forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Under Construction => Topic started by: DaddyO on February 21, 2026, 09:20:44 PM
-
With a couple of trickier builds out of the way I perused the shelf of kits & projects for something a little quicker and easier. Since I seemed to have built mainly German aircraft of late I wanted to redress the balance slightly with something PC10 coloured (actually I'm really not fond of painting British aircraft with their subdued schemes which seem to gather every speck of dust and don't get me started about all those external control wires and double flying wires) ::)
Anyway having scrapped the Pegasus/KP hybrid Ansaldo, which was proving too much effort to get right (I must keep an eye out for one of the Fly kits) My thoughts turned to the ubiquitous Be2 series. Now I've looked at the good old Airfix kit a few times, but couldn't really decide which scheme I wanted so it stayed on the shelf. There were so many variants developed from the basic airframe I felt I had to have at least one of them and wanted something a bit different so eventually settled on the late be12b single seat version which I think has a nice profile with the enclosed HS engine albeit with the struts and strings of the earlier versions. How hard can it be - cut the nose off a handy Se5a and swap it for the RAF4 engine, fill in the front cockpit and throw in a pair of Lewis' and a nice new tail and the jobs as good as done ;)
For those unfamiliar with the shape here's the profile from the back of the Datafile -
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55107735438_d659cd2273_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rXFxPC)Be12b profile (https://flic.kr/p/2rXFxPC) by Paul S (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
Interestingly, despite the dullness of the scheme there seems to have been a wide variation of subtle differences with some having subdued roundels others with PC10 painted under-surfaces, 1 or 2 Lewis guns in overwing mounts, Rankin darts, rockets, bombs and night flying equipment fitted or not depending on squadron, state of conversion of just whim so plenty to mull over; at this stage I'm thinking of an early conversion with a pair of overwing Lewis', but no night flying equipment so that if I build one of the other Be2b variants it will have some points of difference.
Will post a pic. of progress tomorrow
Paul
-
Hi Paul!
This sounds like a very good project. I also have bought a few Airfix BE2c's in the hope that one day I will make conversions to different BE12 types...I also have an ESCI SE5a waiting for being the donor of the front bit. One day, one day
Will be following this with great interest
Cheers, Skyhook
-
Hi Paul!
This sounds like a very good project. I also have bought a few Airfix BE2c's in the hope that one day I will make conversions to different BE12 types...I also have an ESCI SE5a waiting for being the donor of the front bit. One day, one day
Will be following this with great interest
Cheers, Skyhook
Hiya matey. :)
Glad you're intrigued by this one. I've got an old issue of Cross & Cockade which has some lovely drawings and photo's of the various ways one squadron tried to improve their Be12a's which makes for interesting reading and was also a possibility for this project (Some of the mods were stripping a large chunk of the upper wing covering, cutting down the exhausts to stubs, internal control lines on the fuselage even a triple Lewis gun mount! maybe next time . . .)
Paul
-
Best of luck! I did a similar conversion here: https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=11954.0
cheers
Herb
-
Nice project - I kit-bashed a BE12 from a BE2 and SE5a in 1/48 some years back, and it's a relatively simple conversion. Looking forward to seeing this one take shape!
Cheers,
BC
-
Best of luck! I did a similar conversion here: https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=11954.0
cheers
Herb
Thanks for that Herb - You made a great job of that one 8)
Nice project - I kit-bashed a BE12 from a BE2 and SE5a in 1/48 some years back, and it's a relatively simple conversion. Looking forward to seeing this one take shape!
Cheers,
BC
Cheers Brad. I remember that one (I think I even downloaded a few pics which I'll have to dig out now you've reminded me) ;)
-
Great project! How hard can it be? Not too hard in your hands (provided you don't drop a shelf on it.....).
-
Great project! How hard can it be? Not too hard in your hands (provided you don't drop a shelf on it.....).
Cheers Nigel
Made a start on this over the last couple of days (and carefully checked and secured all shelves before starting) ;)
As expected I couldn't just leave the good old Airfix flying surfaces alone - I felt they were a tad thick and really didn't like the rib effect for this scale (not quite starved horse, but a bit too much for me) Plenty of sanding took the wings down to a more acceptable thickness getting rid of the rib effect (they're really not that bad in truth apart from the underside which should be flat or very nearly so IMO) New ribs were dully scored in place on the upper sides of these using a scalpel. Strut holes were also filled in because I'll be making some nice shiny new ones from brass.
I was able to cut the new smaller area tailplane from the standard one supplied with the kit and elevators were separated ready for horns and hinges to be added. (Must remember to do that for the ailerons too)
Nose of fuselage halves were cut off and a Roden Se5a nose prepared (Because of the multipart nature of Roden kits I bodged together the whole fuselage in order to get the nose assembled nice and square, then the nose section was sawn off) I also removed the stitching and other details which will be re-stated later. Comparing the Roden Se5a nose to the plan and photo's I can see a slight issue which may need dealing with later ::)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55107790999_becb51bc2e_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rXFQkz)BE12b parts (https://flic.kr/p/2rXFQkz) by Paul S (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
-
Very good start Paul.
I have the old HR Model resin kit somewhere but it loooks like you'll get better results with this conversion.
Good luck!
-
This looks like a good one to follow. Go DaddtO!
Alan.
-
Very good start Paul.
I have the old HR Model resin kit somewhere but it loooks like you'll get better results with this conversion.
Good luck!
Cheers matey (I think I have that one in a box somewhere, but decided against it at some point and banished it to the bowels of the loft) ::)
This looks like a good one to follow. Go DaddtO!
Alan.
LOLs Thanks Alan I'll do my best :D
-
Lovely neat and tidy start as always! Looking forward to seeing this one done.
-
Good start!
Totally agree with overdone rib detail. A British modeller treated the Lindberg Jenny with some kitchen stuff for cooking pots with superb result.But it is a lot of work. Everything else can be done on the undersides.
Greetings Joachim
-
Thanks Nigel and Joachim (I'll bear the scourer tip in mind next time I want to reduce the rib effect that seems so popular) ;)
Flying surfaces now done and waiting to be drilled for struts and rigging. Rib/tape effect done with my usual double scored lines using a scalpel blade. Using the back of the same blade emphasised the joining lines of the inner and outer sections nicely and a couple of scraps of sanded down 5thou card gave some joining plates to add a bit of interest. Ailerons joined with 0.3mm brass wire with control horns from a Brengun WW1 etch set. Pulleys were simply stretched sprue glued into a pre-drilled hole sanded down once the glue had dried; I've also cut a slight notch to the edge which will hopefully make life easier when it comes to rigging :)
Next up is some brass work to join them together
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55113563881_125700e473_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rYcqq2)Be12b parts 2 (https://flic.kr/p/2rYcqq2) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/)
-
Lovely work Paul. Your wing rib details are excellent.
-
Cheers Tim - they should look okay under a coat of paint.
Well I should have been working really the last couple of days, but wanted to get stuck into this one so took some time off and plenty of progress was made with no interruptions from outside ;)
First up struts. These are made in my now usual way of sanding down brass wire to a flattened strip and then shaping. I've left the cabanes overlong at this stage and they all need a good polish before spraying with an etch primer (from a rattle can)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55107735353_5e91da31e8_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rXFxNa)Be12b struts (https://flic.kr/p/2rXFxNa) by Paul S (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
Those who looked really closely at the proposed nose swap photo in an earlier post may have noticed a slight issue - The manifold cowls on this one overlap the nose cone very slightly rather than being set back from it as on the Roden Se5a parts. Looking at the photo's this is quite obvious; combined with a few other detail differences (slots under nose and shuttering layout) it meant the original nose swap wouldn't have been quite accurate. Should I care? Sadly I'm afraid so which meant a new plan was needed for the nose on this one ::)
Strips and blocks of plastic were glued inside the abbreviated nose section and this was set aside to dry when I was happy everything was square. You may also notice the modification to the front of the cockpit opening which was incorrect for this one and the shaped scrap of sprue used for the headrest as well as plenty of filler to build up the general shape. Difficult to see at this angle, but I've also added a few wrinkles to the fabric of the fuselage sides using a drill. So no work done, but plenty of modelling stuff sorted out (While I was making dust I also made a start on a 'background' secret project posted elsewhere . . .
