forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
The David Wilson Memorial Group Build 2024 => The David Wilson Memorial Group Build 2024 => Topic started by: torbiorn on August 13, 2024, 02:35:59 AM
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I have had a break from modelling, but wanted to be a part of this nice initiative, hopefully I will manage to finish on time.
Planning to do a 50 squadron Home defense machine in night livery. To save time I’ll be starting with and Airfix BE2 and modify accordingly.
Once I bought the Be2e decal sheet (link at bottom of post) from Blue Rider, but searching the net for information I found conflicting statements on britmodeller whether my chosen plane was a BE2e or BE12a. Until that is settled (or decided, if it can’t be settled…), I’ll start preparing parts that can be used for either.
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/blue-rider-br-300-be2e--952703
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I am looking forward to your build!
RAGIII
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A black BE.2e (or BE.12a) in 1/72 - sounds interesting! I'll definitely follow your build torbiorn.
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I do like a conversion - and a BE 2 is an excellent subject for one, especially when it is in the One True Scale.
Stephen.
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I built the Pegasus kit (BE.2 E) and used the Blue rider decals. It was a fun but challenging experience.
(https://attachment.tapatalk-cdn.com/45241/202408/2970975_0241d6f113306a4a1b0336a81d369f99_t.jpeg)
(https://attachment.tapatalk-cdn.com/45241/202408/2970975_917ab271c324b22279a5726a7e00a03f_t.jpeg)
Looking forward to seeing your build.
Tim
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I'm looking forward to following your efforts. So far I especially like your attitude towards the unknown.
'[...] I found conflicting statements on britmodeller whether my chosen plane was a BE2e or BE12a. Until that is settled (or decided, if it can’t be settled…)'.
Sometimes it's the only way forward in order to build anything at all. 🙂
/Fredrik
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A great subject for the memorial build, looking forward to this one.
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Found the old windsock article about nocturnal Be's (Vol 3 no.4 winter 1987 if you're interested)
Looking at the profiles shown in the article and comparing them to the blue rider sheet instructions it looks like the instructions may show BE2c (There is a single strap on the tank/cowl behind the exhaust) That said they also show underwing tanks which are usually fitted to the Be2e - clear as mud! ;D
Most of the photos in the article show Be2e's (single pair of interplane struts) There are a couple of photos, 2 of 'c's and one of a BE2e so seems which ever you fancy would be eligible.
NB - The skulls on the underwing should face the leading edge rather than the wingtips, there's also a small skull & crossbones shown on the front of the cowl under the propeller hub (Be2c)
Reading the text which includes a letter from the CO of 50 squadron about the new markings I also spotted that the back faces of the propeller blades are painted black which is an interesting detail to add.
Hope that all helps, look forward to seeing the model progressing
Paul
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Thanks all, feel I’m getting the mojo come back now!
That’s a great model Tim, and indeed the unit and scheme I’m aiming for.
Thanks Paul, that does help. I’ll be sure to paint the propeller black on the back. I think it’s possible to make many of the skull&bones 50 squadron planes with the decal sheet. I’ll skip the Be2c, but only because I have already built one of those. Currently I’m leaning towards the BE12a mentioned by poster wmcgill in the link below. The downside is of course that I have to make a V12 engine in addition to new wings…
https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235040999-50-sqs-black-be2-nightfighters/#comment-3228592
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Thanks all, feel I’m getting the mojo come back now!
That’s a great model Tim, and indeed the unit and scheme I’m aiming for.
Thanks Paul, that does help. I’ll be sure to paint the propeller black on the back. I think it’s possible to make many of the skull&bones 50 squadron planes with the decal sheet. I’ll skip the Be2c, but only because I have already built one of those. Currently I’m leaning towards the BE12a mentioned by poster wmcgill in the link below. The downside is of course that I have to make a V12 engine in addition to new wings…
https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235040999-50-sqs-black-be2-nightfighters/#comment-3228592
Sounds like a plan 8)
I seem to remember the be12's wings are the same as the Re8 (which also has a 12 cylinder engine I think) Plenty of old Airfix kits knocking about or Choroszy do a very nice looking model too..
Paul
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Sounds like a plan 8)
I seem to remember the be12's wings are the same as the Re8 (which also has a 12 cylinder engine I think) Plenty of old Airfix kits knocking about or Choroszy do a very nice looking model too..
Paul
Yes, you could take the nose, with engine, and wings from an Re8 and match with the Be2c fuselage and almost have a Be12a. I don’t have an Re8 to spare so I’m stuck with home-made replacements.
