forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Under Construction => Scratch builds => Topic started by: Bolman on June 29, 2014, 11:41:33 AM
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Greetings all,
I'm not going to try and post all of this in one post, or I'll be at it for hours. Learned that one from when I posted all of the FEE.
Hopefully I won't drag this out too long between posts and get this thread current in a short time.
As I've mentioned in a post elsewhere, I've started this scratch build of yet another pusher type, but one from the CP side; The AGO C.I.
With the aide of a Windsock Datafile, I have pretty much decided I have what I need to get started. After printing the drawing from my scanner and checking it for scale, the fun was about to begin.
(https://i.postimg.cc/s2cTVYWh/Photo06251822.jpg)
Unlike with the Fee, I didn't start with the fuselage this time. I started with the wings. The wings intrigued me in that their cord was less than what I've done before, and the wing profile was much thinner. I felt this is where the challenge lay and if I couldn't get the wings correct, there was no need to continue with the project.
Using the laminating method I've used before in making wings, I started by layering various widths of 0.020" sheet styrene to create the rough shape of the wing in profile.
(https://i.postimg.cc/MZDqhNX6/100-3649.jpg)
Once assembled, I then began the shaping of the wing. Here I've already started rounding over the leading edge:
(https://i.postimg.cc/fTqZbdx1/100-3648.jpg)
In order to shape the wing, I will need to remove those edges from the layered strips on the underside. To do this, I used an old exacto blade that I reshaped and sharpened.
(https://i.postimg.cc/FsHNmpJj/100-3645.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/g2fWVPtD/100-3646.jpg)
With the point of the #11 blade ground away, I can now safely scrape the unwanted styrene away from the underside of the wing.
(https://i.postimg.cc/8c1D7BXg/100-3650.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/gjNp8X1X/100-3651.jpg)
With the majority of the removal done, we have this:
(https://i.postimg.cc/bJ0pYFTR/100-3652.jpg)
After a little more work on the wing shaping, we now have one of the wings ready for having the ribs added.
(https://i.postimg.cc/cLKWtJhC/100-3653.jpg)
That will be all for this update. I might be able to get a couple more updates in to bring this thread current.
Thanks for looking,
John
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I seem to recall seeing you start this one up somewhere else, Sir. Very glad to see it still progressing. I have always had a soft spot for this machine. Remarkably trim for a pusher, and reminiscent of the future P-38 at first glance. One wonders why the English and French, who persevered with pusher configuration so long, never adopted the lower drag boom configuration. The thing made quite an impression on English pilots who saw one --- they believed it was a twin engine machine.
For removing material from a cambered undersurface, by the way, I have found a large pill-bottle or cylindrical jar, with heavy grit sandpaper attached by double-face tape, works very nicely. Smaller bottles with the same grits attached can be used to vary the curve once the heavy removal is complete.
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Very nice work on the wing John, this is a method I will have to try on my next scratch build. I have used the Old Man method to wrap coarse grit paper around an appropriate sized cylinder, but your idea of the reshapened blade appears to work very well.
Des.
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i remember this guy, glad you posted here so i can see the progress. it is a truly unique aircraft.
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Nice to see this one back on the bench John , will be following along closely .
Terri
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I'll be following this closely, John. I'm getting closer to my first scratch build and I really like the technique you've used for creating the airfoil.
Cheers,
Bud
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I love these educational build logs!
Cheers,
Chris
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An extremly great work John.
Martin
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John,
Good to see you bringing this build here! I followed it elsewhere and am looking forward to seeing your progress!
RAGIII
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Great start, John. I admire your scratch building talents. Wonderful
work, especially in such a small scale. The idea for the xacto blade
reshaping is novel, but very good. Looking forward to your next
updates.
Cheers,
Ernie :)
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Wonderful start on a little known type. I will be following this very closely for reasons which I think will be obvious to this regulars of this forum. Please show us more.
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Wow, go away for a day and everyone shows up!
Thank you all for your kind comments.
Old Man: Yeah, I've posted this in a few of your other haunts as well. Since I've decided to hang out here, thought I'd add it to the decor ;)
Thanks for the sanding tip, I might be able to use it still with my method to smooth out some of my rough spots.
