forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Under Construction => Topic started by: BigBlue on August 04, 2014, 11:15:01 AM
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One more Eindecker build.
I have been loving seeing the E series builds being shown here since I have been working on my own as well. I have been following along with, learning from, and shamelessly ripping off ideas from Bertl, Dave, Ssasho0, and Mark. All have been excellent role models, and their build threads have been incredibly helpful. I can't guess at how much pain your pathfinding will save me in undercarriage rigging!
I am building Enst Udet's aircraft, E.III 105/15:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo_zpsb96b8beb.jpg)
In case this build isn't complicated enough for my second Great War aircraft, I have ordered the Taurus Oberursel, and received a lovely resin cowl from Richard.
Anyway, here is what I have done so far:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo_zps5fcccd2a.jpg)
Aside from Alclad Aluminum and various oil effects, all paints are Tamiya. I mixed the gray-green from XF-22 (RLM Gray), XF-49 (Khaki), and XF-2 (Flat White) [3:2:1]. The leather is XF-64 (Red Brown), the light wood base is XF-59 (Desert Yellow), and the dark wood on the rear wall uses XF-52 (Flat Earth). The prop is alternating XF-52 and XF-4 (Flat Brown). All of the grain is dragged oils in various brown shades, and all except the prop (which is still drying) has a coat of Clear Yellow & Red (3:1). The seat belts aren't in the picture, but got a coat of XF-57 (Buff), and Alclad Dark Aluminum for the hardware.
I painted the Spandau XF-1 (Flat Black) and then buffed it using AK Pigments Dark Steel, which gives a nice effect to my eye. Similarly, the carburetor intake is XF-16 (Flat Aluminum) treated with the Dark Steel pigment. I'm getting my money out of that on this build (also used to weather the seat and fuel tank edges, and the tubing framework.) Additional weathering includes Flory Dark Dirt washes for a number of items.
Thanks for looking in. All comments, questions, tips, pointers, and feedback are welcome. Thanks again to my fellow Eindecker builders; I really can't tell you how much your posts are helping.
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Looks absolutely AWESOME!
RAGIII
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Great to see another Eindecker being built, one of my favorite aircraft of the Great War. What you have done so far is excellent, I love the propeller. Looking forward to further updates.
Des.
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Outstanding start, Chris! Your painting is brilliant.
Cheers,
Bud
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Nice clean and crisp paint work , well done !
Terri
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The propeller looks very convincing. Well done.
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Very nice work, indeed! You're off to a great start on this one- the woodwork is magnificent.
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Excellent start :) I really like the wooden floor tone and the seat cushion - this leathery look seems to slips away from me ;)
Best regards,
Sasho
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Looking very nice. Beautiful wood tones. I like the gun also.
James
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Great start, Chris. The painting is superb. Love the woodgrain. I look forward to more
updates showing your talents. Well done, and thanks for choosing an Eindekker,
a favourite of mine!
Cheers,
Ernie :)
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Excellent start, looks great, really great wood-tones, ;)
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Hello Big Blue:
Outstanding work on the interior components; all very nicely done. You picked a neat scheme, I was going to do that, but seeing I am going to do Immelman and maybe that Austrain Navy one, so I wanted a nice Beige one for something different and cut my teeth on. There are great build logs on the forum to refer to for guidance and "how did he do that?" I am looking forward to seeing how you progress. Best of luck with the Taurus engine, a kit in itself.
Best
Mark
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Nice to see the next Fokker EII/EIII.
Adam.
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Hello again BIg Blue:
I was looking at your interior components again. I really like how your prop turned out. Looking forward to your next update.
Best
Mark
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Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to check out the thread and post comments (and an extra thanks to the Eindecker pathfinders!). I have been negligent in expressing my gratitude, but I appreciate all the support.
I've been on vacation with the family for the last week, but hope to have a (probably small) update in the next day or two.
Chris
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Looks great!!!!
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Thanks for the kind words, Cajun.
I have a small, but much overdue update. I have been on vacation with my family for the majority of the last 2 weeks, so between travel and the absolutely stunning weather we have been enjoying, time at the bench has been minimal (for both this aircraft and the D.VII I am planning for the group build!) That said, I did squeeze in a bit of modeling time, most of which has gone towards moving the cockpit to completion:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo_zps4a57e671.jpg)
The side bracing is monofilament, and the turnbuckles are fashioned from slide fit aluminum tubing which I colored with a gold Sharpie. I had originally strung a version with Gaspatch turnbuckles (1:32), but my results looked too cramped on those small spans, so I decided to try to simplify a bit. I cut small pieces (not really small enough to be scale) to represent the eyelets at either end, and pair of slide fit tubes to represent the body:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo_zps00082c7c.jpg)
After I had worked all of this out and completed the rigging, I realized that the nagging feeling I had was caused by the fact that a majority of the reference photos I have seen seem to show some kind of protective covering over the turnbuckles, which would probably argue for a different representation. For example (from the San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives):
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/8098214111_dace8b99a9_h_zpsed2a7b85.jpg)
Oh well, perhaps for my next Eindecker build.
The control line rigging is fine EZ Line Sharpied silver, with the exception of the wing warping lines running from the small pivoting arms beneath the pilot's chair, which are monofilament.. I have not fully envisioned how they are utilized in the final build, and I am leery of having them hanging off of my fuselage during the painting process. I plan on using just enough of them to attach to turnbuckles which will then, in turn, connect to the actual wing rigging, but left them long to, hopefully, make it easier to accomplish this. Any advice here from the Eindecker builders would be welcome.
Pressing the structure together for a few pictures looks like this:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo2_zps02f278f4.jpg)
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo3_zps0b7e4389.jpg)
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo4_zps70345442.jpg)
I can see that a bit of flex in the plastic framing means that I will have to tighten up one or two of the monofilament bracing lines. I can also see that the wrestling process of getting the photo-etch belts has marred the paint on the back of the seat, despite my annealing and pre-forming the belts prior to painting anything. I may be ready to spend the extra money on fabric belts.
I didn't execute the turned finish on the aluminum of the front flooring or the ammunition box. I am using the reference photo on page 3 of the instruction book to justify my decision, but must say I like how it looks on those of your builds where you took the extra steps required.
I have drilled a pair of holes in the middle cross bars on the framing just ahead of the control panel which I will use for the cross bracing at the pilot's feet once the cockpit is assembled. I have also drilled the connection point at the base of the control stick for the elevator lines. I am planning on adding a bit of EZ Line to represent the cable the runs from the machine gun to the trigger on the stick, but will wait until after I have removed any masking post fuselage painting so as to avoid damage.
Finally, as can be seen in the first picture, I gave the propellor a few coats of clear "varnish" once the oil paints had dried. The first coat was a mix of clear yellow & red, and a second coat was a clear brown that I mixed from clear red, yellow and blue. As a side note, I am thrilled that Bertl gave a more detailed explanation of his colored pencil technique, as I am still looking for a better way to represent the laminations.
I should have the cockpit finished this evening, and then will have to stop procrastinating on figuring out my technique for the turned aluminum so I can button up the fuselage. If anyone notices any important rigging steps I shouldn't miss prior to that step, please let me know. Any other suggestions, comments and critiques are welcome.
Thanks for stopping by, and thanks for making it through this post,
Chris
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Chris,
Your interior is really shaping up well! As for me I like the turnbuckle results ;D Your colors and wood tones are spot on.
RAGIII
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A very nice cockpit.
Martin
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Not bad, your Fokker Eindecker cockpit.
I like your work.
But do not forget the electrical wire from the Blibschalter to the ignition distributor on the engine. ;)
Here is an original picture - note the orange arrows.
(http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h342/ASKundASK/Fokker%20EI/Allgemein/CockpitEIII1a_zps7e8d5c57.jpg) (http://s1105.photobucket.com/user/ASKundASK/media/Fokker%20EI/Allgemein/CockpitEIII1a_zps7e8d5c57.jpg.html)
Here a picture of the model - you can see which wire I mean
(http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h342/ASKundASK/Fokker%20EI/Allgemein/Steuer23_zps73e90ed8.jpg) (http://s1105.photobucket.com/user/ASKundASK/media/Fokker%20EI/Allgemein/Steuer23_zps73e90ed8.jpg.html)
And here are three images of a E.III for your documents. ;)
(http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h342/ASKundASK/Fokker%20EI/Allgemein/CockpitEIII1_zps94c6fe18.jpg) (http://s1105.photobucket.com/user/ASKundASK/media/Fokker%20EI/Allgemein/CockpitEIII1_zps94c6fe18.jpg.html)
(http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h342/ASKundASK/Fokker%20EI/Allgemein/CockpitEIII_zps69cb4c95.jpg) (http://s1105.photobucket.com/user/ASKundASK/media/Fokker%20EI/Allgemein/CockpitEIII_zps69cb4c95.jpg.html)
(http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h342/ASKundASK/Fokker%20EI/Allgemein/CockpitEIII2_zpsfdc21c08.jpg) (http://s1105.photobucket.com/user/ASKundASK/media/Fokker%20EI/Allgemein/CockpitEIII2_zpsfdc21c08.jpg.html)
Servus
Bertl
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Hello BigBlue:
Okay, at the end of the control column that fits under seat and back wall, there should be four lines, two coming off each tab. Two attach to the control column ear that sticks through the fuselage and two go to the part A24 warping device on the undercarriage.
(http://i942.photobucket.com/albums/ad261/ptbarnum101/FokkerEIII_EIV/DSC01348.jpg) (http://s942.photobucket.com/user/ptbarnum101/media/FokkerEIII_EIV/DSC01348.jpg.html)
In this image you can see the two lines attached to part A24.
(http://i942.photobucket.com/albums/ad261/ptbarnum101/FokkerEIII_EIV/DSC01369.jpg) (http://s942.photobucket.com/user/ptbarnum101/media/FokkerEIII_EIV/DSC01369.jpg.html)
Bertl's work and build log is extremely helpful and I referred to it frequently in building mine. Great photo's of the cockpit Bertl.
Hopefully this clarifies that aspect. The lines hanging down didn't really interfere with painting that much. Cockpit looks terrific. Looking forward to seeing your Eindecker progress.
