forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Under Construction => Resin Kits => Topic started by: mammut08 on July 08, 2015, 04:07:51 AM
-
Hi All,
I thought I would join the fun with my HPH Macchi build. I thought this might be fun, since Des has started his assemble sequence in a different place from mine. HPH have treated us to one of the most elegant aircraft of the Great War and for the most part the kit is very nicely presented. The hull is a wonderful casting and has some very fine detail. All in all, I am looking forward to putting this one together.
I am assembling, test fitting, and modifying all of the major components as necessary before I move on to detail parts, gluing or painting. For all intents, I intend to completely build the model, then disassemble it, paint and then glue. To do so I have constructed a couple of jigs from foam core.
This first photo shows the jig that will aid in aligning all of the major components. It will grow and be modified as needed as I work through the test fit sequence.
(http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q707/mammut08/Helmet%202_3_zpsjrgcjfg7.jpg) (http://s1355.photobucket.com/user/mammut08/media/Helmet%202_3_zpsjrgcjfg7.jpg.html)
Here is my jig for building the engine supports and associated struts. I have been experimenting with several different alignment strategies, so it looks a little messy. The holes in the engine bearers are for pins to hold everything together. I suspect that this part of the assembly will be the crux of the build and crucial to getting the upper wings to sit properly on the rest of the airframe. I may decide to fabricate a new set out of brass. We will see what happens with the kit pieces first.
(http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q707/mammut08/Helmet%202_2_zpsqzuhs0ln.jpg) (http://s1355.photobucket.com/user/mammut08/media/Helmet%202_2_zpsqzuhs0ln.jpg.html)
A couple of observations for those building this kit. First, the lower vertical tail plane/hull (its a boat, yes?) from my example has a slight (about 3-4 degree) twist just before the tail. This might not seem like much, but it is noticeable when the horizontal stabilizer is attached. I may try and fix this, I may not. Second, the lower wings do not sit flush with the fuselage and leave a large gap. I have fixed this (see below) by recessing the rear wing root for each lower wing.
(http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q707/mammut08/Helmet%202_1_zpssqxq5mhf.jpg) (http://s1355.photobucket.com/user/mammut08/media/Helmet%202_1_zpssqxq5mhf.jpg.html)
This in itself is an easy, three minute, fix. However, I am taking a risk here in that doing so moves the mounting points for the main wing struts back and towards the hull a couple of millimeters. Depending on how the kit was designed to be assembled (it could be that I was supposed to just fill the gaps, and I have put the upper an lower wings out of alignment) my solution may or may not have been the right one. Time will tell. I will keep my fingers crossed.
Thanks for looking,
Dave
-
Welcome aboard, Dave! What a brilliant introduction. I'm looking forward to following your build.
Cheers,
Bud
-
Good start Dave.
Martin
-
Dave,
Very thorough approach to the basic assembly; I'm a great fan of simple jigs as well and I like your ideas here. I'll be following your progress closely, good luck with the alignment concerns.
Cheers,
Lance
-
Hello Dave. Glad to see another M.5 being built, this will now give me something to follow, looking forward to seeing your progress with this build.
Des.
-
Welcome aboard, Dave! What a brilliant introduction. I'm looking forward to following your build.
Cheers,
Bud
I agree with my Amigo! Brilliant Intro indeed!
RAGIII
-
Hi All,
Thank you for the warm reception. I look forward to this build. I do want to echo some of the impressions voiced in Des' thread. Some of the components of this kit are outstanding - wings and hull, while others are lacking in detail. I think also that we are going to find that the fit issues Des is finding with the engine components are going to be endemic with the kit, but then that is half the fun, yes?
Best,
Dave
-
A little bit of scratch building or modifications to existing parts adds a lot of enjoyment to building a kit, but it does really make me wonder how they can get some parts so wrong, or don't even add some important parts. I'm looking forward to seeing you build your model Dave, it will be interesting to see how the remainder of the parts fit.
Des.
-
I will follow with interest
-
It will be interesting to compare those two builds (and their share of problem areas).
I like the jig-approach you used.
Stefan
-
Hi All,
Its been a while, but I had some time to work on my Macchi this weekend. Below are a couple of photos as it sits today - next up will be markings and then a final post shade. I scribed some panel lines and the wood grain was painted using RB Productions wood grain stencils - I love those things!. It looks like I now need to add a fuel filler cap as well ;).
I would like to throw the following up for discussion. I would like to suggest that both of the color schemes are incorrect as identified by HPH. After spending some time with the Windsock Datafile, I think that the upper hull both in front of and immediately behind the pilot should be unfinished aluminum for M 7288 and dark green, matching the rest of the upper surfaces, for M 13083. Unless I miss read the information in the Datafile, M 13083 is most likely wrong, as HPH show these areas as natural wood and, best I can tell, they were in fact aluminum.
(http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q707/mammut08/IMG_0948_zpsx97vzgcp.jpg) (http://s1355.photobucket.com/user/mammut08/media/IMG_0948_zpsx97vzgcp.jpg.html)
(http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q707/mammut08/IMG_0943_zpsmj2y77s0.jpg) (http://s1355.photobucket.com/user/mammut08/media/IMG_0943_zpsmj2y77s0.jpg.html)
Thanks for looking and everyone keep up the good work.
Dave
-
Very nice, Dave!
I like the wooden effect .
-
Hello gentlemen and ladies,
Yes, Macchi in stereo, what a very good idea. Great!!!
Best regards.
Alain.
-
Looking great, Dave! That's some pretty nice wood and aluminum.
