forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Under Construction => Topic started by: andonio64 on June 19, 2012, 03:06:16 PM
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Hallo, here is my current job on the workbench: SPAD VII of Giorgio Pessi AKA Giuliano Parvis SPAD VII from 91a Squadriglia (8 victories - 6 officially recognized).
Just a few historical notes some of you maybe already know: Giorgio Pessi was born in Trieste, Italian city for a long time under the domination of the Austro / Hungarians. Trieste was the major harbour of the Austro / Hungarian Empire and a wealthy city, but although it was (and still is due to its geographical position) a very cosmopolite town, with a lot of German-speaking people, and people coming from the balcanic provinces of the Empire and Ottomans as well, it had since ever a strong Italian identity.
Giorgio Pessi was a relative of the current major, being the dominating political party of filo-Italian ideals he embraced the cause of redeeming Trieste to the motherland and "escaped" to join the Italian army.
Giorgio Pessi AKA Giuliano Parvis ?
Yes, there were many Italians escaping from the occupied lands (such as Trento, Bozen, and Trieste as well) to join the Italian armed forces, and the Austrians used to send them to death for high treason if they were made prisoner.
So, those people were urged by the Italian military command to change their identity not to be recognized and Giorgio Pessi turned to Giuliano Parvis.
After several different destinations (he started his duty in Cavalry) he was assigned to the already famous 91st squadron (91a Squadriglia) where Capt. Francesco Baracca himself (who had already at least 14 victories) used to select his wingmen.
Giuliano Parvis had all of his victories on a SPAD VII which he decorated with the black half moon and he flew a lot of missions with Baracca. During one of these missions together with his Captain they succeeded in bringing down Oberleutnant Rudolf Szepessy-Sokoll of Flik 41J on is Albatros DR III Oeffag in the north-eastern Italy.
On the rudder of the SPAD VII flown by Giuliano Parvis there are two different serial numbers: 1544 and 4707.
This was due to the fact that the piece was reused from a dismissed SPAD and they kept the old S/N simply adding below it the new (and official) S/N 4707... So 2 names and 2 S/N!
(http://en.valka.cz/attachments/1062/1299771992_VAL0539.jpg)
Here is the box
(http://www.andonio.it/model/spad%20vii/000.jpg)
The sprues look very good, no flashes and no meaningful extraction points, the details are crisp and well proporioned
(http://www.andonio.it/model/spad%20vii/002.jpg)
Some parts of the kit are resin cast:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/spad%20vii/004.jpg)
PE parts represent the seat belts and some parts of the controls,
(http://www.andonio.it/model/spad%20vii/005.jpg)
This is my inspirational book: Italian aces of the Great War (by the Italian Air Force Documentation Services).
(http://www.andonio.it/model/spad%20vii/006.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/spad%20vii/007.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/spad%20vii/008.jpg)
I have also bought this PE Part set...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/spad%20vii/009.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/spad%20vii/010.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/spad%20vii/011.jpg)
I started working on the cockpit, I do not like the resin cockpit sides, the fake rigging is awful
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/012.jpg)
so I tried to keep just the wooden struts and tried to empty the space in between, but the piece is so brittle it broke... And I decided to make the cockpit sides from scratch and keep some elements extracting them from the resins
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/013.jpg)
Here is s first "dry" assembly of the fuselage with cockpit pieces
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/014.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/015.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/016.jpg)
I started some colour test:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/spad%20vii/017.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/019.jpg)
And at the moment I decided to go with Misterkit #FR03 French Light Yellow for the CDL and Misterkit #FR04 Clear Doped Linen for the darker shade of the nose both metal and linen sections.
Up to now I have completed the 4 sides of the cockpit.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/020.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/021.jpg)
Then I have painted the fuselage interiors dividing it in Linen and metal following the panel lines visible on the external side.
Here is the result before painting the metal (must re shoot the picture, sorry!)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/018.jpg)
OK, that's all for now, thanks for your attention!
Antonio
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You have made a great start Antonio, it was a good idea scratching the internal fuselage frames. The PE set looks awesome, you certainly have your work cut out for you applying all those tiny pieces. I like the scheme you have chosen, this will be a very nice looking bird once completed and I look forward to seeing you progress with it.
Des.
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Looks like an interesting subject Antonio, will be watching this one with interest.
Andrew
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Interesting subject, thanks for sharing the historical details. I like your meticulous approach to the color matching, too. This looks to be a great looking model.
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Antonio,
Excellent progress my friend. I'm very much looking forward to following along with your SPAD VII project.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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Antonio,
Love how you're building this. That Part PE set looks comprehensive.
Ken
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Thanks folks!
