that are not necessarily easy to scratch build, and you are Nailing it in 1/144th scale!
RAGIII
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The top decking with the museum machine is fabric over steel tube.
That is fantastic info and had me running back to Marian Krzyzan's taube book to look at it more closely. It has six facets... phew!
That little piece of decking has been the most worrisome piece of the build so far. The main difficulty is that I don't have any reliable measurement for its height so I've had to go by the total depth of the fuselage in that area, which seems to be 7.8mm. ???
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Dang! that top plate is nuts!
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Whoops! Sorry about that. I no longer have the link from the gent who provided the page from the WNW instructions and pinned it on you ;D
Those drawings in the background are indeed the ones you provided. Thank you so much. They have been a great reference as well as an attractive backdrop! :)
Hi Will,
I have the full PDF manual from WNW plus all of their photos.
If you want them PM me and I'll send you the files,
Mike
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Hi Mike! No fear, I grabbed them already ;D
Back when the covid lockdowns were on, I spent a day and a night laboriously saving every photo and file from the WNW site in case it disappeared forever. I'm glad to see it's still there. Fingers crossed they make a comeback one day!
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Hi Mike! No fear, I grabbed them already ;D
Back when the covid lockdowns were on, I spent a day and a night laboriously saving every photo and file from the WNW site in case it disappeared forever. I'm glad to see it's still there. Fingers crossed they make a comeback one day!
I'm sure they will, you just have to change scales to 1/32... :D
/F
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Hehe, I often thought how nice it would be if they did a party pack of 1/144 aircraft. Wingnat Wings.. ;D
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Here are a few more images of the latest progress:
Sometimes I feel like a lazy person trapped in a busy hobby. I needed to make the Mercedes D.II engine but cheated slightly to save some time. I turned a cylinder out of styrene rod, then cast two identical copies and stuck them together. The D.II has three sets of paired cylinders and I found that if I made one pair with the rocker blocks, valve springs, and its share of the timing rod all as one piece, I could then make a small silicone mould of it and cast a few resin copies.
(https://i.imgur.com/rsWzr4r.jpeg)
Each pair of cylinders were cast with a little hole at the back to accept the timing rod of the set of cylinders behind it. In this way, I could daisy-chain them all together and mount them on a bit of plastic strip for ease of handling. Pretty happy with that. Job done! :)
(https://i.imgur.com/rJ6sicK.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/SrP6Jz0.jpeg)
While I was feeling frisky and with the time I saved, I also made some facias for the floor and bulkheads. As well as a couple of seats with cushions. Feeling pleased with the progress. Now I can start worrying about how to do those wings... :-\
(https://i.imgur.com/Q62yxRp.jpeg)
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The Cylinders look Fantastic. Clever Idea to replicate multiples!
RAGIII
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Wow, that tiny engine looks amazing. Very clever modelling.
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For goodness sake :o
Off now to take up knitting ;D
Paul
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For goodness sake :o
Off now to take up knitting ;D
Paul
Me to!
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As always, this is stupendous modeling William. You continue to inspire.
Warren
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Incredible and smart work! I ought to give resin casting a go the next time I scratchbuild an engine
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It's definitely worth looking into. A 500ml bottle of silicone and resin will go a long way at our scale. I'd like to be able to build up a library of common parts eventually. So that I can get a head start on future projects.
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Thanks again to everyone for taking a look. It means a lot! :)
The next task is getting the basics of the wings together. The important thing is that they keep their shape and do not warp (ironic, that), and stay at a constant 3.75 degrees dihedral without sagging, flexing, or otherwise jeopardising the future rigging.
I scraped & shaped the wing stock from 1.5mm acrylic, then carved a rebate out of the trailing edges to insert a small piece of 0.1mm styrene sheet for the warping portion of the ailerons.
The outer wing ribs have an odd camber where they transition into the flexible ailerons and it took a lot of delicate filling and sanding to blend this area in. A lot of time was spent ensuring the wing shapes were correct in plan view too. Once this was done, the excess portions of the wing root were cut away and the mating surfaces were trimmed to ensure a good fit.
Shaping the wings from acrylic:
(https://i.imgur.com/GX086gd.jpeg)
Midway through the putty & prime with lots of careful sanding:
(https://i.imgur.com/FpmJDSc.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZX47qYA.jpeg)
Trimming and shaping the wings. Pinning them securely to the fuselage will be a challenge:
(https://i.imgur.com/eNccozC.jpeg)
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Starting on the tail feathers now.
I drilled a 0.3mm hole for the rudder's kingpost and cut slots so that I could inlay the two control pylons using 0.2mm nickel silver rod. These were backfilled with CA glue and flushed in. Then the six little rigging points were made from slices of 0.25mm sprue and partially inset into the sides. They will be a nice detail once the rib tapes are added.
(https://i.imgur.com/9pwJaMh.jpeg)
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This would be Impressive work in Any Scale Doing it in 1/144th is Mind Blowing!
RAGIII
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This is all absolute madness! Amazing work, and fascinating to see how you do it.
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You must have eyes the size of saucepans and fingers the size of pins to do this.
Alan
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I'd love to build a Taube in 1/32 but the thought of rigging puts me off...this is incredible.
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That's some fine (in both senses of the word) work!
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It continues to be a spectacular show...