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55107735373_a7485375eb_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rXFxNv)Be12b fuselage (https://flic.kr/p/2rXFxNv) by Paul S (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
-
I applaud your attention to accuracy and look forward to seeing how you address the challenge of the new nose......
-
I applaud your attention to accuracy and look forward to seeing how you address the challenge of the new nose......
Cheers Nigel
Would anyone have noticed? Perhaps not, but I'd known and it would have really bugged me every time I looked at it. Thus, once again, I managed to drag a slightly more involved conversion from a nice simple one ::)
-
Although not always fitted I quite liked the extra tank fitted under the top wing. Not having any suitable drop tank or similar to modify I resorted to a more drastic solution :o
Enter stage left an old Historex horses head; nice plastic just not quite the shape I was after still a quick razor saw and sanding session later and we have a passable tank
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55115611205_74008eebec_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rYnV1H)Be12b tank (https://flic.kr/p/2rYnV1H) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/)
The vents under nose were next since the Roden kit part in my boxing showed two rows of vents rather than the single row on this one that meant getting creative with drill, file and a couple of layers of plastic card sandwiched together
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55115423073_07e306abb8_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rYmX64)Be12b vents (https://flic.kr/p/2rYmX64) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/)
-
Just caught up with this, Paul. Great stuff.
I laughed when I read your initial comments about a nice easy conversion! Sure enough AMS has of course taken over!
Love your attention to detail.
Will continue with interest.
Sandy
-
Just caught up with this, Paul. Great stuff.
I laughed when I read your initial comments about a nice easy conversion! Sure enough AMS has of course taken over!
Love your attention to detail.
Will continue with interest.
Sandy
Hi Sandy, thanks for that mate :)
Part of the reason that I'm drawn to older kits and conversions is the challenge, but I always forget to take into account that better references also mean more reasons to add work - ah well onwards and upwards as they say . . .
-
The plastic horse's head mafia strikes! That is innovative scratchbuilding...... ;D More excellent model engineering here.
-
The plastic horse's head mafia strikes! That is innovative scratchbuilding...... ;D More excellent model engineering here.
LOL. Cheers Nigel ;D
Bit of time over the weekend meant I was able to push forward with the new nose. I added some sheet sides and top over the previous internal structure and sanded down so now I have a lovely smooth nose that just lacks a 'few' details ;)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55115222581_66fecb11c7_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rYkVui)Be12b new nose 2 (https://flic.kr/p/2rYkVui) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
Mix of Miliput (white) and Mr Surfacer 500 (grey) was used to refine and get rid of any minor gaps at the joins and whilst that was drying I added a few wrinkles to the fabric sides at the rear of the fuselage. All the Be12b photo's that I've studied seem to show quite extensive wrinkling of these areas possibly because of their nocturnal flying or maybe they all had a really hard life. Anyway I thought I needed something there rather than just flat sides so I further refined my earlier subtle attempts using a Dremel with a round bur and then finished them with a bit with sandpaper.
You might also spot that the original position for the front cabane appears too far back; looking at photos it appears to be right on the join of the new cowl. I'm not entirely sure whether the new engine was heavier and thus needed a slight tweak in the upper wing position to retain the CofG or if the plan is wrong, the original kit isn't quite right or (more likely) a combination of all three. Anyway I'll address this later so the front strut position matches the photos.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55115222591_f447d93a1a_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rYkVut)Be12b new nose (https://flic.kr/p/2rYkVut) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
Lastly I was worried about how I was going to create the staggered cooling scoops which are a prominent part of this ones cowl. Turns out after a few false starts that they weren't too difficult :)
Here's the first one I made once I'd sorted out a method that worked for me
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55115611200_48330bc9d3_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rYnV1C)Be12b vent prototype (https://flic.kr/p/2rYnV1C) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
I cut a strip of plastic card the width of the scoop and sanded off the corner on one long edge gradually creating the back taper of the scoop along the whole length of the strip. Next I trimmed and sanded this end of the strip to give one half of the curved back edge and blended the new curve in. When I was happy with this I cut it off to the appropriate length of the scoop and repeated the cutting/sanding to get the other side of the curved back edge (This was much easier to write than actually do and resulted in a few pinging off never to be found again) :(
All that was needed were three pairs of slightly differing lengths :o
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55115487774_0bfb874c41_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rYnhjA)Be12b vents 2 (https://flic.kr/p/2rYnhjA) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
-
Very nice work! Shaping up nicely 8)
-
Superb carving work there! The nose job looks great.
-
Thanks Ben and Nigel ;D
Currently carving a new set of manifolds from sprue which is an interesting exercise. pics later
Paul
-
As promised here are the new manifolds carved from sprue together with a dash for the cockpit (still need to detail and add a seat, control column etc. to that)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55129673382_8004c3651f_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rZBZd3)BE12b Manifolds and dashboard (https://flic.kr/p/2rZBZd3) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
Adding a splash of paint to the dashboard brings it to life a bit :)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55130565671_c910201bea_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rZGysk)Be12b dashboard (https://flic.kr/p/2rZGysk) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
-
Look like your BE12b is low on fuel Paul ;)
Looking great!
-
Look like your BE12b is low on fuel Paul ;)
Looking great!
LOL - Nice to see you're paying very close attention to the build mate ;D
-
Watching raptly, when I can. I've stopped commenting again because every few days I get prevented by Clodflare from accessing the site, for a week or more.
t'Other Paul.
-
Wow, that dashboard is amazing! And it looks like it won't be hidden by the top wing, so worth the effort!
-
Watching raptly, when I can. I've stopped commenting again because every few days I get prevented by Clodflare from accessing the site, for a week or more.
t'Other Paul.
That's a nuisance t'other Paul (Funny ;))
I know I'm always having to log in these days even on tabs that have been left open; if I've not used the tab or commented for a few hours I'll have to go through the whole login routine although I've never been blocked so far . . .
Nice to have you onboard in spirit at least :)
Wow, that dashboard is amazing! And it looks like it won't be hidden by the top wing, so worth the effort!
Cheers matey. ;D
As you say you should be able to see it on the finished model which is a nice change (Hopefully distract the viewer from some less attractive bits)
-
We've got a new nose on our aircraft :)
Few things to note - Having blended everything in nicely I could see from the photo's that the new noses metalwork was, shall we be polite and say a tad rough with a prominent overlap line at the back so a thin strip of 5 thou card was added to the edge and blended in.
The fuel tank on this one is reversed from the earlier versions so it slopes towards the nose rather than the cockpit; piece of thickish card and a sprue filler cap took care of that.
Straps holding the tank in place are a prominent feature easily dealt with.
