forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Under Construction => Scratch builds => Topic started by: William Adair on December 30, 2019, 11:57:59 AM
-
Hello everybody. I've been following the forums for some time and thought I should take the plunge and finally add something of my own. :)
Alas, I am doomed to follow the cult of 1/144 scale modelling, and thus afflicted I have been working towards adding some much loved WW1 aircraft to my collection.
Currently I'm working on the master for the waspish little Pfalz D.III. Here's a shot of the fuselage so far with a single pink digit for scale...
(https://i.imgur.com/2k394em.jpg)
The fuselage was made from two laminated pieces of 3mm styrene then carved to shape, using drawings in my Windsock Datafile for reference
(https://i.imgur.com/yiGFXMi.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/3MSrbx7.jpg)
Wings were made from acrylic, which resists warping much better than styrene when it is thin. The end of a steel ruler was shaped to the profile of the undercamber and used as a scraper to do the undersides, then files were used to shape the upper surfaces. The acrylic is quite good in that you can get a razor-sharp trailing edge too. I discovered this quite by accident when I inadvertently cut myself with it! :-[
(https://i.imgur.com/KiLZGsH.jpg)
Part of the acrylic stock was used to create the wing root area, with thinned down Tamiya white putty floated on with a brush to shape the fillets. The tail and fairing for the motor were slotted in for strength then shaped. The front of the fuselage has a metal disk added which helps me keep things looking crisp and prevents over-sanding.
(https://i.imgur.com/TuU4h4q.jpg)
The photo above also shows the first attempt at an engine, which wasn't quite right. It assembled a fraction too high, so I made another one (only 44 parts!). This one is much better and should clean up nicely.
(https://i.imgur.com/NsB5qws.jpg)
Over he last few days I've been adding some raised detail to the outer fuselage while thinking about the troublesome upper wing...
(https://i.imgur.com/LUZKPzn.jpg)
So that's where I'm at dear reader. If you are still here, I might have a question to ask which I hope some of the resident experten might be able to answer:
The Winsock drawings show the centre-section of the upper wing of both the D.III and D.IIIa with a rectangular access panel on the left hand side, opposite the radiator. The Roden kit in 1/32 shows this too as a slightly raised panel. However the Wingnut Wings kit seems to have nothing there at all. From what photographs I have seen of the Pfalz, I cannot be sure which interpretation is correct. Whether the panel was there on one variant, but absent on the other. Or whether the drawings are incorrect and there was no such panel at all on either version. :-\
(https://i.imgur.com/gsjQ6Cn.jpg)
Thanks for looking and I hope you like the little wing-gnat so far. If anybody knows whether or not it should be there and on which variant, I would love to know! ;)
-
Now that is some nice work in such a small scale . Nicely done so far . To answer your question .... Only the rad should be on the top wing . The fuel tank was build in the wing structure and not ivisible once the wing was covered . Only the filling cap should remain .
Terri
-
Amazing detail for such a small scale, very impressive!
Cheers,
Lance
-
Thank you for the kind words. Thank you too Terri for solving that mystery for me! It looks like it will make things much easier too :D
Still lots to do, but with luck it should work out alright.
-
Wow - great work in that even more small scale!
But you are building a D.IIIa !
The main difference are the LMG 08/15: the D.III has them integrated into the fuselage, on D.IIIa they are sitting on top for easier handling.
Hera a D.III, only the muzzles are visible:
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/8a/88/ee/8a88eeb55ea78af0af86c6644bb81711.jpg)
Source: pinimg.com
Cheers,
Frank
-
Fantastic work on your — like Frank already said — Pfalz D. IIIa. Have a look at the lower wing tips too, they differ as well from the earlier D. III variant.
Andreas
-
Oh yes! Don't forget the tailplanes too. They appear to differ between versions as well. ;)
I'm hoping I can do both the D.III and D.IIIa. Mrs Santa was especially kind this year and looked the other way while I ordered some casting equipment. I'd like to try duplicating the components and converting the fuselage and wings back to a D.III and modifying the lower wings. There's just too many tasty colour schemes out there to choose only one!
-
144th scale???? I have seen some crude representations of WW1 subjects in this scale in the form of injection kits (Valom). What you are showing us is far far more realistic. My admiration is hard to contain in any words. Needless to say, I will be watching the continuation with great interest.
-
WOW! I am extremely impressed by your work to say the least!! Simply stunning work to date and I look forward to the rest!
RAGIII
-
Your very welcome , any info you need just let as know . As you see the guys were more than helpful and always will be . They are the best !
What scale drawings are you using ? I noted them in the background .If you don't me asking These scale drawings didn't mention the differences in the tail planes , guns and lower wing tip between the D.III and D.IIIa ? I just curious is all .
Terri
-
Hi Terri, I'm using the Windsock Datafiles Number 7 and 21, which deal with the D.III and D.IIIa respectively. The drawings in both are by Steve Simkin. They are pretty clear on the differences in lower wings, tail and gun position. However I think I have sown confusion by referring to the aircraft in shorthand simply as a "D.III" :P
Bughunter, with luck I may be able to use the components as masters to do both versions, so I've changed the thread title to reflect this. If that doesn't pan out I'll stick with the D.IIIa. That D.III you posted is exactly the scheme I wanted!
-
Thanks for the reply back . Yes I have both datafiles and quite the few other publications . There are a lot of cool schemes for this type .
I do like your idea of casting copies for future projects , would you do this with the wings as well ?
Terri
-
I hope to reproduce the wings too. There's quite a lot of work in them to do the ribs and the radiator. Whether or not I can do both versions will depend largely on the wings and whether the resin holds its shape and doesn't warp. The upper wing seems common to both, but I'll make the pointed D.III lower wings as the initial master and modify them afterwards to do the slightly shorter and more rounded version for the D.IIIa.
Fingers crossed that it all works out. Mind you, it's a walk in the park compared to another project that I have on the go.
(https://i.imgur.com/6bnLIkg.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4S9Uh13.jpg)
-
Mind-blowing. :o
Robin :)
-
The FE looks INCREDIBLE!
RAGIII
-
Both projects look fantastic, made even so more at this scale.
-
Just found this: I am lost for words. I converted an Fe 2 in 1/72 scale and that was difficult enough for me. To try one in this scale would be pure madness for me!
The amount of detail that you have achieved would look good on 1/48 scale. The fuselage of the Pfalz is truly exceptional and the wings are equally good. Clearly you have some experience of making models - and very good ones too.
Stephen.
-
Amazing detail on these two projects.
-
I hope to reproduce the wings too. There's quite a lot of work in them to do the ribs and the radiator. Whether or not I can do both versions will depend largely on the wings and whether the resin holds its shape and doesn't warp. The upper wing seems common to both, but I'll make the pointed D.III lower wings as the initial master and modify them afterwards to do the slightly shorter and more rounded version for the D.IIIa.
Fingers crossed that it all works out. Mind you, it's a walk in the park compared to another project that I have on the go.
