forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Under Construction => Scratch builds => Topic started by: lone modeller on April 03, 2014, 04:34:13 AM
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Evening All,
Over 30 years ago I decided that I wanted to build or convert all 7 of the British pusher designs that were used in frontline service or as trainers (or both) by the RFC/RNAS. At the time Revell produced the DH 2 and I had already built that, so I decided to convert the other six types from kits. I started the FB 5 and FB 9 Gunbuses but that is as far as I got because I then stopped modelling altogether. When I restarted modelling about 2 years ago I found the unfinished models in a box in my roof and I remembered my long set aside project. Well I finished the Gunbuses just to see if I could - they have been posted in completed models - and then went on to convert the other types except the subject of this thread. This is somewhat ironic because I found a piece of balsa with the outline of the DH 1A nacelle on it that had been set aside for the male mould over 30 years ago! However having waited before I started this conversion I have been lucky because a Datafile on the DH 1/1A has been published and so I have a decent set of plans to work from.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4088/34828851663_b44f26a1b1_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/V4GYbt)
These will form my instruction leaflet. I also intend to use the good ol' Airfix DH 4 as a source of parts - the latter was an indirect derivative of the DH 1 insofar as the wings were similar in size and planform. So the kit will provide wings, wheels, a gun, struts and possibly a propellor (although I may take one from an Avro 504 as that has two blades). I have with some difficulty managed to acquire an Aeroclub 120 hp Beardmore engine so I will not have to scratch build one as I did for the FE 2.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4116/34796470434_69d0cec78f_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/V1R1nq)
I will also use 30 thou card, Evergreen strip, florists wire for the booms (only because I have a plentiful supply), copper wire for rigging and assorted scraps of card and stretched sprue as required. So now that I have the "kit" and the "instructions" I can at last proceed to finish my project!
I have carved the male mould for the fuselage nacelle from the block of balsa mentioned above, cut the female mould into a strip of plywood, (all highly sophisticated materials note), and have moulded the two nacelle halves.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4090/35514122531_0ec959a585_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/W7gakr)
The two holes above the DH 1A hole in the plywood were for the FE 2 and FE 8 nacelles. I have cut out the cockpit and engine openings and have started to make up some interior fittings. I have still to add the ribs and other side details however so no pictures of that at the moment.
Thanks for looking.
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This should be interesting...
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Sooo cool, LM! I am excited that you are doing the DH.1A This is one I have thought of for a 1/32 scatchbuild, but it will have to wait in line behind the FB.5 and FE.8! ;D Looking forward to the rest of your build. Thanks for sharing this.
By the way, you mentioned seven pusher types. I recall the DH.2, FB.5, FE.2, FE.8, Sopwith Gunbus and DH.1. What am I missing?
Cheers,
Bob
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Great that you have got back onto this project after such a long time, I will be watching and following the build with much interest.
Des.
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By the way, you mentioned seven pusher types. I recall the DH.2, FB.5, FE.2, FE.8, Sopwith Gunbus and DH.1. What am I missing?
Dear Bob,
You have missed the Vickers FB 9 sometimes known as the Streamline Gunbus. This was a derivative of the FB 5 and was almost entirely used for training in the UK until about early 1918 because by the time it was ready for service it was essentially obsolete as a front-line machine. However a batch of them (24) were built by Darraq in France in 1916 and two (7822 and 7828) were sent to 11 Squadron RFC where they were used in the first weeks of the Somme offensive (from 1. 7. 16.). It was probably one of these machines (7828) that was being flown by Lt. Morris (pilot) and Sgt. Glover (observer/gunner) when they brought down an enemy aircraft on the first day of the Somme
battle.
I have posted pictures of the FB9 in completed models and I gave a reference to the build in an earlier reply in the Penguin thread.
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I am sure that this build will be as informative and fun to follow as was the FB9. I am looking forward to seeing your progress!
RAGIII
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Evening All,
Thanks again to all of you for showing an interest and for your kind remarks.
I have a little more to report as I have made some progress with the nacelle, to wit I have cut out the cockpits, engine compartment and the holes and gaps at the rear and under the engine, which means that nearly half of the nacelle seems to have been cut away! I have left the bar at the rear underside a little wider than true scale because I am really concerned about the strength of this area if I were to make it the narrow bar as on the real thing. Once again a compromise has had to be made in this scale that I might not have had to have done in a larger scale.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4044/34828756313_274da81080_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/V4GtQv)
The pieces of card in the rear of the engine compartment represent a plate that is visible in photos of this area but I do not know what it was - an oil tank perhaps? The blocks in the front will eventually support the engine and radiator.