When I fitted and blended in the manifolds and covers made earlier from the plan measurements they looked much too bulky (They were only actually about 0.75mm too tall) Nothing for it, but to sand them smaller in situ ::) I also used the back of a scalpel blade to cut a groove where the manifold meets the cowl to give the impression that there is something inside that protrudes rather than something stuck on.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55133713228_5938fb8e18_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rZYG7y)Be12b new nose (https://flic.kr/p/2rZYG7y) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
Detail on the front of the cowl varied from aircraft to aircraft, but I based this one on one of the clearest photo's in the Datafile. Sprue dealt with the pully(?) and housing with scored card for the shutters. Photo blown up is very unforgiving, but I keep telling myself it will look fine under a bit of paint
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55132636552_97a4ff68d4_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rZTb4b)Be12b new nose front (https://flic.kr/p/2rZTb4b) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
Moving further aft now does anyone know where the spare Lewis drums were stored?
I'm presuming that it would have carried some, but there's not much room in the cockpit and with the great lever attached to the right hand side for lowering the guns from above the wing they can't be fitted in the logical place. I've seen a couple of photo's of the earlier ones with external storage similar to the DH2 so in the event that nothing definitive turns up I'll add one of those somewhere . . . :-\
-
That's looking very nice to me, and it will look better under dark paint! No idea where the spare Lewis drums were stored I am afraid......
-
That's looking very nice to me, and it will look better under dark paint! No idea where the spare Lewis drums were stored I am afraid......
Cheers matey
Seems such a shame to paint it all dark green, I might as well build tanks ;D (Okay bit tongue in cheek since there's plenty of interesting bit's and bobs on this one and unlike most of the German designs everything appears to be fitted to the outside so has to be added)
-
Added most of the final exterior details and got this one primed up at last (actually this is the second primer coat; as expected the first revealed a few areas that needed a bit more work) ;)
Stitching was added using some Archer decals which are sadly no longer available and I'm nearing then end of my supply. Because of their age the seemed inclined to break up into tiny pieces between 2 and 4mm long so getting them in place was a rather protracted affair.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55148512788_7cba4d59e0_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s2hxvo)Be12b primed (https://flic.kr/p/2s2hxvo) by Paul S (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55148727305_64752acaae_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s2iDgX)Be12b primed 2 (https://flic.kr/p/2s2iDgX) by Paul S (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
Whilst idling away a few minutes yesterday evening re-reading some old Cross and Cockade magazines I came across an article about the Be12b - Excellent thinks I, more detail photos and a nice line drawing profile of the design. Written by Mick Davis and published in 2015 (much later than the Windsock datafile which was around 1997) it was very informative and revealed a feature not seen in the datafile or any other published drawing at the time - There's a stonking great oil tank between the undercarriage legs :o :o
Of course with the excellent photograph quality in the mag it's obvious and I can't see how it was missed earlier, but I suppose if you're not looking for it . . . With my eye 'tuned in' the tank can easily be seen in the appropriate Datafile photos now. Something to add to the model (luckily it appears to have been a bolt on affair around the width of the fuselage so shouldn't be difficult to add at this stage)
The other point to note is that there appears to be no separate shroud to the radiator. The new cowl made up of louvred side panels, a bottom panel and a pair of hinged top panels - again not too difficult to tweak at this point.
Onwards and upwards
-
Added the oil tank as suggested by the C&C article using a bit of plastic card, sprue and brass wire
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55150645999_0473983a8b_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s2ttCT)DSC_2001 (https://flic.kr/p/2s2ttCT) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
-
Excellent work, the stitching looks great and as for the oil tank, that's a really good bit of research! It looks good in place as well.
-
Cheers Nigel :)
Been busy with the spray gun over the last couple of days. Just about visible are the rib tapes on the lower surfaces (Picked up the wrong width of tape initially and only spotted it when I had masked up the whole aircraft which led to a bit of soul searching before taking everything off and using the correct 0.4mm wide tape) The tapes look quite pale in this rather poor photo, but they are all there I promise you ;D
Still need to add the wrap around on all the edges which I'll do later this week by hand
I decided to go for a very basic scheme with PC10 and linen and no night flying equipment on this one. Reading the Cross and Cockade article it appears that the full night spec paint jobs weren't as common as I had originally understood on these and some were later retro fitted with RAF4 engines in place of their original Hispano Suiza engines because these were desperately needed for Dolphin and Se5a's (It'll also make a better contrast for the other versions of the Be2 and 12 that I'd like to make)
I also went for a slightly brown and paler mix of PC10 to contrast with other British kites I've already built
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55154187742_6d8d7baa28_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s2MCtq)Be12b Base coats (https://flic.kr/p/2s2MCtq) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
-
Those rib tapes are subtle but very nice. And it's good to have a bit of variation in all that PC10....... :)
-
Cheers Nigel :)
With the paint being now on I was almost ready to prep for top wing installation.
Sorting out the struts I'd shown in an earlier post I realised I was somewhat short of the number required (Be2 wings being two bay affairs) and so I needed to make up an additional 4 before I could add the etch primer and get these painted up - Good grief Charlie Brown ::)
I also found a photo of a Be2 cockpit with a couple of Lewis drums mounted in boxes under the dashboard so one problem solved at least. I'll make those up first and then fit out the rest of the cockpit afterwards . . .
-
Just getting caught up here , nice work so far .
Alexis
-
Just getting caught up here , nice work so far .
Alexis
Thanks Alexis :)
(Been battling the 'wrap around' PC10 which isn't my favourite job it has to be said. Still beginning to look more like a Be . . .)
Slight delay in proceedings now because someone forgot to paint the wood grain on the struts ::)
Paul
-
Fantastic work on this. I've been reading the Windsock volume, and the BE12 has been on my mind a lot lately. Thank you too for the heads up on the C&C article. I just ordered Volume 46 Number 4, so I'll be sure to check it out! :)
-
Spectacular work on an unusual project. I will be watching with great interest
-
Fantastic work on this. I've been reading the Windsock volume, and the BE12 has been on my mind a lot lately. Thank you too for the heads up on the C&C article. I just ordered Volume 46 Number 4, so I'll be sure to check it out! :)
Cheers William :)
There are a few C&C articles that might be of interest depending on which version you choose. I'll dig out the Be12a articles, spread over a couple of issues, which show a number of interesting variations and include drawings. From memory, apart from the expected differences there are some with extensively cut away upper centre sections, exhausts cut down to stubs, internal control wires to the tail surfaces and one with a battery of no less than three Lewis guns mounted above the wing :o Sadly still not a great aircraft, but did stirling work everywhere.
Spectacular work on an unusual project. I will be watching with great interest
Thank you Prze :)
Really enjoying this one now I've gotten into the swing of it and of course there are so many possible Be2 conversions it's difficult to know which one to choose next . . .
-
Sorry to have missed this - a very interesting conversion indeed, and extremely well done. The details are first class.
The whole BE 2 series of aircraft are very interesting and combined would make worthy display in their own right. They are also under represented in kit form and always have been, which is a real shame.
Stephen.
-
Sorry to have missed this - a very interesting conversion indeed, and extremely well done. The details are first class.
The whole BE 2 series of aircraft are very interesting and combined would make worthy display in their own right. They are also under represented in kit form and always have been, which is a real shame.
Stephen.