@Gregory
Thank you Gregory, I feel you can be of great help with your knowledge of the SPADs
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thanks for sharing and good luck with your build
cheers
michael
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thanks for sharing and good luck with your build
cheers
michael
Thanks Michael,
I was just reading your thread about the Fokker VII...
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You're off to a brilliant start, Antonio. That cockpit looks fantastic. Sometimes an accident, like broken sidewalls, can lead to something far better. I have this kit, so I'll be watching your progress closely.
Cheers,
Bud
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My idea for Italian Aces replica was very similiar :)
I intended to do Baracca's one on Special Hobby Spad VII basis, but could not have reached any on PL market.. :-[
You are lucky dude!
regards
K
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Nice start and I like your choice of markings.
Steve
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Hi folks, thanks everybody...
I have been in touch with Tomasz Gronczewski who studied Giorgio Pessi's SPAD I am trying to reproduce here...
He gave me so many interesting suggestions and I will follow them.
So after studying Tomasz directions, I have proceeded to modify the fuselage:
here is how it looked before the care
In Blériot-built Spads of the 1xxx series the tail skid access panel on the right side of a fuselage was not there, they had a "T" shaped stitched cutout on the left side of rear fuselage, so I have to remove it, as I need to remove the camera access panel on the left side of the fuselage right behind the cockpit-
Also the exhaust holes have to be lowered...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/022.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/023.jpg)
After the care (mr.dissolved putty, primer mr.surfacer 1000, letter punch tape and a small gouge) here is the result
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/024.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/025.jpg)
Then I have painted the inner surfaces of the metal panels that will be painted beige on the outside.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/026.jpg)
Now I will complete the cockpit details.
Ciao
Antonio
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Excellent work in making the unwanted detail vanish. I just received Tomasz's excellent book and it has inspired me to build the SPAD V.II. Very few airframes had the panels that the SH kit has, so I'll be doing the same modifications on my kit. I'll be following your build very closely.
Cheers,
Bud
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Antonio,
Excellent progress on her fuselage my friend.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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G'day, Antonio.
That's impressive work on the fuselage, mate. I'll be keeping an eye on this build, hoping to pick up some tips for my 1/32 Spad XIII.
Cheers.
Dal.
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Watching with interest Antonio, great detail work so far!!
Andrew
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Thanks everybody, your appreciation is like fuel for me!!!
BTW, some small steps ahead and some pics:
Seat & seatbelts
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/027.jpg)
Other cockpit pieces:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/028.jpg)
Pit floor with fuel gauge and compass
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/029.jpg)
Instruments
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/030.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/031.jpg)
Ciao...
:-)
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Antonio,
Excellent wood work my friend and great details too.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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More nice details!!!
Steve
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Great details Antonio.
Cheers
Pete.
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Thank you Pete,
Here are a few more details added during the weekend:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/032.jpg)
Holes for the exhaust tubes lowered...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/033.jpg)
Seams to the tail skid inspection vents added ad PE details
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/034.jpg)
control stick: I used the resin piece provided with the kit and some brass remains to make the details.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/035.jpg)
Here's the stick finished and placed in position.
Now I have to create the pins to fix the lower wings to the fuselage, then once solved this I should be able to close the fuselage.
Ciao!
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That's coming along beautifully, Antonio. Very nice work on the control stick. Who does the photo-etched stitching?
Cheers.
Dal.
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Hallo Dal,
the stitching comes from a "Part of Poland" PE fret bearing miscellaneous details for WW1 planes I had in my box, but if you go to
http://www.jadarhobby.pl/part-s48089-wwi-stitching-pe-148-p-299.html?manufacturers_id=10 (http://www.jadarhobby.pl/part-s48089-wwi-stitching-pe-148-p-299.html?manufacturers_id=10)
you find many more stitching types.
Ciao
Antonio
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Antonio,
The little beauty is coming along wonderfully my friend. Nice touch with the stitching too.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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Hallo everybody,
just a short update before I leave to have a week holidays in the Abruzzo mountains...
I am undecided whether to replace or not some panels on the engine cowling the photoetched parts:
- The side panels
- The "chin" panel (beneath the engine cowling
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/036.jpg)
The pieces on the brass frets are very good, they replicate the louvres ina fantastic way, but two reasons still keep me undecided:
- the rivets on the PE parts are replaced by holes while on the kit they are real bits coming out of the plastic
- to place those panels I need to remove the panels on the kit and I am a bit worried to spoil the fuselage
...while I decide to engage the scrum I went on doing some other things.
I prepared the front cowling with the radiator, I used the grille provided by the PE kit and also the louvres on the lower side are a PE piece.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/037.jpg)
I made some wheathering and tried to simulate the varnish coming off showing the metal, and also used some dark and medium metal paints in different successive coats to give the grille a worn look.
