A WNW S.E.5a for Dave

[PrzemoL]

Great progress, every update makes it look more and more real.

[Vickers]

I got all of the various turnbuckles and anchor points attached today (Gaspatch and Bob's Buckles) and I attempted to start the rigging, but my gel CA glues aren't flashing off fast enough to affix the distal ends of the Uschi and E-Z Line to the tips of the hardware. I wasn't able to hold the strechy line there long enough for it to set. So, tomorrow morning I'll be off to the hardware store to look for their fastest setting CA/Krazy Glue type adhesive. I'll probably have to hold the line to the fastener and then touch the connection with the smallest glue drop possible. Meanwhile, I went ahead and attached the wheels and thought that I might as well perform yet another test fit of the upper wing and glue the interplane struts to the lower wing then leave them to set good and hard overnight.

More lovely work, all those doohickeys mean she is really starting to look like an SE5a. Those markings look very effective and you've handled all the detail parts and painting really well.

You're turning this into something really special now. Great workmanship.
Alan.

Great progress, every update makes it look more and more real.

Thank you, gentlemen, thank you! I'm really having fun with this one. It's only the second WNW and 1/32nd Great War model that I've built thus far. It's been a blast and I've learned alot. I should do more of them. Once I have this one on the shelf I suppose that the Voss Fokker F.1 would be a logical candidate for my next project.

Upper wing, Lewis MG, and propeller test fit pics below:

[macsporran]

Great work, Vic, your SE has a real used look about. Nice PC10 effects.
Sandy

[Vickers]

Great work, Vic, your SE has a real used look about. Nice PC10 effects.
Sandy

Thanks, Sandy! I've spent much of the day rigging, but I'm only about halfway there and the sun is going down so I'll resume the effort tomorrow.

[NigelR]

Looking good. Could you share how you are doing the rigging? It looks like you have glued terminal points in place before adding the wires. I'd be interested to know what products you are using and how you are approaching this.....

[Vickers]

Looking good. Could you share how you are doing the rigging? It looks like you have glued terminal points in place before adding the wires. I'd be interested to know what products you are using and how you are approaching this.....

Hello, NigelR.

I've used the Gaspatch RAF/RFC resin turnbuckles, metal turnbuckles, and anchor points because they appeared to be the closest matches to the types of fasteners visible on the TVAL and RAF Hendon S.E.5a's. The anchor points and metal turnbuckles went well by either threading the Uschi 0.5 line through the former and/or taking a round turn or half hitch on the latter, then applying a tiny drop of glue. The resin turnbuckles have a tiny bore through them through which the modeler is advised to thread their rigging material first, glue the line into desired points on the model, and then run the turnbuckles up to their proper positions and glue those. I was not able to do that because I used heavy E-Z Line for the paired bracing wires. It hasn'tt gone perfectly because after trying various CA and other "fast acting" glues I could not get them to bond the tips of the wires to the end of the turnbuckles, so I had to resort to gluing the rigging material to the tops or sides of the turnbuckles in order to provide enough area for the glue to gain sufficient purchase sufficient. So, on the microlevel I've had to sacrifice some detail- but I can live with that.

I should have another update in the works this evening as I'm nearly finished and just a couple of bench hours away from mounting the Lewis MG- the last bit to go on.

[FokkerFodder]

Looking fantastic - it’s a great kit. I think you’re the first person I’ve seen using the Gaspatch rfc turnbuckles. They look the part.

Cheers
Matt

[Vickers]

Looking fantastic - it’s a great kit. I think you’re the first person I’ve seen using the Gaspatch rfc turnbuckles. They look the part.

Cheers
Matt

Thanks, Matt. I've just finished the model and I have to drive a friend to the airport. When I return, I'll touch up the paint in spots where a little glue shine is visible and I might add some oil stains and muddy bits on the underside. I'll probably have the final image post up this evening.

[NigelR]

The resin turnbuckles have a tiny bore through them through which the modeler is advised to thread their rigging material first, glue the line into desired points on the model, and then run the turnbuckles up to their proper positions and glue those. I was not able to do that because I used heavy E-Z Line for the paired bracing wires.

Thanks. I've just got some of the GasPatch RFC resin anchor points and that was what I planned to do. EZ Line fine and Modelkasten 0.6 both thread through the 1/48 anchor points ok. I guess the EZ Line heavy won't fit as it is double the size of the fine......

[Vickers]

Dave and I occassionally exchanged gifts. Usually, I'd send him stuff that was hard to get in Australia and he'd send something that's hard to get here in the USA. When some of the webstores had that last Wingnut Wings hurrah a couple of years ago, I scored a Sopwith Pup and the Collishaw Tripehound and sent them to Dave. A few weeks later, an envelope arrived from Dave that contained a truly rare gem. An original issue movie program for "The Blue Max" which covers all sorts of information about how the movie was made and the people involved. I keep it with my program for "The Battle Of Britain" movie, which I've had since childhood. What a wonderful and unexpected gift!

So, I finished the S.E.5a yesterday, but life got busy and I couldn't shoot images until today. Thanks to the magic of the digital camera, upon reviewing the imags I noticed that a few strands of the heavy E-Z Line had gone slack and one had come loose. I addressed those issues immediately following the shoot. I can honestly say that this kit was more fun, more inspiring, and more satisfying than I'd anticipated and provided me with five weeks of contentment at the bench.

Again, I must give a shout out to FAf/Fredrik for offering to produce the masks necessary to paint this model in the markings of No.56 Squadron for Lt. Arthur Rhys-Davids. The S.E.5a was Dave's favorite Great War pursuit type, but if not for Fredrik's most righteous offer this one might still be in the stash in favor of Dave's second favorite, the Pfalz D.III. Not to worry, though, because Dave loved everything Great War and any model of that era built in his honor here will serve as an appropriate tribute.

Thanks for your comments and encouragement everyone! Now, on to the pics. I'll split them between two posts because I shot a bunch.

[Vickers]

And the rest:

























And for my next project, this seemed like a timely and logical choice:

[FAf]

I'm so happy to see you finish this build and that I could play a small part in making it possible. The end result looks great and I'll be looking forward to seeing the Fokker being built.
/Fredrik

[NigelR]

The end result does indeed look great, well done. And thanks for sharing the background, this is definitely a fitting tribute to Dave.

[Dirigible-Al]

Excellent Job.
Alan.

[Vickers]

I'm so happy to see you finish this build and that I could play a small part in making it possible. The end result looks great and I'll be looking forward to seeing the Fokker being built.
/Fredrik

Thanks, Fredrik. You're the one who made possible and your masks also advanced my modeling acumen, putting yet another method in my inventory. I can't thank you enough.

The end result does indeed look great, well done. And thanks for sharing the background, this is definitely a fitting tribute to Dave.

Thanks, NigelR.

Excellent Job.
Alan.

Thanks, Alan.

Epilogue: Honestly, I wish that we weren't doing a group build in Dave's memory. I miss him everyday and wish that he could still be here with us to enjoy all things Great War modeling. Blue skies, Dave and thanks for all that you've done for us.