Thank you Stephen :)
You're right about the Be2 range (and let's not forget the derivatives that used the same wings such as the Re9 and Fee's which are another area under-represented)
Just been making up some undercarriage for this one. In retrospect using the Airfix's offering would have been much easier ::)
First up bent the legs from brass wire, then added some plastic filets to the back of these and filled the gaps with Mr Surfacer before sanding to section. I tried various ways of getting the wrapped effect (tape, foil and thin paper strip before deciding they all looked a bit too much and deciding paint would be the easiest and probably most scale. The legs rather than stick directly into the fuselage bottom at the front mount into the sides slightly away from the surface with a funny little aerofoil section on this. After much fiddling and abortive attempts I eventually settled on drilling a hole in a length of sprue, sanding roughly to shape, cutting off a section (approx 2mm long), then slotting the hole on the bottom edge so it would project beyond the upright slightly - fiddly, but ultimately quite satisfying (I'll post a pic tomorrow of what they look like)
I keep telling myself it's not about the destination, but the glory of the ride 8)
Paul
-
As promised here's what the new undercarriage legs look like. They'll probably get a bit of tweaking when fitted, but quite tricky to hold when off the model ::)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55167675489_81d032339c_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s3YKUM)Be12 undercarriage legs (https://flic.kr/p/2s3YKUM) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
Here's a peek into the cockpit; Combing added with putty for the front and just paint for the thin edging. As you can see I've added a couple of Lewis drums in their storage racks under the dashboard. Control column is stretched sprue and although it's not visible in this view there's a lovely basket seat which can be seen for once. I've not added the belts which I may dangle over the sides as if the pilot is about to climb on board (That also means I'll need to sort a pilot . . . )
You can also see the details added to the cowling top which are taken from the photo of a crashed one which shows a handy close up view of the cowl top, including what looks like a piano hinge down the centre line.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55167426626_98ceef2fe1_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s3XtW3)Be12 cockpit (https://flic.kr/p/2s3XtW3) by Paul S (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
-
Excellent progress Paul!
I don't know about the larger scales but the BE.2 range is quite well represented in 1/72:
BE.2a, BE.2c early, BE.2c, BE.2c night fighter, BE.2c single seat, BE.2e, BE.12a & BE.12b, though most of them OOP and hard to find now.
-
That cockpit looks really nice, the Lewis drums are a great addition and what's more will be visible on the finished model (which makes a pleasant change!).
-
Great progress, looking very good! Like the undercarriage.
Joachim
-
Thank you gents. Makes a nice change to be building a cockpit that will be seen rather than hidden under the top wing ;D
-
Exceptional build Paul. Your scratch details really enhance the overall look. Very impressive interior work.
-
Hmmmm , nice pair of legs there Paul ;)
Alexis
-
this looks excellent. Looks to become one of your best so far!
cheers, skyhook
-
Hmmmm , nice pair of legs there Paul ;
Alexis
;D LOL
Sadly they're not quite right (The model had just been varnished and was drying when these were made using dimensions on the plan; either I cocked it up or the plan is slightly wrong, but either way the axle position came out a little too far back so currently making a new set up. At least these are quicker to make now I know what I'm doing) ::)
this looks excellent. Looks to become one of your best so far!
cheers, skyhook
Cheers matey. ;D
Really enjoying now I've got into the swing of things. I've just added some extra rigging holes before I get the cabanes in place and see how it all goes together. There's a surprising number of wires when you add the double flying lines . . .
-
Been there many times before having to remake parts when some where down the line everything seemed to fit and look good , until glue hits the parts and it becomes a duh situation .
At this point , really looking forward to those new legs !
Alexis
-
So glad it's not just me Alexis ;D
Anyway here, for your viewing pleasure, is one of the new legs (I don't want to spoil you by showing both)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55181159991_b20f311f61_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s5aSoc)New legs (https://flic.kr/p/2s5aSoc) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
Thought I was ready to add the top wing, but, of course there's a lot of bits and bobs that need sorting before that can happen. I could do most after the wings are fitted, but that would make it rather awkward such as drilling holes and fitting lines in those little spaces. Rushing I did these before realising that I should also add a touch of weathering to the insides of the wings before rigging ::) (This meant that I pulled out a couple of lines that needed re-drilling and installing)
Anyway for those interested in the rigging technique - I drill a 0.2mm hole and add a 0.06mm fishing line with medium superglue. In this case I've also coloured the lines using a grey Sharpie. NB - If you cannot see the line against the model a dash of black Sharpie on the end makes it easier to locate.
Weathering is done with oils; using Paynes grey, burnt umber, raw umber, white and yellow ochre. I tend to dab or streak a touch in position then scrub with a clean dry brush to distribute if needed. Using white and raw umber mixed together gives a nice 'faded' tone to areas of the PC10. To differentiate between the metal and canvas areas I used yellow ochre/raw umber on the 'hard surfaces. Effect of the oils is quite subtle when it dries, but its easy to add more to build it up slowly. I also avoid using thinners if possible because this can lift the acrylic varnish I use . . .
Exhausts came from the Roden Se5a; they're a tad short really, but varied between aircraft anyway so I thought I'd use them. They just needed a slight crank downwards to lower the ends below the cockpit opening. Painted in a mixture of black, silver and 'aged rust' with the colour dabbed on and varying slightly along the length. I also painted the filler caps in brass although in reality they would likely have been gloss black I used a bit of 'artistic licence' here to add a touch of colour ;)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55181562350_b0fc67dd21_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s5cVZq)BE12b weathered (https://flic.kr/p/2s5cVZq) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
-
Thanks for describing your (subtle) weathering techniques: that is a process which I never seem to get right so therefore I frequently do not bother.
Progress on this one is excellent - looking forward to seeing it finished.
Stephen.
-
Lovely work Paul. You know I am a fan of using oils for weathering, they are much better IMO for representing the weathering effects on fabric areas compared to aggressive preshading. You've done this beautifully on this one. Couple of questions - I assume you apply the oils on the varnished surface, am I correct? And do you apply a final coat of varnish over the oil weathering after it has dried?
-
Hi Nigel
Thanks matey. :)
Yes I apply the oils over the varnish coat (In my case I use W&N Galleria varnishes for gloss coat before decals and a thinned mix of satin/matt for coat after decals have been applied) I don't normally apply a coat over the top of the oils. I have occasionally done it over the top wing of a finished model if the finish still looks uneven after several weeks, but usually the oils settle 'into' the acrylic.
-
Thanks, similar to how I approach things, I just wanted to check I wasn't missing any clever tricks.... :)
-
Thanks for describing your (subtle) weathering techniques: that is a process which I never seem to get right so therefore I frequently do not bother.
Progress on this one is excellent - looking forward to seeing it finished.
Stephen.
Apologies Stephen I missed your earlier reply :-[
Glad to hear that the method was of interest. Do give it a go I'm sure you'll be pleased with the effects.
NB - Rather than thin the paints with turps/white spirit which I've found can lift acrylic varnish if you are too vigorous with the scrubbing/blending action I mix a colour similar to the base tone and apply this first. This gives the effect of a 'thinned' colour which means the new oil paint doesn't stand out too starkly against the base colour and blends out easily. Doing this first gives a thin oil base so when adding more extreme colours they aren't absorbed straight away into the acrylic and can be shifted around easily. Some oil paints are staining and you can end up with a mark where the paint is quickly absorbed when first applied (although the ones described earlier are all okay to apply neat)
I know some folks like to use drying cabinets, but I just bung the model in the display cabinet for a couple of days to let the oils harden. Usually this is the last stage of the build anyway so the model won't get too much handling after applying the oils so the slow drying time isn't an issue.
I understand the new range of oil brushers are faster drying so might be worth a go if you are one of those types who enjoy playing with new stuff, but I still prefer traditional artists oil paints (Most of mine date back to my student days more than 40 years ago and are still good to use)
Paul
-
Yippee - top wing one always feels like a significant moment in a build ;D
I've managed to get a very slight skew on it, but will be able to pull that out with the rigging lines since it's all a still a bit wobbly at this point.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55185530405_5b05d84cc1_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s5ygya)DSC_2039 (https://flic.kr/p/2s5ygya) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
-
Some oil paints are staining and you can end up with a mark where the paint is quickly absorbed when first applied (although the ones described earlier are all okay to apply neat)
I know some folks like to use drying cabinets, but I just bung the model in the display cabinet for a couple of days to let the oils harden. Usually this is the last stage of the build anyway so the model won't get too much handling after applying the oils so the slow drying time isn't an issue.