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Thanks gents! It feels like I am getting somewhere now :D
You must have eyes the size of saucepans and fingers the size of pins to do this.
That's a disturbing mental image... ;D
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Just incredible. The wings on Taubes are difficult enough to shape in larger scales, your efforts are just outstanding. I hope that you can get a strong wing to fuselage joint.
Stephen.
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I hope that you can get a strong wing to fuselage joint.
Thanks Stephen! I had to walk away from it a couple of times, but I finally managed to get it sorted. :-\
I had been worrying about how to attach the wings and needed a solution that wouldn't flex. I thickened up the bulkhead between the cockpits and drilled some holes through the sides of the fuselage to accept some hidden wing spars. The spars are flattened sterling silver wire with a scribe line down each side so they resemble I-beams. A jeweller's saw was used to cut some corresponding slots in the wings, with a couple of larger holes to act as reservoirs when I backfilled the spars with water-thin CA glue.
Setting up each wing so that they plugged in at the correct dihedral and camber every time was delicate work, but it will simplify things a great deal later on. Some brass tube was flushed in at each wingtip too, to provide location points for the rigging pylons when the time comes.
Glad that's out of the way! Next job is another prime and sand, then to have a look at doing the wing ribs.
(https://i.imgur.com/IxGEfOY.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/YfPccgL.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/YSdyMP4.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/tcILKH9.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/1L8WQO2.jpeg)
And with a coat of Mr Surfacer to see how it looks... 0_0
(https://i.imgur.com/ztwLq0d.jpeg)
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Again, this is just amazing work! A question: why sterling silver? Is it because of it being more malleable?
Warren
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Hi Warren ;)
I mostly use silver because it’s what I have lying around. Brass would work just as well though and I usually use that for rods and tubes that need to be straight 👍
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Hi Warren ;)
I mostly use silver because it’s what I have lying around. Brass would work just as well though and I usually use that for rods and tubes that need to be straight 👍
Well, yeah, I bet you do have it laying around, but I just wasn't sure if it was a case of convenience or purpose.
Thanks!
Warren
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Every time I look at this thread I just shake my head in amazement. Exquisite work.
Dutch
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Steady on. I haven’t started adding any detail yet! ;D
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Every step is absolutely Amazing!
RAGIII
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I'm looking forward to getting the basic airframe sorted. Working on the wing ribs now. The Taube is much trickier than straight-winged aircraft, as the radiating ribs are very difficult to align. Four nights and a day got me to here: :o
(https://i.imgur.com/T3oKURg.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/7D3zS2t.jpeg)
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Four nights and a day got me to here
Wow. That really is a lot of work. I hate working with masking tape myself, so I am in awe of what you have done there.....
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Brilliant work as usual, William!
I have a plotter and drawing the masks for the wing ribs should not be a big deal - feel free to PM me if you are interested. May be this could save you some time.
Cheers.
Ondra
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Mad respect for that much masking tape work there William.
Warren
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It took a while, but I reckon I'll be enjoying the result long after I forgot about all the effort.
Ondra, thank you! I may need to come calling one day! ;)
Here is the result after unmasking, polishing, and a light coat of Mr Surfacer. Some of the ribs still need a little tweaking, but getting this far is a huge milestone.
(https://i.imgur.com/aQsAkVb.jpeg)
And a quick pic with the pieces dry fitted and the wings slotted back into place. I should paint it yellow and call it a canary! :lol:
(https://i.imgur.com/Gu4G8jo.jpeg)
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The result is well worth the effort, it looks gorgeous, bravo!
Cheers.
Ondra
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Once again you have completely blown Me away! All of that tape and a result that looks as good as a WNW kit! WOW!!
RAGIII
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Great to watch your progress, the wing is phantastic!
Like to watch your masking job but would never like to try myself.
This is going to be a little jewel.
Joachim
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What big hands you have got...!
That would have driven me completely mad - if I am not already - I take my hat off to you (again) for such fine detail.
Stephen.
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Spectacular. Just spectacular.
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That is almost unbelievable. Such precise modelling work, those wings look amazing. Great stuff!!
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This is seriously incredible. Good job!
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That's an incredible piece of workmanship. Seeing it dry fitted together shows just what a beautiful aircraft this was.
Alan.
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Just incredible work in this tiny scale ............
Regards
Dave
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Wow im amazed how you are able to create the shapes! Just WOW!
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Top notch work again William!
Makes me curious to the tools you use....
Cheers,
Willem
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Gobsmacked!
Sandy
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A masking masterclass!
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Seeing that last photo made me absolutely speechless.
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Thank you everybody for your kind words. It helps keep me going!
Here is the latest on the taube. Over the last couple of weeks, I've been pecking away at the cockpit details. I often had to refer to photographs of WNW builds for reference and dimensions, so some of the parts may look familiar to those who own the 1/32 kit.
The cockpits have quite large openings, so a lot of the interior will be visible. There are still quite a lot of parts to go yet, so hopefully I can get it looking very busy by the time it is done.
(https://i.imgur.com/EvXDZzz.jpg)
I'm a little bit stuck on the colour of the sidewalls inside the cockpits however and hoped to ask the advice of any resident experten. I'm planning to do Stahltaube A.283/14 which had a dark fuselage very similar to RLM Grey (Tamiya XF-22). To tried and represent the plain interior fabric with a coat of grey on the outside, I have started with a light CDL colour, then given it a sort of speckly overspray of darker tones to depict the bleed of grey paint from the exterior (sample swatch below).