This is the raw material by the way:
(https://i.imgur.com/Hvs09w5.jpeg)
The following needs to be modified to turn it into a Be12a:
-New wings (same as Be2e and Re8)
-New tailplane (same as Be2e) - can be made by cutting and sanding the kit Be2c tailplane
-New rounded fin (included in the kit as it was used on some Be2c)
-V12 engine instead of V8
-new front to house said engine
-Close the forward (observer’s) cockpit
-some smaller modifications to cockpit, surfaces etc
I’m almost done with the cockpit. First I thinned the sides with a dremel and replaced the frame (itte longerons have a dent on the Be12a). Then I cut up the clunky seat and replaced with one made from recycled soda can, made an instrument panel and stick from scratch.
Before painting:
(https://i.imgur.com/TTdQRNW.jpeg)
And after:
(https://i.imgur.com/vkokPFX.jpeg)
The instrument on the tape is the compass which will go on the shelf on the IP.
(https://i.imgur.com/vjdJu8n.jpeg)
The cushion is milliput, still a weak spot, I’ve still to be happy with one. A wire is going through the deck on each side; they will connect to the forward cabane strut connection points.
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Awesome start on an interesting conversion! Your interior work looks Great!
RAGIII
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Nice scratch work. Thanks for posting such detailed information on the conversion.
Tim
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Great start, and it looks like you have quite a bit of work ahead of you. A great project!
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Good luck with this one. The BE 2e and 12 variants have been sadly neglected by manufacturers and modellers alike, so it will be really good to see one from your capable hands.
Stephen.
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This looks interesting! I have a vac conversion for the BE12, but without that, this looks like a pretty good way to go.
Ian
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Always had a soft spot for the BE series, like your promising start!
Joachim
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Thanks gents, I’m a few baby steps closer.
One of the easier changes, reducing the tailplane area a bit. Here the excess has been cut off from the starboard half for comparison:
(https://i.imgur.com/ZIwpEXS.jpeg)
After some sanding that should be passable.
The nose is trickier. Fortunately I can use the kit pieces, as their outer shape is fine. I just need to cut off the upper part to make way for the larger engine, and put a new, larger panel on the lower half. Plus some additional pipes/openings (carburetor intakes, sump oil, air scoops?).
(https://i.imgur.com/CJwBdBl.jpeg)
The engine itself will be based on the kit: I will merely add four cylinders. I took measurements of the WNW RE8 and the dimensions of the kit pieces are ok, but my handmade cylinders are closer to the WNW. The kit shape is wrong, consisting of a lower straight cylinder and an upper straight conical cylinder, instead of a continously curved cross-section. Only the front pair will be visible, as the others will be covered with heat shields. I’m building this based on the fantastic images published by the vintage aviator on their Be12a replica.
The crank case (which won’t really be visible) and cylinders are separated so far, so I can turn it with the kit or scratched cylinders in front depending on which turns out to look better after painting. I’be added magnetos so far: inlet pipes, spark plugs (only the two that will be visible) and wires will be added later.
(https://i.imgur.com/mMekyA9.jpeg)
Observer’s office can be closed by simply covering it with a thin plastic sheet. The fuel (and oil?) tank will take its place, but only the fill points will be seen. Apparently I only took a picture of myself making a paper templete, but at least it shows another small change: closing the small skylight in front of the cockpit. edit: and a lot of yucky sanding dust in the cockpit!
(https://i.imgur.com/WC3FQAo.jpeg)
The biggest problem so far has been the stitches going along the entire fuselage, holding the cloth panels in place. They are basicly non-existant on the kit. I spent more time than healthy to come up with a stamp to make a pattern that can be used on thin plastic sheet, that in turn could be used to ”skin” the plane. I gave up that idea because stamping strips gave a raised look which I didn’t like, and skinning the entire sides I don’t feel like doing. Two stamps goes into the cabinet, maybe I get some use of them in the future. It took one full movie to drill the holes and thread them with wire (after marking the locations using the traversing table on the milling machine - NOT while watching any movies!). At least it is working, and if one is patient it shouldn’t be impossible to actually sew ”skins” together and glue the whole shebang on a fuselage, wires and all, to give a realistic look (if one has enough movies to watch). Maybe it could be also possible to convince the boss’s sewing machine to sew 0.3 mm holes on thin plastic?