I find all artists oil paints to be a bit staining. It depends of course on what you have applied them over with the darker pigments being more obvious. Over a gloss varnish much less so than over matt.
I have been playing around with painting models with artist's oil paints. I prime with Mr Surfacer 1500 white which provides some initial tooth for the paint and at this point any colour will "stain".
Not long ago I painted up a Revell 1/72 Fokker DR.I as a test piece, primed as described, light blue under surfaces, streaky olive green/brown, and red. All oil paints. Some detail paint work with Tamiya enamels. I was quite pleased with the results and will be further experimenting. Very different from working with acrylics; kind of like working with enamels but being much more workable. And, all brush painted except the primer. I have been making a conscious effort to brush paint for the only reason of "because I want to" and it is just another way of exploring different techniques.
I keep telling myself it's not about the destination, but the glory of the ride 8)
Paul
I agree whole heartedly - see above ;)
the slow drying time isn't an issue.
I understand the new range of oil brushers are faster drying so might be worth a go if you are one of those types who enjoy playing with new stuff, but I still prefer traditional artists oil paints (Most of mine date back to my student days more than 40 years ago and are still good to use)
Fundamental to my use of artist's oil paints in this way is the use of a drier.
VMS sells oil paint driers called VMS Oil Expert https://www.vms-supplies.com/vms-oil-expert
Three different types for matt, satin, and glossy but are all basically the same thing ( I think ). You only need a drop or two and your oils will try to the touch in a few hours and fully dry overnight.
The VMS products are based on a cobalt zirconium base thinned with odourless mineral spirits.
Any decent art supply will likely have something similar and may be easier to source. I got mine here ( in Canada) https://store.abovegroundartsupplies.com/products/kama-cobalt-zirconium-drier-125ml-50907.html
I have been following all along and it is nice to see this coming together as it should.
cheers, Graham
-
Congratulations on putting the upper wing. It is indeed a milestone.
-
Some oil paints are staining and you can end up with a mark where the paint is quickly absorbed when first applied (although the ones described earlier are all okay to apply neat)
I know some folks like to use drying cabinets, but I just bung the model in the display cabinet for a couple of days to let the oils harden. Usually this is the last stage of the build anyway so the model won't get too much handling after applying the oils so the slow drying time isn't an issue.
I find all artists oil paints to be a bit staining. It depends of course on what you have applied them over with the darker pigments being more obvious. Over a gloss varnish much less so than over matt.
I have been playing around with painting models with artist's oil paints. I prime with Mr Surfacer 1500 white which provides some initial tooth for the paint and at this point any colour will "stain".
Not long ago I painted up a Revell 1/72 Fokker DR.I as a test piece, primed as described, light blue under surfaces, streaky olive green/brown, and red. All oil paints. Some detail paint work with Tamiya enamels. I was quite pleased with the results and will be further experimenting. Very different from working with acrylics; kind of like working with enamels but being much more workable. And, all brush painted except the primer. I have been making a conscious effort to brush paint for the only reason of "because I want to" and it is just another way of exploring different techniques.
I keep telling myself it's not about the destination, but the glory of the ride 8)
Paul
I agree whole heartedly - see above ;)
the slow drying time isn't an issue.
I understand the new range of oil brushers are faster drying so might be worth a go if you are one of those types who enjoy playing with new stuff, but I still prefer traditional artists oil paints (Most of mine date back to my student days more than 40 years ago and are still good to use)
Fundamental to my use of artist's oil paints in this way is the use of a drier.
VMS sells oil paint driers called VMS Oil Expert https://www.vms-supplies.com/vms-oil-expert
Three different types for matt, satin, and glossy but are all basically the same thing ( I think ). You only need a drop or two and your oils will try to the touch in a few hours and fully dry overnight.
The VMS products are based on a cobalt zirconium base thinned with odourless mineral spirits.
Any decent art supply will likely have something similar and may be easier to source. I got mine here ( in Canada) https://store.abovegroundartsupplies.com/products/kama-cobalt-zirconium-drier-125ml-50907.html
I have been following all along and it is nice to see this coming together as it should.
cheers, Graham
Hi Graham
Thanks for taking the time to read and post. :)
Interesting to see you experimenting with using oils to paint with. I've thought about it in the past, but would probably use a base colour of acrylic in a similar way to painting a figure with oils. This allows the natural translucency of the oils to work for you and means you can use a thinner coat which should help avoid brush marks and help with drying. I'll look into the VMS paint drier which I think have been mentioned to me before. Incidentally David Lane (who builds spiffing WW1 aircraft amongst other things) is one of the best oil painters around and it's well worth a look at his figures (He just published an article in the most recent Cher Ami, which is the newsletter published by the WW1 SIG over here in the UK. An excellent read all round and well worth a look. NigelR is current the editor and hopefully he won't mind if I share the link here) :-\
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eR9TjvdX7cU6XntdR0K0Iuf8pwpINYqw/view
Congratulations on putting the upper wing. It is indeed a milestone.
Thanks Prze ;D
It always feels like the battle is won (if not over) when the top wing has been fitted. Getting everything lined up correctly with these two bay jobs is trickier than your average Nieuport. I needed to redrill the hole positions of the rear cabanes slightly to get them looking more upright, but once that was sorted it all dropped into place.
-
Good progress here Paul, she is really coming together well.
It was interesting to read Graham's post on oils. I use the oilbrushers quite a lot, they have a good range of muted colours which work nicely for a bit of fabric/paint modulation and they are easy to use. And the starship filth colour is fantastic for creating oil staining discolouration on various surfaces.
No problem about sharing the Cher Ami link, I should probably share that link on here anyway!
-
would probably use a base colour of acrylic in a similar way to painting a figure with oils. This allows the natural translucency of the oils to work for you and means you can use a thinner coat which should help avoid brush marks and help with drying.
That is basically what I am playing around with although my base is the Mr Surfacer White followed by the oils in glaze like applications so I can build up the colour in layers with some variety rather than just a thicker full colour coat. And, I kind of like the look of some subtle brush strokes as it adds a bit of visual interest rather than just one solid homogenous coating. Easy does it though, subtle is the key.
Still pretty basic results so far but I am enjoying the experimenting.
Cher Ami, which is the newsletter published by the WW1 SIG over here in the UK.
I discovered the "The Great War SIG of IPMS(UK) long ago and have immensely enjoyed each issue of Cher Ami that I have found.
I have a link for the web page for Cher Ami https://sites.google.com/site/greatwarsig/Resources which I check every once in a while for updates and I did note that editorship changed hands with Nigel taking on the post last Autumn.
Thank you for the pointer to the latest issue as it has been a while since I last checked. Something new to print out for a pleasant casual read. I can't stand reading much online - no borders on which to scribble and make notes :)
cheers, Graham
-
Thanks Nigel and Graham
For those interested I took a few piccies of my rigging method
Usual superglue medium or thick. 0.2mm PCB drill bits (holes all the way though surfaces) Stretched sprue glue applicator
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55189156825_1b92c69bb3_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s5SRyD)Rigging 2 (https://flic.kr/p/2s5SRyD) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
My usual line for 1/72nd models & a black Sharpie to colour the end so you can see it ::)
I've tried colouring the line with Sharpie (grey and silver) and found that the superglue doesn't seem to stick to the line properly so I've gone back to uncoloured line
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55187871277_bb982d2104_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s5Lgq2)Rigging 1 (https://flic.kr/p/2s5Lgq2) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
Short length of line is cut off and the tip coloured with the Sharpie then it is fed through the pre-drilled hole. Once properly in place a spot of superglue is added onto the line and then the line is drawn through till the superglue reaches the hole leaving a short excess in case I need to pull the line tight and re-glue later.