(https://i.imgur.com/6bnLIkg.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4S9Uh13.jpg)
Please tell me you have put a WNW Fe next to a gigantic match. Even in 1/32 this is great work.
Andreas
-
Good grief,
I’ve seen some modelling in my time but that takes the biscuit..
Nothing short of incredible- it genuinely could be a good 1/32 model.
I take my hat off to you William...
Guy
-
That absolutely clean work in such tiny scale is absolute impressive and outside my imagination :o
If I'm not confused I commented on it already on scalemates.
Cheers,
Frank
-
Doesn't happen often however I am lost for words ................... this is spectacular work and in this tiny scale??!!?
My sincere compliments William, this is real modelling and in a new dimension! 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
Cheers,
Lance
-
You can't fool me - you've made a 4:1 model of a matchstick!
Lovely modelling William
Richard
-
Ah, if only I had a dollar for every time somebody mentioned a giant matchstick! ;D
I'd make Mr Jackson an offer he couldn't refuse and have him do a sideline of 1/144 beauties. :P
In the meantime, I guess I'll just have to keep soldiering on. The Fee is definitely my first love in aircraft of the period, and the scratchbuild above is in the life's-work category. At the moment it is at the stage where the booms are being added, so I've taken a break for a while so as not to risk burning out on it entirely. I can probably post the saga so far when I get back into it.
There's stacks of potential in 1/144, despite what some very indifferent injection moulded kits would have you believe. I hope they will see a similar renaissance one day to what 1/32 kits now enjoy.
The Pfalz D.III/D.IIIa components are still coming along. The fuselage was placed in a simple jig to check all its dimensions and proportions. The top of the rectangle of styrene is aligned to the centre line of the fuselage, and an exact copy of this rectangle is overlaid upon my scanned drawings which I have open in photoshop. By using the ruler tool, I can use the sides and bottom edge of the jig as datums to plot the position of any detail on the model surface. Very handy when doing things like strut locations!
(https://i.imgur.com/I7WVrrB.jpg)
I also began the radiator for the top wing. Scribing some acrylic sheet and inlaying it into the surface. However it didn't quite meet with the Teves & Braun seal of approval... :-[
(https://i.imgur.com/m747xOW.jpg)
It was alright at first. But after a few days I realised it was perhaps a bit clunky. Not enough louvres, and the two strips down the middle were overscale. In the end I popped it out and had a think about what to do next. I later found a much better photograph of the top wing and was able to count the louvres. Or rather, the spaces between them. 30 scribe lines each at 0.13mm apart... :o
(https://i.imgur.com/shRL6G6.jpg)
I don't mind some fine detail but that did seem a bit mad. Anyway, enough said about that for now.
Next was the wing ribs. I did these the same way as the fee and the little Sparrowhawk over in the off-topic builds section. Thin temporary lines of .2mm scotch tape were laid down in the position of each wing rib. The area either side was then masked off with a wider strip.
(https://i.imgur.com/ELbZbLe.jpg)
The idea is to express each rib with a thin line of primer. Before spraying, the thin strips of tape are lifted off and the areas to be painted are brushed with a rolled up ball of blutack to get rid of any stray dust.
(https://i.imgur.com/doFZlzW.jpg)
A medium-thick coat of primer later:
(https://i.imgur.com/x096ubf.jpg)
Generally speaking it is a bad idea to rip the tape up through the paint. The tape has to be freed by sanding off the excess primer. In this case though I could at least prise up the pieces for the short ribs so a to provide a level surface for sanding.
(https://i.imgur.com/6L7Nlt0.jpg)
Sanding and removing the tape then gets me to here:
(https://i.imgur.com/j5eP9Ho.jpg)
After that the wings get polished with a block of neoprene rubber and some Tamiya plastic polish. It smooths the surface out and helps blend the rib detail in. It's hard to see in photos at this stage, but here's a couple of shots of it in progress. When time permits I'll give it another coat of primer overall and see how it looks.
(https://i.imgur.com/SUNG2Oi.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/IeTL7jW.jpg)
-
There is only one problem with your build! I will run out of ways to say Amazing 8) Your skills are superb!
RAGIII
-
To be sure, to be sure. I'm only six inches tall! ;D
While the wife was lolling about in the bath with candles and bubbles and whatnot, I was able to sneak off and get that primer coat on after all.
Not a bad start, but it needs a bit more polish to even out the ribs.
(https://i.imgur.com/LaQ2Xhs.jpg)
-
Fee in 144th! With all those details visible... The radiator on D.IIIa... The spectacular idea to make the ribs on the wing...
I feel like Rick - not enough ways to express the admiration.
-
It's not that long ago when people got burned at the stake for lesser witchcraft. :o
Robin :)
-
:o
-
"There's stacks of potential in 1/144, despite what some very indifferent injection moulded kits would have you believe. I hope they will see a similar renaissance one day to what 1/32 kits now enjoy."
........... and it's work like yours here that will help in that quest. When the incredible progress in quality and variety of scale, subject matter, and engineering in plastic scale modelling over the past 50 or more years is considered development of the 1:144 potential seems logical and no doubt a great opportunity for the industry. The challenges of working in the smaller scales are a great attraction IMHO, and not every modeller has vast areas available for storage and display. A well done Scratch Built Model gains immediate respect and admiration from the vast majority of those involved in our hobby, the smaller the scale the more the compliments seem to flow. We all comment to the effect that if you want a particular type modeled just do a Scratch Build and some company will release it as a kit! A few more Builds like yours here (& we have "Ondra" on the record with some spectacular 1:144 work as well) and I'd bet one or more of our Kit Companies takes a serious look at the market potential! Keep up the incredible work!
Cheers,
Lance
-
Unlike Rick I have already run out of superlatives to express my thoughts about what you are doing. I will therefore just agree with all that has been written since my last post and as a last gesture, take my hat off to you!!
Stephen.
-
That is modelling...RIGHT THERE!
Amazing.
von B :o
-
That is modelling...RIGHT THERE!
Amazing.
von B :o
Yes It Is!
RAGIII
-
I'll just use my amazing! and be done with it!!!
-
A nice range of 1/144 birds....imagine the airfield diorama possibilities! :)
Robin
-
I really like your method for doing the wings , excellent results .
Terri
-
Simply Great.
But you put a giant matchstick next to .... ok, ok ...
Andreas
-
:D :D ;D
-
It's not that long ago when people got burned at the stake for lesser witchcraft. :o
Robin :)
Agree 100% thumbs up!
Ciao
Giuseppe
-
It's not that long ago when people got burned at the stake for lesser witchcraft. :o
Robin :)
Agree 100% thumbs up!
Ciao
Giuseppe
Another AGREEMENT to Ad !!!!!
Ed
-
Hey thanks everybody :)
Without demystifying the entire process too much, it really just comes down to good magnification and some digital calipers. I bought a pair of $3 reading glasses from a local discount store which have a 3.5x magnification. It took a little while to get used to them, then I found another pair which were even better at 4.5x. My everyday eyesight is kind of rubbish, but this was like having bionic vision. The boost it gave to my work was very satisfying. Last year I discovered an ebay seller who had ones with 6x magnification... I think I'm addicted! ;D
Here's some more progress on the wings. I went over the upper wing again and polished down some of the more prominent ribs to try and get them looking more uniform. Still putting off that radiator, but I cant ignore it forever. :-[
(https://i.imgur.com/rZd5Vc9.jpg)
The lower wings got the same treatment too.