George
-
Dave,
Beautiful works my friend.I'm looking forward to following along and seeing your process of construction. One can never have enough Macchi's.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
-
Hi All
I would like to throw the following up for discussion. I would like to suggest that both of the color schemes are incorrect as identified by HPH. After spending some time with the Windsock Datafile, I think that the upper hull both in front of and immediately behind the pilot should be unfinished aluminum for M 7288 and dark green, matching the rest of the upper surfaces, for M 13083. Unless I miss read the information in the Datafile, M 13083 is most likely wrong, as HPH show these areas as natural wood and, best I can tell, they were in fact aluminum.
Thanks for looking and everyone keep up the good work.
Dave
I agree, Dave,
But without considering this position ad definitive.
M 13083 upper surfaces probably are green, but dark stained wood is an alternative.
It would be nice to see the original photo since usuallly the wood veneer is discernible in the glass negatives.
Another possibilità is the existence of old profiles coloured with pencils like we have for the Caproni - an entire album with all the markings.
As for the other macchi, I cannot esclude white or very light cream for the upper part of the nose.
In these macchis alluminium is painted, not a tole. See the Caproni Ca 20.
-
Very wonderful painting, Dave.
Martin
-
Await further photos.....
Ed
-
Outstanding work on the Hull! Your wood effect is excellent! As for the colors you are discussing I don't have any reference but the possibilities seem reasonable to me.
RAGIII
-
Outstanding work on the Hull! Your wood effect is excellent! As for the colors you are discussing I don't have any reference but the possibilities seem reasonable to me.
RAGIII
I couldn't agree more, Dave! Brilliant!
Cheers,
Bud
-
Dave did you have the same problems Des did with the cockpit?
-
Beautiful job with the wood Dave and your aluminium finish is excellent. Be wary of the decals, they are very translucent.
Des.
-
Hi All,
Thank you for the kind words. Ermeio, interesting thoughts on the colors. The Windsock datafile also has a photo of one airframe that displays a camouflage pattern on the upper hull nose. I would love to see a photo of the rest of that aircraft.
15badcats, yes, I had the same issues with the cockpit as Des. It all fits, but very tightly. Moreover, the floor cross-members are undersized and do not touch the hull on either side of the airframe. Overall, I have seen the same issues as Des. My hull also has a warp at the tail end that throws the entire tail out of alignment. I think the make or break part of the build will be attaching the upper wing. We will see, we will see...
Des, thanks for the heads up on the decals. I had been contemplating making masks and your observation on decal quality made up my mind for me. In fact, all of my markings will be home made. This will be my first attempt at making my own multicolor masks. I am doing so with my Silhouette Portrait craft cutter. Here is a link: http://www.amazon.com/Silhouette-SILHOUETTE-PORTRAIT-Portrait/dp/B009GZUPFA . Everyone should have one of these. They cost about the same as a mid-range airbrush and have tons of cool applications.
That's what I have today.
Best,
Dave
-
Hi All,
A quick update on my build. My Macchi's hull in complete with the exception of the stabilizer supports and wires. All markings are home made with my stencil cutter. This was my first attempt at multicolored roundels and these are not perfect - a touch out of round and next time I will spray the outside edge with green, then white, red and green to eliminate the white paint showing around the outside edge. Otherwise, a little light weathering to the lower hull using very thinned Tamiya deck tan sprayed along the lower edges. These also received a few paint chips here and there. Finally, the entire hull was given a burnt umber filter to tie everything together.
(http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q707/mammut08/IMG_0996_zpsuz8nqsrq.jpg) (http://s1355.photobucket.com/user/mammut08/media/IMG_0996_zpsuz8nqsrq.jpg.html)
(http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q707/mammut08/IMG_0988_zpsqdjdkflx.jpg) (http://s1355.photobucket.com/user/mammut08/media/IMG_0988_zpsqdjdkflx.jpg.html)
(http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q707/mammut08/IMG_0972_zps8bdrgoe0.jpg) (http://s1355.photobucket.com/user/mammut08/media/IMG_0972_zps8bdrgoe0.jpg.html)
(http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q707/mammut08/IMG_0970_zps2mx6kbkp.jpg) (http://s1355.photobucket.com/user/mammut08/media/IMG_0970_zps2mx6kbkp.jpg.html)
Thanks for looking,
Dave
-
Very superb painting, Dave.
Martin
-
Dave,
Outstanding update my friend. Love those cut stencil marking too. Keep up the great progress.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
-
Great job with the markings Dave and your paint work is excellent.
Des.
-
Outstanding painting and weathering! Your painted markings look great to me!
RAGIII
-
Excellent paint work Dave, the wood work is particularly impressive and I think your masked markings are beautifully done. Another really pretty Macchi, both you and Des are doing wonders with these little devils!
Cheers,
Lance
-
beautiful!
-
This is one of hellagood looking Macchi!
Did you used PE stencil for the woodgrain or another technique?
-
Hi All,
Thank you for the kind and encouraging words. Ssasho0, the wood grain was achieved using RB Productions wood grain stencils. They have their ups and downs, but overall, have become my preferred method for applying wood grain. One thing, I wish Radu would make one that was a bit bigger than the two currently available, so I can cover larger panels without repositioning the stencil.
Everyone keep up the great work,
Dave
-
Dave, your workmanship is quite exquisite. Your hull is just great.
Pietro
-
Great paint, very realistic. It will surely be a modelling beauty.
-
Pietro, Michal and PrezmoL,
Thank you for the encouraging words. Michael, the aluminum was achieved by first painting the bare metal areas with Mr. Paint duraluminum and then giving them a rubdown with Ushi van der Rosten chrome metal polishing powder. The latter makes a huge difference in the finish.
Best,
Dave
-
Exceptional painted markings
Did you cut the stencil also for the serial numbers?