(https://i.imgur.com/9yPby2y.jpeg)
Anyhow sanity returned and I put all those thoughts on hold and just scribed the dividing lines between the cloth covers and marked the holes for the threads - and rely on the brain of the observer to fill in the threads themselves abstractly. Put an oil wash in to better see the result. Not perfect but an improvement. Wobbly lines may sometimes even give a more realistic impression than straight edges and uniformity.
(https://i.imgur.com/xI9Vf2Y.jpeg)
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Blimey you don't hang about do you :D
Great progress so far and love the stitching experiments and also that you get dust in the lovely finished cockpit when sorting out the fuselage later (which is something I always manage to do)
Look forward to the next installment
Paul
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Very impressive work all round, this is going to be a great build to follow!
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Good progress!
Lacing lines are a problem, in 72nd anyway.
Here (https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=13715.0) is some David Archer stuff, raised resin decals, no longer available.
But a swiss modeller (https://modellversium.de/galerie/artikel.php?id=17861&origin=mb) uses clear decal strip with the lacing printed on. Very convincing I think.
Btw this guy has built more than 40 D.VII.
Joachim
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Blimey you don't hang about do you :D
Great progress so far and love the stitching experiments and also that you get dust in the lovely finished cockpit when sorting out the fuselage later (which is something I always manage to do)
Look forward to the next installment
Paul
You’d think I’d learnt to cover the cockpit by now, but no.
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Thanks Joachim, decals should indeed work in this scale, especially if coupled with a scribed dividing line.
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Fantastic work on your conversion! The stitching is insane but effective ::) Excellent progress.
RAGIII
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It is a great project. Fantastic modeling all around!
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That is true dedication to the subject when you drill the holes and pass wire through to make the stitching!
Super conversion here and excellent details.
Stephen.
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Thank you, guys, though I did abandon the stitching/lacong this time. I will definitely return though, already thinking of a subject that allows me to use it - an FB5 or FE2b perhaps, where it is not too much of it.
Otherwise not much to report: fabulous weather - probably the last of the season - put an effective stop on modelling, but I did manage to start on the characteristic air scoop riding on top of the V12. So far I made a plastic template with all holes in [almost] the correct spots, which I will use to cut a final version from thin brass sheet.
(https://i.imgur.com/lmUNoc5.jpeg)
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Fantastic work. I really appreciate your in progress scratch building shots.
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Thanks Tim!
Continuation from the previous post.
The plastic template for the top cover was unfolded and the outline transferred to brass sheet. Cutting out and bending it into a shape which I finally managed to fit after quite a bit of filing. On the inside there were some vanes, probably to guide the wind flow onto the different pieces needing cooling (cylinders as it seems). I cut those from the same sheet and simply CA:ed these in place, the result seen on the right in the photo below.
On the left is the nose piece, covered with 5 thou sheets on each side to represent metal cowling panels.
(https://i.imgur.com/oND8afB.jpeg)
The «cooling intake cowl» painted, with the more or less finished engine.
(https://i.imgur.com/bV5HqQT.jpeg)
The engine slides into the cradle like this:
(https://i.imgur.com/TQWCBmF.jpeg)
I hope to avoid some tricky masking by this method.
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That is an amazing piece of metalwork! Very well done!
/Fredrik
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Superb work all round, especially in such a tiny scale. Really enjoying this.
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Superb work all round, especially in such a tiny scale. Really enjoying this.
I am in 100% agreement! Fantastic work!
RAGIII
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Just great job on the engine.
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Brilliant work so far.
I just love a good cut'n'shut job to create a different plane.
Sandy
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Brilliant work so far.
I just love a good cut'n'shut job to create a different plane.
I heartily agree on both points. This is a fascinating build and I'm thoroughly enjoying watching it come together.
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Thanks again. Fearing I won’t be able to finish on time, but here is some small progress.
Wings made after Woodman’s description. Thin sheet with ribs engraved, bent and glued around a core. Ailerons were only scribed this time. Final sanding of tips and trailing edges still to be done. Note the rib with different width on the lower wings - this is after the drawings which I realise I had cut wrong when scaling. Grrrr. I’m thinking if I should try to fix by scraping it away and rebuilding with plastic strip.
I aldo tried an extra pair using clear acrylic sheet as demonstrated by Skyhook. These I haven’t bothered to sand to shape as they are a test of concept only.
(https://i.imgur.com/5PPMCbp.jpeg)
Added the nose, the ”ridge” in front of the cockpit. I started making a new top cowl piece of brass - the previous one was way too wide. I should learn to take measures!