Des: I would be interested in seeing how this method works in a larger scale. The best I can imagine is finding an old draw knife and modifying it for this purpose. Forgive me, I'm not familiar with the larger scales and their tools ;)
Albatros and Terri: Thanks for your continued support from the other forum. I hope I can manage to get this one done in a more timely fashion now that I'm modeling again!
Bud: You sir, have my interest. I would love to see what you can do with this in 1/48th. I'm sure it will have much more detail than I can provide.
Chris: ME TOO!! Can't wait to read this one to the end!
Martin and Rick: Thanks guys, Still hope I can do Harry Woodman proud.
Ernie: What can I say, I somehow can glue pieces of plastic together, but for the life of me, can't fold laundry. It's a mystery my wife has been trying to solve for years. I keep telling her, just not my skill set.
lone modeller: Thanks, and I think I know what your reasons are! Since you were so kind to ask for another update, I will do that for you right now...
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Update!
We left off with one of the upper wings ready for the ribs to be added. I will show a little bit of that process and how I do it, and then move on to showing parts as they're completed.
Before getting to the rib process, here are a few shots of the wing parts on the drawing as I completed them:
(https://i.postimg.cc/qqMVJBgk/100-3654.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/59nWPzkj/100-3700-zpsccecff35.jpg)
You may note in the above picture, one of the ailerons temporarily in place. The shape is of interest since the inner section of forms were inverted causing the droop in the trailing edge. A detail I had never heard of until this project. There are a few other pictures later that will show this better.
The horizontal stablizer was also cut at some point during the wing fabrication process as shown here:
(https://i.postimg.cc/764rRnkJ/100-3655.jpg)
Now for the rib process.
I use a chemical called MEK, or Methyl Ethyl Ketone, as my 'glue' of choice while working with styrene. It is a cleaning solvent that can be purchased in 1 gallon cans here in the states. It is also the active ingredient in most liquid glues for ABS plastics. I bought a gallon about 10 years ago and I doubt I will have to replace it.
I fill a glass jar that was once for thinner and keep it on my bench. when in use, I use a clean brush that I do not use for painting to apply the MEK where I want to glue pieces together. In the following picture, I have the wing that I am working with laying on the drawing as a guide, a strip of 0.010" x 0.020" styrene held across the location it is to be added, and with keeping my fingers away from the joint area, apply the MEK.
(https://i.postimg.cc/XqHMpMy9/100-3710-zps3cf77512.jpg)
The joint is already made in this shot, but I took this to demonstrate where I place the brush while holding the strip in place. The MEK will wick quickly between the two parts attacking and welding the pieces together.
(https://i.postimg.cc/kXH3CmCm/100-3711-zps3fa82db7.jpg)
Flipping the assembly over on a glass surface and trimming off the excess is all that is left in applying the rib.
(https://i.postimg.cc/Fs78DBLn/100-3713-zps57b26fae.jpg)
Repeating the process for each rib location only takes a little while. In a matter of minutes, I had these done.
(https://i.postimg.cc/xdSZjjFW/100-3714-zps3963caa5.jpg)
Now, the ribs look a bit blocky and too pronounced at this stage, but they will be sanded to shape once all of the ribs are added.
(https://i.postimg.cc/HL4hrGqj/100-3716-zpsfd172e9f.jpg)
You may note the aileron is mounted to the wing in three locations using 0.015" diameter brass wire. These wing edges are the thinnest I have ever had to drill holes into but I was able to do it at the rib locations since the ribs actually helped. A tip I figured out the hard way, drill after ribs.
The same was done for the horizontal stablizer:
(https://i.postimg.cc/SN355fLQ/100-3717-zps9f1bece4.jpg)
A closer look at the aileron:
(https://i.postimg.cc/vZnjdxXr/100-3718-zps82c57df6.jpg)
The top center wing section:
(https://i.postimg.cc/B6m7CTQ0/400680-10201548626226281-1316305874-n-zps214f6b0a.jpg)
A mirror image of the aileron for the other wing:
(https://i.postimg.cc/k4Jh81Cs/998269-10201548625866272-1064619415-n-zps3ebb7501.jpg)
The top wing parts:
(https://i.postimg.cc/fyk2qVJ0/1000556-10201548625626266-1222976301-n-zps58e594d9.jpg)
In my next update, we'll cover the tail parts and the beginning of the fabrication of the booms.