I work inside to outside and do a few lines on each wing so that I can keep track ::)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55185530405_5b05d84cc1_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s5ygya)DSC_2039 (https://flic.kr/p/2s5ygya) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
Once the first ends are fully dry I invert the model and feed the lines through the opposing hole. A self closing tweezer adds a bit of tension and this is left on whilst the line is pulled back slightly out of the hole so that a drop of superglue can be added. Once I think there is enough on the line it is allowed to pull the drop of glue into the hole and left to dry.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55188761546_90baf823ee_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s5QQ4u)Rigging 4 (https://flic.kr/p/2s5QQ4u) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
With luck and possibly a few choice words you'll end up with a 'hairy'plane ;D
Once you checked there are no loose wires the ends can be sliced off flush using a double sided razor blade. A spot of paint is usually enough to fill any holes
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55189156890_37eedcb451_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s5SRzL)Rigging 5 (https://flic.kr/p/2s5SRzL) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
-
That little rigging exercise took me most of the last couple of days. Doing a few lines at a time then letting the glue harden properly before doing the second end and letting that dry and repeating till I had a full set on each wing (20+ lines without the control lines at this stage) :o
Rather than do any more rigging I decided to press on with the undercarriage and spend some time today making up the faring for the main undercart (bit boring, but you'll see it later) and the new tailskid made in brass as usual
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55189007204_b22933af7e_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s5S65Y)Be12b Tailskid (https://flic.kr/p/2s5S65Y) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
Main skid is filed from 1mm brass wire. Bungee cords are wire from a stripped electrical wire + a bit of brass tube and jewelry wire. Rather than solder I used superglue to hold everything together ;)
I also noticed on some photos that the rear spar that sits on the underside of the fuselage bottom normally has a faring which I'd completely missed earlier so that needed adding as well (Would have been much easier to have done this earlier, but that's the way it goes sometimes) Once the glue has dried I'll use some Mr surfacer to blend it and paint in to match
-
OUTSTANDING detailing... Paul, you are shinnig star
-
Usual superglue medium or thick.
Once properly in place a spot of superglue is added onto the line and then the line is drawn through till the superglue reaches the hole leaving a short excess in case I need to pull the line tight and re-glue later.
Always some new trick to trigger a spark of inspiration.
I have always been using thin CA. Never thought of using medium or thick. Seemed counter intuitive as that would take too long to set or so my misguided thinking went.
Medium or thick CA and putting a drop on the line and pulling in to place rather than trying to put a tiny drop on the line in the hole on the wing sort of thing making a bit of a mess. Game changer that. Still, that is only half the job and there will still be the need to apply a wee drop in place on the line on the wing.
My monofilament fishing line CA applicators are working well but I am going to try your stretched sprue idea too. Nothing ventured an all that.
the ends can be sliced off flush using a double sided razor blade.
I have been using what is called a "cutting tweezer" for this task. Picture is worth a thousand words:
https://ak-interactive.com/product/cutting-tweezers-flat-head-pinzas-de-corte-de-cabeza-plana/
The AK product is relatively new on the market. More common than you might think. Used for cutting very fine and delicate wire in the electronics and metalsmithing world. Can be a bit pricey but like any fine tool that is looked after and not abused they will provided good service for a long time.
You might find something on Amazon though eBay or any good jewellery or watchmaker supplier should have them. From inexpensive $ to very expensive $$$
I have used the scalpel and razer blade method before but find these cutting tweezers just as precise and far more intuitive to use.
And, to drag your work in progress back on to subject, your Be12b is certainly looking good and I do like all the brass bits you add.
Now, I need to get off my BFB ( Big Fat Butt ) for awhile and get down into the workshop for a while before Easter Sunday company start arriving.
cheers, Graham
-
I admire your ability to still work in a small scale with the details .
Alexis
-
Thank you Kamil, Graham and Alexis ;D
The double edged razor blade is an excellent tool that I also use for trimming Aviattic decals, but I'll look into those cutting tweezers Graham. ;)
In the old days I used to buy a packet of 5 or 10 of the blades and snap them in half; more recently I discovered you can buy boxes of them already in halves (presumably they fit some kind of modern razor?) Much easier to use and safer than snapping them yourself. They are much sharper than a scalpel blade and you can easily slice transparent slivers of end grain balsa wood without crushing it. Only drawback is picking the damn things up when you put them flat on the bench ::)
Right off to cook dinner and hopefully I'll get a few minutes to add some varnish to the wings later tonight so they are ready for decals tomorrow
Paul
-
Nice to read and see your progress, entertaining and educating. Love the tail skid!
Regards Joachim
-
In the old days I used to buy a packet of 5 or 10 of the blades and snap them in half; more recently I discovered you can buy boxes of them already in halves (presumably they fit some kind of modern razor?) Much easier to use and safer than snapping them yourself. They are much sharper than a scalpel blade and you can easily slice transparent slivers of end grain balsa wood without crushing it. Only drawback is picking the damn things up when you put them flat on the bench ::)
You have brought back some good old memories of model making. I am no stranger to double edge razor blades and safety razors. I used same for many years when I shaved daily. Other fancier twin and triple blade injector and disposable razor became more fashionable and the safety edge razors almost disappeared. I haven't shaved for 40 years and now only get a good trimming when I get a hair cut.
In addition to their tradional use I used them for making balsa strippers and other balsa cutting model making chores supplementing the ubiquitous Exacto and scalpel. Snapped in half and even snapped into smaller and others into more sharply pointed tips. All had their uses and I am now tempted to get a few to have on hand and see if I still find them useful. I hadn't thought of those in vary long time. The last time I looked, the local drug store ( chemist if you prefer ) didn't have any.
Out of curiosity I had a look at Amazon. It is amazing the variety of these blades now available. Seems there is a bit of a renaissance for shaving kit these days. Straight razors are in vogue as are the associated shaving soap dish and brush. Those already snapped in half double edge blades are for the new fangled straight razors which use these rather than relying on the user to strop their traditional style blades.
cheers, Graham
-
Nice to read and see your progress, entertaining and educating. Love the tail skid!
Regards Joachim
Cheers Joachim
Tailskid now has some paint and side braces added :)
You have brought back some good old memories of model making. I am no stranger to double edge razor blades and safety razors. I used same for many years when I shaved daily. Other fancier twin and triple blade injector and disposable razor became more fashionable and the safety edge razors almost disappeared. I haven't shaved for 40 years and now only get a good trimming when I get a hair cut.
In addition to their tradional use I used them for making balsa strippers and other balsa cutting model making chores supplementing the ubiquitous Exacto and scalpel. Snapped in half and even snapped into smaller and others into more sharply pointed tips. All had their uses and I am now tempted to get a few to have on hand and see if I still find them useful. I hadn't thought of those in vary long time. The last time I looked, the local drug store ( chemist if you prefer ) didn't have any.
Out of curiosity I had a look at Amazon. It is amazing the variety of these blades now available. Seems there is a bit of a renaissance for shaving kit these days. Straight razors are in vogue as are the associated shaving soap dish and brush. Those already snapped in half double edge blades are for the new fangled straight razors which use these rather than relying on the user to strop their traditional style blades.
cheers, Graham
Thanks Graham.