Best
Mark
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Beautiful work, Chris :)
A pleasure to behold.
More!
Vb
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Rick, Martin, and von Bob, many thanks for your kind comments. They mean a lot coming from you all.
Bertl and Mark, thanks to you both for the comments as well as for taking time to point me in the right direction. I am very grateful.
So after the vacation-induced time off from modeling, I was eager to make some more progress last night... which basically meant gluing up the cockpit structure before bed. Which I did before seeing the helpful suggestions above.
Bertl, it pains me deeply to tell the master craftsman that I will not likely be able to follow his suggestions after he has taken the time to show me the way, and even provided me with appropriate reference materials. :-[ I don't think I can add that ignition wire now that it is all buttoned up... I hope this will not deter you (or anyone else) from attempting to keep me off the rocks in the future.
Mark, I saw your post in your build thread regarding that particular rigging, and saw the lines on the rigging instructions, but then in my haste to do something, disregarded them. Hopefully I can salvage the situation as smoothly as you have.
As an aside, it isn't immediately clear to me what role those lines play. The control horns under the pilot's seat would appear to move based on the rotation of the tubing that runs from the control stick as the pilot tilts the stick left or right (causing the aircraft to roll). Furthermore, I assume that the end point of the control stick would tilt fore and aft as the pilot initiated elevator controls. Wouldn't having two fixed length wires attached to the aft control horns impede that? If anyone can take a moment to educate me, I would be appreciative.
Thanks again to all those that stopped by.
EDIT:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/7585190862_f82e7d7a88_o_zps08fbb161.jpg)
If I am looking at this photograph correctly (once again, photo credit to San Diego Air & Space archives), it looks to me like those two lines are not attached to the control horns, but rather seem to connect to the framing cross tube before continuing on aft. Can someone shed light on: a) their purpose, and b) how they would look with fabric in place and b-2) how that would translate to the 1/32 version?
Thanks again,
Chris
EDIT 2:
Hmm... the return lines for the elevators perhaps? The control lines attached higher up the stick pull one way, and the ones down here pull the other; one goes to the top of the elevators, the other to the bottom. Assuming this is the case, why would they run outside the fuselage for this span? Turnbuckle access?
Ok, I'll stop guessing (and editing) now!
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Chris, if I understand your question correctly, re: the lower lines from the control stick which are external running aft, and then re-enter the fuselage -- these are indeed the lower elevator cables. Why run them outside the fuselage? Parasite drag was not understood, frontal area was thought to be the most important aspect in aerodynamics, thus all sorts of excrescences puncturing the airframe envelope...
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Thanks, Bo.
That was the question behind all that fumbling around, yes.
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You make a fine work. I will follow your build.
Martin
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Hi Big Blue:
Regarding the external lines coming off the control column: What Bo Said. ;)
Best
Mark
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Martin: Glad to have you on board.
Mark: Again, you have my gratitude.
I started the process for the turned metal work following Wingnut's suggested XF-16 / X-11 combination by spraying the Flat Aluminum base. Chrome squiggles to follow soon. I generally prefer Alclad for my aluminum / natural metal, and have seen some beautiful finishes with Mr. Metal Color, so there is some chance I may re-start in a different direction if this doesn't work for me.
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I took a stab at the turned metal. Not sure what I think, so I thought I'd put some pictures up for feedback:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo3_zps3eaaca2b.jpg)
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo2_zps09348e57.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo1_zpsc9848599.jpg)
They're not the highest quality shots, and I had a hard time getting the light to show the swirls, but hopefully you can see the effect. As I said before, I followed WnW's recommended XF-16 X-11 combo. My concern is that the swirls are too large and chunky versus the original. As the paint thickened on me, the lines grew fatter. I also found it hard to see what I was painting unless I kept the light at an off angle.
I did some tests with combinations of Alclad paints, but haven't found one that I'm happy with, not that I've given up yet. As much as I like the pictures I see using Mr. Metal Color, I am concerned that those paints are too delicate without a clear coat, which would kill the effect, no?
Any feedback would be welcome.
Thanks,
Chris
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I also found it hard to see what I was painting unless I kept the light at an off angle.
The old car painter's trick ;)
I think your results look pretty darn good -- I think to really sell this you need to think about negative space (sorry, ArtSpeak) -- you want the viewer to be unable to discern which is negative space (the background color) and which is positive (the "swirls"); to do so the swirls and the background need to be really tightly integrated... If that makes any sense
If you haven't done so already look at Dirk's E.II build, (http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=1567.0) excellent photos of a really well executed technique on his cowls...
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I think to really sell this you need to think about negative space (sorry, ArtSpeak) -- you want the viewer to be unable to discern which is negative space (the background color) and which is positive (the "swirls"); to do so the swirls and the background need to be really tightly integrated... If that makes any sense
Bo,
I am familiar with the concept of negative space, and believe you are correct about the integration. I had not seen Dirk's build, so appreciate the tip in that direction. His results are quite nice.
Thanks again for the pointers,
Chris
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I think what you've accomplished here looks excellent. I'd sure be pleased if it was mine.
Cheers,
Chris
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Hello Big Blue:
I think what you have accomplished there looks pretty darned good. I tried using the paints and methods that WNW recommended in their tutorial, but switched to Testors Silver. I like what you have there and look forward to following your build.
Best
Mark
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Chris and Mark: Thanks for the positive comments, they are always appreciated.
Turned metal effect round 2...
(Actually round 28 or so, but who is counting?)
Ok, here is my latest attempt at replicating the Eindecker's metal work:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo_zps2c7b2d5c.jpg)
I wasn't happy with the version I showed earlier in the process, so I stripped the parts down and took another shot at it. I played with a number of paint combinations on some scrap plastic, eventually narrowing it down to two options. The first, which I thought looked good, was using a base coat of Alclad Dark Aluminum, and hand painting the swirls using Mr. Metal Color aluminum. After some light buffing, the aluminum blended into the surface, and the combination looked convincingly metallic. I opted against this because of the fragility of the Mr. Metal Color; I tried a clear topcoat to protect it, but since so much of the effect was based on the differences in reflection, the constant sheen of the clear coat killed it. I wasn't comfortable leaving it unprotected, so I opted for the runner up, which you see above.
This version relies on one of Alclad's "special" shades, Airframe Aluminum. The Alclad special shades are highly transparent, and rely on their undercoat for the finish properties. Typically, you would spray a gloss black base beneath Airframe Aluminum, which results in a shiny, polished metal appearance. In this case, however, I started with a base of matt Tamiya Neutral Gray (XF-53) which gives a dull, weathered aluminum presentation under the Alclad. For the contrasting swirls, I used Mr. Color Off White, which has a medium glossy finish, providing contrast in both color and reflectivity. Unlike my experience painting with the Tamiya shades, it was quite easy to see what I was doing with this method.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo_zpsf5d8b709.jpg)
Overall, I think the results are a bit of a mixed bag. My brush painting skills are not impressive, and certainly impacted the final appearance. In places where my paint coverage was too light, the swirls can get a bit lost under the Alclad, resulting in a very subtle effect. In other places where I put it down too thick, the extra dimension takes away from the illusion a bit. Perhaps the 1/32 Fokker machinists laid the aluminum on a bit too heavy in those spots. The overall appearance is metallic, albeit a generally dull and oxidized metal, swirls aside. I had the most trouble painting the cowl due to both its shape and the flexibility of the resin (lovely though it is), and in fact have stripped it again to make another attempt. More swirl painting for me...
That's all for now. Comments, questions, suggestions are welcome.
Chris
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Fantastic metal work !
Jacek
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Thank you Jacek.
I hope so! have been staring at swirls for so long now, I feel I may have lost my perspective on what is working and what isn't. I should probably take that as a sign to put it down for a bit, and start working on my D.VII!
Chris
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Hello Big Blue:
The swirls are definately a bugger to get 'right'. I Think right is in the eye of the beholder. Whatever technique works and has the desired effect is what works. I think yours turned out pretty darn good and once on the model will look outstanding. It takes on a different look once completed. I wouldn't go through it again. I am doing the E.IV now and am begining to get 'swirled out'.
Looking forward to seeing you progress and your next update.
Best
Mark
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Either way would have been fine with me so choose what makes you happy!
RAGIII
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Thanks for the comments, Mark & Rick. Always appreciated. As an aside, I always smile when I see your signature, Rick, as Callahan is one of my favorite photographers. Years ago, my wife and I were looking for a house, and we visited one that had a Callahan photograph on the wall that I recognized. Somewhat unusually, the home owner, an older gentleman, was there while we looked around, and he saw me admiring it. I told him I was a fan, and he surprised me by telling me that the subject was his wife! Callahan saw her on the street and took the picture. What a nice thing to have.
Anyway, I have re-painted the cowl, and am happy with the results:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo_zpsf97294b3.jpg)
One note: I used Mr. Color 332, Light Aircraft Gray rather than the Off-White for the swirls, and got a better outcome. I think that the light gray is closer to an aluminum color than the white is, so it takes less Airframe Aluminum to accomplish the metallic effect. The thinner Alclad coat results in better contrast between the swirls and the base. Whatever the reason, it is noticeably more effective and consistent with this color.
Ok, next post will be about something other than swirls. :)
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Hello Big Blue:
I think you nailed it this time. The other one looked alright, but; I like this better. I wonder if an overspray of some buffing aluminum paint would have nailed it with the white swirls? Curious. Looking forward to the next update.
Best
Mark
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Small progress.
I finally finished (re)working the swirls, painted and dirtied up the interior walls, and buttoned up the fuselage. One last picture prior to closure:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo_zpsc48ac8dc.jpg)
I'll let everything dry overnight, and will clean up my seams tomorrow. Hopefully I'll get to painting soon. I also plan to spend some time on the Taurus Oberursul in the near future.
Thanks for checking in,
Chris
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looks really sharp Chris...
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Hello, Chris -
Your cockpit detail looks good and I think your final version of turned metal looks about right to me.
Regards
Dave
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Looks Excellent! Your last swirl version seems to be right on!
RAGIII
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Very nice indeed ! Metal work turn out most excellent :)
Terri
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Very nice indeed Chris, the interior looks excellent and the metal swirls are well done.