Then I went on to make the tail skid, I used the renowned STRUTZ brass rods aerofoil shaped.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/038.jpg)
I used the 0,8 (green markings) rod, and I worked on it with files to increase the elliptical shape and to cut the lower edge at a correct angle.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/039.jpg)
I also had to open a hole below the fuselage to insert the skid
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/040.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/041.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/042.jpg)
Then I turned my attention to the lower wings, they need some pins to be fixed to the fuselage, I decided to leave the plastic that kept them on the sprues and marked the points where to drill both the wings and the fuselage:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/043.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/044.jpg)
I will insert into the holes a copper wire 1 mm diameter, but the hardware I usually go to had only up to 0,8 mm
Will check back when I'll be back from holidays otherwise I think 0,8 would work.
This will be a long and slow work, I will use my mini hand drill increasing the drill bit thickness, so I will do it when I'll be back.
OK I think that's all for now, I wish you a pleasant weekend and will mee tyou all again on Monday Aug 6.
Ciao
Antonio
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Excellent work on this one. Flairing all those little p.e. louvers under the chin could be fun.
Steve
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Antonio,
Excellent update my friend. Very impressive work to date. I'm looking forward to seeing you tackle the PE chin cowling piece. It doesn't look easy at all to shape correctly.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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Dear fellows, dear Gregory, here is my latest news from the Italian front... Gregory, you'll find also my preparation steps for the "chin" replacement...
:-)
First of all I marked the limits of the areas to remove... not to go beyond and make the holes too big
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/045.jpg)
then I used a conic milling tool so that the hole walls will slope inwards and the brass sheet will have some material supprting it.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/046.jpg)
Here are the two little fishes with their golden cheeks...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/047.jpg)
I painted the inside
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/048.jpg)
Then I closed the fuselage with paper tape and looked through the vents, I could see through to the other side, as if there was nothing in the engine cowling...
I didn't like that, therefore I imagined even to build from scratch a Hispano Suiza 180, I also looked for one in 48th on the web, then I recovered my senses and decided to proceed in a different way:
I traced on an acetate sheet the shape of the panels and roughly cut them
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/049.jpg)
Then I painted them with a thick coat of Tamiya Smoke, and here are my SPAD's Bausch-&-Lomb
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/050.jpg)
I glued the sunglasses inside the cheeks
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/051.jpg)
At the end I realized that probably I had to glue these shades after spraying the primer... The white paint could whiten the black lenses of her Ray-Bans
:-O
As I will remove the shaded lenses there is the possibility for a different solution, does someone have any alternative better idea about how to avoid that sensation of "empty" ?
Now the most difficult part of the intervention: our patient's chin.
After cutting and curving the brass piece I mark the part to work on.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/052.jpg)
You can see in the foreground one of the 3 milling tools I used so far for this operation, which is not yet completed...
My idea is to plane the horrible protuberances and so dig a place for the panel without removing completely the plastic
This is the result so far:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/053.jpg)
The red arrows point the holes where the undercarriage struts will be fixed, so I cannot cut any further, but the brass piece does not fit.
I also trimmed the brass piece dangerously near to the louvres and still it does not fit.
I need to think to a solution...
Any idea dear surgeon colleagues???
Waiting for some good thought I suspended the interventione and worked on something easier:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/054.jpg)
Propeller: before painting it I smoothen a bit the tips which were too "pointed" for an Eclair.
I also reproduced the Eclair logo to eventually put it on the blades (the file is in vectorial format and it's available for anyone can be interested)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/055.jpg)
The original logo is transparent where you see the brown areas, the problem is that the propeller is white and the writings are yhellow (gold for precision's sake) therefore impossible to print on a transparent decal paper sheet, I am not sure I will use it.
Next step is to drill a couple of holes into each of the lower wings to insert copper rods that will fix them to the fuselage.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/056.jpg)
I also drilled the corresponding holes in the fuselage.
Now I have some day off from work and will try to get farther off on this work!
Ciao
Antonio
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Nice work Antonio, you are going to have a real sweet result with the efforts you are putting into this!
Cheers,
Lance
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Great update Antonio!
Wish I had a good idea for fitting the chin piece. Whatever you end up doing, it should be worth it -- the PE chin detail really looks the part.
Good luck!
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Some great work there Antonio - your 'little fish' are looking good.
Together they'll make a great bird ;) ;D
Andrew
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I really enjoy threads like this one with construction images where I can see how different modellers approach their builds. I never fail to learn something along the way. Keep the updates coming Antonio!
Cheers,
Chris
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That's coming along really well, Antonio.