I applied this colour to the cockpit, but it suddenly occured to me that the German aviation industry might have applied one or more base coats of Clear dope first, the same as the British did, before adding a pigmented top coat. If this was the case, I would expect the interior fabric to be lighter than what I have done below. I'm also ludicrously colour blind too, so if anyone can tell me if it is too light or too dark, or too pink or too green... I will be forever in your debt!
(https://i.imgur.com/pxnL21w.jpg)
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Top notch work again William!
Makes me curious to the tools you use....
Cheers,
Willem
[/quote
Tom Thumb lent him his toolbox!
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;D
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No idea about the right shade, but I have to say the interior parts look tremendous.
Thumbs up from Yoda. ;)
Cheers
Ondra
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What Ondra said, I have no idea and it looks wonderful.
To quote Lawrence Welk, "Wonnerful, Wonnerful!" ;)
Warren
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Tom Thumb lent him his toolbox!
;D ;D ;D
No idea about the right shade, but I have to say the interior parts look tremendous.
Thumbs up from Yoda. ;)
Thank you sensei! I tried to keep the wood grain effect in scale and it seemed to work better this time. I'm looking forward to trying it on a plywood fuselage one day.
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What Ondra said, I have no idea and it looks wonderful.
To quote Lawrence Welk, "Wonnerful, Wonnerful!" ;)
Warren
Hey thanks Warren! :) I always second-guess myself when it comes to colours. I wish I had the knack.
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Great progress, the interior parts look wonderful!
Found some 20 old paper prints from the Berlin museum, if you want them send me a message with your e-mail address and you will get a link from wetransfer.com.
Joachim
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To me, this is still one of the most beautiful aircraft of the period.
Willem
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Those parts look top notch!
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That’s not a mortal’s work. You need to be some sort of an alien nature to be able to produce such perfect parts in 1:144 scale.
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That’s not a mortal’s work. You need to be some sort of an alien nature to be able to produce such perfect parts in 1:144 scale.
Lol, it's just unbelievably thick glasses ;D
Here is my micro-challenge of the week:
I can just imagine showing the completed build to a bunch of muggles one day, and hearing them say: "Ooh... there's a little steering wheel in there!" So I knew I would have to try and make a proper job of it. ::)
After some deliberation; a notch was filed into two overly-long pieces of 0.2mm Albion Alloys wire and the pair were soldered together to form a secure lap joint. The X-shape was trimmed to size and sanded flat on one side, then a circle of 0.25mm stretched sprue was steamed around a drill bit and fixed in place with tiny dabs of epoxy resin. I still need to add the pulley wheels and central boss to it, but so far it's working out pretty well.
I just need to remember where I put it.
(https://i.imgur.com/M7d9NRO.jpeg)
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That’s not a mortal’s work. You need to be some sort of an alien nature to be able to produce such perfect parts in 1:144 scale.
Yep, what he said!
RAGIII
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I just need to remember where I put it.
;D
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I scratchbuilt a spark advance lever for a 1/32 Pfalz yesterday and needed a lie down after that. I can't imagine how you can make such beautiful parts in such a small scale!
I just need to remember where I put it.
Oh dear, we've all been there...... :)
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My specialty is reaching across the desk and getting things attached to my shirt sleeves. Lord knows where they go from there! :-\
Got the control wheel sorted out thankfully. I’ve put it in a tin for now so I can loose it later.
(https://i.imgur.com/0rR6t5B.jpg)
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Looks lovely!
I put all my small pieces in a plastic tub on my desk. That way when I knock the tub over I can lose everything all at once rather than piece by piece...... (don't ask me how I know..... :()
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Pure artistry!!!
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Ik keep my tiny bits in small plastic containers with a screwcap, even the discarded ones.
Willem
(https://i.postimg.cc/L8BmwyrD/20240615-120832.jpg)
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As always with you, William - disbelief is suspended!
Sandy
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Ik keep my tiny bits in small plastic containers ......
My ex-wife used to talk about my tiny bits but I think she had a different meaning - and agenda!
S
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:-X
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Found some 20 old paper prints from the Berlin museum, if you want them send me a message with your e-mail address and you will get a link from wetransfer.com.
Joachim
Hi Joachim, thank you! I seem to have all the info I could ask for at the moment, which is a real first for me. If I run into any snags I'll be sure to sing out :D
Willem, that's a great idea for storage! And Sandy... ouch! ;D
Getting the main bulkhead and floor pieces in at the moment. Next job is some sidewall detail before I can put the lid on and start detailing the outside.
The louvres underneath the cowling have been a bit of a worry, but I have a cunning plan..!
(https://i.imgur.com/xSn1GYS.jpg)
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That is Impressive work to say the least! As always, the detail for Any scale is Amazing!
RAGIII
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Gobsmackingly wonderful detail work William, as always.
Warren
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That looks really effective. I love the way you have managed to get the interior detail to stand out without making it look overscale.
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That looks really effective. I love the way you have managed to get the interior detail to stand out without making it look overscale.
I go to a lot of trouble to get the real-world dimensions for things and scale them down accordingly. When in doubt: I'll reach out my hand to imaginarily grasp the necessary object and measure that ;D
Signing off on the rib detail for now. I gave it a bit more attention to make sure it was consistent and marked out the position of the rigging points and control pylons. I'll put these aside until the fuselage is done.
