forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com

WW1 Aircraft Modeling => WW1 Aircraft Information/Questions => Topic started by: skeeterbuck on August 18, 2015, 03:43:16 AM

Title: SSW D-III Seat
Post by: skeeterbuck on August 18, 2015, 03:43:16 AM
I noticed in the Eduard SSW kit that the photo-etched seat back is painted to indicate wood (plywood).

I thought that the seat back was aluminum. Who goofed Eduard or me?

Also, it looks like Eduard got the logenze better in the weekend kit that in the original Profikit version although the weekend version still looks off some to me.

Thanks!

Chuck
Title: Re: SSW D-III Seat
Post by: petrov27 on August 18, 2015, 06:33:45 AM
be curious on what others say - I went with wood on my build but I do not recall what I based that choice on....

(http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj150/petrov27/002-2.jpg)
Title: Re: SSW D-III Seat
Post by: RAGIII on August 18, 2015, 08:37:25 AM
I am by no means an expert but I would see no reason for lightening holes in an Aluminum seat?
RAGIII
Title: Re: SSW D-III Seat
Post by: skeeterbuck on August 18, 2015, 12:05:08 PM
I am by no means an expert but I would see no reason for lightening holes in an Aluminum seat?
RAGIII

I would agree if that's why the holes were made in the first place.

Of course if they were really interested in saving weight, why not use wicker like in the Camel?
Title: Re: SSW D-III Seat
Post by: uncletony on August 18, 2015, 12:18:49 PM
Because wicker is crazy labor-intensive compared to drilling some holes in a sheet of plywood.
Title: Re: SSW D-III Seat
Post by: skeeterbuck on August 18, 2015, 11:43:05 PM
Because wicker is crazy labor-intensive compared to drilling some holes in a sheet of plywood.

Raises the question why Tommy Sopwith did it in the first place?  ???
Title: Re: SSW D-III Seat
Post by: skeeterbuck on August 19, 2015, 12:34:13 AM
(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff181/Peter_T1958/www/c37ceb05.jpg)

Pic I found on the Aerodrome site. Notice how thin the seat back is and the seat cushion doesn't have any button detail.
Title: Re: SSW D-III Seat
Post by: ALBATROS1234 on August 19, 2015, 06:56:07 AM
looking at the holes in the seat it appears to be 1/4"(6mm) thick which i think would be thick enuff to maintain somr rigidity but still be lite enuff especially with the lightening holes drilled out.
Title: Re: SSW D-III Seat
Post by: skeeterbuck on August 19, 2015, 07:20:27 AM
looking at the holes in the seat it appears to be 1/4"(6mm) thick which i think would be thick enuff to maintain somr rigidity but still be lite enuff especially with the lightening holes drilled out.

I agree Albatros, but is it plywood?
Title: Re: SSW D-III Seat
Post by: Alexis on August 19, 2015, 10:51:46 AM
Answering your question , Yes the seat was made of plywood .






Terri
Title: Re: SSW D-III Seat
Post by: skeeterbuck on August 19, 2015, 11:23:31 AM
Thanks Justin & Terri.  :)
Title: Re: SSW D-III Seat
Post by: ALBATROS1234 on August 19, 2015, 01:20:29 PM
yeah what they said, thats what i meant to say in my post. i thought you were saying it was so thin it must be aluminum. i was saying it looked quite thicker than aluminum to my eye and was meaning to imply that yes it looks like plywood to me.
Title: Re: SSW D-III Seat
Post by: skeeterbuck on August 19, 2015, 09:18:07 PM
yeah what they said, thats what i meant to say in my post. i thought you were saying it was so thin it must be aluminum. i was saying it looked quite thicker than aluminum to my eye and was meaning to imply that yes it looks like plywood to me.

Thanks Scott!

For some reason I thought that the seat was aluminum.  ??? I think that the original Eduard SSW kit from the 90's may have indicated to paint the seat "silver". Also, IIRC the seat from the Fokker Dr-I was aluminum. Anyway when I started building the new Eduard SSW kit the photo-etched seat back is pre-painted to simulate wood. This is what prompted me to ask in the first place.

I didn't want to get it wrong after I'l sealed up the cockpit!  ;)
Title: Re: SSW D-III Seat
Post by: Alexis on August 20, 2015, 09:40:42 AM
Your welcome  :) A while back there was a topic on this matter and it didn't end well if I remember correctly . I'm not not sure on how this alum seat came to be .

Are you doing the Eduard kit in Swiss makings ? There are a few differences with the Swiss airframes then the Germans . Note the control column in the photo ...



Terri
Title: Re: SSW D-III Seat
Post by: skeeterbuck on August 21, 2015, 12:24:38 AM
Your welcome  :) A while back there was a topic on this matter and it didn't end well if I remember correctly . I'm not not sure on how this alum seat came to be .

Are you doing the Eduard kit in Swiss makings ? There are a few differences with the Swiss airframes then the Germans . Note the control column in the photo ...



Terri


No Terri,

 I still undecided, but I leaning towards Kessler's "Sea Serpent" scheme. I would like to do Fritz Beckhardt's but it's kinda hard to justify buying the Pheon set just for the three swastika markings.  :(  Of course I'm still working on the cockpit so there's still plenty of time to change my mind. ;)

I remember on the old forum your rendition of Reimann's blue fuselage aircraft and I had considered doing that version but I like the idea of the dark varnished look. Decisions...decisions...decisions.  :-\

As for the aluminum seat, like I stated earlier in this thread, the original Eduard kit it indicated in the instructions to paint the seat "silver". I even went back last evening and checked as I still have one. Anyway that may have some basis for the belief that the seat was aluminum combined with the fact that other seats of the period like the Fokker DR-I are known to have seats made from aluminum.

Another interesting observation is that neither version (old or current) of the Eduard kit does the seat have a cushion, yet the postwar pics of the cockpit shows one. Did the German wartime version not have a seat cushion? Was it added to all the post-war Swiss aircraft or just this particular one in the pic?

Chuck



Title: Re: SSW D-III Seat
Post by: coyotemagic on August 21, 2015, 01:27:36 AM
Chuck, whether a seat cushion was used or not was dependent on the use of a parachute.  By the time the SSW D.III was operational, parachutes were fairly common in the German air service.  I've seen several photos of SSW pilots wearing a Heinecke harness, Kessler among them.
Cheers,
Bud
Title: Re: SSW D-III Seat
Post by: skeeterbuck on August 21, 2015, 02:49:13 AM
Chuck, whether a seat cushion was used or not was dependent on the use of a parachute.  By the time the SSW D.III was operational, parachutes were fairly common in the German air service.  I've seen several photos of SSW pilots wearing a Heinecke harness, Kessler among them.
Cheers,
Bud

Well now that makes sense. The parachute would serve as the seat cushion.

Thanks Bud!  :)