As for the chin brass, can you split the piece into four panels and remove some brass from those areas (see below)? It will change the look of the panel a bit, but if you can't remove any more brass from the edges that may be the only solution.
Cheers.
Dal.
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Yes Dal, I agree with you that's the solution, at the moment no ither operation comes to my mind...
Thanks
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Antonio,
Excellent work on the brass cheeks my old friend,they're a great addition to the over all appearance of the model. Dal's solution to the chin piece does seem to be a valid solution and surely worth looking in to. I believe that somewhere on the old Aerodrome forum there's a thread dealing with the Special Hobby SPAD VII and the Part PE detail set perhaps taking a look there would be helpful to you. I'd give you the link but I no longer have access to the forum . Keep up the outstanding work my old friend,it's truly a joy to be following this excellent thread.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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Thanks Gregory, I saw that thread some time ago and If I'm not wrong it was a 32 scale, I will check it again... Thanks for recalling the wip to me.
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I found the thread indicated by Gregory,
(http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/models/52787-1-48-spad-vii-c1-special-hobby-part-pe.html (http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/models/52787-1-48-spad-vii-c1-special-hobby-part-pe.html))
and the fellow had exactly the same problem as me (see his picture below), and the scale is in 48.
He trimmed the PE part and soldered the vents, then putting the brass on the plastic the fuselage opened in the middle because the PE part is too big.
It still seems the only way to go is to divide the PE part in 4 chunks and trim them one by one.
(http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj270/misa72/Modeli/48%20scale/Special%20Hobby%20SPAD%20VII%20C1/IMG_0479.jpg)
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BTW I will take care of the chin panel after I close the fuselage, in the meantime I went on with the work: here is the step to climb into the cockpit, made with a 0,5 mm copper rod
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/057.jpg)
Then I had to decide where to drill the fuselage to prepare a starting point for the rigging going from the base of the lower wings to the top of the outer struts, so I drew a line joining the holes where the struts will go, up to the fuselage side.
More or less that will be the place to drill.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/058.jpg)
I took this occasion to cut to length the copper rod that will hold the lower wings and checked the wings are in a straight line.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/059.jpg)
To prepare an anchor point on the fuselage for the double rigging going up towards the external struts I decided to follow the Starflyer idea: Cut a styrene strip (1 mm wide 0.5 mm thick) and drill 2 0.3 mm holes in it
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/060.jpg)
This is how the thread goes through the holes:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/061.jpg)
Then I cut 8 pieces (3 mm long) of nickel pipe (0.6 mm OD - 0.4 mm ID) to simulate the turnbuckles:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/062.jpg)
To fix the far end of the line beneath the upper wing I will use Bob Von Buckle's method n.2
http://www.bobsbuckles.co.uk/how_to_buckle.html
Any suggestion?
Antonio
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I like that idea for the twinned rigging lines, Antonio. The build's coming along nicely.
Dal.
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Thank you Dal!
Yes I know, I am making very slow progresses! Although this is partially true, I went on working on the pieces above the engine adding a PE panel and carving some new panel lines.
Most of the recent work has been on the tail: divided mobile from fixed parts, inserted pins on the pieces to fix them to each other, scratch building of the control horns where the control cables coming out of the fuselage are hooked to the rudder.
Then the drill bit 0,3 mm I was using got broken and I had no spares left, so I had to order a new set.
Pics will be posted ASAP!!!!!
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Antonio.
I’m new on this forum, so I’m reading every thread from cover to cover.
Yours struggle with struts in cockpit and PE motors cover is fantastic.
Regards.
Adam
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Antonio,
How's your SPAD VII progressing my friend? Looking forward to seeing the latest,especially the PE nose pieces.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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Antonio,
I look forward to more posts of your build as the SPAD VII is one of my faves.
(A 1/72nd MAC SPAD VII has been languishing on my shelf of shame for a few years now. I thinned the upper wing, and just had to take one more stroke, and CRACK, the trailing edge shattered off. :'( )
Warren
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Hallo boys,
first of all thanks for the interest you dedicate to my build, I must apologize for not posting anything new since 20 days but I wasn't able to dedicate too much time to modeling due to energies being drained by work and family...
Anyway I am sure the incoming weekend will be much more fruitful and I will be able to post something.
I have postponed the treatment of the "chin" photoetched panel, I will deal with it after I close the fuselage.
I will complete my work on the tail piece tonight or tomorrow, I realized the holes on the horizontal plan for the pin of the fin were not aligned and I must re-do one of them.
I should refine something on the two pieces closing the engine place on top.