Sounds like you also were a balsa basher at some point (I was introduced to the double edged blade by John O'D himself when discussing indoor models at an early contest I attended) Very useful tool for a whole lot of stuff. I got my recent stock from Amazon too, as it happens, together with a box of single edged blades which sit on my workshop shelf alongside scalpels ;)
Pressing on with the build trying to get it ready for the weekend show so I'll do a catch up series of photos later in the week. Decals now added and settling down, but lots of little jobs still to do once the wings are varnished and weathered - upper wing gun mounting and hinge mechanism, control wires, windscreen, undercarriage to finish etc. and, of course, propeller to add (This has been modified from the Airfix kit one by removing two blades, flipping over and re-shaping)
Paul
-
Lovely work on that tailskid Paul. And I agree, stretched sprue CA applicators are the future - I cottoned on to them a while back. But I've also learned you can get "halved" razor blades, off to buy some of those and also some cutting tweezers. Enjoying this thread and learning a lot!
-
Cheers Nigel, glad you're also having fun with this one :)
It's now on it's undercarriage - hooray. As promised here's the tailskid with bracing struts added using 0.4mm brass wire (I initially tried bending these as a pair in a 'V' shape, but found it was easier to make them up individually) Bit of touching up to do, but pretty strong and looks the part
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55194852984_e03aecfc9a_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s6o3Qh)Be12b tailskid (https://flic.kr/p/2s6o3Qh) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
And at the front. Fairing shaped from 3 bits of plastic card around a brass wire axle and bungees from stripped electrical flex which can be wound around and holds in place without glue. The two bracing cables can be seen floating loose and so can the fairing over the rear spar. The decals, incidentally came from and recent AIMS 'RFC Roundels' sheet and can be heartily recommended - they just behaved exactly the way you would expect decals to and settled down nicely with microsol and set :)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55195003670_5b2bc56e76_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s6oPCj)Be12b undercarriage (https://flic.kr/p/2s6oPCj) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
Sadly in a bit of an arrrrrgh moment I managed to pull out the inner rear pair of flying wires where they join the fuselage during the process of doing these bits :o
(remember what I said about Sharpie coloured fishing line not sticking as well as it could . . .) Anyway I put the model down and left it overnight whilst I had a think.
Picking it up this morning I couldn't see a way of getting them back into the original holes and under tension but I realised that I could just about drill some new inner mounting points through the gap in the wing root and some careful measuring from the top of the wing meant I was able to drill though from the top and get a new pair of holes for the wing mounting points. Cutting the old wires free means I now can replace them, hopefully without twanging any others . . .
Having put the model down I decided to concentrate on someone to fly this thing. An almost suitable Austo-Hungarian pilot from Peddinhause was slightly modified with a long 'RFC' style flying coat made using Miliput/Duro putty mix with belts from tape glued on with PVA. Lacking gloves a pair of large gauntlets were sculpted using some spare putty (which actually took longer to make than the long coat) I'll place these on the lower wing later as if he's just preparing for an evening sortie.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55194595561_87855ce459_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s6mJiX)Be12b pilot (https://flic.kr/p/2s6mJiX) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
-
Yes! A pleasure to look at.
-
This looks wonderfully sharp and impressive build. Fantastic :)
cheers, Skyhook
-
I've thoroughly enjoyed reading along with this WIP. What a beauty you have coming together! I like the gauntlet idea too - a nice little bit of extra life!
-
That tailskid is a work of art and I love the figure and the gloves. Nice work!
-
Thank you all gents, appreciate your kind words :)
Got up early to fix the broken flying wires, touch up the paint, add some wheels and pipework from the underwing tank (That task would have been much easier before I put in the rigging) ::)
I was then able to work some oil paint weathering onto the wing surfaces not previously done and she's currently sitting waiting for that to dry so sadly won't make the show on Saturday, but will be ready for the next one Nigel ;)
Various cables, guns and the usual paraphernalia that seem to clutter the exterior surfaces of all RFC mounts still to be done. Once they're added I'll post some piccies
Paul
-
I have been away recently so have just had a very enjoyable read of your progress. I am wholly blown away by that tailskid - in the One True Scale too!
Your rigging technique is interesting and there are ideas that I will e tempted to try out on a future project. This model is coming together very well indeed - it will be very impressive when completed.
Stephen.
-
I was then able to work some oil paint weathering onto the wing surfaces not previously done and she's currently sitting waiting for that to dry so sadly won't make the show on Saturday, but will be ready for the next one Nigel ;)
Don't worry, we have plenty of displays to choose from! I was hoping to get my "quick build" Italian Nieuport !! finished but masking those damn edging tapes is taking forever, anything but quick!!
-
I have been away recently so have just had a very enjoyable read of your progress. I am wholly blown away by that tailskid - in the One True Scale too!
Your rigging technique is interesting and there are ideas that I will e tempted to try out on a future project. This model is coming together very well indeed - it will be very impressive when completed.
Stephen.
Thanks Stephen, nearly finished now :)
Nice to catch up with you and the rest of the gang at the weekend Nigel; stand looked the business and my little 'Be' wasn't missed amongst all the lovely Nieuport28's ;)
Anyway managed a bit more progress making tiny things. The last couple of days I've been working on how to make the gun mechanism. I bought a pair of Lewis' and cobbled together a mount that will give the right sort of vibe when painted up. Today's exercise was adding the tiny pully, handle and bracketry for the lowering mechanism. The pully is stretched sprue with a hole drilled in it to allow a piece of wire to be threaded and attached to the front strut. Adding the wire from the handle through this to the gun support weaving in and out of an already rigged model nearly drove me batty so I've come away to rest my eyes for a bit :o
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55209070051_0f4c28db3f_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s7CV58)Be12b Gun mech. (https://flic.kr/p/2s7CV58) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
-
Yup , I can see myself breaking many may rigging lines trying to get those details in place , she is looking pretty darn good !
Alexis
-
Fine art... OUTSTANDING... you left me speachless :-X
-
Gosh, that's looking so pretty. Beautiful work!
-
Both detail and rigging are excellent. It's hard to rig a 1/72 plane that's British, specially when there are double wires in places.
Alan
-
Can't find a suitable blushing emoji, but thank you all for the kind words :)
You're right about the rigging Alan, in fact I was chatting at the weekend about the tasks on British aircraft at the weekend which I don't enjoy as much - unsurprisingly double flying wires and the wrap around of PC10 are top of that particular list. (I'll probably choose something simpler for the next build although I'd really like to get a few more British aircraft for the display and do have a hankering to build a pusher or two so that may go out of the window)
Just need to add the elevator/rudder controls, seatbelts and a few little odds and ends so hopefully have it finished by the weekend. Various domestic tasks and the usual work getting in the way, but hopefully will post some completed pics soon.
Paul
-
That is fabulous work on the gun mount Paul. I'll look forward to seeing this at the next show!
-
looks fantastic in every way! I might be not wrong if I say that this may be your best model so far!
cheers,
Skyhook
-
Good to see that you are thinking about making some models or real aeroplanes ... er sorry, pushers. Don't hesitate - just get on and build some!
Stephen.
-
Paul, extraordinary as usual! And all in 72 which makes it even more impressive. I thought the OOB Airfix kit was pretty well done but you have made some major improvements. The front end/cowling work looks excellent, really like the vents you've created for the underside as well as all the upgrades to convert to the B.E.12. I know you had to spend some time to make that front end fit but fit it does... and looks like it was intended that way from Airfix. Also, really impressed with the rigging (I'm a stretched sprue guy but can sure see the benefits with your technique), the cross over line on the upper wing and the double lines throughout look great and really add to the interest and realism of this build (those double lines ain't easy to do and it looks like you've nailed it!). Painting is first class and I guess I could go on and on but I'll wait until you've completed it.