(https://i.imgur.com/eNoV4Ii.jpg)
Getting there. Lots of subtle cleanup needed yet. Particularly on the fuselage
(https://i.imgur.com/dQFOL5T.jpg)
-
Looking good, William!
-
WOW! these techniques you are showing us will translate nicely into all scales. But please, could you use a smaller match? our ego's are getting seriously bruised here. Fantastic work, well done. Regards, Pete in RI
-
Well the breeding program is in full swing.
(https://i.imgur.com/xdTMMyV.jpg)
Clear images of the gunports on the D.III have so far eluded me, so its a best guess at this point. The mould that I made wasn't ideal, as the curing time for the silicone and resin which I have is barely 5 minutes each. It makes eradicating the air bubbles difficult if not impossible. However after several tries I was able to get two fuselages that I could work with. I've begun tidying them up and while backdating one to the internal-gun configuration. The radiator got some more work too, but I'm still in two minds about it. I may have another crack at it soon! ::)
-
Nothing wrong with a breeding program ;)
There really isn't much for photos of a front view of the D.III on the guns , but you did a really done a great job representing them . The fronts need to be hollowed out and all one can really see is a bit of the gun barrel end and the sights . Other then that nothing can be seen . When viewing the cockpit dash are only the bunt end of the guns are visible . I will have a look in my ref's for more info ..
Terri
-
Both are looking Awesome! Like Terri said not much visible on the DIII as far as the guns go.
RAGIII
-
Things went a bit quiet there for a while. The silicone and resin that I have are a little too "quick" for making the wings, so I started saving my pennies for a different type with a longer pot life. Duly ordered and received, I then prepared the masters and awoke bright and cheery on the 1st of Feb to unbox and try out my new degassing chamber and pump... Only to discover that critical to its running is about 300ml of vacuum oil (oil not included). :'(
You will be shocked dear reader, to discover that vacuum oil isn't all that much of a commodity to most people. Indeed my enquiries to the local hardware stores in the area met with faraway gazes or shakes of the head for the most part.
Driven back indoors I resorted to evilbay, and found a supplier interstate who sold the precious stuff and promised delivery within three days. Great I thought. I can still get the oil and be up and running for next weekend, before starting the 4-week grind at work where I'd blithely promised to cover for everyone else's holidays.
A week went by. Then another. No oil. It slowly become apparent that I had ordered from a front company that claimed to be local, but held its stock overseas and posted directly from China. Grrr!
Finding myself at liberty, I busied myself with a few other side projects and had a go at the cockpits as well. The openings were burred out and enlarged to accommodate the floor, instrument panel and seat for each aircraft. The seats are 2-piece styrene affairs stuck together with superglue. Liquid glue is a bad idea with bent plastic, as the solvent exploits any weak spot and causes the material to break and fly apart. Ask me how I know!
These were sprayed in a base coat of Mr Color "leather" then brushed with a coat of raw umber oil paint.
(https://i.imgur.com/1JZ3wv2.jpg)
I also made the instrument panels and painted them in a similar way before adding instrument faces from painted decal stock. The silver bezel around the white instrument face is difficult to see. Maybe after I tone the white down with a light wash it will be more visible...
(https://i.imgur.com/WTEX9F9.jpg)
Then would you believe it? The bloody oil arrived. Today I was able to do some test shots after pouring the moulds. Not a runaway success by any means, but I know what I did wrong :)
I made the moulds in such a way that the wings were sitting upright and the sprue block was attached to one wingtip. The idea being that I would then have very little cleanup to do on each cast. I suspect the depth of the mould means that there is much less pull at the bottom compared to the top. Which explains why the starboard wing works out relatively well, but the port wing is bubble city.
(https://i.imgur.com/odOWccC.jpg)
The top wing is the first try. The second one is where I created a large reservoir of resin above the wing. While on the third one I held the mouth of the mould open with styrene wedges to try and evacuate as much air as possible.
I think I'll do another mould with the wing leading edge facing the sprue block. This will give me a much shallower mould and hopefully a much better cast. I'll salvage the intact ailerons from the lower two wings and see if I can make use of them. The dodgy ones I can experiment with, steaming them to achieve a wash-out profile towards the tips.
More soon hopefully. At least the detail is there!
(https://i.imgur.com/itkM5or.jpg)
-
More sooooon...please!
You're doing great work here.
vB ;)
-
More sooooon...please!
You're doing great work here.
vB ;)
Yes , what Von Pfalz Bob said !
Terri ;D ;D ;D
-
Your wing molds are certainly getting better with each try. Excellent Modeling. Looking forward to more!
RAGIII
-
Never tried casting in resin - I find that making wings from plastic sheet is easier, but you certainly gain in detail using this method. Keep trying because I want to keep looking - and learning!
Stephen.
-
Just a couple of thoughts. Don't know if you did this, but try de-airing the two parts of the resin separately before mixing and pouring. You shouldn't be getting all these bubbles. Also, cooling the resin before mixing will make the setup time longer allowing the bubbles to come out.
-
Just a couple of thoughts. Don't know if you did this, but try de-airing the two parts of the resin separately before mixing and pouring.
Thanks Kensar, that was great advice! I found it much better and less hurried if I vacc'd the part A and B components before mixing then gave them another quick one after that. The upper wing was still proving a bit difficult, so I decided to try a new mould and set the pieces out horizontally rather than vertically.
(https://i.imgur.com/eDWTM2w.jpg)
The wing is still only held by the wingtips, and there is a deliberate gap between the runner and the leading edge so it creates a thin membrane of silicone and minimises cleanup. I didn't end up doing a fresh mould of the lower wing and tailplanes, as following your advice I was able the get a few examples out with the existing moulds. The new one for the upper wing worked a treat as well. :)
(https://i.imgur.com/lzG537r.jpg)
-
Glad to be of some help.
-
Those wings look Amazing! I am glad you were able to work out the previous issues. This forum really works well when one needs advice or help. Lots of Talent here and all are willing to help!
RAGIII
-
I echo what Rick has written: pleased that you have managed to get the mouldings you want and that the help and advice offered by members of this forum is second to none!
Stephen.
-
The top wing turned out awesome ! I like the fact that there isn't a lot of clean up on the parts you casted .
Terri
-
Gosh, its been awhile. :-X
I had a bit of a break there to take part in a 1940 themed group build and did a little Miles Magister from scratch. I'll see if I can put some shots in the off-topic section. Now that it is nearing completion I had a chance to come back around to the Pfalz (at last).
Having a second look at the fuselages, I wasn't too keen on the surface finish. The non-vacuumed resin had a number of air bubbles and by the time I'd cleaned them up there was a little too much primer involved and the parts lost some of their crispness. I figured I might as well do it right and made these again, which gave a much better result.