(https://i.imgur.com/PW4Cqqt.jpeg)
Only a few details before painting can start. Trying to figure out armament and whether it had an underwing gravity tank.
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Looking great!
What core do you use and what type of glue?
Ray Rimmel once built a phantastic Staaken (Contrail) and after a few years the wings came apart
because the double sided tape dried out.
The different ribs will most likely not show once finished.
Regards Joachim
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Amazing work in the tradition of St Harry. Very impressive.
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Joachim, that sounds awful and is a great worry of mine - short longevity of the adhesives. For the styrene wings I used some acetate based liquid glue - if that comes apart, so will the rest of the model.
With the acetate I used ”canopy glue”, whatever thagvis, though I suspect PVA on one wing and office contact glue on the other. The acetate files nicely to a sharp edge, but I haven’t found a glue I trust enough yet.
Thanks Nigel - I consult Harry’s bible almost every time I build a model.
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Decided to go with an upwards/forwards firing Lewis gun, knicked from a Roden kit. The stick was made from brass. Still not glued in place, thereof the tilt.
A gravity tank was made from plastic sheet, seen in the photo below. The filling pipe I will add after attaching to the wing.
Spare drum storage was stolen from Eduard’s fabulous DH2 kit - I think there’s more than 20 (!!) such pieces in the kit if you count the different variations and PE/styrene.
(https://i.imgur.com/GYRbWcx.jpeg)
Also made a new windshield from acetate sheet, and added various bits and pieces: fuel filling caps, footstep, tailskid (replaced some of the clunky plastic with brass rod), links for control wires, control horns (brass again), pump stuck on the port fuselage side etc. I cut off the beams/spars from the lower wing and glued them on: the new wings will be attached to these with metal dowels, to ensure correct placement.
(https://i.imgur.com/sMsrZuk.jpeg)
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This is looking absolutely fantastic, lovely modelling work all round.
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Coming along really nicely young fella. Good to see all that detail being adding which is very much what these aircraft were about, with bits grafted on all over the place.. :)
Paul
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Coming along really nicely young fella. Good to see all that detail being adding which is very much what these aircraft were about, with bits grafted on all over the place.. :)
Paul
Yep, I love the olld, well, drag queens. The more terribly non-aerodynamic sticking out bits the better.
Painting has begun. Primed with Vallejos Olive drab primer all over, now painting the CDL undersides (lower wings only). Initially standard PC10, 50 squadron had their night fighters painted all black (this particular airframe stilll had CDL undersides though), but I think I?ll leave the PC10 wrap-around underneath, assuming they wouldn?t have bothered to paint that black.
(https://i.imgur.com/9Iy3701.jpeg)
As evident I added the upper wing first. Normally I start with the lower wings, but with the very helpful cabane strut arrangement I get the aligned wing almost for free this way. Since the wings are homemade, the strut alignment may not be perfect either: the lower wings will be attached with metal rods, which can slide in and out a fraction of a millimeter to attain vertical alignment of the struts (ever so slighly angled struts are more noticeable than the wings being slightly to long or short - or at least that bugs me more).
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More excellent attention to detail going to all the bother of the PC10 edging om the undersides. This is going to look very cool when done....
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Thanks Nigel, I hope so. It?s such a skinny-looking type though, almost anorectic.
Painting almost finished, thinking about weathering and finish. Would the cloth and metal panels be satin or matt or even gloss?
(https://i.imgur.com/ShMBs6e.jpeg)
A dirty underside: the photo shows a quite discouloured underside. It might be due to the crash of course, but I have enough ?clean? models.
(https://i.imgur.com/QqbpudW.jpeg)
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This is really a good looking project?. There?s not enough models of the BE-series done?looks very impressive.
Cheers, Skyhook
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This is really a good looking project?. There?s not enough models of the BE-series done?looks very impressive.
Cheers, Skyhook
Cheers :). I was half-expecting Airfix to release more versions, especially the BE2e. I also started building a pair of Se5a:s, it?s interesting to see the relations and common solutions and developments of that and the BE2/BE12 and RE8.
Anyway, started with the Bluerider decals. The white rings going on the fuselage are too large, so I decided to try the improvised compass-cutting of white decal paper as shown by William Adair. I made an adapter to an office compass so I can adjust the radius:
(https://i.imgur.com/oWX2v0gm.jpeg)
Need to support the blade better, it?s too wobbly to cut masking paper, but sturdy enough to cut transfers. Lacking any white, I butchered a pegasus sheet:
(https://i.imgur.com/sgkfOPQm.jpeg)
First test was quite ok.