Thanks for looking!
John
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Man, these Scratch Builds never cease to amaze me, all the more so when in such a tiny scale! Learning a lot already, and very keenly awaiting more!
Cheers,
Lance
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Fantastic looking wings, John! Perfect!
Cheers,
Bud
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Fantastic looking wings, John! Perfect!
Cheers,
Bud
Agree 100%
RAGIII
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Fantastic looking wings, John! Perfect!
Cheers,
Bud
Agree 100%
RAGIII
Thumbs up John :)
Terri
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Wonderful work, especially the mirror finish that you have achieved on the flying surfaces. I will be interested to see how well your ribs look when sanded down: when I have used this size of strip I thought that it looked a little heavy. Looking forward to see how you make the booms. Yes more please!
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Beautiful work, mate. This is going to be a little gem!
Ian
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Sorry for the delay folks, I've been on vacation. I'll have the next update posted here soon.
John
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Looking forward to more, Sir!
Coming along very nicely so far.
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Sorry for the delay, vacation and other issues required my time.
So, to continue, the making of the tail parts.
I actually started with the rudders since they're small and are a good way to jump into the project giving a quick result for the effort.
Cutting blanks from sheet stock, I shaped one of the rudders to the outside profile using the drawing as a guide.
(https://i.postimg.cc/7Yh8jLp9/100-3656.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/Xvd0xDT0/100-3657.jpg)
Then a second one was needed to complete the pair.
(https://i.postimg.cc/ZRLzzvb7/100-3658.jpg)
Posted prematurely, I will continue...
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After both rudders were shaped to my liking, the ribs were added.
(https://i.postimg.cc/kX01wX9B/image-zpse1841211.jpg)
So, with the rudder fabrication done, on to the booms.
It took me awhile to make a master shape of the boom profile
(https://i.postimg.cc/63pYT8V1/image-zpsea236cf3.jpg)
and after doing so, I needed to make 3 more copies since my plan is to make each boom half and then add them together.
The problem before me at this point is how to make 3 more copies of this part. I decided to cut rectangular blanks slightly larger than the part and place the master part on the blank. Holding the part in place and tracing around it wouldn't do so I added a few spots of white paint to the blank and laid the master part into it and let it dry. The paint acting as a temporary glue holding the part in place while I lightly scored around it with an exacto blade. Separating the parts later and sanding the paint off.
(https://i.postimg.cc/dQSSkjxR/e29481c6-3319-4e18-8e1d-3f3ef5eab8c0-zps311d4e22.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/bw165cNL/image-zps7d20881c.jpg)
Now with my four master pieces, I can build up each boom half using the laminating tecnique. After adding several blanks to the master piece one layer at a time until the thickness is slightly larger than half of the boom, the boom is sanded to shape. This took awhile to complete due to the amount of area being sanded and constantly checking it against the drawing.
(https://i.postimg.cc/L6YQzgcc/image-zps2fabcc7d.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/fbZHn2Vs/image-zpsb406a2b6.jpg)
This completes one boom half part and catches all of you up to where I am with this build. I have a few more boom halves yet to make and from there we will continue in the next update.
Thanks for looking,
John
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A very well work John.
Martin
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you ought to resin cast these parts and make a kit from the main pieces. i am sure 1/72 modellers would love a model of this plane and your parts and exquisite.
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Extremely well done John, the technique you have utilised to manufacture the booms is brilliant.
Des.
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Excellent work on the booms, Sir!
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I am glued to this one (well would have been if I had not been away too!). Your boom construction is excellent - I had wondered about a similar technique but was not sure if it would work. Now I know that it does!
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WOW, WOW, WOW....
Exellent!
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Wow, almost 2 years since I've been on this one. I will be back on this one here shortly since I only have one build left ahead of it which is for someone else.
John
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Wow, almost 2 years since I've been on this one. I will be back on this one here shortly since I only have one build left ahead of it which is for someone else.
John
That would be great, John. I enjoyed going through the build log again and I am
anxious to see the "rest of the story". It will certainly be worth waiting for, my friend.
Cheers,
Ernie :)
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Looking forward to seeing you get back onto this build John, the work you have done so far is excellent.
Des.
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I am looking forward to this too - especially as I have built one in the 2 year gap!
Stephen.