The engines got some more attention and the exhausts were made. The first job was to get the motor sitting at the right height. A bit of scraping was needed to achieve this. A temporary wash of oil paint let me see what I was doing too.
(https://i.imgur.com/m9Xh9Qy.jpg)
I took careful measurement of the spacing between each exhaust outlet and transferred the dimensions to a piece of Laminex sample. Sterling silver wire then was drawn down and bent to the correct shapes. I used a photo of a wingnut wings exhaust, which I enlarged to 6000dpi in photoshop so I could take dimensions from it.
(https://i.imgur.com/PAsiqgr.jpg)
The wires then got soldered together and trimmed back. It took a couple of evenings, but we're in stage 4 lockdown over here, so its not like I had anything better to do... ;)
(https://i.imgur.com/EoWEoW4.jpg)
The outer part of the exhaust was added from styrene and a little mould was made. The exhaust seems kind of huge to me, but the references I had seem to suggest that this was the case. However if anyone has a WNW Pfalz and would care to take some measurements so I can double check, I'd be extremely grateful!
(https://i.imgur.com/32OG0Os.jpg)
In the background of the above picture you can see one of the early fuselages. This got pressed into service as a mule to ascertain the angle and size of the struts. The location holes are so tiny I had to run some watercolour paint into them to see where they were. The test struts are only sprue for now, but I'll use them a pattern to do metal ones later.
(https://i.imgur.com/RYHiQVT.jpg)
Something similar was done to the interplane struts and I started experimenting with casting them in resin with a pair of 0.2mm lengths of piano wire embedded into them. We'll see how that goes...! ???
(https://i.imgur.com/k46TB7f.jpg)
This week I began making the undercarriage. I drew down some sterling silver wire and put it through a jewellers rolling mill to give it a flat-ish .28x.47mm cross section. Over the course of a couple of nights I was able to do an initial master, then use it as a pattern to make two additional pairs. I'm trying to make as many jigs and masters as possible so that I can go back and make more of these little guys later. The steel mitre block is incredibly helpful in making the locating pegs on the ends. They aren't cheap, but if you can get one it will be your friend for life. :D
(https://i.imgur.com/dMcdCxD.jpg)
I thought the best thing to do would be to solder the undercarriage together so it could be attached to the fuselage as one unit later on. I got some Laminex samples from a hardware store years ago, and they are really good for making soldering jigs. The stuff doesn't burn readily, but can be cut and drilled with ease. You can tack all your bits in place with superglue then gently pull the completed piece out after soldering.
(https://i.imgur.com/NPZWL79.jpg)
I was probably a bit heavy handed with the solder, but this should clean up alright with a bit of luck.
(https://i.imgur.com/bwlH1XE.jpg)
-
That is some top notch modelling sir ! :)
Terri
-
Totally agree with Terri. Top notch ...and SOME!
vB ;)
-
Totally agree with Terri. Top notch ...and SOME!
vB ;)
and then some More!
RAGIII
-
Great work, Mr. Adair! Your pictures don't really show the scale your working in, which is incredibly small (compared to 1/32).
-
Yes indeed this is truly remarkable modelling. You are also using a variety of different materials which makes this build all the more interesting.
Stephen.
-
I hope everybody is keeping well. Thank you again for the kind words and encouragement too! :)
Things are still moving along. The D.III is getting a bit more attention and looks somewhat improved compared to the earlier version. I found I could hollow out the gun port on the left side, which should give a finer appearance under a coat of paint. For the starboard side I ended up going with the short vertical "fence" that walled in the gun, as the exhausts form a roof over it and make it very difficult to see. Hopefully I can get a thin coat of primer on this weekend before adding a few more details.
The D.IIIa got its undercarriage attached, although the wheels are just temporary reject ones from the Fe2b project which is patiently waiting its turn. The size of these are correct, but the hubs just a little too pointy and I will make a better set later.
(https://i.imgur.com/3HCTVAN.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/opZSfep.jpg)
I put quite a bit of time into the prop blades and spinner and I'm pleased with how these came out. The blades were carved from 0.8x1.5mm evergreen strip. I did three and selected the best one so I could make a mould of it. The spinner was made from styrene too, with the cut-outs painstakingly excavated. That way I can easily paint and assemble the blades later on without doing any tricky masking. That's the plan anyway! :-\
(https://i.imgur.com/8ZiEjcY.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/esAY5MU.jpg)
Apologies for the first two photos. The light today is rubbish, so the fuselage shots are fairly blurry. The prop photos are taken under a desk lamp and done while holding a diamond graders loupe hard up against the lens of my mobile phone's camera. Oddly that seems to work really well.
-
William ,
Both are looking might fine indeed , excellent job on the prop and spinner :)
Terri
-
I agree with Terri - both look very good indeed. The props and spinners are first class.
Stephen.
-
Cheers! I find that the props can often be a bit of a tell in 1/144 and its worth the time in getting them looking in scale.
I had a couple of tries at making the new wheels. Got there eventually :P Also added some hatches and bulges to the D.III upper decking. RAGIII's excellent WiP build of the Roden kit is a goldmine for reference shots and I was referring back to it constantly.
I've got several scrap pieces of decal sheet that have been sprayed with varying thicknesses of primer and sanded smooth. The raised hatches are cut from these and attached with decal setting solution so they become welded to the surface. Once they have set the surface is lightly polished to bed them in. The oval shaped bulge was stamped out of painted decal stock, using a piece of brass tube that was sharpened and flattened out to form a hollow punch. The tear drop one just behind the engine is made from styrene. I don't know how visible any of these will be once the wing is on and the cabane struts are in the way, so I didn't go too crazy.
(https://i.imgur.com/cEtYluk.jpg)
-
Brilliant work, William. I'm picking up some tips on creating fine detail. The props and hatches look excellent.
-
I am pleased that you have reminded us that this is the teeny braille scale because the models look very much larger - I could mistake them for 1/48.
Stephen.
-
Absolut impressive work! That would also be great in a bigger scale. A joy to watch.
Cheers,
Frank
-
Thumbs up ! :)
Terri
-
Very impressive detailing in this Tiny scale! Both are looking great!
RAGIII
-
I am pleased that you have reminded us that this is the teeny braille scale because the models look very much larger - I could mistake them for 1/48.
Stephen.
That's a good point. Being so familiar with them I take it for granted that the size is known, but gauging the scale of anything by photo online is not always easy. I've changed the title of the thread to hopefully make it more explanatory.
Here's a messy shot after a busy couple of evenings. Lots of test fitting and fussing about, but I was able to get the lower wings of the D.III permanently (I hope!) attached. The undercarriage had to be removed first as I realised I was only making things difficult for myself by having them in place. Some new-improved wheels were made too, which look a lot better than the previous ones.
A bit of blutack is holding the wing in place so I can see how things are looking overall. Decided to give the matchstick the night off. The coin is just a bit smaller than a modern 10c piece. Just so no one gets a Pfalz sense of scale.. ;D
(https://i.imgur.com/CnfEZsU.jpg)
-
I'm just amazed on how you guys can turn out sure super detail in this scale , very well done so far William . All are really starting to take shape showing their beautiful lines .
