forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Under Construction => Topic started by: IanB on April 01, 2013, 11:19:23 AM
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It appears I've been remiss and not posted this one for some reason, so here's the build to date....
I'll be building the 1:72 scale Meikraft SPAD XIII which comes with white metal parts and PE. I have a set of PD Decals, from Australia, and early US cockades in the French blue, all of which I found on e-bay. Not sure if the early cockades are quite right but I can't find anything that says they're not - unless someone can supply that info!
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4337/36626785166_503b651957_c.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4367/36534398611_4352405e68_c.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4339/36626785316_c3aa735721_c.jpg)
Ian
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Most of the cockpit interior has been scratchbuilt, the kit seat has been cleaned up, and it's all painted. The firewall is just resting in place for the photo, it will be fitted separately after the fuselage and wing assemblies are together. I still have to add the seatbelts and control column and that's about as far as I'll go with interior detail.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4391/35863388343_50a56f7c41_c.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4333/35863387913_dc495c25f1_c.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4406/35863390883_a5b6e16efe_c.jpg)
Ian
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I've made a little more progress today thanks to the storm that's shut down flying for today. We flew yesterday until about 6:30pm, it was a little bumpy with 50 knot headwinds at 600 feet and surface winds gusting near 40knots, so we finally called it a day after I'd done 10 flights - I needed a beer or two after that!
Anyway, I digress....I've finished off the 'pit interior as far as I'm going to, closed the fuselage and attached the lower wing/cockpit assembly.
I had to do a little reshaping of the upper rear decking. The headrest fairing was about twice as high as it should have been, but if I'd simply sanded it down so it matched the profile drawings it would have been level with the top of the fuselage, so I had to lower the top of the rear decking too. Fortunately the plastic there was thick enough.
Did I mention "slight" fit problems? There are gaps around the fuselage/wing joint and I've had to tweak the front end a little to remove some of the twist. The radiator is just sitting in place temporarily to help with the shape of the nose while it dries - I added a small piece of square section rod to the top rear of the radiator to help with the correct spacing of the fuselage sides. Without this spacer it would be impossible to hold the top of the fuselage apart to fit the upper decking accurately. When this is all properly dried I'll tackle the gaps and clean up.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4409/36534085291_548d4ed552_c.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4348/35863389063_f3f276ed76_c.jpg)
Ian
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Interior engine bearer details have been added and the gaps and missalignments sorted out. The moulded detail for the radiator has been removed and I've used the PE as a base to add the shutters. Hopefully it will be strong enough to stay put while it's painted and installed in the cowling...
The control surfaces have all been separated, and the gaps for the aileron actuators have been opened up in the upper wing and made crisper in the lower wings. All rigging holes have also been drilled, except those in the outer struts which I'll do later. One nice thing about the PE is that it negates the need for rigging the inner wing struts and cabanes, making life a whole lot easier!
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4408/36673297525_16e0e89f53_c.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4380/35838299104_5c8eb49d65_c.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4425/36673379715_85f27a1318_c.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4363/36626785266_aab7cb9a4d_c.jpg)
Thanks for looking in!
Ian
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I've made a fair bit of progress recently, but nothing really worth pics until now. The painting is nearly done, I just have to do the blue nose and the wheels, then it's all downhill - apart, maybe, from the struts.... I'm still not too sure about the light green. It looks good in daylight but under lighting it's more "Kawasaki green" - I may tone it down a little with the next French build...
I also did a little wash over the cooling vents on the nose, my first try at that, and I'm quite pleased with the results.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4361/36673443035_00e67a1d62_c.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4365/36627379646_a6ef444600_c.jpg)
Ian
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Ian,
Outstanding progress to date on your less than shake the box kit. I build up one of these beast back in the early 90's I think,so I know it's not an easy kit to build. Glad to see you meet the challenge head on and come out on top. Keep up the great fight.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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Did I mention "slight" fit problems?
Hello Ian:
A Meikraft kit with "Fit Problems"? You've got to be kidding me! :o You are doing a bang up job on this kit and to date looks pretty spiffy to me. The green does look a bit amiss, but; as you say, the lighting makes it so.
I like Luke's markings, too bad there aren't any in 1/32nd. I would like to do one in that scale, so I will be watching as your build unfolds.
Best of luck
Mark
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Nice work on the camo. I have not seen this kit built before.