Des.
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Hello Chris:
It all looks pretty nice to me. The swirls look great and the interior equally great. Looking forward to your next update and the Taurus.
Best
Mark
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As other already said: the swirls look great. Very convincing.
Stefan
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Lovely work Chris.
Best wishes
Nigel
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Thanks for the positive comments everybody! Given how highly I regard your collective talents, the encouragement is deeply appreciated.
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Verrrry nicely done 'pit' Chris. It sure looks the part!
Cheers,
Chris
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Well, its been a while since I've posted any updates, but I have been making progress. The fuselage is now together and painting is underway, and the wings have made it as far as getting their iron cross decals.
The sequence of events for the wings went as follows:
First, a base coat of primer. I am using the black Mr. Finishing Surfacer 1500, thinned 1:1 with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo1_zpsadb9ef3e.jpg)
I am a big fan of this primer as it goes on very easily, and dries to a really nice, consistent light satin finish. Nice stuff. Next, I masked off the internal ribs using 1.5 mm strips of tape. I am not going for a particularly pronounced rib effect, but in a number of reference photos, they do appear slightly darker than the surrounding fabric. I am guessing that this is likely due to a) shadow, or b) oil stains, rather than some kind of transparency, but regardless, I wanted to allude to the effect.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo2_zps3ab9da0c.jpg)
I didn't mask the framing around the edges of the wing, but instead went a big light on the next coating of paint in those areas. Similarly, I didn't see any evidence of the longitudinal structures showing in the reference photos, so I left them out as well.
Next, I sprayed a thin (1:2) and extremely uneven coat of XF-22 (RLM Gray, my exterior color) followed by a similar coat of XF-55 (Deck Tan) in a handful of semi-random locations. After removing the tape:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo1_zps1a7a28ef.jpg)
I next sprayed an even thinner (1:3) coat of XF-22, stopping when the the contrast between the ribs and the spaces looked about right, and some subtle variety in the final color was still evident. It is challenging to capture in a picture (particularly one shot with a phone under the glare of a 100w incandescent desk lamp), but this is close:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo3_zps794ab30a.jpg)
Next comes a gloss coat (Alclad Aqua Clear), and the iron cross decals. I have left the smaller stencils off until later so as not to risk damaging them:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo_zpsaa39f378.jpg)
Finally, I carefully reapplied the tape to the ribs (after putting another coat of Aqua Gloss over the decals), and sprayed them with a thin coat of Tamiya Smoke, followed by a VERY thin touch of XF-1 (Flat Black) in a handful of areas where I wanted a stronger effect:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo_zps36d0411e.jpg)
I am generally happy with the outcome, but continue to have problems gauging the strength of the Smoke shading; I just can't see the stuff until I remove the tape and see the contrast, so I wind up applying it heavier than I originally intended. As can be seen, my "darkened" ribs are now, in fact, lighter than the surrounding fabric.
I plan on adding specific oil stains and streaks, and will paint the metal walkways after the final clear coat is on in order to retain the aluminum finish. I have only shown the upper surfaces, but the process was the same on the bottoms. As this has been a long post (for a small amount of progress!), I will show the parallel steps undertaken on the fuselage in a separate post.
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Update Part Two, The Fuselage:
I closed up the fuselage as suggested in the Wingnut instructions (top first, then bottom), and spent a painfully long time filling and sanding. I realize this is modeling 101, but for some reason, I seem to have trouble getting those final hair-line seams to disappear. I fill and sand, but by the time I have the area smooth, the tiny seam re-appears. It takes far more rounds of this than I think it should. I've tried Squadron Green, Tamiya White, Mr. Surfacer 500 & 1000. I've sanded and used solvents (thinner, acetone, etc.). Pretty sure its me rather than my materials.
Ok, so once I was satisfied with my efforts, the fuselage process was basically the same as that of the wings. Black primer base, followed by a thin, uneven undercoat. In a slight change of order versus the wings, I waited until after applying the base coat prior to masking off the internal structure as a number of my reference photos show the fabric over the framing to be subtly lighter than the rest of the fuselage. Once taped, I applied a blotchy coat of equal parts XF-1 (Flat Black), XF-22 (RLM Gray), and XF-64 (Red-Brown), thinned (1:3).
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo1_zps8d33bfcc.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo2_zpsf134e1fc.jpg)
I used a handy diagram from Dan San Abbot that I found to guide my tape placement (somewhat poorly from what I can see in the photo!). The second photo shows the pencil lines I added behind the cockpit representing the framing wires. This is based on a photograph on page 14 of the instructions where they can be seen.
Like the wings, the final coat of paint was XF-22 (1:3) to tie everything together and knock down the contrast:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo3_zpsace02330.jpg)
Sorry for the blurry photo, but it is the only one I have prior to gloss coating. The framing is subtle enough that it is apparent in certain lights and viewing angles, and not in others. This picture was also taken after I had added a handful stains with MIG Russian Earth pigments while the surface was still matte. I increased the streaky effect with light directional sanding using fine grit micro cloth, but the gloss coat hides much of this.
The fuselage awaits decals, and this thread is up to date.
Thanks for making it through these two long posts. Comments, questions, and advice are welcome.
Chris
Edit: I forgot to mention that I made a bit of a mess of a number of the Taurus Oberursal's valve rocker arms (and a cylinder head or two to which they were attached), and am now on hold while I await replacement parts. I'd like to make a HUGE endorsement for Lukasz: not only are his products tiny works of art, but his customer service is as good as it gets. I'm a big fan, and will happily send my business his way again.
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Excellent work on that fuselage effect. It looks superb!
Cheers,
Chris
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Looking fantastic! Excellent results!!
RAGIII
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Looking great Chris.
Regarding the seams, I find it helps to chamfer the edges of the seams prior to filling (I learned this doing auto body work. Also hanging drywall :) ).
Filler is softer than the plastic and will tend to erode into a trench as you feather it. The chamfered edge gives the filler something to hang onto as it tapers off. Seems counterintuitive to make an even bigger gap to fill, but it works.
(http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh640/UncleTony1917/37a95f04a7ff105e987bc53c77b8c201_zps5da2230d.jpg)
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....slaps forehead with a thud of realisation "that's where I've been going wrong"...!!
Great tip Bo, will try this on the next opportunity.
Chris - the wings and fuselage are looking great, the paint variations work very well.
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Very nice work Chris, I like the look of that fuselage and you're doing an exceptional job on bringing out the detail. Looking forward to seeing this one at the completed stage.
Cheers,
Lance
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It looks great in my opinion! I have to try to use this technique! Keep up the good work!
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Thanks to all for the positive comments, they are certainly appreciated.
Bo, thanks as well for the pro-filling tip. There's hope for me yet! Do you actually chamfer the edges of the fuselage halves prior to joining, or get some narrow file down in there after the fact? Thanks also to Ian for making me feel I'm not alone in my struggles!
Chris
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Do you actually chamfer the edges of the fuselage halves prior to joining[?]
Yup :)
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Your detailed step by step guide is perfect Chris. Thanks for taking the time to photograph and explain each stage in the process.
I managed to find for you a monoplane image that features Ernst Udet on it:
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/WWI%20posters/ErnstUdetPoster_zps45eaf75b.jpg)
(Lessing were a cigarette manufacturer that used Udet's name)
A truly excellent build :)
Cheers
James
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Thanks again, Bo.
James, thanks for the comments, and thank you very much for the poster! I love it! I have been admiring the D.VII posters you've been sharing, so it gave me a big smile when I saw this one. Much appreciated.
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Need a quick sanity check, please:
I think there is an error in the Wingnut instructions (gasp). If I am not mistaken, scheme E (105/15) is equipped with the Garuda propellor, and is finished with decal 40:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo_zps6cb9af03.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo_zps82810396.jpg)
However, it appears to me that decal 40 is meant for the Germania prop, and that 41 is in fact the Garuda marking:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/props_zps467552de.jpg)
The accompanying photo of 105/15 does appear to show the Garuda propeller, and the other Garuda scheme, "D", does call for decal number 41.
Assuming I'm not crazy (based only on this limited data point....), this is a heads up to anyone planning to build this scheme. Unfortunately, I blindly applied the called for decal before my realization, so will need to remove it if I am correct. I don't want to make a mess of things if for some reason I am mistaken.
Thanks,
Chris
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You are not crazy-- but remember to check the WNW site for corrections to the instructions ;)
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Once again, thanks Bo. Did you mean the place on the WnW site where they specifically mention this correction?
Nothing to see here... move along.
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Very nice job on the effect with the wings !
Terri
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The corrections for this one are on the wingnut site. Check the the page for the EII/EIII early and click on the hints and tips link. Most planes have some corrections... WNW at least admit when they make a (small) mistake in the instructions
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Thanks, H.
I did see the update (after a gentle pointing in that direction) and was able to remove the incorrect decal without too much difficulty. Lesson learned: check the tips page on the website prior to construction.
Chris
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Terri, thank you for your nice comments.
Quick update:
I have applied all the decals to the fuselage and wings.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/_MG_5348_zps42e96997.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/_MG_5347_zps14394dba.jpg)
As the pictures show, there is a small seam on the upper corners where the side and top decals meet with which I need to deal. After that, I plan to add some additional weathering using oils before knocking the gloss coat back. Rigging approaches.
Chris
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Lovely and great work and paint Chris.
Martin
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Hello Chris:
You are making progress on it. Looks good from here. Can't wait to see you put the finishing touches on it. You are now on to the fun stuff. The rigging. ;)
Best
Mark
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Two big thumbs up !
Terri
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In a word, BEAUTIFUL!
RAGIII
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Chris,
how are you going to deal with that decal related seam? Cutting away happily? Applying copious amounts of Mr. whatever?
Tell me, please!
Stefan
One question, though: The photos of the wings (the ones with the Eisernen Kreuze allready applied) show some kind of green colour, instead of the grey tones you had applied? How does that come?
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Martin, Mark, Terri And Rick, thank you all for checking in. I really appreciate your supportive comments.