(https://i.imgur.com/BJrZO95l.jpeg)
Hope it?s not too morbid with skull&crossbones in a memorial build, the thought just struck me.
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That?s looking very promising. Really nice cut out with the decal.
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This is really starting to look the part, very nice work so far. You did well with cutting out the white rings, I could never get consistent circles from that type of cutter.
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This is really starting to look the part, very nice work so far. You did well with cutting out the white rings, I could never get consistent circles from that type of cutter.
I am surprised that it worked.
Started assembling. With only one pair of struts I?m simply using lego blocks for support. The first thing is to cut the spars/metal wires attaching the lower wings to length (the lower wings are not attached directly to the fuselage, there is a <1 mm gap). Done by trial and error until a dry-fitted strut sat perpendicular to the base plate - lego bricks ensuring that the wing tips have the same height.
(https://i.imgur.com/oQUgOpC.jpeg)
Second step, attach all wires at one end. Normally I glue them to the points in the upper wing, then thread the wires through holes in the lower wings. For various reasons the opposite seemed like a better option here.
I did paint myself into a corner: there are wires between the forward cabane struts attachment point under the wing and the very front of the fuselage frames, inside the panels in front of the engines (yellow arrow in photo below). I had arranged attachment points there (PE eyelets) - but forgot to add the wires before covering with the cowling panels! >:(
Now I have to figure out a way to attach these without causing irrepairable damage.
(https://i.imgur.com/LT6VS8Z.jpeg)
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Wings are attached and rigging started. Surprisingly the struts and wings aligned rather well. The tailplane is angled wrongly, but brute force and some green tamiya should fix that. Fighting the clock now:
(https://i.imgur.com/Kn1QVoX.jpeg)
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It's looking good, keep going! Best of luck with the tailplane wrangling......
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Looking great. Fingers crossed for a timely and successful final.
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That didn?t go as planned? First she took a nose dive from 1.5 m straight into the floor, then I was prevented from modelling for three weeks. Eventually I?ve gotten around to mend the damages, and almost finish the rigging.
The last - but maybe most important - pieces to build are the reason why she is painted black in the first place: the landing lights. To help making landing after dark less perilous, the night fighters were supplied with various types of lights. This one seems to have had both Holt landing lights and Holt flares. The landing lights were very weak (due to weak batteries I suppose) so the main equipment were the flares which were hung under the wing tips. Some carried plenty: I?ve only seen Be12a and Be2e having one under each wing, so I went for that. As opposed to the battery-driven lamps, the flares burnt extremely bright and reflections on various parts of the planes tended to blind the pilots. The black paint was therefore not meant to hide the plane from the enemy, but prevent blinding reflections from the flares.
I took measures from a WNW Fe2b kit, which have both the lamps and flares. The landing lights are tiny, measuring 1.5mm in length with about 0.8mm diameter. These I turned from clear sprue, added a wire and painted first silver, then brass, leaving the ?lens? unpainted. They also had built-in port respectively starboard lights: these I took the sloppy approach and simulated with drops of paint.
The flares are more straightforward, and were put together from rod and tube:
(https://i.imgur.com/1pMvHWG.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/vJlomi8.jpeg)
Terribly out of focus, but here they are installed:
(https://i.imgur.com/qIKcTkk.jpeg)
A couple of loose wires and missing pieces, but I?m finally getting there. Hopefully she will look less like Darth Vader up front with the propeller installed.
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Looking good matey and love the little flare/landing light details (I've pinched the building methods to use on mine when I get around to it) ;)
Looks quite distinctive in the all black finish so will be a nice addition to the collection
Paul
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Glad it survived the nosedive! Those flares look fantastic, a lovely additional detail. Well worth the effort.
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Thanks again for following. Lots of finicky touchups to finalize it, but finally there. Will put some pictures in the ?completed? forum.
(https://i.imgur.com/5gBgPfE.jpeg)
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Great job, love the all black finish.
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Nicely done, she looks great! I love the landing flares, a nice touch.
Ian
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Excellent model! The rigging is marvellous?. This prompts me to do a nightfighting BE too? i have often thought about conversion from the excellent Airfix Be2c, so maybe it is the time to walk the walk. I have several kits in the stash, as it can be found at very cheap prices. Hats off, inspiring and fine work!
Skyhook
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Thanks gents, I?m ratger happy with the resilt, it?s a stark contrast in the otherwise brown and green shelf. I?m left with Be2c wings and various bits, looking for a use.