(https://i.imgur.com/aAfcD5B.jpg)
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I'm amazed at each of your updates, William - those wings are beautiful!
Cheers,
Gary
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Just wonderful William!
Warren
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Those wings are indeed beautiful. Such precise modelling, lovely work.
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More incredible modelling: I struggle to make control wheels in a scale twice that size.
I have given up doffing my hat to you - I just leave it on the peg now!
Stephen.
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Thank you everybody for keeping me motivated! I was wondering if I had bitten off way more than I could chew with this, but thankfully it seems to be coming together. 🤞
The main cockpit parts are complete and the fuselage is sealed up. This is a huge leap forward. The next step is the fuselage exterior.
I'm impressed that the iPhone camera managed to pick up the lines on the map inside the observer's cockpit... 👀
(https://i.imgur.com/HX3cOLx.jpeg)
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"I'm impressed that the iPhone camera managed to pick up the lines on the map inside the observer's cockpit..."
Not as impressed as I am that you managed to make the map - let alone draw the lines!
Stephen.
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Well, just to demystify the whole thing; the ‘map’ is merely a fragment of decal that I painted off-white and dragged a damp brush over with some dirty grey colour. I chose a bit that looked reasonably mappish and cut a little rectangle out of it :-\
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Wonderful, brilliant work!
Warren
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Cheers Warren! :D
I had a day off on the weekend, so I spent the day squinting at reference photos and taking measurements from my drawings. The Taube has a bank of radiator panels under each wing. These were made from strips of 0.66mm styrene and 0.2mm sprue for the mounting frame. They are still a bit basic for the moment, but I'll add more details to them after paint.
I took this photo in the gauzy late-afternoon winter sunlight, with the parts balanced on my knee, an iphone in one hand, and a celebratory tot of Port Charlotte Islay single malt in the other.
(https://i.imgur.com/BayHfSO.jpg)
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Whatever you do, don't cough or sneeze, they will be gone forever..... Amazing teeny tiny work!
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Whatever you do, don't cough or sneeze, they will be gone forever..... Amazing teeny tiny work!
Funny you should say that. While I was making them and trimming them to length; I found if I put a drop of water on my bench and rested the parts in it, they were easier to hold and did not fly away while I was cutting! 👍
Test fitting the undercariage atm. I needed to get the main undercarriage legs and spreader bar soldered together, so that I could dry fit the landing gear and make sure the finished taube had the correct "sit". I cut a wedge of styrene that mimicked the height of the tail skid and temporarily tacked it into place with some PVA. Then I broke out the test wheel that I made earlier this year and slid the axle through.
I had fussed around with the measurements for the undercarriage for quite some time. As it only takes a small discrepancy in 1/144 scale to leave the whole thing looking either too squat or as if it is standing on tiptoes. The propeller shaft would need to sit exactly 13.5mm off the ground on the completed model. I nervously placed the fuselage on a flat surface and checked the height with my calipers... Yesss!!!! Bloody nailed it.😁 I just need to put a tiny flat spot on the bottom of each tyre to simulate the weight and it will have the prop sitting at exactly 13.5. Happy days!
(https://i.imgur.com/E6mbumx.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/EwJqZSD.jpeg)
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Absolutely wonderful work. I can only imagine the tolerances you're working with on this.
I must remember that tip about the water drop.
Warren
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Excellent work on the undercarriage. And where did the wheel come from? I quickly scanned back through the thread and didn't see mention of wheels, but maybe I missed it. Did you scratch it....?
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Nigel, I'm sure he did, and I want to say he covered making those on a previous construction thread, but I could be wrong.
Warren
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Hi Nigel, sorry about that! Here's the link for the making of the wheels. I made the test one from 0.02mm copper wire, but I've since managed to source a roll of tungsten instead. It's even stronger and has a nice dark colour, so it won't need painting 👍
https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=14248.0
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Hi Nigel, sorry about that! Here's the link for the making of the wheels. I made the test one from 0.02mm copper wire, but I've since managed to source a roll of tungsten instead. It's even stronger and has a nice dark colour, so it won't need painting 👍
Thanks, I remember this now (I even commented on that thread). Superb work as always, I simply don't have the fine motor skills to do anything like this so I am totally in awe.
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I continue to be stunned - I don't know what the right verb is, stun implies a single blow, but this is ongoing assault and battery on the viewers comprehension and appreciation.
Sandy
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Absolutely brilliant work. This has "masterpiece" written all over it, Lord knows how you're ever going to top it.
Dutch
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Looks amazing! Your "Test" wheels are incredible so the production version should really be outstanding!!
RAGIII
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Absolutely brilliant work. This has "masterpiece" written all over it, Lord knows how you're ever going to top it.
Hmm. A BE2c and BE2E double build would be nice. Or possibly a couple of Morane Type Ns. I try not to think about it too much. Otherwise, I suffer an "excess of enthusiasm" and skip onto the next project and don't finish what I started. :-[
The louvres on the Taube worked out pretty well. These were a bit of a saga which played out over several weeks. They started out as plastic strip and I scraped the angled profile into a length of styrene and trimmed each one to size. However, they were very difficult to cut consistently. In the end I gave up on that and chose the best looking one, then made the world’s tiniest resin mould.