Terri
-
Cheers Terri! It's amazing how sleek the Pfalz D.III series were for their day. I hope I can pull off a decent finish when its time to get the paint on.
Here's a test shot of the final engine cylinders and their various attachments. I was able the make a mould of it this morning and do a trial cast in the afternoon. I forget how many bits are in it. LOTS anyway.
There's still some bits to add but I'll look into that later. The main thing is it fits. :)
(https://i.imgur.com/pbNEbRM.jpg)
I also did a bit of corrective work on an unfinished project that has been hanging around for 20 years or more in the background.
(https://i.imgur.com/5VrSlhB.jpg)
-
Lovely engine - so many details! Have seen models with less details in bigger scale.
Cheers,
Frank
-
I agree with Frank: that would not disgrace a 1/72 scale model. I am still trying to take in the scale of this.
Stephen.
-
Looks a bit better with an experimental wash of oils. The finished one will hopefully have more colours and a few more components to it though. :P
(https://i.imgur.com/absyMWL.jpg)
-
So what kind of microscope do you use?
Great level of detail. I'm following this thread as the work is amazing.
-
Very nice indeed :)
Terri
-
So what kind of microscope do you use?
Great level of detail. I'm following this thread as the work is amazing.
Hi Kensar, I'm using a cheap pair of 6+ reading glasses for the most part. I bought them for about $6 Australian on ebay. In the past I've experimented with all sorts of microscopes, monoculars and desk mounted magnifiers. The glasses have been the best for depth of field and don't force you to work too far away from your nose like Opti-visors do, so your spatial judgment is much better.
I also use an 8+ jewellers loupe when checking my work to ensure it looks ok. It is also handy for taking photos, as I can hold it up against the lens of my phone's camera to take extra closeup shots such as the one above. It sounds nutty, but after a short time you adjust to it and a millimetre feels like a mile. It's quite gratifying to get things looking sharp under the magnification. Then when you take the glasses away and look at it you think: Did I do that??? :D
(https://i.imgur.com/TyR8Ugn.jpg)
-
I'm glad my chair has armrests...
What an amazing build! :o
Willem
-
My comment was meant to be humorous, but your reply is interesting. So, 6+ reading glasses have adequate depth of field for you? Depth of field is why I use a low power Optivisor, but I would like to have more magnification at times. I do like the focus point being several inches from my face, though. Less 'stuff' flies into my face that way. ;D
Keep posting your amazing work!
-
Interesting that you use a x8 loupe - I use a x10 loupe and find it to be extremely useful. However I still could not produce the quality parts that you are making on a regular basis.
Stephen.
-
The Fee is still waiting its turn. Hopefully I'll be able to summon up the phlegm to get the booms done after the Pfalz are completed. :-\
Had a good week though and was able to make some good progress for the Kaiser. The D.IIIa lower wings were modified to the more rounded shape Plus the lower wings for both were glued in place. I made a simple styrene jig for this and the strength and alignment looks good to me. Some thinned down Mr Surfacer was brushed along the joins with a 000 brush and I made good on the gaps with tiny pieces of rolled up 1200 grit sandpaper that were dipped in soapy water.
I also scored and bent the elevator of the D.III down a bit then cemented it in place. I decided not to worry about resetting the ailerons, as more often than not the photos I looked at showed them pretty level. I kept the rudder straight too, although I might put it to the side on the D.IIIa if I'm feeling adventurous.
(https://i.imgur.com/bmJGlec.jpg)
I also did an experiment in creating national markings. 1/144 is often difficult inasmuch that aftermarket accessories are almost non existent. Black crosses without white outlines are not available, so I had to try making my own. Home printing them wouldn't be crisp enough. So I made a cutting template instead.
This one is for the upper wing (I wish some brass etch manufacturer would come up with a set of these!). The cross was marked onto a sheet of thin silver sheet, then carefully cut out. The shape is hard to get perfectly symmetrical so it took a while.
Once the template was made, a bit of black decal was selected and an initial straight edge cut into it. The lower end of the cross is lined up with the straight edge then the rest of the outline is scored around with a sharp scalpel.
(https://i.imgur.com/g8b1pbO.jpg)
My scalpel wasn't so sharp, but never mind. Plus the decal was a bit thick too as it was a piece that I'd given a heavy coat of black, for use when making model walkways. However the principal seems to work well. In theory a good set of templates should yield an unlimited supply of markings with no visible carrier film.
Here's a pic of the test piece. As you can see I was pretty rough with it, but with some proper care it should do the trick.
(https://i.imgur.com/n9ZqGOR.jpg)
-
More master modelling in the Braille scale. Your models are better detailed that some that I have seen in very much larger scales!
Stephen.
-
I like your method for doing the national markings , haven't seen it done in this manner before .
Terri
-
Beautiful engine and both are looking amazing! I struggle with making masks for 1/32nd and you have done this beautiful Cross in 1/144th... Life isn't always fair ;D
RAGIII
-
The large ones are okay. It's the ones on the tail tail that are killing me! :o
(https://i.imgur.com/0weVgnc.jpg)
I think I might give those ones a miss as a hand cut template. I bought some crosses from a Company called Mark I, and may be able to adapt those. They have a white border which is well out of register. However I might be able to trim them down if I'm careful...
Today I tried mixing swatches to come up with a Pfalz silver-grey. Wasn't very successful though and the colour looks too dark. I'll have another try later in the week. In the meantime I also had a go at picking out some details on the motor. I couldn't get a brush into the gaps to paint the tube which runs the length of the cylinders, so I used little strips of painted decal in there instead. A bit too bright perhaps?
(https://i.imgur.com/XXMZjsP.jpg)
-
Really nice work on the engine details , one would never know the some of it is decal ..well done William ! :)
Terri
-
Like Terri said, great details and No One would know! Very impressive builds!
RAGIII
-
Hey thanks ;D I'm happy with some of the possibilities that the painted decals offer. I'll definitely be using the technique more in the future.
I found myself somewhat at liberty today. Maybe for the last time until Christmas, so I was able to put it to good use (wife's opinion may vary however). Hopefully not being too hasty, but I was able to get the ends of the D.III in front of the airbrush before the light faded.
I'm going to do Hecht's machine from Jasta 10. Largely for reasons of nostalgia. Way back in the early 1980's I came across a model magazine (A miracle! Who even knew such things existed?) which among other things contained an article on the Pfalz. I wish I could remember the name of the magazine now, but the main thing I do remember is the author wrote at some length about Hecht's machine and its capture. He also presented a case that the nose was yellow, rather than green or black as had been previously supposed. As a child who up to that point was haphazardly gumming kits together with reckless abandon, it was a revelation. The idea of research and accuracy had never so much as crossed my mind before. But as I read and reread that magazine I found it completely altered the way I looked at model building as a hobby. I suddenly found where the real fun was! :)
Anyway I'm rambling. A nice glass of Barossa Valley red will do that. Here's a shot of the components so far. I'll let the paint harden up before I try masking. I washed the pieces thoroughly, but I don't much trust the resin when it comes to paint adhesion. If anything looks wrong do let me know. I'm hopelessly colour blind, so it could well be purple for all I know.... :o
(https://i.imgur.com/lO0Qskf.jpg)
-
Have been following silently for a while, but just have to say I’m utterly amazed how much - and accurate! - detail you cram into that little thing.