Then I need to manage the exhausts in order to have them ready and pierce the fuselage in the spots where they will be fixed. I want to use the PE terminals which have the correct slots on them, but this means to reduce the plastic terminals otherwise the brass doesn't close. I will also replace the horrible strips fixing the tubes to the fuselage with something thinner and more realistic.
After this I will spray everything with primer and close the fuselage.
I hope your wait will be rewarded with some good results!!!!
Ciao
Antonio
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Dear friends, as promised here are some pictures from the latest works:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/063.jpg)
Separated fin and rudder and eliminated the control horns.
Prepared a piece of plasticard to replace the rudder's control horns.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/064.jpg)
Separated horizontal stabilizer and elevators, marked points to drill
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/065.jpg)
Here you can see the horizontal planes re-joined with remade hinges and the vertical parts were completed with pins and PE panels.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/066.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/067.jpg)
Everything put together, the rudder will be glued after it will be coloured and will get its decals
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/068.jpg)
On the cockpit entrance: additional PE panel, drilled some holes for the rigging
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/069.jpg)
Here is the top of the engine cowling; I re-drilled all the holes on the two external covers of the cylinders.
They were just roughly marked, they looked more like bumps than holes. I turned them into holes but didn't drill the resin to the other end, so after I used India ink to fill those pits in order to make them seem deep after painting.
Some sort of preshading...
Same use of the India ink to preshade the other marks on this piece, then I sealed it spraying matt transparent coating, because colours in successive coatings would have melted the ink...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/070.jpg)
Here is the tail skid, the rubber belt is simulated with 0,5 mm masking tape
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/071.jpg)
Here is one of the two exhaust tubes. The fixing point which is nearer to the engine in my documentation does not appear, so I decided to eliminate from both the tubes.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/072.jpg)
I used the Flex-i-file which I think is a really smart tool!
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/073.jpg)
Here are the PE terminals that I want to use with the exhaust tubes, I decided to keep the terminals of the plastic parts to glue the brass on them but they had to be reduced and I painted them black not to be too visible.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/074.jpg)
Here is the final result. I wasn't able to close the PE trminals very well, I am still a bit uncomfortable in shaping the PE parts very well. I hope to improve with time!
The painting of the tubes was to my advice very good, but I wasn't able to take a good picture although I shot maybe 12 photos, so it cannot be appreciated here.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/075.jpg)
I used as a base XF-84 DARK IRON, I tried this paint for the first time today and it's great, it really resembles a "cooked" metallic part, then I "wheathered" it with a very-dry brush of XF-56 to give some metallic reflection and X-34 to give some warmer tones here and there.
On the terminals imagining they were more dirty for the smoke I left XF-84 more visible. The picture shows a much more contrasted difference between the terminals and the rest of the exhaust, to the naked eye it's less contrasted...
Will go on tomorrow... thanks for your patience in reading this my friends!
Ciao
Antonio
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Antonio,
Outstanding progress and update my friend. Well worth the wait too.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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More great detailing progress Antonio.
I like what you did with the exhaust tubes, looks very effective ;)
Andrew
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Hallo friends, here is an update:
I completed the two pieces on top of the engine cowling
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/076.jpg)
Then I made the "cnned meat" style fuel unload mechanism, I carved the little opening on top of which I inserted the eyelet (self made) and pierced the corresponding hole beneath the cockpit. The red line is drawn in photoshop to show how the cable will run
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/077.jpg)
Then I went on with my usual India ink preshading, I cover the ribs with 0,5 mm masking tape and drybrushed with india ink using a fantastic cylindric flat end brush for nail art (... ! ...) found in the Leroy Merlin store
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/078.jpg)
tape removed
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/079.jpg)
bottom surfaces
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/080.jpg)
Tape on the fuselage
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/081.jpg)
The black pencil drawn line behind the cockpit represents the border between the dark forward areas and the light back surfaces of the fuselage.
I am convinced that the difference in colour was done on purpose and did not depend on the underlying material, not all the "dark" zone cover the metal areas, I checked the kit's horizontal "ribs" on the fuselage against the drawings of the book by Thomas and they are correct, then I have seen a lot of pictures showing the dark-light border was set behind the head of the pilot...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/082.jpg)
tape removed
I seal te India ink with Gunze transparent matt varnish
Here is the rudder (to be touched up) which went under the same treatment
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/083.jpg)
Yesterday night I started composing the cockpit:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/084.jpg)
Clumsily handling the floor piece, the control stick got broken, you can see it sadly laying top left of the picture... :-(
In the end it was better because I had to heavily work on the lower surface of that piece because I found it closes the holes I made to let the pins of the wings go through
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/085.jpg)
To get to this point I worked the whole evening to take material off the piece _very_ slowly avoiding to make it too weak and breaking it...