Below are a few pics of the progress. I found it helpful to use a tiny bit of water to position each part and hold it there until you have time to apply the liquid glue with the tip of a fine brush. The following day I came back and gave the surface a coat of well-thinned primer to blend them in. That's another scratchbuilding bogeyman out of the way. I'll put that aside for a few days and start thinking about the tail. :)
(https://i.imgur.com/y2OZdkS.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9Pb4In1.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/zxqLLjW.jpeg)
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I continue to be stunned - I don't know what the right verb is, stun implies a single blow, but this is ongoing assault and battery on the viewers comprehension and appreciation.
Sandy
I need to land faster blows. I hoped to be finished by the end of July, in time for the release of the book. Now I'm just hoping it will be all over by Christmas!
Looks amazing! Your "Test" wheels are incredible so the production version should really be outstanding!!
RAGIII
I'm hoping! The tungsten is awfully strong. When I tried to snap it with my fingers it cut me ;D
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I failed to mention that the Louvres are also amazing :-[
RAGIII
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I couldn't do those louvres in 1/32, let alone in this scale. Amazing work again!
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I can only join the others in their praise William.
All the details are stunning!
Willem
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This is truly a David to a WNW Goliath! Miraculous work!
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This is truly a David to a WNW Goliath! Miraculous work!
That's a nice way of putting it. It really does feel like that sometimes! :D
I hadn't tackled the padding around the cockpits yet, so I tried something a little different and built the coaming up gradually by painting it freehand with layers of Mr Surfacer and a fine brush. This worked out surprisingly well, as the cockpit edge helps guide the brush and you get a nice even line.
The other detail was the lower rudder and vertical stabiliser. The first version that I made was just styrene and sprue, and I was worried it might be too flimsy. I made a new-improved version and soldered it together with the kingpost and locating pins from .2mm nickel silver. Just for fun, the rudder and stabiliser are made from 18ct yellow gold.
(https://i.imgur.com/hl87pGN.jpg)
I also started thinking about the rigging too. One clear photograph of the Jeannin Taubes shows the elevator and aileron lines anchored to little curved mounting horns. I drilled a 0.1mm hole at each rigging point and wrapped some wire around a .7mm drill bit to make some C-shaped horns. It should be posible to thread these through the control surfaces and attach the rigging to them when the time comes. The test looks quite promising, although the radius of the circle seems a bit small. :-\
(https://i.imgur.com/FVtzVF7.jpeg)
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Incredible modeling...Pure Gold ;D
RAGIII
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Wow! Just wow.
Warren
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You are a very brave man to rig a Taube in 1/144, my hat off to you.
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Oh stop it, I couldn't even drill a .1mm hole let alone fabricate clever rigging fixings to go in them!!!
Superb work, really fascinating to watch.
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More tiny miracles!
"you get a nice even line" NO, tried something similar in 72nd and it was not even at all.
Drilling .1mm holes - I would break 3 drills per hole, minimum.
Your model is so precious, no need to use material that cost 50€ per gram!!
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Wow! Just wow.
Warren
And two more from me... :o
Willem
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Drilling .1mm holes - I would break 3 drills per hole, minimum.
And I would leave the end of one of the broken drill bits stuck in the hole!
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Oh I break the drill bits all the time too! I think I only got away with it this time because the control surfaces are only .15mm thick and I rested them on a block of neoprene rubber while I was drilling. That way when the drill bit broke through the plastic it didn’t hit a hard surface and shatter. 👍
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All I can do is shake my head in admiration and amazement. The idea of building a Taube kit in 1/48 or even 1/32 is daunting enough...and that's after someone's made the bits for me!!
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I was watching "Tales of the Unexpected" on the telly the other evening and I'm sure I saw you, William, in one of the episodes?
Sandy
(https://cdn.imgpile.com/f/2fUZX38_xl.jpg)
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I was watching "Tales of the Unexpected" on the telly the other evening and I'm sure I saw you, William, in one of the episodes?
Sandy
There is a certain resemblance. ;D ;D ;D
Finally starting to get some paint on. I masked off the ribs on the tail and sprayed a lighter mix of the base colour for a slight contrast. With luck I might be able to do the CDL on the wings tomorrow. After that, I'll need to do some shading and try my hand at the squiggles on the cowling.
(https://i.imgur.com/pSIAmfy.jpeg)
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More quality work. That is looking really good, a lovely finish on the painted parts.
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I agree, it is just so clean and neat.
Alan.
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Thank you to you both!🙏 That is very kind of you. I usually spray at about 25psi with paint that is very heavily thinned. The airbrush is held about 25-30mm away and sprayed in very rapid passes to stop the paint from getting too thick and running. I don't know how this would work for larger objects (probably not well) but it gives a pretty smooth finish on the small stuff.
(https://i.imgur.com/ODxpAB7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/3il0a2o.jpg)
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Such wonderful work and your finish is so solidly neat and crisp. I'm never not amazed.
Warren
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Such wonderful work and your finish is so solidly neat and crisp. I'm never not amazed.
Warren
I agree completely with WD! I am certain the swirl on those side panels on the cowl will look Fantastic!
RAGIII
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The question begs to be asked, seeing these wonders in 1/144, what could you do with 1/72??? Working compass and rev counter? ;)
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Truly spectacular!!