Stefan, I dealt with the decal seams in two different ways. One one side, I cut a sliver of extra decal material and applied it over the corner. This worked fine, except for the fact that I had thoughtlessly hit the already applied decals with a bit of Tamiya Smoke to tone down the white, so the clean new patch was readily apparent. I have tried to blend it in as well as I can, and will post pictures when I get the chance. On the other seam, I just dabbed some thinned white paint into the seam and it worked fine. The seams were pretty small, so the paint really just obscures the dark under surface that had been peaking out in the gap.
Regarding your question about the green tones, the color I used for the exterior surfaces, Tamiya XF-22 (RLM Grey) definitely has a greenish tint. I think there are a number of factors that caused it to become more prominent in the later pictures, the first being that the gloss clear coat made the colors appear darker, which intensified the green. Further, I think having that large white (and black) square in the middle of the wing, makes it look more green by comparison. Finally, I think the light source at my work table (a delightful mix of incandescent and "warm" LED bulbs) and the color added to it. The last set of fuselage pictures (against the black construction paper) were shot with a daylight balanced flash and are more representative, although I have since given everything a light matte coat which has muted the colors a bit more. By the way, anyone reading this that knows more than I do about color theory and how gloss and matte surfaces reflect light, etc. can point me in the right direction if my theories are erroneous.
Thanks again for the nice comments all,
Chris
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Here is a group shot of (nearly) everything I have worked on since the last pictures:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/_MG_5351_zpsf010e492.jpg)
The stains and streaks were done with oil paints. For overall discoloration, I used dilute washes of a mixture of Lamp Black and Burnt Umber, and for the vertical streaking, I placed very small dots of Lamp Black, Payne's Grey, Burnt Umber, and Transparent White along the upper edges, and pulled them down using a flat brush dampened with odorless turpentine. The majority of reference photos I have seen are of fairly grubby Eindeckers in the field, so I tried to replicate the effect without overdoing it. I still plan on adding a couple of specific castor oil seepages, as well as streaks of fresh oil from the rotary, and am still working out how I want to tackle those.
All of the exterior (fabric) surfaces received a light coat of Alclad Matte to take the intense shine of the Aqua Gloss off, and tie the stains into the rest of the finish. I read the thread on Alcad's lacquer based clear coats (http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=2915.0 (http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=2915.0)) with great interest, and would have weighed in on the discussion had it not been dormant for so long. I use Alcad's Matte and Light Sheen clear coats (as well as the acrylic Aqua gloss, but that is a totally separate product), and have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I have not found any matte or semi-matte coat that looks as good to me as the Alclad version; it is the only one I know of that presents a matte finish without adding the tell tale white haze. Other than the matte vs gloss effect, it appears completely transparent. On the other hand, I have had the same issues as a number of others where the lacquer just does not ever seem to fully cure, and will take fingerprints days or longer after spraying. It is very frustrating. It doesn't happen every time, and I think I have better luck if I thin it prior to spraying (I use Mr. Color Leveling Thinner), perhaps because it takes less of a coating for my eye/brain to register that I have covered the area. In this case, I wanted more of a satin finish, so the thinned Matte worked well. I sprayed the coat last night, and it seems to have cured, but we will see what happens when I need to handle the surfaces while rigging.
As an aside, I am a big fan of the Aqua Gloss product. Water based, dries fast and hard, and highly glossy. The only issue I've had with it is that it can occasionally be fussy when it encounters residue from the Micro Set/Sol. Given that I have yet to build something where the gloss finish is final, it has not been an issue since the matter/satin coats have no problems. I wish they would make Aqua equivalents of their non-gloss lacquer based clears.
The prop now has the proper decals, and I hit the fuel tank caps and ammo feed with Mr. Metal Color Brass. Not shown in the picture are the various undercarriage components that I have been painted. So, coming soon: final oil effects, undercarriage assembly (and probably one or two drillings that I've missed), paint and touch up the leather as well as the metal walkways, and work on the engine. Then assembly. I feel like there is something else I've forgotten.... oh yeah... rigging. Perhaps its time to work on my D.VII for the group build!
Thanks for reading through all this; comments, questions, tips are always appreciated.
Chris
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The vertical striping on the fuselage is excellent Chris, it really gives it a "realistic' appearance. I also read your comments on the occasional poor performance of the Alclad Klear Cote product with great interest. I think you may have actually provided the most logical cause for that problem (if I'm not mistaken I think I raised the issue originally). Perhaps (likely) the amount or thickness of the coat is a "player" in all this. I do tend to over do it and lately have forced myself to use thinner coats, with much better results. I think I'll try a few experiments with it when I get some time.
Back to the theme.............your Eindecker is still looking something well to the right of spectacular!
Cheers,
Lance
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Streaking has been a fixture in AFV modelling for quite some time now and it's good to see it making its way into WWI aviation modelling too. You've done a superb job with the effect Chris. Very subtle and realistic looking.
Cheers,
Chris
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Lance, Your comments are very generous, so I thank you. Regarding the Alclad, I was nodding in agreement as I read through that thread because I felt like I could have written some of those posts myself. I hope the thinned coats help fix the problem, because it does give a really nice finish. That said, for this build I don't want a dead flat appearance, but if I did, it would take more than one coat with the thinned Matte. Hopefully the problem wouldn't reappear once the layers start to build up.
Chris, thank you for the kind words as well; they are much appreciated. You are right on the money about the streaking, as I lifted the technique from a AFV build article that Google suggested! Simple but effective, and easy to remove if the first attempt is unsatisfactory.
Thanks again to you both,
Chris
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Chris,
the streaking you applied looks very convincing; nevertheless I have one concern. I always had the impression (which might be perfectly incorrect, hence my concern), that tis kind of streaking is meant to show rain marks, oil drippings etc. The majority of those streaks would appear (in real life, that is) on a parked aircraft. My concern: As the fuselage is not aligned parralel with the horizon, but standing at an angle, shouldn't those streaks be applied at such an angle as well?
Please do not understand that as any kind of criticism. It is not meant to be. I only see that you think a lot about what you are doing. This is why I dared to raise my concern. I hope you can understand it (English is, most obviously, not my primary language) - if not, feel free to ask what I mean.
Stefan
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Stefan,
No offense taken at all; it is a perfectly legitimate question, and I appreciate your asking. I wondered the same thing myself prior to painting, but after looking through reference photos, decided that most of the pictures I saw seem to depict streaks which ran perpendicular to the upper framing rather than perpendicular to the ground:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/fokkereii_zpsb544493c.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/7585178758_618af2ae49_h_zpsed186d4f.jpg)
I could certainly be mistaken in my interpretation of the pictures, but most of streaks seem to run parallel to the edges of the Iron Cross' white box. Perhaps this is because the tail was kept elevated while on the ground, or because the the leaks occur when the engine is running, at which time the fuselage is generally parallel to the ground. Or, perhaps for some other reason that I have not properly guessed.
Either way, I hope that I made the right call. Thanks again for checking in on my build and helping to keep me in the right direction,
Chris
p.s. The first photo is obviously from the Wingnuts website, and the second is from the San Diego Air & Space Archives. I know the latter is without any known copyright issues, and hope that the former is being used in an acceptable fashion (and helps to promote their products).
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Looks great. I really like the subtle streaking. Interesting observation and deductive reasoning. Something to give me some thought for when I get back to my bird.
James
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I had gained the impression that the streaking is where muck catches on the fabric in flight as the airflow crosses stringers and formers. It's not just that though, you are trying to create a scale realism, which you've done very well.
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Agree with Drdave . Has anyone thought that the rain water , oils, and such will follow the fabric weave ? Which is parrella ...
or am I way off ...
Terri
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Drdave & Terri, you may both be right, I am just guessing as to the cause. Thanks to you both and to James for your kind comments.
Chris
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Update:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/_MG_5354_zpsb162e7c6.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/_MG_5358_zps76f7368a.jpg)
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/_MG_5355_zps7c4cce99.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/_MG_5357_zps75d6cc98.jpg)
I painted the leather bits using Tamiya Red-Brown (XF-64). The tires were first painted with Tamiya Neutral Gray (XF-53), but I didn't like the color. The picture of 105/15 in the Wingnuts instruction book shows what appears to be darker rubber, so I took a page from Des' book, and colored the tires with graphite pencil shavings. Hat tip to Des. (As an aside, I finally noticed that the pictures show a fellow left hander at work...)
After some deliberation, I added the oil stains along the bottom of the fuselage using a combination of MIG Black & Russian Earth pigments and AK Interactive Fuel Stains. The Fuel Stains paint has a nice greasy look, but is a bit too brown for what I wanted, so I first laid out the basic shape of the stain with the pigments, and then brushed a thinned coat of the AK enamel over them. The side views are representative, but the underside view understates the stains. You can make out the shine where they are, but the flash knocked much of the color out of them. The top view is also a bit washed out looking due to the flash, and both are a bit too green. Need to do a better job with my color balance.
Next, I removed the masking tape from the turned metal areas, and assembled the front end of the aircraft. I was a bit nervous that I'd lose some of the finish with the masking tape, but fortunately had no issues there. I added the Spandau trigger cable using EZ Line and a small piece of nickel tube:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo_zpsff6f19a4.jpg)
I have also made a small start on the rigging by preparing the landing gear with mount points, and taking care of the small control lines coming out of the underside of the cockpit:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo_zps6117bba9.jpg)
I had drilled a hole through the bottom end of the control stick prior to assembly. After gluing the ends of two pieces of fine mono into the fuselage opening (to represent the elevator control lines running aft), I looped them through the hole and closed them off using small sleeves of polyimide tubing. The first one went without a hitch, but the second broke through the control stick leaving me in a bit of trouble. With Bertl's original solution in mind, I took a piece of wire and ran it through the remnants of the original drilled hole making a small cross bar. I was then able to loop the control lines around the protruding wire, glue them, and trim the wire. The wing warping control lines from the cockpit now run to 1/48 Gaspatch turnbuckles (held there using the polyimide tubing.) The turnbuckles will eventually run to the multi-armed device that connects to the various underside wing attachment points (A45).
The undercarriage awaits assembly, as does the tail skid, then rigging will begin in earnest. I am still undecided if I want to try to do it with EZ Line, mono, or a combination of both. I feel reasonably certain I want to use mono for at least the upper wing support, but not sure about the rest.
