1/32 Avro 504 scratchbuild #4

[kensar]

Strap in for scratchbuild #4 - the Avro 504.  I have my eye on number 398 as pictured in Windsock Datafile #156.  This craft was piloted by CW Wilson when observer Rabagliatti shot down a German Taube with a rifle to claim the RFC's first air victory.

A similar existing 504


I have procured an engine from Taurus - an Oberursel U.0 converted to a Gnome Lambda.  A simple conversion, remove six bolts from one front engine plate and put on two bolts on another engine plate.  Let me tell you - this engine model has some very small and fragile parts.  I was unable to properly make all the valve springs on the cylinder heads, but consider myself lucky to make the ones I did.









Also new this time around, I wanted to make the wings differently from the past to reduce the amount of plastic sheet needed and reduce the amount of sanding needed to get the airfoil shape.  In the past I have laminated sheets of 0.020" styrene to make a solid wing and sanded the airfoil shape.
This time I am experimenting with a simpler built-up wing.  I found I could get a good airfoil shape by gluing a leading edge spar and a mid-wing spar to the bottom sheet, and gluing the top sheet to the bottom sheet at the trailing edge.  When cured, glue the top sheet to the top of the spar and leading edge while pressed over another piece at mid-wing to make the camber.  I can locate the mid-wing spar in line with the ailerons and wing to fuse attachment points.  This lets me cut out the ailerons after building the wing.  At least that's the plan.

A decent airfoil shape




Testing cutting out the ailerons


Also, I'm putting a pilot in the seat.  A RFC pilot in a leather jacket from CSM (#F32-039).  I think his name is Reginald (he looks like a Reginald) and he's borrowing Wilson's plane for a joy ride.

Thanks for looking in!

[smperry]

Darn nice approach to the wing construction. St. Harry would approve, I know I sure do. Looking forward to seeing this one grow.
sp

[Alexis]

Following with interest Ken 


Terri

[lone modeller]

Now there is a tractor aeroplane that I could be interested in scratch building. Nice and early and not kitted in this scale - ideal in every way.

I too approve of your wing construction - I will keep that in mind for future reference. The engine looks very good - will anyone miss the valve springs on the cylinder heads if they are under the cowling?

Stephen.

[kensar]

Thanks for commenting Terri, sp, and Stephen.  Should be another interesting ride.
Stephen, you are right about the valve springs hiding inside the cowling.  Only 2 cylinders are visible and I think I got two good ones.

Here I have glued the spars on the bottom sheet.




Next, I glued the trailing edges of the top and bottom sheets together and let that cure overnight.


Here, the top sheet is being glued to the bottom.  Glue is applied to the top of the leading edge and mid-wing spar.  The wood blocks catch the leading and trailing edges with a weight on top to bend the wing around a piece under the wing near the mid-wing spar to give the wing some camber.



It will take a couple of days to get through the wings.  Then I need to fabricate the wing tips and drill holes in the ends of the spars for attaching pins.

Reginald is working on getting himself together for the first flight.  He's a work in progress at the moment.




Thanks for stopping by!

[gbrivio]

Very nice engine and brilliant wing making technique, will follow with interest and wish you good luck!
Ciao
Giuseppe

[rhallinger]

This is looking very good Ken!  I like your approach on the wing, and will look forward to the finished product. 

Best regards,

Bob

[Bughunter]

A very great start on this Ken!
I will follow closely. After Richie posted the museums pictures some time ago, I found the 1/48 BlueMax kit in a shop and catched it immediately. But it seems to be a biplane with complicated details and rigging, so I can learn from your build

Cheers,
Frank

[lone modeller]

I do like your jig for the wings - cheap, simple and effective! I can see the makings of another first class build here - looking forward to more updates.

Stephen.

[kensar]

These are tools I use to emboss the rib detail on the wing skins.  I had forgotten how I did this on the last model, and had to re-invent the process.  The 0.010" styrene sheet to be embossed needs to be on a surface with some give to it in order for the embossing to occur.  I tried many things, but what worked the best was a piece of bicycle tire inner tube cut open to form a sheet.  I embossed it using a drafting ink pen without any ink in it of course.



Here is one of the bottom wings in process.  One can see the small blocks that the struts will mount into, along with the leading edge spar and mid-wing spar.



Once again, a metal cowl is needed.  The Taurus engine is larger than the scaled drawings I am using, so some modification will be necessary.  Hopefully it won't be noticable.

The first lathe setup where the inside is cut out.



The second setup where the outside shape is filed by hand.  Took about 2 hours.



I'm gluing the skin on the first wing now, with the others to follow.  I need to show Reginald's progress, so that will be for next time.
Thanks for following along.

[Alexis]

Time well spent Ken . Wings are coming along great and that cowl is wow ! Can't what to see that finished 


Terri

[Bughunter]

What a lovely cowling!

Cheers,
Frank

[lone modeller]

Yes that cowling is super. Sometimes expensive tools really are worth having!

Stephen.

[RAGIII]

Another amazing scratch build in progress! I love your technique for the wings and like the others, I am impressed by the Cowling!
RAGIII

[smperry]

Been following along and your ability with a lathe is amazing.
sp