I have also added the cockpit details as far as I have been able to establish them: a control stick, rudder bar, seat and throttle for the pilot, and a seat for the observer/gunner. The interior of the cockpits has been painted and a bulkhead added between the pilot and the engine compartment and between the cockpits. A small window on the topside of the nacelle between the cockpits was cut out and the "glazing" was from a piece of acetate cut from a model bubble pack. I have also put on the flat plates in the front of the observers cockpit. The coaming around the pilot's cockpit is from thin stretched sprue.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4215/34828754023_e70fc3db9e_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/V4Gta2)
The radiator has been cut from card and scored, with thin strips of card to make the sides. There was a cover over the engine on these aircraft - that was made from 15 thou card and the edges gently sanded with fine glass paper just to round them.]
More updates when more progress has been made.
Thanks for looking.
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Very nice work as usual LM! Looking forward to seeing this progress.
Ian
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You have made excellent progress LM, the nacelle is taking shape nicely.
Des.
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Hello LM,
This must have been a difficult job! Nice and clean cuts. Awesome in this scale. How do you manage? I'm looking forward to see your build grow.
Kind regards
Patrick
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Brilliant work on the nacelle, LM! This promises to be another one of your gems.
Cheers,
Bud
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Evening All,
Once again many thanks to all for the supportive comments.
This must have been a difficult job! Nice and clean cuts. Awesome in this scale. How do you manage?
Patrick, the cutting of the moulds is no more difficult than a vacuform - indeed it is very similar. Of course all of the joints and openings are cleaned up with glass paper and as I keep repeating, I use an eye loupe (magnifier which clips on to my glasses). I simply could not work in this scale (or do very fine work any other probably), without it.
I have made some more progress although things have been a bit slow as I have been distracted somewhat this week, and the Easter weekend is looming…..
I put two small supports for the engine into the engine compartment and then started the fiddle to get the engine to fit properly. The front of the engine sat behind the radiator housing and the rear extended slightly over the bar on the rear fuselage so I used a round file to shape a groove in the bar so that the end of the engine could rest on it. The radiator was cemented into place on the nacelle first, followed by the engine, which had been painted of course. I then added a piece of card to the starboard side of the engine - I am not certain what this was for - I think that it may have been an oil tank. The support struts were from stretched sprue. The exhaust sits above.
I removed the centre section from the lower wing of the DH 4. The new tip shape was drawn on the wings and then they were cut and reshaped. The strut holes, aileron grooves, and moulding dimples were filled and sanded and the bomb racks removed. I also rubbed down the wing ribs and added two small pieces of 20 thou card to the cut out in the centre section. The new cut-out was made and the trailing edge of the card sanded to a knife edge. Finally I re-aligned the anhedral.
The wings were now ready to fix to the nacelle: these were supported while they dried out to ensure that the correct anhedral was achieved. As usual I used the most sophisticated tools to support the wings while they dried out. Getting the wings square with the nacelle and the correct anhedral is crucial if everything is to line up properly later. I added new ribs from 10 thou Evergreen strip and the new ailerons were scribed.
Final details were then added to the nacelle. I drilled two holes for the front undercarriage legs, and made two ammunition boxes for the observer from 10 thou card and cemented them to the front of the nacelle sides. I made a small air intake for the starboard side just behind the pilot's cockpit from 10 thou card and another intake for underneath the nacelle, also from 10 thou card.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4049/34796490544_4638373c84_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/V1R7m9)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4029/35469563072_2337d429f7_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/W3jMmU)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4209/34796491034_bd5602d1ca_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/V1R7uA)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4240/34828779063_4dc336b926_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/V4GAAK)
I will post more when I have completed the top wing and tail surfaces.
Thanks for looking.
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Outstanding progress! Looks terrific!
RAGIII
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Incredible work in 1:72 again LM. I admire your talent and results. Very ambitious project, and inspiring to say the least. Like your previous Builds, a joy to follow!
Cheers,
Lance
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Beautiful work LM, the match under the wing really shows how small this model is, you are achieving great results in a small scale.
Des.
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you sure like those pushers lm. looks great so far. i always check inyour builds even if i dont always comment. tedious builds for 1/72 and you do them justice.
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Hello LM,
Wow, that's amazing, I admire your work very much. Outstanding!
Kind regards
Patrick
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Hello LM,
Wow, that's amazing, I admire your work very much. Outstanding!
Kind regards
Patrick
Couldn't say it better than my friend Patrick, LM. Wonderful!