Always enjoy seeing what you'll come up with next...
Take care
Scott...
-
That is fabulous work on the gun mount Paul. I'll look forward to seeing this at the next show!
Cheers Nigel.
It'll just be another 'green' machine, but those who look closer will hopefully enjoy it ;)
looks fantastic in every way! I might be not wrong if I say that this may be your best model so far!
cheers,
Skyhook
Thanks Skyhook. Think you're right about that; I'm getting more comfortable with the techniques now although there's always a feeling of 'how did I do this last time?' when I get to certain bits ;D
Good to see that you are thinking about making some models or real aeroplanes ... er sorry, pushers. Don't hesitate - just get on and build some!
Stephen.
LOL ;D I'll definitely add a 'real' aeroplane to the build list Stephen just for you
Paul, extraordinary as usual! And all in 72 which makes it even more impressive. I thought the OOB Airfix kit was pretty well done but you have made some major improvements. The front end/cowling work looks excellent, really like the vents you've created for the underside as well as all the upgrades to convert to the B.E.12. I know you had to spend some time to make that front end fit but fit it does... and looks like it was intended that way from Airfix. Also, really impressed with the rigging (I'm a stretched sprue guy but can sure see the benefits with your technique), the cross over line on the upper wing and the double lines throughout look great and really add to the interest and realism of this build (those double lines ain't easy to do and it looks like you've nailed it!). Painting is first class and I guess I could go on and on but I'll wait until you've completed it.
Always enjoy seeing what you'll come up with next...
Take care
Scott...
Hi Scott.
Thank you very much for the kind remarks which are really appreciated. I've enjoyed this one as it's gone along although not quite the 'quick' conversion originally intended I've learned a lot during the process of building her and there hasn't been much swearing along the way which is always a good sign ;)
-
Paul,
What everyone else as said and then some.
cheers, Graham
-
Remarkable details and pilot sculpting Paul. Very much looking forward to seeing the finished product.
Tim
-
Paul,
What everyone else as said and then some.
cheers, Graham
Thanks Graham ;D
Remarkable details and pilot sculpting Paul. Very much looking forward to seeing the finished product.
Tim
Cheers Tim ;D
Tim and everyone else will have to wait for the pilot and base, but here as promised is the finished article (Once the base and pilot are done I'll post some pics of them in the completed section)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55216676802_2995c2ac3c_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s8iUi1)Be12b finished 6 (https://flic.kr/p/2s8iUi1) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55217827944_218778fb92_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s8pNuh)Be12b finished 7 (https://flic.kr/p/2s8pNuh) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55217971890_134949313d_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s8qxh7)Be12b finished 5 (https://flic.kr/p/2s8qxh7) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55217575346_1dc0ff0a5f_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s8ovp9)Be12b finished (https://flic.kr/p/2s8ovp9) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
Couple of hiccups whilst rigging the final bits which meant re-doing the tailplane bracing wires ::)
Also added the ring and pin site for the pilot, screen and pump on the cockpit sides. I decided against dangling the seatbelts over the sides so they are laying on the seat. The small bras object besides the elevator bellcrank appears to be the magneto switch (Moved over to the right hand side from the front left of the cockpit on the 'standard' Be2. I presume the poor erk swinging the prop was reassured by the pilots hand coming out to confirm switches were off before he got too close to the fan at the front ;) Speaking of which I used a four blader from the spares box which was flipped over to get the right direction of rotation, two blades removed and the hub re-shaped with a nice new etched hub and brass tube shaft
-
A couple more views (just in case you're not bored already) :)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55217971915_7acb7bc128_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s8qxhx)Be12b finished 2 (https://flic.kr/p/2s8qxhx) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55217575351_134c645df6_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s8ovpe)Be12b finished 3 (https://flic.kr/p/2s8ovpe) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55216676787_6d8a2e4460_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2s8iUhK)Be12b finished 4 (https://flic.kr/p/2s8iUhK) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/202177392@N05/), on Flickr
Well that's a wrap on this one.
Many thanks to everyone for all the support and encouragement during the build process. Feel free to ask questions if you have any always happy to answer.
Cheers
Paul
-
Absolutely wonderful Paul! Needless to say, the level of craftsmanship and detailing make it look like a much larger scale.
Please post more pictures, I could never be bored with PC10 aircraft ;)
-
Wow, that is an absolute gem, a real stunner. Definitely one of your best, can't wait to see it in the flesh on its base.
-
My goodness, Paul - that turned out beautifully. What an effort, and such a rewarding result. Congrats!
Cheers,
Gary
-
Absolutely wonderful Paul! Needless to say, the level of craftsmenship and detailing make it look like a much larger scale.
Please post more pictures, I could never be bored with PC10 aircraft ;)
Thank you enathan much appreciated (I'll take some other pics later for you) ;)
Wow, that is an absolute gem, a real stunner. Definitely one of your best, can't wait to see it in the flesh on its base.
Hi Nigel, gald you approive. Funny how sometimes an unpromising project takes hold of you and turns out much better than originally planned :)
My goodness, Paul - that turned out beautifully. What an effort, and such a rewarding result. Congrats!
Cheers,
Gary
Thanks Gary
Such a 'drab' subject that has a lot going on in reality Glad you like it ;D
-
What the others have written - that is stunningly good.
Stephen.
-
Superb craftsmanship Paul. Kudos for the evenly spaced double flying wires!
-
What the others have written - that is stunningly good.
Stephen.
Thank you Stephen ;D
Superb craftsmanship Paul. Kudos for the evenly spaced double flying wires!
Cheers Tim
They're a bit of fiddle, but add such a lot of character to the rigging ;)
-
Wonderful work and attention to detail - bravo, sir!
-
Wonderful work and attention to detail - bravo, sir!
Cheers Brad :D
Chosen the next model which has no rigging to speak of ;)
That said i need to sort out something for the two seater group build so may be building a couple of things in parallel. . . .
Paul
-
Fantastic!
-
Ooooooooo , Wunderbar !!!!!
Alexis
-
Fantastic!
Thank you Prze :D
Ooooooooo , Wunderbar !!!!!
Alexis
LOL Cheers Alexis ;D
-
Amazing results Paul! A real Beauty in My opinion!
RAGIII
-
Amazing results Paul! A real Beauty in My opinion!
RAGIII
Cheers RAGIII ;D
-
Simply amazing! Great!
-
Simply amazing! Great!
Thank you sir ;D
-
Hi Paul.
I did a conversion of a WNW Camel into a Comic Camel.
But that was in 1:32nd scale.
To modify a 1:72nd scale BE2c takes some skill.
I think it's obvious you have that skill ;)
Great result and one you should be justifiably be proud of,
Mike
-
Belated conga for a beautiful bit of work - Cloudflare was keeping me off the site again, but of the 6 PCs in the house (running identical software) I've just found one that can get through. Now playing catch-up.
'Tother Paul.
-
Belated conga for a beautiful bit of work - Cloudflare was keeping me off the site again, but of the 6 PCs in the house (running identical software) I've just found one that can get through. Now playing catch-up.
'Tother Paul.
Technology eh? ::)
Good to hear from you again T'other Paul and glad you like the finished item :)
-
Finished to an exceptional standard. I'm looking forward to seeing it in the completed section.
Alan,
-
Finished to an exceptional standard. I'm looking forward to seeing it in the completed section.
Alan,
Cheers Alan :)
I'm hoping that Nigel will take some pics of it at the weekends show for me which I can post in the completed section ;)
-
I'm hoping that Nigel will take some pics of it at the weekends show for me which I can post in the completed section ;)
For a small fee....... ;) ;D