Thanks for the rambling too - I had a similar revelation, only I had it when I, after a 25 year hiatus, was trying to introduce the hobby to a new generation.
-
The colours look fine to me - but then I am no authority on this subject. If you had not told us I could still believe that this was a very much larger scale
kit model.
Stephen.
-
Really looking terrific! I Love a Good Jasta 10 scheme and this one is a classic! The yellow looks perfect to me. If I were to add a suggestion I would personally use a bit Brighter green. But I really haven't seen the original rudder in color so what do I know 8)
RAGIII
-
Thanks everyone for the support! I'm getting to the tricky bits now, so hopefully it will all work out. :-\
RAGIII, I was just popping in to ask that very question about the green. I used Tamiya XF-67 Nato Green, which somr other WWI modellers seemed to indicate was a good match for the German green. It looks way too dark to my eyes too, so I'm wondering if there is an alternative.
Suddenly having typed that; I wondered what WnW would recommend (their website is such a great resource). Hmm... XF-71. It looks like a trip back to the local is in order. Hopefully I can find some pretext to get over there during the week. My free time is pretty limited from here to Christmas.
Here's a shot of the top wing balanced precariously in place. The struts have lengths of .2mm wire embedded in them and protruding from the ends, so they locate fairly well. Hopefully it will save me some dramas later on.
(https://i.imgur.com/E8VYbRQ.jpg)
-
You must have been juweler in a previous life...
Outstanding work and detail. I think you are doing fine on the colorscheme too!
Willem
-
You must have been juweler in a previous life...
Actually I really am a jeweller in this one ;D
-
You must have been juweler in a previous life...
Actually I really am a jeweller in this one ;D
So now we know why you are able to produce such excellent models in the braille scale!
Stephen.
-
Actually I really am a jeweller in this one ;D
As someone who prefers buying his tools from shops catering to jewelers rather than the modelling shops, I can’t pass on this one: would you mind giving us some tips on tools? Any type of plier or work holders you find useful for modelling, that sort of thing?
-
Thanks everyone for the support! I'm getting to the tricky bits now, so hopefully it will all work out. :-\
RAGIII, I was just popping in to ask that very question about the green. I used Tamiya XF-67 Nato Green, which somr other WWI modellers seemed to indicate was a good match for the German green. It looks way too dark to my eyes too, so I'm wondering if there is an alternative.
/quote]
I just looked at the WNW ite and for the Jasta 5 Green tail they call for X28, a gloss green. Looks brighter and close to what I "Imagine" for the Hecht Machine 8)
RAGIII
-
Hey thanks for that! I was looking at a different instruction leaflet and missed the info on X-28. I managed to get a jar of it today. It looks very green indeed to me. I may need to tone it down just a bit for 1/144 scale.
As someone who prefers buying his tools from shops catering to jewellers rather than the modelling shops, I can’t pass on this one: would you mind giving us some tips on tools? Any type of plier or work holders you find useful for modelling, that sort of thing?
Hi torbiorn, probably my most essential tools are a good set of digital calipers such as those made by Mitutoyo, plus some Swann Morton 10A scalpel blades with a No.3 handle. If I don't have those I am lost. For pliers I like the parallel types shown below. Although I don't often have call to use them in 1/144.
(https://kk.org/cooltools/files/2006/07/61u3Abs6fkL._SL1500_.jpg)
For holding things I have a small jewellers vise which I often use. Plus a pin vise with a spinning end (very important) that I use to hold small objects. I probably use it more for that than as a drill.
(https://www.toolexchange.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/DSC_4180.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/reWzl2Z.jpg)
Gravers are something I use a lot too, and you can get these at reasonable prices. This one was given to me by a crazy ex-girlfriend about 25 years ago!
(https://i.imgur.com/BC5t28u.jpg)
There's also the little steel mitre block back on page 4 of the build. That is a must-have for getting pieces square or feeding strut stock into it to file location pegs into each end.
The other one which is a bit of a luxury item but a friend for life is a jewellers pendant motor with a flexible shaft. You can do fine up-close work with one of these and it is a big improvement over having a Dremel screaming like a demon in your ear. You can even glue material to a drill bit and use it like a sort of poor man's lathe.
(https://imgaz1.staticbg.com/thumb/large/upload/2014/12/SKU186801/2.jpg)
-
Christmas holidays at last. I hope everyone is keeping safe and well. It took me a few days to rest up after the 14 hour work days in December, but I'm pleased to be able to get back into things now.
I've been putting off the tail skid for ages as its one of those fiddly bits that will be barely seen on the finished models but needs to be fairly correct too. The result is not too bad. I do like the way the square peg representing the bungee chord plugs securely into a .8mm hole in the fuselage without needing glue. I got rather lucky there...!
(https://i.imgur.com/ULhQpfB.jpg)
The tail got resprayed with the new XF-28 green, which was knocked back just a tad with a couple of drops of XF-71 as I was worried it looked a bit radioactive at this scale. I think (hope) it will pass. ???
After hardening up overnight I masked the D.III up front and back prior to its base coat of black. I'm still suspicious of the resin when it comes to paint adhesion, so I used pieces of a polythene freezer bag for most of the surface then backed it up with tamiya tape along the edges.
(https://i.imgur.com/tWzIyIC.jpg)
I used a mix of Mr Surfacer Black 1500 and several drops of 46 Clear, plus a 50/50 amount of Mr Retarder Mild and Levelling thinner. Very nervous, but managed to get a nice smooth finish on the fuselages. All the time spent fussing over the masters has so far paid off.
(https://i.imgur.com/aiO8xDh.jpg)
Base coated the wings too. I think I'll go over them a bit with some fine sanding as there are a couple of dust specks which I can see, but all in all its looking pretty good. Edging closer to the scary silver... :o
(https://i.imgur.com/sYFtvlo.jpg)
-
William,
All I can say is that's amazing work.
Kevin
-
Second Kevin's comments :)
Alexis
-
In my experience a little extra time spent on preparation yields far better results in the long run. These models are simply superb - when the silver and other paint is on they will be even better!
Stephen.
-
Cheers! Thank goodness the silver went on okay. I used Mr Metal Colour Aluminium and gloss white, with a few extra drops of clear gloss to help bind the metal particles. I still remember the Humbrol 11 Silver Fox from my childhood, which would rub off over everything. The silver-grey is a strange colour, in that it can look very dark in some lights and really quite bright in others. Hopefully what I've got is a reasonable base for some washes and subtle weathering later on.