Ciao ragazzi!!!! :D :D :D :D :D
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Great update, Antonio! She's coming along.
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Antonio,
Yes indeed she's coming along quite nicely my friend. Looking forward to seeing what's next.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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Thank you Gregory and Tony... and thanks everybody, after a long time here are some pictures to illustrate the state of the works...
I have worked on the Machine Gun, used some brass pieces to improve the plastic piece
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/086.jpg)
here it is painted and temporarily placed where it will be glued
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/087.jpg)
In the following pictures you see the tail "group": painted, rigged and joined...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/088.jpg)
I made a mistake: as you see in the third frame the rudder is touching the horizontal plane while it should be a bit away from it.
But the rudder has to be stuck to the fin so it's the position of the fin which was wrong...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/092.jpg)
So I had to detach the vertical group and send it back a few millimeters (spostamento = displacement).
I succeeded in doing so without having to cut the rigging which thanks god is done with elastic wire.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/091.jpg)
Here is the tail group provisionally joined to the fuselage.
In this picture you see the fuselage halves joined, I had to use a lot of putty and sanding work to correct the join line therefore I rubbed out the preshading on the top and on the belly of the fuselage.
Here you see the preshading re-done and everything restored.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/089.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/090.jpg)
The black area is intended to host the "chin" brass piece and was painted that way to show through the vents as if the engine room was hollow.
Then it was time to take again on the "chin" piece, after some thinking I remembered on the PE brass frets there were two versions of the chin piece
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/093_en.jpg)
...so I took it back on the bench.
On the left the piece not to be used for the "early" version of this plane, on the right is the correct piece on which (as you know) I had already worked.
I left that piece while it still was too big to fit the room available beneath the fuselage, before working on the two pieces I painted them in their final shade of beige not to have them painted ater they were glued to the black area, not to risk beige colour would overpaint the black basis.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/094.jpg)
...on the right you see the correct piece as I left it: curved and trimmed.
After some measurements I decided to cut the pieces along the orange lines and to discard the yellow crossed parts.
I noticed the "incorrect" piece had the louvers oriented the other way round and that was not due to the piece orientation... I really don't understand this, in any case I decided to go that way as well...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/095.jpg)
This is the final result, all in all I judge it acceptable.
THe latest thing done is to fix on the cockpit cover piece the rigging going to the top of the cabane struts
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/096.jpg)
Thanks for your attention mates
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Another great update Antonio!
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Thats some nice work with the tiny pieces - I've just thrown in the towel after spending about an hour trying to get a muzzle guard like that on a 1/48 Vickers on straight - can I heck!
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Ah ha! MUZZLE GUARD... I was getting crazy trying to find a term for that piece!!!
Thanks!!!
8) 8) 8)
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Great update Antonio, excellent work as per usual ;)
Andrew
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Hallo mates, thanks Andrew!
Some step ahead:
I completely closed the fuselage, also glued the cowling and cockpit top, the radiator + prop will go at the end:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/097.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/098.jpg)
Then I started studying the undercarriage, this is one of the wheels as supplied by the kit:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/099.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/100.jpg)
I decided to pierce the hub to make it look more real and also sharpened the edges of the hole in the wheels "cover" and poured in to it a drop of black colour to make it look a hole.
Then I mounted also the framework, drilled holes to make rigging go through and sprayed the primer on everything.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/101.jpg)
Here are the wheels after I painted them...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/102.jpg)
The framework rigged...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/103.jpg)
...and painted
Now it's time to put the cabane strust in place and start preparing the wings...
Ciao
Antonio
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News from the SPAD:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/104.jpg)
I put in place the cabane struts and fixed the rigging, the MG was not glued in this picture
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/105.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/106.jpg)
Then I made and glued the windshield, kicking and knocking it...
I used the PE frame and cut myself some small acetate squares from one leaf I detached from some packaging I don't remember...
I used the green cap Tamiya cement but sticking one panel made the other detach... It was so difficult especially for the corner panels which are curved.
In the end I had to use CA on a couple of them and this made some opacity appear on some corner, but in the end I am glad it went at its place!!!
Then I glued the MG and to "relax" I created the bullets entering into the MG right side and the empty tape exiting on the MG left.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/107.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/108.jpg)
Obviously it will not be easy to see those details after they'll be covered by the top wing...
Now I am studying the bottom wings pieces needed to rig...
Ciao!!!!
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Hello Andonio64:
I have been following your build. Your efforts are paying off. I like your approach to preshading. Never would have thought of using India Ink. Simple but effective.
I wish there were some Italian markings for the SPAD's in 1/32nd scale. Sadly only the Hobbycraft kit.