Cheers,
Ernie :)
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Great work as usual! I will cheat on this one as I have the Choroszy kit....
Ian
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Evening All,
Thanks to all of you for the kind and complimentary remarks - I am very flattered by them all.
Unfortunately when I posted the last piece I made a mistake with the photos and did not see it when I did a quick review. I have only just returned from visiting family over the Easter break and thus only just found the error. I have replaced a copy of a photo that appeared twice with the one that I had originally intended to post. My sincere apologies to all and I hope that the new photo will give a better idea of the model as it is so far.
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Evening All,
I have not been able to make much progress in the past couple of weeks because life has got in the way of important things, like modelling. Hence there is only a little to report at the moment.
Almost all of the work has been on the top wing - modifying and shaping the tips, filling the strut grooves, taking out the old anhedral and bending the wing to the new shape, reshaping the cut out in the trailing edge, making a gravity tank from laminated card, drilling new strut holes in both wings and filling the old aileron grooves and scribing new ones. I have also cut the booms from florists wire and cut the tail surfaces from card. The ribs have been added to the wings and tail surfaces using Evergreen strip which was then sanded down.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4002/34828773093_2a7609ab41_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/V4GyPP)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4283/35476948152_bc48a9125e_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/W3YCFS)
The next stage will be to attach the booms and then paint the model.
Thanks for looking.
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Impressive work LM
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hail to the brail pusher king
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Very nice work LM. Looking splendid indeed! I find your builds to be very inspirational. Thanks for sharing.
Regards,
Bob
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With the possible exception of 100% Scratch Building, this is real modelling. Tremendously interesting to follow and inspirational to say the very least.
Lovely work LM! 8)
Cheers,
Lance
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Outstanding work LM! Looking Terrific!!
RAGIII
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Looks realy good, very great work LM.
Martin
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I have been following your build with interest, lone modeller. I have this one on my 'to build' list as well. I was planning to do a total scratch build though. If I find the wings too much of a project, I may follow your example.
It may be some time before I actually make the attempt on this one though. I have a long list ahead of this one. Great work so far and keep up the excellent modelling!
John
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Fantastic LM, great progress and looking decidedly like a DH1! Love it!
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Lovely work so far LM, looking forward to seeing the booms fitted.
Des.
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Evening All,
Thanks again to everyone for the supportive and encouraging remarks. I am honoured that such compliments have come from modellers who regularly post models of the highest quality and whose work I greatly respect. I do hope that some of you will give one of these pushers a try in the future: as I hope to show here they really are stronger than they look, even in the construction stage. I started the next stage by gluing the booms to the wings and the horizontal tail unit (as described in the FE 2b build), with epoxy glue and allowed them 24 hours to dry out. The lower surfaces, nacelle sides and wheel discs were clear doped linen, the top surfaces and nacelle nose, top and rear of the underside were PC 12. In fact it is not certain whether DH 1A's were painted in these colours according to C. Overs in the DatatFile, but Munson shows this colour in his illustration, and I think it reasonable that some covering would have been used particularly in the desert sun. The ammunition boxes, booms, fuel tank and tyres were grey. The struts were natural wood.
While I thought that posting photos of paint drying would not be too interesting I did think that some people would like to know how I paint roundels (cockades) by hand. I start by scribing circles equivalent to the outer diameter of the roundels on the wings using a pair of dividers. I then paint two coats of white paint inside these circles, allowing the paint to run into the grooves and so make a clean sharp edge. Then I scribe the inner rings of the roundels with the dividers.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4010/35469566562_f8a8f49424_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/W3jNp5)
The above image shows the rings scribed on the top wing and the blue outer painted in. This was too dark so I painted a second coat of lighter blue over this before the red centre was painted. By using a fine brush very clean rings can be achieved and no touching in was needed. The rudder stripes were hand painted and the serial came from Almarks.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4125/35469566972_1e214bbaac_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/W3jNw9)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4215/35469571382_e5f98cb1f6_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/W3jPQb)
When that the wings, nacelles and tail surfaces were complete the assembly continued. I cemented the four outer wing struts into the holes on the lower wing. (The struts came from the DH 4). Then I put small drops of glue into the holes in the upper wing and carefully lowered the top wing on to the lower wing and rudder. I inserted the pin on the bottom of the rudder into the V of the lower boom where I held it with superglue, and the top of the rudder was cemented to the rear of the fin on the horizontal tail surface. This assembly was allowed to dry out overnight. This assembly is actually much stronger than it looks and allows considerable amounts of (gentle) handling as you insert the remaining struts. I have used this method on all of my pushers so far and not had a problem with it.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4290/34828798583_1125b4b359_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/V4GGpi)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4259/34796534904_3715c5c416_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/V1RkwY)
When it was dry I added the inner wing and cabane struts first, followed by the boom struts. On the starboard forward cabane strut I added a wind generator made from scrap 30 thou card, and on the port forward cabane strut a fuel pipe from the fuel tank to the top of the nacelle.