I bought some 1/144 crosses some time ago from a company called Mark I. Most of them are not fit for purpose as the white outlines are well out of register. I hoped I could at least trim one pair down to a consistent width for the tail of Hecht's machine. Then I realised any I stuffed up could be used as a 2nd chance to make the plain black crosses for the Buddecke D.IIIa. I decided to give it a try and it seemed to work. Providing I had enough magnification and a sharp enough scalpel. Speaking of magnification: I just now took a broken pair of cheap 6x reading glasses and stuck them onto the front of another 6x pair. I now have access to 12x magnification... Look out world! :o
Here's a shot of the two little terrors reclining on the decal couch. From this angle they look like a couple of lazy Fokkers.
(https://i.imgur.com/uzXJMLC.jpg)
-
Might look like a bunch of lazy Fokkers , but are waiting to come out of their cocoon's to flourish into two beautiful Pfalz's :)
Alexis
-
Those two are looking very good, William. I'm still amazed at the scale you work in. I think 1/48 is too small for scratchbuilding!
-
They are certainly looking very attractive already - and very much larger than 1/144 scale.
Stephen.
-
Every update is very impressive! That would still a clean work in God's own scale :o
Cheers,
Frank
-
Outstanding Progress! The Green on the Hecht Pfalz looks spot on to MY Eyes. Also impressive work on the fuselage bands. Both look terrific!
RAGIII
-
Thanks everyone, and Happy New Year too!
The stripes are actually the base primer, which I masked off before spraying the silver-grey. I thought if the black peeled or the silver bled under the tape, either of those would be easier to correct than if I'd done it the other way round.
I'm doing the D.IIIa at the moment, but couldn't resist doing some light shading in oils on Hecht's machine to bring out some of the details. More details to add yet, but I'm rather pleased with that :)
(https://i.imgur.com/UmveodR.jpg)
-
You are rather pleased with it.... I should hope so. It looks brilliant and without the giant matchstick I could mistake this for a very much larger model.
Stephen.
-
without the giant matchstick I could mistake this for a very much larger model.
Stephen.
How about now? ;D ;D ;D
(https://i.imgur.com/QwYrbki.jpg)
-
:) :) :) :) :) :) :)
Alexis
-
You are rather pleased with it.... I should hope so. It looks brilliant and without the giant matchstick I could mistake this for a very much larger model.
Stephen.
Hmm....
What a big matchstick! ;D
What a beautiful model, certainly in 1/144 scale?
Regards,
Paul
-
Incredible build! Looks Stunning with the upper wing in place! If you posted this elsewhere and said it was 1/32nd I think you would be believed without question!
RAGIII
-
Actually Rick it is 1/32 - he has had the WNW kit all along but hidden it from the camera until now..... He has thrown away the giant matchstick!
Stephen.
-
Actually Rick it is 1/32 - he has had the WNW kit all along but hidden it from the camera until now..... He has thrown away the giant matchstick!
Well I've gotta carve the propellers out of something ;D
I had a go at making some homebrew decals and they turned out alright. I found a Pfalz stencil font and made the codes and other lettering. The fuselage emblem was made using images of other kit decals for reference. The whole lot was done at 6000dpi in photoshop, as I don't know how to use the other illustrator programs. The whole thing was printed on a scrap of plain clear decal film then lightly sealed with a gentle whiff of clear lacquer. Using a domestic printer, the tiniest stencils are so small that they are just a light fuzz. However the aircraft codes are readable, which is very nice. There's several more to add yet, but its looking fairly good and the decals settled in without misbehaving.
(https://i.imgur.com/mVhYKdm.jpg)
I test fitted the final version of the engine and exhaust too. These have a bit more detail picked out in various colours and make it look a bit more busy. I'm content to leave the guns more or less as they are, as they will be all but invisible beneath the top wing.
(https://i.imgur.com/TITfIgE.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/cxguv3f.jpg)
-
Don't drop that on the floor. The carpet monster will never give it back.
Continuing to be an unbelievable build.
-
Don't drop that on the floor. The carpet monster will never give it back.
Sometimes, when I'm doing a particularly fiddly bit of assembly with very small components; I just say the hell with it and lie down on the floor and do it there. I fought the carpet monster.. and I won. ;D
Here's a bit more. I was able to add the undercarriage at last and test fitted the wheels. the inside faces need a wash of something before I stick them on permanently.
I discovered a hidden setting on my printer that gets rid of the aliasing around the fuselage emblem. Too late for this one though... Ho hum. I'll have to live with it unfortunately.
(https://i.imgur.com/RAchZPl.jpg)
-
Both are shaping up wonderfully William :)
Alexis
-
The Markings look Great to Me as is! Looks fantastic on the gear. Both are Beauties!
RAGIII
-
The madness continues! What a quality!
Cheers,
Frank
-
Getting there :)
Managed to get the upper wing attached to Hecht's D.III today. The struts are very flimsy by themselves but when assembled the whole lot is really solid. I also had a crack at the wooden prop and added the dataplates and rigging diagram panels to the sides of the fuselage for some extra detail. Next up will be assembling Buddecke's D.IIIa and then onto the engine and upperwing parts.
Couldn't resist another 1917 coin for scale. This one is 2 francs. About the size of a modern 10c piece.
(https://i.imgur.com/IbljAUZ.jpg)
-
William ,
I just don't know how to communicate on the beauty this is turning out to be ...not often on which I'm lost for words .
Looking forward on your next Pfalz up-date .
Alexis
-
Stunning work! The scheme and aircraft look perfect!
RAGIII
-
William,
All I can say is, " Don't sneeze!' I'm sure it will take flight. Amazing.
Kevin
-
What a great little beauty! Wonderful.
Cheers,
Frank
-
Where did you get the giant replica of the coin? That is just stunning - but I would need a magnifying glass to really appreciate what you have made.
Stephen.
-
It is not possible not to love these Pfalzes. Amazing work!
Andreas
-
It is not possible not to love these Pfalzes.
They have their moments, but they don't always love me back!
I got the top wing on the second Pfalz at last. This one seems to be the lesser of the two. I'm not sure why. Maybe its the monochromatic scheme? With that in mind I decided to use it as the guinea pig for the rigging. I haven't really done it this way before, but I've thought about it an awful lot. So here goes...
I'm using 0.05mm nickel silver wire that has been rolled out flat then cut to lengths. Fiddly doesn't quite describe it in 1/144, but I think I've got a system going now and I've recorded the lengths of each piece so I can repeat it across both models. I used .2mm wire initially to get the lengths of each piece of rigging then used them as templates cut each one to size. With a bit of luck that should streamline the process and avoid having to make each one a custom fit.
(https://i.imgur.com/6aMmEry.jpg)
The wire was rolled straight on a smooth metal surface with a thick sheet of clear perspex used as the roller (clear so I can see when it is straight). The trimmed wire was then dipped in PVA at one end, then placed in position and allowed to dangle. I then dropped the tweezers and frantically grabbed for a fine brush so as to lift the free end up and into position. A tiny dab of thinned down PVA then secured the free end. If it needed adjusting, I used a brush that was damp with water to move the wire around.