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The question begs to be asked, seeing these wonders in 1/144, what could you do with 1/72??? Working compass and rev counter? ;)
I know, right?
Warren
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Been away and am catching up. More miracles in modelling.... I am thinking of taking up another hobby altogether.
Stephen.
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Can't wait for your book to arrive and unravel your secrets and pick your brain...
Willem
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Thank you again! It's always such a pleasure to be able to post here :)
I think this is always my favourite part of a build, when the main parts are painted and all the little extra details can be added. Each new detail isn't much on its own but they really start to add up.
(https://i.imgur.com/NkRkQyt.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9UklEGq.jpg)
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Oh Boy...oh boy.....Words are pointless! All I can think of is precision engineering!
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I agree that bringing all of the sub-assemblies together on a scratch build is the best part. All of the effort - or in your case, magic - starts to become worthwhile.
Stephen.
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That is absolutely beautiful, a real joy to look at. How did you source the decals? Or did you paint the markings.....?
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Unfortunately, there's not much love for 1/144 among decal manufacturers and I had to print the markings myself. I first used a square of plain white, then printed the crosses and codes onto clear decal film. If I print in grayscale the quality is quite good.
(https://i.imgur.com/ET4m2ui.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/SibK5oo.jpg)
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Simply amazing what you do in this scale…. These are the Fabergé eggs of modelling!
Cheers
Matt
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Unfortunately, there's not much love for 1/144 among decal manufacturers and I had to print the markings myself. I first used a square of plain white, then printed the crosses and codes onto clear decal film. If I print in grayscale the quality is quite good.
I guessed you might have to do that. These turned out very nice, and that's interesting about printing in grayscale. A very helpful tip.
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What is grey ???scale
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Simply wonderful!
I do love the color of this a/c. For years and years and years I want to say these have been portrayed as being colored as just CDL. However, this olive green is just beautiful to me.
Warren
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What is grey ???scale
Greyscale is one of the printer options where it uses black toner only. The other option uses a mix of the coloured toners to achieve black, but it can fade or take on strange hues over time. ;)
Simply wonderful!
I do love the color of this a/c. For years and years and years I want to say these have been portrayed as being colored as just CDL. However, this olive green is just beautiful to me.
I like this one too :D
This particular aircraft had the grey green fuselage, but also CDL wings. So it should give it a bit more contrast. It’s one of the options in the WNW kit. I would have liked an all-CDL finish, but I couldn’t find one with this engine variant. I’m learning to love it though. ;D
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Lovely work as always! The cockpit coaming looks properly worn!
RAGIII
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Oh, wonderful things I have missed, I shall savour going through this thread. In the meantime, by happenstance I took a few photos of the Stahltube in Berlin - I can share them if you miss something.
(https://i.imgur.com/BKOjdz4.jpeg)
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What a great shot! That answers all my painting questions for the engine ;D
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Got plenty more if you need to see other details. Unfortunately not a lot from above, as access was difficult. I was there at closing time so didn’t feel it was the right moment to ask for a chair to stand on either…
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FFS (rude expletive) ;D
I hesitate to venture into this thread, mainly because I'm always inspired to take up gardening or knitting when I see what you're up to ;) To say that I'm gobsmacked would be a gross understatement I love it, love it, love it.
Joking aside I'm really enjoying the inspiration that this thread offers and love to see what's possible - congrats and look forward to the next stage
Paul
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Got plenty more if you need to see other details. Unfortunately not a lot from above, as access was difficult. I was there at closing time so didn’t feel it was the right moment to ask for a chair to stand on either…
Ah, those moments always seem to happen at closing time for me too! :D
Joking aside I'm really enjoying the inspiration that this thread offers and love to see what's possible - congrats and look forward to the next stage
Paul
Cheers Paul! I'm curious to see how this one will come out. So far (thank goodness) I haven't had an attack of the clumsies :-[
I've been slow at the bench the last few weeks due to work and a bit of illness, but I was able to get back into it and made the early-style seatbelts for the pilot and observer. These are made out of painted cigarette paper which has been cut into strips and threaded through the circular links then secured with watered-down PVA.
The extreme closeup makes them look a bit scruffy. Although at that level of zoom, even the sheet of A4 paper they are resting on looks pretty rough!
(https://i.imgur.com/3JFT58V.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/sTwaZR2.jpeg)
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They are AMAZING......Now i'm going back to bed!
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Those are indeed amazing. Your fine motor skills must be really good (your modelling skills certainly are!).
Hope you are fully recovered and that we will see lots of progress.
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What can I say besides Brilliant!
RAGIII
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I'm not sure scruffy means the same in my world... Stunning work!
/Fredrik
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Honey, I shrunk William!
Willem
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Honey, I shrunk William!
Sometimes I wish! ;D ;D ;D
Here's a little more progress. I rummaged through my brass stock and soldered up the tubular header tank, which sits just ahead of the observer on top of the engine. This was fed by the gravity tank suspended above and behind the observer's head. If that wasn't enough, the poor fellow sat atop the unprotected main fuel tank. Bloody hell... 🔥
The header tank was a tricky beast to make. The rear portion has a sort of wishbone support that needed to be lap-joined to a short vertical rod, which was threaded through a hole in the main tube and soldered into place. The vertical stack was pinned and soldered too, then the piece was trimmed/repeatedly dropped on the floor until I got a good fit. 👍
The main engine block was painted a mid-grey base colour, then masked and the brass manifold intakes were sprayed with Mr Metal Color 219 (good stuff that). It gives a very welcome steampunk look to the engine. I'll paint the header tank with the same brass colour, then add some brackets and clips from painted decal strip.