I did run into a bit of trouble that has me a bit down. At some point over the weekend, I noticed that the seam along the upper fuselage join mysteriously re-appeared. It started out as a small line, but has now extended from the fuel tank cap into the Iron Cross:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/photo_zpsedf0efe5.jpg)
After all that filling and sanding, to have the seam re-appear at this point in the build knocked a bit of the wind out of my sails. The only explanation that I have is that I noticed it after I had been dry fitting the wings in the fuselage. It is a very tight fight, and perhaps in my pulling and pushing to get them in, I upset the join somehow. Either way, it is a bummer. :(
That's all for now. Comments, questions and advice are all welcome.
Thanks for checking in and reading all this,
Chris
p.s. The Alclad Matte coat, which I had thought had dried without issue, is in fact up to its old tricks. I really need to find a substitute. Another small :(
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Looking great! Your staining is subtle yet gives a very good representation! Turning into a beauty!
RAGIII
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Great work and painting so far.
Martin
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Good evening to all,
I like it too !!
A gorgeous work.
Best regards.
Alain.
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Rick, Martin, Justin & Alain, I appreciate your very kind comments.
I have come to a bit of a halt on this build as I am conflicted about what to do about the reappearing top seam. One one hand, I would be much happier if it was not there, on the other, I am reluctant to strip the upper surface down to repair it given the seemingly high risk that I will not be able to match the painting and weathering to what already exists. (The idea of completely stripping the fuselage is too painful to consider). One way or the other, I will need to make up my mind and move forward, but I guess I am fully ready to do that yet.
I have a request for the community: does anyone have a set of the decals required for this potential surgery that they do not foresee needing? I have sent a request in to Wingnuts about replacements, but have not heard back from them. The specific decals of which I am speaking are 20 & 22:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/wnw_fokkerEII-III-back_zpsb52eec00.jpg)
I thought about trying to print my own version, but as with painting, I expect that it would be close to impossible to match the blue. My other option is to paint the blue all the way around the fuselage so that it is consistent, but that opens up a variety of ways for things to go wrong. I hope to hear positively from New Zealand, and regardless of that, I may not have the nerve to strip down a finished paint job, but I thought I'd ask to see if there is a spare set out there before I make any decisions. If there is some way for me to reciprocate, I will be happy to do so.
Thanks again to all, and sorry to impose.
Chris
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Chris,
I would think someone will come through for you with the decals you need. If so, consider using part of the blue strip to recover the top decking portion and thus covering the seam. For the rest of the seam, a small application of the base fuselage colour with some flat overcoat and even a bit of the spilled fuel stain extended over it should work. As for the re-surfacing of the Alclad problems, I must admit I'm totally stumped, don't know what were doing wrong.
Cheers,
Lance
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I would do the repair in situ, filling the seam with paint. Lots of clear coats, polish til the blemish disappears. it's doable!
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Hello Big Blue:
I have a set of those decals. If you decide to strip it down and redo, I can send them to you. No worries.
Best
Mark
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Lance & Bo, thanks for the advice... you've given me hope!
Mark, thank you VERY much for the offer. Hopefully I won't need it!
I am deeply appreciative.
Chris
EDIT: I just heard from WnW and they are sending me the decals. Thanks again for the offer, Mark.
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Yes, try filling that seam with paint. It should work on the fuselage part; the rest will be covered afterwards with your replacement decals. Good luck!
Stefan
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Chris this is your choice whether to effect a repair or not to the seam. To my eye, it is barely visible, and by leaving well alone there is no risk of affecting the of your model. The model as a whole is excellent.
Of course, we are each our own strongest critics. No doubt you will make a good repair :)
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Beautiful work, Chris. Your paint work is inspirational. Very well done.
Cheers,
Ernie :)
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I have the same "seam" issue, even thou it is not that severe. Do you used a monocomponent putty or a bicomponent putty? The monocomponent ones (like mr desolved putty or surfacer 500) have the tendency to continue shrinking long after you finished working with them and sometimes it leads to those cracks :(
Try repairing it, because the model looks great and this crack is ruining it :(
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I completely missed your original comment on the seam, sorry about not reading carefully :-[
It is not that noticeable but it seems to be an issue with you so I would go ahead and repair using a method you are comfortable with.
RAGIII
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I have the same "seam" issue, even thou it is not that severe. Do you used a monocomponent putty or a bicomponent putty? The monocomponent ones (like mr desolved putty or surfacer 500) have the tendency to continue shrinking long after you finished working with them and sometimes it leads to those cracks :(
Try repairing it, because the model looks great and this crack is ruining it :(
Sasho, I used mono-component putties (Squadron Green and Mr. Surfacer), so perhaps that is the issue. I'd guess that the broad, flat surface is more likely to show flaws than a rounded fuselage would be. I know of at least one other person who had the same issue of the seam re-appearing after some period of time, so apparently it isn't too uncommon.
I am going to see if I can make some progress with a couple of clear coats as it seems like a pretty low risk place to start. I am cautiously optimistic after reading through the advice here. Thanks to everyone for the supportive comments, they are sincerely appreciated.
Chris
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I myself use SSP putty that stuff doesent shrink and sands great.
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10115769
Ron
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Well,
It has been a while since I have updated this build log as I have largely been on hold while awaiting decals from WnW... which arrived this afternoon! In honor of the delivery, I thought I'd share a couple of pictures of my now completed Taurus Oberursel::
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/_MG_5680_zps69682631.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/_MG_5681_zps4d1e7f60.jpg)
I built the engine following the "detailed instructions" on Taurus' website. I used Mr. Color Stainless Steel, Iron, and Brass, as well as Gunze Off-White for the spark plugs, and a mix of Tamiya Red & Hull Red for the bakelite. At various stages I used 2-part epoxy, and both thin and thick CAs. Finally, I weathered the engine using Tamiya Smoke and Flat Black as well as a bit of AK Engine Oil, and MIG Black Smoke pigment.
This is the first time that I have undertaken an aftermarket item even remotely this complex, and it was a learning process for me. I will preface my comments by stating in the clearest possible terms, that this kit is an amazing piece of artistry, and when completed it is absolutely beautiful (even in the hands of a butcher like myself, let alone in the skilled hands of someone like Bertl and many others on these forums). It is just not in the same league as the kit engines (Wingnuts, Tamiya, etc.) that I have built since returning to the hobby, and in fairness, requires a significantly higher effort than they do. In addition, I am a big fan of Lukasz, and am extremely thankful for his help; his customer service is on par with the quality of his products... as good as it gets.
That said, while I am very happy to have this completed engine to include with my build, I can't say I am eager to repeat the experience. The engine has been on my desk in various states of completion for a bit over two weeks as I found that I could only get through little chunks of work at a time before stepping away. The problems, for me, came from the small size and fragility of many of the critical parts. With my middle-aged eye sight I needed an strong magnifier to see what I was doing, and even with that help, found that I had not done a great job replicating alignment symmetry from cylinder to cylinder only after moving to the next stage (for example, some of the rocker arms are not square, some of the spark plugs are not at precisely the same angle as the others). I also needed to find ways to safely handle the piece during construction in order to avoid damaging the delicate work I had already completed, but even still, repairs were necessary from time to time. This kit confirmed for me that there is a fine line between holding a part firmly in place in tweezers while the CA sets, and squeezing hard enough to break it (or worse launch it into oblivion), and that line exists somewhere near the edge of my patience and skill set.
Please note: these comments are about my abilities rather than any shortcoming of the product. I'd encourage anyone with an appetite for detail work to invest in this little gem of an engine, it will not disappoint you. I have a handful of Taurus bits to add to my D.VII's BMW engine, and am looking forward to this smaller scale project; the full engine replacement may have been a bit too much for me to bit off at this point in my modeling "career".
Anyway... I am hopeful to put the replacement decals to work in the near future, and then get this build back on track and into rigging.
Thanks for checking in,
Chris
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Considering your tribulations in the building process I must say that your engine looks superb! I love the painting/variations in tone!
RAGIII
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Thanks, Rick. You are (as always) a gentleman.
Chris
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Chris,
Viewing the complexity of this little beauty I can understand your comment that you are not "eager to repeat the experience"! It may not be perfect result in your view but to my eyes it is a truly magnificent piece of work; you've done a beautiful job on it. The paint work, shading, and subtle "dirtying up" are perfect and this will be a very nice addition to an already impressive Build.
Very nice work!!
Cheers,
Lance
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I'm still finding my way around here and have only just now come across this build log....and I am sincerely glad I did! Really excellent work, Chris.
I think the way you built up the layers to achieve the effect you wanted on the fabric surfaces is brilliant. Likewise the work on the Taurus Oberursel...you have a great eye and a wonderfully deft touch with brushes - air and bristle.
When I got to the part in the log showing the opening seam my blood froze on your behalf. I make Japanese lacquer ware for a living and have had glued up pieces show a seam 6 months after finishing, so I can honestly say I feel your pain. I think Bo's suggestion may be the best and am wondering how you finally tackled the problem. If all else fails, do a figure of the pilot and have his coat sitting on that portion of the fuselage waiting to be donned. Or a chart with a helmet and goggles holding them down.
Best of luck with the rest of the build. I will certainly be using it when I finally get to an Eindekker.
Cheers from NYC,
Michael
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Michael, thank you very much for your kind comments and helpful suggestions. They are both very much appreciated.
I had not thought about the idea of using a figure, probably because despite your analysis, my brush painting skills are pretty iffy! I have basically followed Bo's (and one or two others' suggestion) to attempt the repair via clear coat and sanding, and despite a bit of a setback (which I will detail in a future post... I am late for a meeting!) I am optimistic that I'm on the right path. As I mentioned above, a new set of decals for this aircraft arrived yesterday from the folks at Wingnuts, so I will be putting my theory to the test in the near future.
Thanks again for your generous comments.
Chris
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Hi Chris:
I think your engine looks great. I can fully appreciate the challenges you faced with this engine kit. I had been tempted to buy one and just try it, but; I doubt my patience or skill level is up to the challenge. This will certainly add that extra "wow" factor on your finished model, which I am looking forward to seeing here.
Best
Mark
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A very well done engine. Wait for the next update.