The camera isn't too kind when you blow a 1/144 scale model up to something resembling 1/16, but at least it shows where I'm at after Day #1. More to follow!
(https://i.imgur.com/UioR7ik.jpg)
-
The wire rigging is outstanding! I wish My 1/32nd builds looked as good that close up 8)
RAGIII
-
Huh? What? Rigging?
Where are my glasses?
Great work, this is microsurgery!
Willem
-
That really is something different. Rigging a biplane in the braille scale has sent my head reeling. Brilliant work.
Like Rick I wish that my much larger models looked as good as yours close up.
Stephen.
-
Can I have it !??? Pretty please .....
Alexis
-
Just utterly beautiful.
-
Thank you everyone for the kind words and encouragement. It definitely helps keep me going! ;D
Day 2 of rigging. The Australian summer finally arrived and my model building room over the past week has been too hot for close up work. The PVA was drying before I could get it into position, so I had to keep the little huns under wraps until a cool change came.
Today we're back into the low 20's so I was able to repeat the rigging on the other wing. Making template lengths for each wire was one of my better ideas it seems. It let me do the other wing quite efficiently. I'll have to remember that for future jobs. Still more to do, but here's a few shots of the D.IIIa as it stands today.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZavhGhT.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/F5Vk4Ig.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/jPOTAvS.jpg)
-
That is absolutely stunning work! IN any scale! Could you perhaps explain more about the templates, or have I missed something?
RAGIII
-
Hi Rag, I’m glad you like it :)
Perhaps template isn’t the best word, but what I do is use a straight piece of thick/oversized wire to determine the length for each piece of rigging. The thick wire is comparatively easy to hold so I trim pieces of this to the exact size of each rigging wire. On the previous page there’s a shot of these taped into a notebook with labels next to them. When I do the actual rigging I can trim the fine wires to the same length, which avoids lots of trial and error compared to making every one a custom fit. I hope that makes sense. ???
-
Hi Rag, I’m glad you like it :)
Perhaps template isn’t the best word, but what I do is use a straight piece of thick/oversized wire to determine the length for each piece of rigging. The thick wire is comparatively easy to hold so I trim pieces of this to the exact size of each rigging wire. On the previous page there’s a shot of these taped into a notebook with labels next to them. When I do the actual rigging I can trim the fine wires to the same length, which avoids lots of trial and error compared to making every one a custom fit. I hope that makes sense. ???
Thanks for the explanation ! I just went back and looked at the templates. A good idea and I may borrow it for My SPADs.
RAGIII
-
Where do you get those giant matches? Are they related in some way to those giant worms which are endemic to your continent?
I completely agree with Rick: that would be super in 1/32 scale....
Stephen.
-
Wonderful job on the whole build, William.
When finished, I'd like to see both of these sitting in the palm of your hand for a sense of the scale. :o
-
Wonderful job on the whole build, William.
When finished, I'd like to see both of these sitting in the palm of your hand for a sense of the scale. :o
Well they are still some ways from finished, but will this do?
(https://i.imgur.com/MP0ZceV.jpg)
Maybe I should take a photo of me holding a beer too so you can see how big my hand is. ;D
-
Amazing!
RAGIII
-
Yes.
Absolutely astounding that you can rig in this scale.
I surmise that photo etching parts would also be of value, but you haven't used that either.
-
......... and I moved up to 1:32 Scale because I was having difficulty dealing with the smaller bits and details of 1:48!! They are absolutely amazing in their detail AND RIGGED! Spectacularly impressive model building William, this work is truly in a league of it's own!
Cheers,
Lance
-
:) New pair of ear-rings !
Alexis
-
Is your other name Gulliver?
Stephen.
-
Is your other name Gulliver?
No. It’s probably more like Gilligan :-[
-
Amazing work!
-
Here's session #4 of the rigging. I got the outer lines done on the silver one and got about halfway through the wings of the yellow nosed version. Lots of little details to go but the end is in sight...
(https://i.imgur.com/4oMVYzD.jpg)
-
Firstly, sorry I’ve only just caught up with this,
Secondly, you’ve blown my modelling mind! Seriously good - in a very difficult scale!
Wow
Guy
-
Hi Gisbod, thank you for having a look. I hope more people and manufacturers consider 1/144. There's lots of potential there. ;)
-
Simply Outstanding rigging in Any Scale but in 1/144th...Brilliant!
RAGIII
-
Beautiful !
Alexis
-
Looking at that last picture, I would not be able to tell what scale they are, but I certainly would guess they are at least 1/72 with the amount of detail. Fine work, William.
-
Two little gems - of diamond quality. Brilliant.
Stephen.
-
Finished! :D
I'm so glad these two are done and thank you everybody for you kindness and for following along! The last of the rigging was added to the wings and tail over the weekend. Plus a few other details from patches of painted decal to represent the fittings for the upper wing spars and the metal cap on the front of the spinners. The radiator tower thingies were made from evergreen strip and sprue then fixed in place with PVA. The last thing was to paint the periphery of the mating surfaces of the spinner & cowling with black artist oils. Once stuck together this gives a nice dark shadow that to my eye looks nicely convincing.
I shuffled my little cabinet around to make some room and that's the end of it. Thank goodness. :lol:
Here's some shots of the little wasps before I put them to bed...
(https://i.imgur.com/kcBfyx5.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZESnlnd.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Ja61Hrk.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/2QoNOu9.jpg)
-
Where did you get that enormous 10 penny piece from?
Seriously, these are astonishingly good models in an incredible scale. I'm glad you've posted big pictures beacuse my eyes probably aren't good enough to appreciate the real models!
Marvellous.
Sandy
-
Really enjoyed following along on this build log . Truly remarkable craftsmanship on these tiny kite's !
Alexis
-
William,
I'm blown away by the quality of these two beauties; the detail and finish on such tiny subjects is impressive beyond words! Wonderful work and most impressive, that's very skillful model building at it's finest!
Cheers,
Lance
-
It has been a pleasure to watch your absolutely Stunning builds come together! True Modeling Excellence...especially in 1/144th! I hope to see another project unfold here soon!
RAGIII
-
Those are just incredible - especially given how small they are. The amount of detail and the rigging are wonders to behold - and something to be truly proud of. Your build log was inspiring too - I take my hat off to a true modeller.
Stephen.
-
One more thing. Please post photos in the completed Models section as not everyone checks in on the Scratch Build threads! Others should see your results!!
RAGIII
-
Whoops, sorry about that! I've made a post in the completed section now with some extra photos and linked it back to here if anyone wants to see the making process.
Here's a link to the RFI: https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=12017.0
-
I have no idea how I missed this thread so far.
You are showing truely excellent sets of skills here, my hats are off to you!
I am mostly impressed by the radiator and the engine details!
Cheers
Ondra
-
Most impressive - those are some simply marvellous miniatures. I can’t even see a speck of dust in the finish. :o
And a belated thank you for the tool tips!
-
Thanks so much guys.
Ondra, it was your work that got me inspired to try making them in the first place! :D