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Nice work so far on a little bear of a kit.
Steve
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Thanks for the feedback everyone!
I've got a little more done, a bit more on the painting, wheels etc, and fitted my homemade radiator grill assembly. It's a little thick, next time I'll use thinner strip, but I'm happy with it.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4333/36626785306_ee7efb336e_c.jpg)
Ian
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She is looking really good Ian, the painting is well done and there is nothing wrong with the radiator grill, this will be an impressive model once completed.
Des.
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Ian,
I agree with Des your radiator grill looks just right my old friend. I'm looking forward to seeing her in Luke's marking soon. Beautiful SPAD camouflage as well. Looking forward to the next update.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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I can't believe it's been almost a year since I last posted on this one! Admittedly I've been sidetracked by other things but still....
I've resurrected this build in the hope of adding it to my entries in a local competition coming up at the end of March. I had added the fuselage decals (PD Decals) but they were very fragile, and when I found a set of Printscale decals for Frank Luke's machine I bought those. They are far superior, and also a better size - the PD fuselage numbers and squadron emblems were a little small. I stripped the PD decals and have applied the Printscale ones - a huge improvement! I have also added the cabane struts and scratchbuilt the exhausts.
I've ordered some .002" stainless wire to help with the cabane and inner wing strut rigging - not really up to drilling and threading that! So the next update will be when I receive the wire....
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4391/35863387873_be94f1c0a3_c.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4404/35863388273_554bc13c5f_c.jpg)
Ian
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Ian,
I remember that kit and it was lacking in many ways! You have done an amazing build so far! Lovely results.
RAGIII
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Wonderful work on a less than ideal kit, Ian. Your paintwork is terrific and I think
you have done a smashing job on the radiator grill. I look forward to more updates.
Cheers,
Ernie :)
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Hello Ian:
Good to see you back on with the Luke SPAD. What you have done with this kit is a testamony to your patience and skill. I like the look of it and seeing you progress through.
Best
Mark
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I got a good bit more done today, lots of small stuff but close to getting the upper wing on now!
I finished the exhausts, rigged the cabanes with .004" stainless wire, made and added the windshield (although I may remove it and improve the fit a little), and made and painted the inner interplane struts. I think I'll drill these for the landing wires and run the flying wires either side of the strut, adding the cross-brace at the end.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4418/35863388223_fb540ef42e_c.jpg)
Ian
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Due to the unusual nature of the rigging I've had to rethink my methods (drill and thread), so here's the plan:
Cabanes have been rigged with .004" stainless wire. The outer interplane struts have been drilled through fore/aft (at the top and bottom of each strut) to accept the cross-bracing. The inner interplane struts have been thinned in the middle (fore/aft) and drilled from side to side to accept the landing wires.
I will mount the fuselage/lower wing in the Aeroclub jig and attach the interplane struts to the lower wing only, using the upper wing just to get the angles correct. When the struts are dry, the upper wing will be removed and the landing wires, which have already been attached to .010" X .030" strip (for the bracket at the bottom of the outer strut) will be attached and threaded through the middle struts, leaving the inner (upper) ends loose until the top wing is attached. The double flying wires will be attached at the inner (lower) ends and routed fore and aft of the centre struts, (via the narrowed part in the middle) followed by the centre strut brace and rigging (.004" stainless wire again). The upper wing will then be added and the rigging completed by threading as usual. I will then add some liquid filler to the outer struts to blend the rigging wire to the strut top and bottom and paint this part to represent the brackets! The aileron actuators will then be added with brass wire/plastic strip.
Then I'll have a few beers!
That's the plan, anyway - you'll see very soon whether it works or not.....all the detail on the upper fuselage is done so hopefully this weekend I'll attack this...
Ian
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Looking forward to your progress on the rigging Ian! As I have stated elsewhere the rigging on the 1/32nd SPAD VII has vexed me ::)
RAGIII
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Ian,
Your doing a great job on this kit (is this one brush painted? - looks excellent) and good luck with whatever method of rigging you settle on.
Regards
Dave
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Step one complete....
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4354/35863388163_888214a9b7_c.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4416/36534084291_92d3eab7cb_c.jpg)
The final alignment of the struts will be done when the upper wing is permanently fixed...I hope!
Dave - it's airbrushed.