Best
Mark
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i have followed this build for some time, you do a nice job with your build.2 things, 1. you can try to use clear gloss to cure opacity on the windshield. i have used future(klear) but other acrylic clear gloss should work to camoflage the cloudy part. 2. i have never seen someone build ,paint and rig assembys like this. i wonder how you dont break the rigging and scuff the paint as the build progresses? i always build the main structure before i paint then basically attach the top wing then rig. i am curious because it seems like it must be easier to build this way. i never thought to try this. i may in the future. cheers on your nice spad vii.
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Thanks guys,
I don't use an airbrush so normally I proceed to paint "sub-assemblys" while they are completed, often when I join the other parts it is impossible to reach the surface with the brush, especially if there is some rigging...
As per the clear gloss, that's a good idea in principle, I will see if I can apply to some of the panels: the small acetate squares are glued in a not so resistant fashion on the frame, so if they detach while painting them it would be an hard task to glue them back.
I'll check this next time for sure.
I have some new progresses to show, I will see if I can work a bit on it during the WE and show something new early next week...
Thanks for your attention, I apologize for being so slow in updating!
::)
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Next step has been to study the struts and the way to attach the rigging cables...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/109.jpg)
I decided to create some small plaques to be placed over the already existing holes for the struts on the wings.
A big hole to let the strut go through and a small hole to anchor the cablei: I used a plastruct stripe 2 mm wide and 0.3mm thin:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/110.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/111.jpg)
Here are a couple of hem, I made 14 the n the eyes started rolling on their own...
The plaques are shown here laying on a wing, but not in the correct position just to give an idea...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/112.jpg)
Primer and preshading as usual on the wings
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/113.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/114.jpg)
wings ready to be worked on
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/115.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/116.jpg)
Now I am working on the struts, these arte the four outer struts and at the moment I am making the inner couples bound with a transversal bar.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/117.jpg)
Antonio
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Hallo...
Houston we have a problem...
This morning I preparared the inner coupled struts, using the strust from the kit and joining them by a plasticard rod diameter 0.5 mm
While waiting the CA Gel glue to dry completely (I know it's an instant glue but I always prefer to wait... ) I prepared some sprue on a candlelight to make the 2 "X" rigging on the struts
(you can see it in the foreground of this pic)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/118.jpg)
But when I took the struts set with my tweezers they broke so the t one strut detached from the transversal rod
I wonder how to strengthen this joint, I'm afraid about when I'll need to handle it to put the sprue-rigging and to set them in place on the wings...
Any idea????
I decided to go on painting the pieces separately, in the meantime no idea came to my mind...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/119.jpg)
:-(
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Hallo!
here is my solution to the horizontal bar between the inner couple of struts:
following the idea I got from a friend on Swanny's, I decided to "fishmouth" the horizontal bar.
So I tried to keep the 0.5 mm plasticard but it was too small, so I took a 0.8 mm and using a lancet and a file with a triangular cross-section here is my new pieces duly "fishmouthed"...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/120.jpg)
Here is the fish bting the struts...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/121.jpg)
Then I used stretched sprue for the internal X rigging... it was not easy, I have not a good feeling with this material...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/122.jpg)
Hopefully there will be more updates tonight
Ciao
AnDonio
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Some good solid work there Antonio, well done.
The 'fishmouth' solution looks very effective as do the plaques, very nice work ;)
Andrew
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Thanks Andrew, I plan to finish my work on the lower wings tonight, some new pictures could be online during the weekend...
Stay Tuned!!!!
8)
;D ;D ;D
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Antonio,
Simply put Outstanding my old friend.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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Spads make me crazy. Nice work on a difficult problem!!!
Steve
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Hallo everybody, here are some tiny steps from saturday evening (just after our fierce resistance against the Wallabies!!!):
Lower wings painted and finished:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/123.jpg)
Lower surfaces with the "tricolore" and some little details enhanced
Upper surfaces:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/124.jpg)
Here I rebuilt the framework of the ailerons manoeuver cables with plasticard and some thin brass sheet
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/125.jpg)
Here are the scratch built pieces qith the cables already in place...
The following picture is meant just to explain where the pieces should go, for those not familiar with the SPADs:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/126.jpg)
Hopefully tomorrow some more advance!
Ciao
Antonio
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Love the colours on this one. Your detail work is fun to watch too!!
Steve
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(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/127.jpg)
Decals on: the black moon and the "levez ici" were made by me with the inkjet, the cockades were taken from the Blue Rider "Italian squadriglia markings" decals sheet, I have purchased 2 sheets so I had four cockades available, one of them broke down in pieces, the two I was able to use had some minor damage just while I was sliding them on the fuselage, I am not satisfied at all with those decals.
I will try in the next days to fill in the dents on the outer circle.