I cut two sets of undercarriage legs from 30 thou card and shaped them to aerofoil section. I cut a small extension to the bottom of the legs so that I could put in the small curved section which supported the axle. The DH 4 axle was used without modification, as were the wheels. The legs were glued to the fuselage and the axle between the legs and they were painted PC 12. I cut a tail skid from card but did not glue this or the wheels as I will wait until the model is rigged as they are easily damaged. Finally I added the control horns to the fuselage and flying surfaces - these were from scrap 15 thou card.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4283/34796538694_98b3c02218_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/V1RmEj)
The next task will be to rig the model and add the final details. I will post these when the model is complete.
Thanks for looking.
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Quite a few giant leaps you have taken LM, the wings look great and the booms fitted extremely well, your painting and painted markings are superb, I'm looking forward to seeing the rigging.
Des.
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Thanks LM. Seeing your lovely DH-1A take shape makes me smile. ;D Just beautiful! Very fine work.
Cheers,
Bob
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LM you make an exellent work.
Martin
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Impressive work LM, looking good. Not something I will try, one DH2 in the stash is enough for me! :D
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Most impressive, Sir!
Looking forward to seeing this one brought to a finish.
Excellent work!
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Evening All,
Thanks again for the complimentary remarks, they are much appreciated. I wanted to finish this one this week as I have to go away next week and I do not like leaving models almost finished - I am constantly thinking about them otherwise.
I used the same procedure to rig this model as I used with the other pusher conversions that I have made. I started with the cabane strut wires, then the front/rear wires between the wing struts; the wires along the rear of the wings, then the front of the wings; undercarriage, booms, tail bracing and control wires; wing control wires and last the anti-drag wires at the rear and then the front. If you are systematic and work on one side of the model and then do the same set of wires on the other side for each stage you should avoid leaving any out. Some people I know tick them off on the rigging diagram. I used copper wire held with superglue. The tail skid was added as the last item during the rigging process to stop it being knocked off.
The final details were the propellor, wheels, underwing skids, machine gun mountings, a machine gun and cartridge bag, and a windscreen for the pilot. On some machines the observer had a two-piece clear screen that folded downwards and forwards but on many aircraft this seem to have been removed, so I did not include it on my model.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4100/35598413516_f57cf4bb2a_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/WeHb7h)
I have posted some pictures in the completed models section for those who wish to see more.
This was the last of the six pusher conversions that I set out to build over 30 years ago (but stopped after about 6 months and then left a 30 year gap!). They represent (with the Revell DH 2) all of the pusher types that saw front line service with the RFC/RNAS during WW1 and I wanted to build them as pushers do not seem to feature greatly in most model collections of this period. I also wanted to see how difficult they would be and was surprised by the answer: not very, certainly not much more difficult than the Revell DH 2. Although there is more rigging on these than some aircraft it is not more difficult. Now I will push off and think about what to do next - probably a kit for a change.
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I have enjoyed watching your progress on this one! Final assessment: WOW and then some!
RAGIII
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Beautiful work LM, another fine pusher to add to the collection.
I totally agree with your comments about pushers not being in many collections. I also have a desire to build them but I want to get my skills up to scratch first! My stash includes DH1/1a, DH2, FE2b, FE8, Vickers Gunbus, Voisin III, AGO C.II, and Farman "Shorthorn". I'll be sure to referance your builds when I get to mine.
Ian
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Amazing build LM. I can't stop repeating what a respect I have for modelers like you in this scale. Wonderful, stunning work.
Kind regards
Patrick
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Another wonderful job LM! I really enjoy seeing your pusher builds come to life. This one is top notch, as usual. Congratulations on achieving your 30 year-old dream! Very well done, indeed. ;D
Cheers and huzzas,
Bob
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Thanks to all of you for the wonderful comments. I am extremely flattered.
Keep a look out Ian as at some time in the future I also intend to take on a couple more pushers, including some on your list. Your skills are well up to this kind of work though - give one a go. For the moment I am going to give them a rest and try a couple of kits, but then I suspect I will get withdrawal symptoms…...
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An exellent build LM.
Martin