I started with the small areas, (black first), masked them, then sprayed the next largest area and so on. The masks were made by cutting out the shapes from the 3-view artwork in "French Aircraft of the First World War" (Devilla & Soltan) and transferring them to masking tape.
Ian
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Well done Ian.
Wont be easy to rig that one. :P
Cheers
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Looking good Ian. I just finished the Eduard 1/48 kit, much easier build than your old Meikraft kit, but yours looks nice. A couple of notes on your colors, on the light green mix whatever color you started with with aluminum in equal amounts, this will grey it down and give the realistic fish scale appearance as described by Alan Toelle. Also the dark green should be a more green color, it looks like straight olive drab on my monitor. But great work on this rough kit, you have made it presentable and equal or better than the Eduard 1/72 scale kit.
Dave
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I really have to hand it to you, Ian. I can't get over what a beautiful
job you are doing on something so tiny. I have to agree with Zabu...
I can't picture how to rig something that small, but this is fascinating
just the same. Well done!
Cheers,
Ernie :)
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This is progressing very slowly - two steps forward, one back!
I think my basic plan was good, but the task order needed refining. In the end the progress has gone in this order:
1) Drill the four inner interplane struts and thread with mono for the landing wires. The mounting bracket at the outer end of the rear landing wires was also attached to the mono prior to mounting the struts. ( These wires will not be secured until after the upper wing is in place).
2) Attach all the struts. (Jig not needed as the one good thing about the SPAD is that all the struts are vertical and parallel)
3) Attach the inner flying wires (by inner wires, I mean the rear one of the front pair, and the front one of the rear pair) to the fuselage/wing attach points and super glue them to the rear face of the front centre strut and front face of the rear one as appropriate.
4) Fit the cross-braces on the inner struts, trapping the landing wires between the strut and the cross-brace.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4355/35863387823_66421e12a5_c.jpg)
The next step will be to repaint the cross-braces and a bit of touch up elsewhere as needed, rig the inner interplane struts with stainless wire, then attach the upper wing. When all that is dry, the rigging will be completed and tightened if necessary with heat.
Thanks for looking in!
Ian
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Hello Ian,
Great respect and admiration for what you have accomplished yet. I can't imagine how you can produce such a fine build in that scale. You are almost there now.
Kind regards
Patrick
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Nearly there!
Upper wing is on and all the rigging in place. I broke one outer strut where I drilled it a little off centre so I've made a replacement and I'm almost ready to fit it, then the wing rigging will be complete apart from tidying up the ends.
The plan worked well, apart from not securing the inner interplane rigging well enough and one or two pieces popped off. They were a pain to refit with the wing on so I justified my plan of using wire and adding it prior to wing fitting.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4375/35863388143_ce3fe11db8_c.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4335/35863389033_7695d27d4a_c.jpg)
Ian
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Looks great! I still don't know how you do this in 1/72nd :o
RAGIII
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Looks great! I still don't know how you do this in 1/72nd :o
RAGIII
I concur!! Amazing and it looks great!
Best
Mark
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That style of rigging scares me, drilling through a nicely painted wing and strut and threading the rigging all the way through... that's the British style for sure! Unfortunately it won't work for me since i always paint and decal the wing upper and lower before rigging, but whatever works for you is fine :)
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It's looking amazing Ian, the rigging is adding that finishing touch and looks great, how you do this type of work in 1:72 scale is beyond me, incredible.
Des.
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This is looking so good Ian! I've got reasonably slim fingers but I'm lost in admiration at how you manage things like the rigging at this scale.
Best wishes
Nigel
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Gentlemen...I am happy to annnounce that this build is FINALLY complete! (I just noticed that I forgot to touch up the wheel hubs, but that's a 2 second job, so I count it as done!)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4373/35863388123_ee949e8c53_c.jpg)
More pics in the Ready for Inspection section.
Thanks for all your encouragment along the way, it's been a long one!
Ian
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Brilliant work Ian!
RAGIII
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Hello Ian,
I agree with Rick, simply brilliant. One to be proud of. In this scale you performed a terrific build. The scheme you have chosen is wonderful. Many congratulations Ian!
Kind regards
Patrick
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Ian, unless you have massive hands, that last picture is a great indication
how small the aeroplane is and what a superb job you are doing!
Cheers,
Ernie :)
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Hello Ian:
Great Job, nice to see it done. Really outstanding craftsmanship in such a small scale.
Best
Mark