OK I think it's all for today, I went on in finishing the upper wing, but there is no intresting picture to show
Ciao!
Antonio
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Looks good. Shame about the nicks in the roundels. Are you going to touch up with paint or decal patches?
Steve
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Looks good. Shame about the nicks in the roundels. Are you going to touch up with paint or decal patches?
Steve
Thank you Steve,
I plan to touch up with some paint + wheathering...
I am a bit afraid for the roundels on top of the upper wing, I have to take them from the same Blue Rider sheet.
It's the first time I use Blue Rider stuff, has anybody ever experienced those products?
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Here is the results of today's activity:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/128.jpg)
- exhaust tubes glued in place
- lower wings glued to the fuselage, they need some putty to fill the seams
- While checking the slight dihedral, fair enough, I realized the cabane struts to the right of the pilot were lower than the left ones. THose struts were attacked by our cat (suspected to be a Luftstreitkräfte secret agent). SO I detached them with pain and fear and put them in place again, now they look a bit better...
- I worked on the upper wing, although there are some details missing in particular the anchor points for the rigging coming from the lower wing, it is nearly done. Will try to bend the ailerons without cutting them apart from the wing (will cut the short side and I already have deep carved the long side).
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/129.jpg)
Side views (sorry for the port side out of focus), I tried to simulate some exhaust smoke but am not satisfied at all, I used Tamiya smoke at different thinning but I'm not satisfied, will try the pastels method. Any better idea????
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/130.jpg)
I started to prepare the turnbuckles to hook the rigging cables coming from the fuselage, those double wires which go to the top of the outer struts.
I used some nickel tube (inner diam 0.4 mm / outer diam 0.6 mm) cut in 3mm chunks and with an eyelet in one side and a short piece of line on the other.
(http://www.andonio.it/model/SPAD%20VII/131.jpg)
The 4 pairs of turnbuckles will be fixed to the "ceiling" of the top wings on top of the outer struts.
I just made 2 because my eyes were spinning and I was a bit tired...
Ciao
AnDonio
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Good work. The turnbuckle work is waaay too small for me. Wonder why your eyes were spinning?....
Steve
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Antonio,
Excellent update my friend. She coming along absolutely beautiful.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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Great work Antonio, the turnbuckles look excellent!!
Andrew
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Thanks everybody.
Today I made the other two couples of turnbuckles and fixed to the fuselage the 4 corresponding pairs.
I did some filling of the gaps between the wings and the fuselage on the belly.
Then I had to file the notch on the fuselage to make the tail sub-assembly fit. I tried to dry-fit it but it leaves a large gap where it joins the fuselage, I was thinking to glue it using mr.dissolved putty, do you think it could work? In this way I also fill the gap and can paint over it. My concern is about the fluid putty retiring...
I also studied a bit making two corrections:
- Painted in metal the horizontal rods coupling the inner struts (I had painted 'em as wood but they were iron cast)
- I understood better the control mechanisms for the ailerons and as I mounted the triangular structure straight the ailerons can't be set in a "moved" position (don't know a better way to indicate this) so they will remain leveled as they are. Moreover the vertical rod from the triangles to the upper wing was a rod and not a cable so I cut away the line I had glued there.
Nothing worth to show anyway...
Good night!
:-)
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Asking for advice:
I tried to dry-fit the tail sub-assembly on the fuselage but after dry-mounting it I saw there is still a visible gap along the joint line...
I was thinking to glue it using mr. Dissolved Putty, do you think it could work? In this way I simultaneously fill the gap and can paint over it. The place is very difficult to access.
My concern is about the fluid putty shrinking...
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Hallo friends: the model is finished, but here are some of the latest steps:
(http://www.andonio.it/model/spad%20vii/132.jpg)
Struts in position, started pulling some of the wires...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/spad%20vii/133.jpg)
Here from both sides
Then laying the upper wing on the struts I found that the inner struts and the cabane ones are far lower than the outer couples
This is cerrtainly due to the slight (wrong) dihedral and the thickness of the anchors I put for rigging on top and on the bottom of the outer struts...
So I decided to leave things as they are and add some small plasticard pieces on top of the cabane struts (see picture below)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/spad%20vii/134.jpg)
And produced some sort of wedges which have to join the inner struts to the top wing
(http://www.andonio.it/model/spad%20vii/135.jpg)
(http://www.andonio.it/model/spad%20vii/136.jpg)
Above you can see the "wedges" in place and the plasticard pieces on top of the cabane struts painted in metal, to make them less visible...
(http://www.andonio.it/model/spad%20vii/137.jpg)
More in the "Completed models" Thread
Thanks for your attention and patience!!!!
AnDonio