Martin
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Most impressive :)
Terri
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Hello, Chris,
I am glad you have decided to fix the seam and not cover it with camouflage of a three-dimensional sort. As I said, that should only be a last resort. I, for one, will have benefitted from your problem. Had it not happened, we'd not have had Bo's suggestion of chamfering the edges before filling. It's brilliant, so, thank you both.
Your anecdotes of working on the Taurus engine and the issues of holding small parts, magnification, sound really familiar, as I'm starting to encounter the same problems. It is nice to know that as we wade into the waters of Grad School model building there are upperclassmen who are so willing to help.
Cheers from NYC,
Michael
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Thank you very much Lance, Mark, Martin and Teri. Given the regard in which I hold your skills, I am very appreciative of your comments. (Lance, I apologize for missing your comment earlier, I was reading the thread on my phone, and just missed it!)
Mark, the kit engine is quite nice in its own right (as would be expected from the fine folks in New Zealand), and as you and others here have shown, builds up into a beautiful representation of the Oberursel. My biggest issue with it was the seam lines on the cylinders, but even that wouldn't have been a non-starter for me. I chose to go the Taurus route largely for the experience of building it, and I certainly got that. If I build another Oberursel powered aircraft, I'd have to give some hard thought to how much that extra "wow" factor, as you called it, was worth to me in terms of time and well... frustration, particularly in light of how much of the engine is actually visible in the assembled aircraft. Like I said before, for those with the aptitude and inclination (and cash): buy this kit and don't look back; it is a real beauty from a great little company.
Mike, I'm glad you are along for the ride. I too have been very appreciative of the knowledge that Bo and many others have shared. As I mentioned in my comment on your build thread, I think you will be happy that you found these forums; I know that I am.
My family and I are traveling this week, so likely no updates for a few days. I'm hoping to get some bench time Sunday night while watching the Giants game. Thanks again to everyone for checking in,
Chris
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Well, my pace has been terribly slow, but I have been working on my Eindecker, and have an update to share.
As a reminder, a bit over a month ago I put up a picture (on page 6) showing that the seam along the top of the fuselage had re-appeared at some point after paint, decals and weathering. I wound up waiting on replacement decals from the folks at WnW (which they were very kind to provide me.) Here is the re-finished seam:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/_MG_5711_zps4a5e0dff.jpg)
I took a couple of different approaches to dealing with the seam as follows. For the gray-green fabric area ahead of the decals, I took the advice from Bo and others and built up the area with a number of coats of clear, and sanding between each one. When it looked like I had a smooth finish, I used a bit of the AK Fuel Stains enamel that I had used for the stains around the fuel cap, and painted along the seam, which eliminated it from view.
Because of some technical issues I had to do a bit more work on the decal area. I decided to try a coat of Mr. Metal Primer... clear... primer... good, yes? No. For whatever reason, I got some really nasty orange peel that required quite a bit of sanding. Fortunately, the issue was confined to the decal surface, and since I had a replacement coming, I figured I'd just strip that area down and use some actual putty (Squadron Green & Mr. Surfacer) to fill the seam. I masked off the painted areas and sides to protect them, but still wound up with a bit of repair work to do along the upper edge of the starboard side. Concerned that a strip of decal would be visible, I decided to paint the area and attempted to match that Bavarian blue. I settled on Tamiya XF-18, Medium Blue, which while not a perfect match, looks like a smokier version of the stripe color, so blended in very nicely with the rest of the weathering:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zps209737cd.jpg)
Once I had finished the repairs, and applied the decals, I attempted to blend the new work in with the old with various oil washes and gave the whole area an additional coat of clear, followed by a coat of Alclad Matte to match the rest of the paint work. I went over a couple of the oil stained areas with a thin coat of Tamiya Smoke to restore the oily sheen, and called it repaired. It was a bit scary at times, but now that it is done, I am certainly glad to have eliminated the seam.
To celebrate finally getting back to where I was a month ago, I have now also attached the wings.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/_MG_5710_zpse83963b3.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/_MG_5709_zps734cb569.jpg)
I will let the wings set overnight, and then will get the undercarriage underway tomorrow.
Thanks for checking in,
Chris
Oh, p.s. I have a quick question: I have painted the exposed cartridges in the ammo feed chute brass as recommended by the instructions. I am wondering, is this accurate, or would the bullets have been held within a canvas belt? Thanks in advance.
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Absolutely beautiful, Chris. You have certainly made up my mind
on what version of the Eindecker to build, although not up to your
talents. Yours is, besides being a great build to follow, an excellent
construction resource. :)
Cheers,
Ernie :)
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Good job on repairing the top seam. The seam on my EIV also reappeared and i will have to repair it. At least there are no decals on Immelmann's Eindecker. Keep up the good work.
Sasho
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Chris you make a very good job.
Martin
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Outstanding work on repairing that seam! As for the stripe, the color match looks great to me!
RAGIII
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Impressive repair job. Very well done. Congratulations. Let's hope that attaching and rigging the undercarriage happens without additional incidents.
Stefan
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Congratulations, Chris. I would think that accomplishing this repair in what looks like an effortless manner has led to a feeling of genuine satisfaction. To my eye, not only have you eliminated the seam, you have added a considerable amount of character...and seamlessly.
You have an amazingly deft touch and I look forward to seeing you complete this build.....as well as more in the future.
Cheers from NYC,
Michael
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Thank you so very much, Ernie, Sasho, Martin, Rick, Stefan and Michael. As I continue to say, I am very appreciative of the kind comments and support from such a talented group.
Sasho, I feel certain that if I was able to repair the re-appearing seam, then you will be able to handle it just fine. Michael, I won't deny that getting the repair behind me was a bit of a confidence boost! I still have relatively few builds under my belt since returning to the hobby as an adult, and this was not something I was sure would work out. I think it is likely a case of "a blind squirrel finding an occasional nut" as an old professor of mine once told me, but I'll take it!
I think that everything is painted at this point, and I have the undercarriage sitting in place under the aircraft waiting to be glued. I am just going over my rigging plan to make sure there is nothing that would be easier to thread now than once it is permanently affixed. I hope to actually begin the process this evening, and will post some pictures when I do.
Thanks again to everyone,
Chris
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I knew you could do it ;)
Ammunition belts were made of canvas with dull metal (brass?) spacers between the rounds.
500 round LMG 08/15 belt, LMG 08 should be similar:
(http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q180/JFL-F/500-roundLMG08-15belt.jpg)
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Welcome back Bo, and thanks for the support. I think it would be more accurate to say that you knew it could be done... my ability to pull it was an open question :)
Thanks also for the photo. Based on this, I assume that the majority of what would be seen in the chute would likely have been the canvas, rather than the brass?
Chris
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Thanks also for the photo. Based on this, I assume that the majority of what would be seen in the chute would likely have been the canvas, rather than the brass?
Yep. The belt is 30mm wide (about 1mm in scale), so take it from there :)
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Thanks again, Bo.
Micro update, rigging commences:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zps70db2718.jpg)
Its not much, but it's underway.
Chris
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Looks like a fine start, Chris.
As your Eindekker build will be the Bible for mine, if you have a moment, can you please let us know the sizes of the various materials you're using. Are those Gaspatch turnbuckles? 48th, 32nd?
Thanks,
Michael
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Michael,
I am not fully settled on my rigging material just yet, as I am undecided if I want to do the whole job using monofilament, or at least some part of it using EZ Line. I am leaning towards the former, but will be ready to change plans if it looks like it will be easier. The little bit shown in the picture above was done with:
• 6x (.127 mm) fishing tippet material (monofilament) for the control lines. This is colored with a silver Sharpie ahead of use.
• 7x tippet (.1 mm) tippet to attach the turnbuckle to the control horn, also silver colored. To attach the turnbuckle, I cut a small sleeve of nickel tube, passed the mono though, then looped one end through the horn and back in, and the other through the turnbuckle and back. Tighten, CA, and cut the tag ends. Because it is not really visible and I needed to pass it through the tube 3 separate times, I went with the thinner diameter.
• .5mm outside diameter (.3mm i.d.) Nickel Silver Tube from Albion Alloys. I am using the metal tube for the connectors between hardware (i.e. turnbuckles to control horns). I decided to differentiate these from:
• 29 AWD (.0013" I.D., .0158" O.D.) Polyimide Tubing to represent the whipping around the steel cables where they re-attach to themselves (t.e. though a turnbuckle eye). Bo, Bertl and others have discussed this material at various times in the forums, which is where I first encountered it. I purchased mine here http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013HSOVG/ref=biss_dp_t_asn (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013HSOVG/ref=biss_dp_t_asn).
• 1/48 scale Gaspatch turnbuckles (Type C, if I recall). I also have some 1/32 scale which I plan to use for the arms on the wing warping control mast.
I would be very happy if this thread turns out to be helpful to your future Eindecker build (and would look forward to seeing it!) I make this post even more helpful by pointing you towards a number of the Fokker E Series build threads on which I have leaned heavily during this build (read: stolen from). There are others that are quite good and worth seeking out, but these are a few for which I have URLs handy:
In no particular order:
mgunns's (Mark's) E.III: http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=3869.0 (http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=3869.0)
Firefox's (Dave's) E.III: http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=3774.0 (http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=3774.0)
SsashoO's (Sasho's) E.IV: http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=3700.0 (http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=3700.0)
Dirk's E.II: http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=1567.0 (http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=1567.0)
Umlaufmotor's (Bertl's) E.I: http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=3195.0 (http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=3195.0)
Like I said, there are other folks whose Eindecker builds have been helpful to me, and certainly others who have produced results I would be very happy to match, so it is worth searching through the "Under Construction" forums. I have also found a number of useful photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/with/7585175000/ (https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/with/7585175000/)
I hope that helps,
Chris
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Man...ask a simple question...get an encyclopedia for an answer. Wow. Many, many thanks for the information as well as the tutorial, Chris. I will find this most helpful as I'm sure will anyone else building an Eindekker. And the specificity will be helpful on my next Pup build which will be my first rigging with "hardware". So, blessings on you.
Would you care to share with us what your next build will be?
Cheers from NYC,
Michael
PS Where are you that you are a Giants fan??