Here's a shot of the offending item:
(https://i.imgur.com/MpD22qO.jpeg)
And another shot of it dry-fitted above the engine:
(https://i.imgur.com/wNJZnY0.jpeg)
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Wonderful work! Can’t wait to see it with its wings on…
Cheers
Matt
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Just beautiful. That new addition is another piece of top class art.
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Superb, this build is looking more fabulous as it progresses.
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Wonderful work! Can’t wait to see it with its wings on…
Nor can I, I assure you! ;D
I'm doing my best with some of the most fiddly work. The seatbelts were trimmed and fixed into place. The painted cigarette paper was still a bit stiff when dampened with water, but decal solvent loosened them up beautifully. This allowed them to be draped over the seats in what I hope is a realistic manner.
The tooled pattern on the cowling was added too. I used a pearl grey pencil to draw the squiggly lines and sealed them with a satin clear coat. The elongated panel fasteners were added afterwards from minute pieces of dark grey decal. :)
(https://i.imgur.com/rkpu1S4.jpeg)
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More and more spectacular.
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How many trees were needed to manufacture this match!? :) Awesome work.
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How many trees were needed to manufacture this match!? :) Awesome work.
A mummy and a daddy tree presumably ;D
I'm starting to warm to the cowling texture. It seems to compare pretty well to the photographs of the original. I wonder if a soft grey pencil would also work in larger scales?
(https://i.imgur.com/mplBDwO.jpeg)
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Recently my future father-in-law visited and we took him to the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, where a beautiful (formerly) airworthy Etrich Taube replica (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/albums/72177720320502202/) resides. Emily reminded me how she'd like to see me build one...and then remembered this build and clarified I didn't need to "go crazy" with the scale ;D
Each update blows my mind again. I worry I don't have the skills to replicate German swirling in 1/32 and then I see this...!
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Even more impressive with each update! That pattern on the cowling is remarkable!
RAGIII
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I honestly think the cowling was more luck than anything. It's pretty hard to see though at any distance beyond about 20cm away. Maybe that is in-scale? I'm not sure... :-\
I put quite a bit of time into the exhaust chamber and pipes. Not perfect but not too bad. I'll need to double-check the position and alignment before I glue it in. There is almost no room for the downward pipe, as it sits right behind the propeller and just ahead of a key rigging wire that goes from cowling to wing. It's going to be a very close shave...
(https://i.imgur.com/fvuWowF.jpeg)
Recently my future father-in-law visited and we took him to the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, where a beautiful (formerly) airworthy Etrich Taube replica (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/albums/72177720320502202/) resides. Emily reminded me how she'd like to see me build one...and then remembered this build and clarified I didn't need to "go crazy" with the scale ;D
Each update blows my mind again. I worry I don't have the skills to replicate German swirling in 1/32 and then I see this...!
Zac, thank you for the images. Those and others on your page are an absolute goldmine!
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More beautiful work. This really will be a stunner when it's done.
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It just looks SO NEAT! Spotless, tidy, refined, sharp!
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Amazing! I always have difficulty believing in the scale ;D
RAGIII
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Zac, thank you for the images. Those and others on your page are an absolute goldmine!
It?s my pleasure! I?m glad I?m able to help anyone!
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Cheers Zac! Apologies to all for my absence. I unfortunately managed to trip one of the site?s automatic defences when I visited whilst fiddling with my VPN and managed to get my IP perma-banned. I can still log in with my phone, but pecking away at a little keyboard is bit of a faff. :-\
Nevertheless, here?s what I?ve been up to. I managed to get the decals on and the wings attached without too many problems. Then added the undercarriage and radiators.
(https://i.imgur.com/3sFs2sX.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Wqu8hOz.jpg)
More detail was added to the nose area too. There?s still a lot more to be added there, but it?s coming along nicely. The windscreen was added today. It was one of those details that I was dreading, but after four attempts the final result is very pleasing indeed.
(https://i.imgur.com/0eq49q4.jpeg)
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Master and his masterpiece. I will say no more, I am left speechless long time ago.
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Lovely, lovely work William, this is going well into the stratosphere.
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It?s getting there. Waiting for the new wire to arrive so I can do the wheels. It looks much more complete with the windscreen fitted. Next up will be the propeller. That should keep me busy for a while.
(https://i.imgur.com/47NX8Fi.jpg)
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Wowzer 8)
Nice work William
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Wire? - to do the wheels?
aaargh. I'd be scared at the prospect in 1/32.
I really enjoy your builds William, but I tend to peer out between my fingers, with certain parts of my anatomy clenched as I follow progress.
It's a bit like walking along an exposed ridge high in the Scottish mountains - enjoyable, but rather scary.
Sandy
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Coming together nicely though I still struggle to see how you make this in 1/144. I would have to go to 1/48 to make something like this.
Alan
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I've decided not look at any more updates until it's in the completed section, so that I get the full force of the Blast!
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William, as always, brilliant work pard! This build just continues to boggle my mind and senses.
Warren
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You're mad William and I am so very glad for it - this build continues to wow me no end!