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Chris,
thank you very much for your detailed answer on Michael's question - this will come very handy when I will dare Tackling my EIII, that is patiently waiting for me on my shelf...
Stefan
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Michael and Stefan, I'm glad it helps. I have been on the receiving end of so much help and information here that I am glad to have the chance to try to move the scales just a bit in the other direction. I made some headway on the rigging this evening. It's very late so I'll just post one picture until I have more time tomorrow:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zps3d5931e0.jpg)
Nothing has been tightened yet, and a large number of lines are only attached at one end. I'll put up additional pictures and give a bit more information about the process tomorrow.
Chris
p.s. I am a life-long Giants fan (suffering through a bit of a rough patch of late) who now lives about an hour or so northeast of NYC in Connecticut. My last NY address was the Upper West Side about 15 years ago.
p.p.s. I should point out that the mono that I am using for the main rigging is a bit smaller in diameter than the instructions call for (.127mm vs .15 mm). Unfortunately that is the largest size I can fit through the polyamide tubing, and the next larger size tubing is prohibitively expensive. I am hoping it won't look to delicate when rigged up.
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I think the seams that you still left on the undercarriage's parts (the strengthening struts with the airfoil profiles attached) will distract enough, so nobody will recognize that you dared to "cheat"with a "wrong" diameter.
Honestly: Nonody will recognize that you used 0.127mm instead of 0.15mm; especially after you have applied a layer of paint. But you might want to work a little bit on those seams.
Stefan
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Once again I have to thank you Chris, for the marvelous
explanation of your build techniques, as well as the excellent,
helpful pictures to go with it. I look forward to more of the
same. :D
Cheers,
Ernie :)
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Absolutely excellent work! Looking great!!
RAGIII
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Like Rick no other word.
Martin
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Ernie, Rick and Martin, thanks for your kind words. I am glad the thread is helpful Ernie. Stefan, thanks for pointing out the seams on the undercarriage, I will see what I can do about toning those down.
Here is the more detailed post regarding what I have done so far. The most daunting thing about this build has been the rigging, and the worst part of that for me (so far) was trying to visualize where the numerous lines connected. I found the pictures and explanations that Mark (Mgunns), Sasho, and the others very helpful, so I thought detailed pictures would be worthwhile here. I can't guaranty that I will have everything correct, so be sure to check away before following my errors. It also goes without saying that if someone reading this notices a mistake in my rigging, I hope they will let me know. Enough disclaimers.
I decided to go with monofilament for all of the rigging, so no EZ Line for this. Prior to painting the undercarriage parts, I drilled out mounting points, and added wire eyelets where appropriate. I didn't take pictures at this stage, but will point out what I can in the upcoming pictures. As has been noted by Mark and others, the wing warping control mechanism (A45 on the E.II/III Early kit) required 6 holes: 1 at the end of each of the longer "wings" which will connect to control lines that run vertically into the opening in the cockpit floor (where they would attach to the similarly shaped horn on the horizontal pipe attached to the control column, A4), and 1 in each of the 4 pie shaped wings (which will attach to the rear 2 of each wing's 4 lower attachment points.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zpsa7b549d0.jpg)
As you can see in the picture, I also attached an eyelet just above the mount point on each leg. The lines from these two eyelets will run to the attachment points at the lower center of the triangular structure at the front of the undercarriage (B3). I pre-attached the lines at this end to another set of eyelets that I mounted ahead of time (the kit piece seems to have an area on each leg designed to accept the eyelets.)
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zps16654b8e.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zpse22b5253.jpg)
The last 2 lines I attached pre-assembly are the following which I mounted to the built in points on A25:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/IMG_1581_zps5ae42559.jpg)
The points needed to be drilled out in order to be used. Those wires will run to where the front assembly joins the fuselage. The kit has a small indentation at those spots (seen in the picture above), so I attached a pair of eyelets once the front had been glued in. In last night's picture, I have already attached turnbuckles to those eyelets, and you can see one of the lines awaiting attachment. Speaking of turnbuckles, based on the reference photos I studied, I have decided that all of the turnbuckles in this assembly will be inserted at the end of the line closest to the fuselage. Keep them up out of the mud, and make them a bit easier to get to.
Progress so far from a different angle:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zps93cdd414.jpg)
Missing from the assembly thus far are the 4 cables running from the undercarriage to the front underside wing attachment points. I plan to loop those lines around the tube and knob at the front of the structure as can be seen in the photo on page 7 of the instructions. It remains to be seen how well this will work. I will attach the other end to a 1/32 Gaspatch turnbuckle mounted into the provided holes in the wing. I incorporated an eyelet in each turnbuckle by running a small piece of wire through one end, twisting to form a loop, and cutting to size as shown in this blurry picture:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zps899b156a.jpg)
The eyelet glues into the mounting hole, and the turnbuckle is free to rotate into the correct angle when the attached monofilament is pulled tight.
That's what I've got so far. I apologize if the the wall of text and photos is too much. As I mentioned above, the rigging has not been nearly as bad as I had imagined (knock on wood). The planning really has been the hardest part, so if this helps, I'm happy. Once again, I can't promise that any of this is correct, I am just showing my work.
More to come,
Chris
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Lovely work. I'm following it closely. When I did my research for my IPMS USA Eindecker build review, I found from Josef Scott's "Compendia" that the Eindecker turnbuckles were color coded. Here is an excerpt from my review text:
"As you will see from some of the photos, the Eindeckers used a color-coded system for identifying which turnbuckles went where. The aircraft were regularly transported on wagons which were pulled by various vehicles. Their rigging was taken down and the wings secured alongside the fuselage for transport. When reassembling the wings and rigging, it was evidently important that turnbuckles meant for the starboard wing were not used on the port wing, and vice versa. Consequently, the turnbuckles were color-coded and instructions to this effect were stenciled on the wingtips for the mechanic’s edification – starboard red, port green, and the pylon turnbuckles were painted blue."
That was from part 2 — http://web.ipmsusa3.org/content/fokker-eindecker-iii-late-part-2
Hope this is useful. I'm looking forward to your continuing posts, and keep those photos coming.
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Thank you Eindecker.
I am very appreciative of any such historical information. I had remembered reading your discussion of this in one of the other builds on the forums, and have already incorporated it into mine:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zps28cfaefa.jpg)
The green turnbuckles (two of which you can see under construction in the last picture my prior post) are attached to the opposite wing.
I had not read your review, but will eagerly do so... I love the oily fabric effect I am seeing in the slide show.
Thanks again for your comments.
Chris
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Looking great Chris! All of the Eindecker builds are really informative about attaching the rigging. Your photos are a great tutorial!
RAGIII
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Your rigging looks very nice.
Martin
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Thanks for sharing this in such detail, Chris. It will be most helpful for many of us who have yet to undertake a WNW Eindecker (it's currently fourth from the top of my build list ;D).
Regards,
Bob
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Thanks again, Rick & Martin. Glad this is helpful, Bob.
I have finished the underside rigging without any major issues (nothing worse than the occasional eyelet popping loose when I tensioned the line), and in many ways it has been easier to rig this than my snipe (unlike a biplane, this has very few crowded-space installs) Tedious, yes; hard, no. Figuring out how the road map was by far the trickiest part.
Here is a shot of the front rigging:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zps62f8bf6f.jpg)
And the starboard wing attachments:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zps3d0346eb.jpg)
As I explained earlier, I looped the front rigging around the center post and knob. The lines connected to the outer attachments looped between the crossbar and the front triangle center legs (i.e. between A25 and B3). This was straightforward as there is nowhere for the loops to really go; I connected to the wing turnbuckle, ran the line around the center post, back through the sleeve, tightened the line and glued the sleeve, making sure the resulting loop was free to rotate. Repeat. Worth noting: these lines rub against the front of the landing gear legs. While I'm sure this is not how the 1:1 version works, they are still straight to the naked eye, so I'm not too worried about it.
The lines connected to the inner turnbuckles required a bit more finesse since there is nothing really preventing the loops from falling off the front of the knob. Those better skilled with a razor saw could probably cut a groove to hold them in place. I chose, instead, to make the loop off of the knob (which made it pretty easy to thread the tubing), and tighten the line while holding the loop in place with my finger. After tightening the line into the correct angle, I added a drop of CA on top of the knob for additional security.
None of the turnbuckle connections have been glued yet as I am waiting until I flip the aircraft over and rig the upper structure so I don't get slack due to the weight of the wings. I plan on cleaning up and finishing off weathering the landing gear, then moving on to the top side. It is enjoyable watching the aircraft come to life as the rigging fills in; it has been a fun couple of build sessions.
Thanks for checking in,
Chris
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Impressive paint work sir 8)
Terri
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"None of the turnbuckle connections have been glued yet as I am waiting until I flip the aircraft over and rig the upper structure so I don't get slack due to the weight of the wings. I plan on cleaning up and finishing off weathering the landing gear, then moving on to the top side. It is enjoyable watching the aircraft come to life as the rigging fills in; it has been a fun couple of build sessions."
Good decision. The wings on mine have developed a bit of a sag. Best to get all of the tension balanced before gluing the mono. I will insert a couple of thin shims between the wing roots and fuselage to straighten them, then re-tension the rigging.
Enjoying following your progress.
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Thank you very much, Terri, Michael and Justin. Your comments are sincerely appreciated.
Justin, I am using 29 AWG which Amazon sells for $12.03 for 30". I can fit a double length of 6x tippet (.127 mm) through it without too much difficulty, but I couldn't use it with .15mm mono, and I'm not sure I'd want to rig a whole aircraft using this size and EZ line. The next size up, 28 gauge, has an inside diameter of .32 mm, but given that my heavier mono is .152 mm (5x tippet), I am afraid it may still be too tight to fit a double length. Unfortunately, the 26 gauge only comes in packs of 50, which is more than a lifetime's worth, and costs $310.
Didn't get anything done tonight, but hopefully will be able to get some time in over the weekend. Thanks again to everyone who has been kind enough to leave a comment.
Chris
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Your build getting better and better.
Martin
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FWIW -- the stuff the tubing is made of is actually called polyimide not polyamide. I think I started this, not knowing the difference. I mention this because if you do a search on amazon supply, McMaster etc. for polyamide tubing, you are going to come up empty :)
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Thanks, Bo. I think the issue is that my spell checker flags "polyimide", but not "polyamide", rather than anything you did.
Chris
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Small update:
Here are two last shots of the underside before I start on the top side rigging (and posing the aircraft for belly pictures becomes a challenge):
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zpse0f94ed1.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zpsf78c5abc.jpg)
Clearly I have decided to go the oily route for my Eindecker. Virtually every in-service photo I have seen is of an grubby, oil-stained, muddy mess, and I have seen the mess a rotary engine makes on reproduction and restored aircraft. I figured this would be an opportunity to try my hand at some heavier weathering than I normally do. I know it won't be to everyone's taste, but I am guardedly happy with my decision. Hopefully it looks reasonable. Here is what I did:
After rigging, I mixed a few drops of water with MIG Russian Earth pigment, and liberally applied the slurry to the wheels and lower portion of the undercarriage. While wet, it looked like a muddy disaster, but when after it dried, it took on the more typically matte appearance that pigments deliver. I cleaned it up with a dry brush (and a wet one in a few spots) until I felt things looked suitably dirty. As happens with a wash, more dirt collected along the details, helping to separate them a bit from the sea of green. I repeated the procedure with MIG Black Smoke pigment on the engine firewall.
Next, I filled a bottle cap with AK Interactive Engine Oil (enamel) highly thinned with hardware store mineral spirits, and dipped a ratty old brush into it. With the aircraft sitting on its wheels, I cranked the pressure up on my airbrush (>40 psi), and firing short bursts, knocked the paint mixture off the brush in the direction of the airflow. In a couple of places, I used the air pressure to blow back some of the paint on the aircraft's surface. The aluminum below the engine and the landing gear too the worst of it. There are a few areas that look a bit heavier than I want, so I may go back with a brush and some thinner and clean things up.
Preparing for the upper rigging, I re-worked the wing warping pylon a bit using the 1/32 Gaspatch turnbuckles, and added a pair of eyelets for the rigging wires that stabilize the mast (the reference photos Bertl provided a few pages back were very helpful here):
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zps4bfb37b1.jpg)
With a bit of trepidation, I cut off the molded turnbuckle arms, and slit the stub with a razor so that I could insert the turnbuckle eyelet (one side to completion at a time so I had a reference to use to check the angles). I had to twist one of each turnbuckle's eyelets as they come turned 90° from the other end. I used some thick CA to give me a bit of working time, and squeezed the plastic bits around the turnbuckle. They arms seem pretty strong, but I admit I'm a bit nervous about putting too much pressure on them. The eyelets are just twisted wire stuck into holes I drilled.
I should be able to get some, if not all of the upper rigging finished this weekend. Getting close...! (Thankfully, since the deadline for the group build looms.)
Thanks for checking in,
Chris
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Wonderful work Chris.
Martin
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Beautiful rigging work! Extremely well done!
RAGIII
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Thank you very much Martin and Rick. I have appreciated your kind comments throughout the process. Speaking of which...
Rigging is complete!
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zpsc1c0017a.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zpsd8ea2a84.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zps44e604fb.jpg)
I didn't take as many pictures of the process for the upper rigging as I think it is a bit easier to figure out than the underside rigging. I showed the modifications I made to the pylon (adding 1/32 Gaspatch turnbuckle arms and wire eyelets) so I won't repeat that picture here, and the only other set up required for that piece was drilling a passage just above the pulley for the lines to pass through (as though on the pulley... this should be clear in the first and third pictures.)
I drilled out the pre-molded holes at the wing attachment points so that I could sink longer wire tails from the eyelets. I also drilled the "holes" in the aluminum part of the fuselage for the wires that pass below the surface without eyelets. The lower ones (on the sides) terminate a line that attaches to the inner/front wing eyelet; for these, the line is accessible from inside the "cheeks" (picture 2), so after passing the end of the line through, I made a small knot, applied CA and pulled it back against the inner cheek wall. The upper two holes hold lines connected to the eyelets I added to the pylon. All four of these lines have 1/48 Gaspatach turnbuckles along their runs (see picture 2).
The rest of the upper rigging was straight forward, and the techniques matched the lower rigging's: polyimide tubing, 1/32 Gasptach turnbuckles, .127 mm mono, Silver Sharpie. The two warping lines that run through the pulley are 2 continuous pieces of mono that attach to the rear wing connection points. Each eyelet on the pylon's arms connect to lines that run to the front wing connections. I waited until all lines were in place to tighten and glue anything, then supported the wingtips on two over yogurt containers, lifting the wheels off the ground, and ensuring the wings were as lifted as possible. I tightened and glued the upper lines, taking care not to over tighten and give slack to those already done. Once finished, I put the aircraft back on the table and tightened the bottom rigging. After re-attaching two turnbuckles which popped out under pressure, rigging was behind me.
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zpse5bede47.jpg)
Left to do: mount the engine, prop and cowling. Touch up the flat coat in a few spots. Fix the outline of the "M14" decal on the starboard wing which became visible sometime in my various wash coats (I did decide to remove some of the oil from the wings thinking that the cowling should have blocked most of those areas, and it probably happened then.) I also got a build up of CA in one of the holes in the top of the rear fuselage through which starboard elevator control line passes. I'm not sure if that is fixable without much pain at this point, so it may just have to endure as one more imperfection on the list. Given the relatively short (and uninteresting) list, my next post will likely be the final. I will put up a set of photos of the finished model in the Completed Builds section, and my first Under Construction thread here will be complete.
Thanks (again) for checking in,
Chris
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Looks STUNNING! I have truly enjoyed following your build. Very informative and VERY WELL DONE!
RAGIII
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Hello to all,
Masterly result !! You can be proud of your work. :)
Best regards.
Alain.
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Absolut great work Chris.
Martin
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Inspirational, to be sure. Chris, your comment re: the relative ease of rigging a monoplane, compared to the Snipe, has made me decide to move the Eindekker up in the queue. And, worth stating again, your build will be on the bench. Thank God for iPads.
I think the additional oil is great and really convincing without being overdone.
I look forward to more!
Cheers from NYC,
Michael
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Rick, Alain, Martin and Michael, thank you, once again, for your very kind comments. I have really appreciated the positive support.
Well, it took longer than I expected, but I am declaring this build finished. About an hour after I finished rigging and snapped the last set of pictures I shared, I realized to my horror that the seam along the upper fuselage had once again re-appeared! Those pictures show that at the time I finished rigging, the seam was completely fine, and yet there was the divot, as bad, or worse than the first time! While I was certainly more comfortable that I would be able to deal with it this time, this was not what I wanted to see!
The repair is now finished, and only delayed this post by a couple of days. I didn't bother with pictures this time, and I won't go too heavily into the procedure as it was basically the same as what I did when the seam appeared the first time: clear coat, sand, repeat as needed. I did eventually resort to a bit of Mr. Surfacer, so had to do a bit of repainting, but it wasn't too bad. After an oil wash to dirty it up, and a final Matte coating, it was done.
I finished the few remaining items on my to do list, mainly attaching the engine cowling and prop:
(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zps886b76ae.jpg)(http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad319/goBigBlueNYG/Fokker%20EIII/FullSizeRender_zpsfd68acfc.jpg)
Even with the Aviattic resin cowling, the engine was a tight fit (likely due to my poor construction resulting in the valve arms extending too far out from the cylinders.) I would up fitting the cowling around the engine and CAing them to the aircraft simultaneously to allow a bit of movement to get everything in place. Once those two pieces were set, I put a bit of CA on the end of the shaft, and held the propeller in place until it held. As I mentioned in my last post, there were a few touch ups I wanted to do on the Matte coat (which I did as I finished the seam repair), and that was about all.
I am going to put up a thread in the Completed builds section, and will post the link here once I do. I enjoyed this build, and aside from the reoccurring issue with the seam, had no issues with fit. If I do another (and I could see myself doing so), I will add a bit of plastic-card along the inside of that back seam for reinforcement.
I wish to thank all of you who followed along and gave me such positive support. I am also deeply grateful for the Eindecker build threads that I referenced many times during this build, as well as those who offered me helpful guidance in this thread. Sharing my build added a great deal to an already enjoyable process.
Thanks one last time to all for checking in. Comments, questions and feedback are still welcome. I'll come back with the link to the final pictures.
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Here are the final pictures in the Completed models section: http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=4396.0 (http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=4396.0)
Thanks again everyone!
Chris
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Chris, I can't say how much I enjoyed your build. This will be my reference
when I build mine, and if it ends half as beautiful as yours I will be ecstatic. :D
Superb work, my friend!
Cheers,
Ernie :)
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Ditto to Ernie's post, word for word...Congratulations on a job well done and for having the courage NOT to throw it across the room....twice.
Cheers
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Ernie & Michael, many thanks to you both.
I am so glad to hear this was a helpful thread. I have benefitted so much from the build logs (including both of yours) in these forums that I am very happy to have an opportunity to pay it back a little. This was a fun build, and I look forward to seeing yours!
Thanks again,
Chris
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Your Eindecker has turned out beautifully! Your informative thread will be a help to anyone tackling this kit!
RAGIII
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Spectacular build!
Drew
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An exellent build and masterful paint.
Martin
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I suppose the best compliment one model builder can give another is to tell you tha your build has inspired me to forget about doing another Pup right away and move the Eindekker up in the queue and make it my next build. If it's a nightmare, it will be on your head Chris....and you don't live too far away.....so you can run but you can't hide......when I come at you with 1,001 questions.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Cheers form NYC,
Michael
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Perfect... you've added the Pup to my list, so that will work out fine!
Chris
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Very impressive !
Terri
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Thanks Terri! I have appreciated your participation in this thread.
Chris
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Hello Chris:
This really turned out nice and your build log will I'm sure enhance what is already there. You did an outstanding job on this model, the weathering, the seam recovery, the Taurus engine all make for an outstanding job.
Best
Mark
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Beautiful work, Chris!
Dirk
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Thank you, Mark and Dirk!
I've had both of your Eindecker build logs open for reference for the last few weeks, so I am firmly in your debt.
Chris