I'm so sorry to hear of your technical issues.
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Apologies for the extended absence. I'm still unable to access the forum via my desktop computer, so I'll add this update from my phone.
I was able to get more detail added to the engine and propellor, then turned my attention back to the wheels. I had several more attempts, all ending in failures, and I almost despaired of ever making a set. Eventually, the Christmas holidays rolled around and I had some time to really sit down and work through all the issues. Cementing the two halves of the wheel together was an absolute killer but finally, I was able to do it by using a miniature drill press as a vertical clamp.
Long story, but here's a pic of the first successful wheel which I made on the last day of my holidays (it always takes exactly as much time as you've got).
(https://i.imgur.com/vBYbRsb.jpeg)
Feeling more confident now, a second one followed a few nights later...
(https://i.imgur.com/X5d33PP.jpeg)
During the week I cleaned the tyres up and udjusted their fit on the axles. I'm looking forward to taking them off and giving them a coat of paint. The wheel rim and spokes appeared to be black on A.283/14, so I'll give them a very light pass with the airbrush. The early style rubber tyres will be a pale grey, almost bone colour with a little dust and shading effects. Hopefully, it all goes to plan. Fingers crossed!
(https://i.imgur.com/pzwOGDa.jpeg)
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You are working your micro-magic here, William! It's really brilliant stuff! Well done! Marc
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Incredibly well done. Especially when you consider that it is made in 1:144 scale. Simply marvellous !
Joerg
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Don't know whether to cheer or find a corner to go and weep into William :) I'm completely in awe of your modelling skills
Can't wait for the next update
Paul
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Would you please stop fooling us? You went too far now by telling us that you made these spoked wheels in 1:144 scale . . . :o
No, I won?t ask where you got that huge match.
Well that is beyond human what I see here. I am running out of superlatives, even in my mother tongue.
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Absolutely wonderful William, I admire not only your skills as a modeler, but your grit when you hit a wall. Both are inspirational to me.
I am befuddled as to why you can't access the forum from your desktop.
Warren
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God knows how you do it.
Alan
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Fantastic work William, I would have got mad building it!!!
Hats off
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Thanks chaps! I?m really glad to get moving on this again. The wheels were a real roadblock but they are finally out of the way. I was able to get them painted and take some better shots in the daylight today.
Not bad for 1/144! :D
(https://i.imgur.com/W76P3M3.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/a8suJgf.jpeg)
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Unbelievably wonderful modeling and your model photography cannot be beat either.
Warren
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Thanks Warren! It?s just an old iphone XR and a sheet of styrene (the same one the Taube is made from) for the base. I have a couple of LED lights that I wave around in one hand and hold the iphone in the other.
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Incredible work William. Those wheels are unbelievable! Your engineering and modelling skills are off the scale.
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Not bad for 1/144! :D
Not bad for 1/48 I would say.
Alan.
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Incredible work William. Those wheels are unbelievable! Your engineering and modelling skills are off the scale.
Yep!
RAGIII
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Absolutely exquisite.
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It?s been a hell of a long slog. Finally got the rigging underway.
Here we are at the end of Day #1:
(https://i.imgur.com/KGkxTKe.jpeg)
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Delightful work, this is a joy to see it all reaching the final stages.....
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Every post seems to get better on this.
Alan.
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I have No Unused Superlatives left! Perfect Rigging!
RAGIII
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Absolutely wonderful!
Warren
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Absolutely fantastic work on this Stahltaube.
It is a little gem. It's like looking over the shoulder of a goldsmith at work.
Absolutely amazing.
Servus
Bertl
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It is a little gem. It's like looking over the shoulder of a goldsmith at work.
LOL! It's because you are! ;)
Warren
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Finished at last! Thank you everyone for hanging in there for all this time. I added the last of the rigging over the weekend. Hard to believe this thing is finally done after 14 months of solid effort. Here?s a couple of pics to sign off. I?ll add some more to the Completed models section soon.
Cheers!
(https://i.imgur.com/lRhWhwU.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/QAgZKA3.jpeg)
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I ran out of superlatives for you work a long while back William. To say I admire your skills and execution would be an understatement, but the fact you persevered through so much of this over this many months is inspirational as well.
I can't wait to see what the next chapter holds.
Warren
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Brill!
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Amazing and insane are all I can get for now.....
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Awesome, in the real sense of the word. It?s been a pleasure to follow.
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This build has been inspirational. Be careful were you put that thing, it's so small you could lose it!
Alan.
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I'm out of superlatives.
Awesome - in the true non-American sense.
Sandy
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So, so beautiful. I'm in awe of your skills sir - bravo! 8)
Paul
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Stunning work William, I'd be happy with this level of finish in 1/32, let alone 1/144! And your scratchbuilding work in this scale is amazing. Thanks for sharing your in progress photos, it's been fascinating and very enjoyable to follow along.
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This was an absolute joy to follow, congratulations and thank you.
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If! If Only someone would produce such a masterpiece in kit form!
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Mind boggling craftsmanship!
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It has truly been a privilege being able to watch such a masterpiece come together. Thank you William for allowing us to see such masterful work come together!
Cheers,
Brad C
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Just amazing work! Impressive to watch it come alive! Thank you for taking us along ;D
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I followed this one here and on FB. I have No words!
RAGIII