Rumpler 6B 'Kaiserliche Marine' - WNW's Rumpler C.IV Early conversion 1/32

[kkarlsen]

While waiting for parts etc. for the other builds, I have broken open a new project.



IMHO the Rumpler C.IV is 'butt ugly' whereas the Rumpler floatplane 6B is a thing of beauty!
The slim short fuselage and the streamlined float design really comes together on the 6B, but thats probably just me having a soft spot for seaplanes...



As you might well know...these books is a treasure trove of information...

Well I've been at it for a while, printing the plans in 1/32 scale, making sure this would be doable.

Starting with the larger bottom wings and using the top wing as a mold I succeeded in creating the larger bottom wings of the 6B.





The top wings also had to be altered a bit to narrow the opening.

Next up were the floats, which would have to be scratched from sheet styrene...









I know it looks like a lot of work, but this is what I love most about modelling, adding components and scratched parts.



Anyways, I just needed to make one master to be able to cast resin copy's afterwards.



The last major issue of this conversion is the shortened fuselage of the 6B...



It took me some time to figure out where to cut, but in the end everything fits together perfectly!



Btw, the 6B had the Mercedes D.III engine, so the kit D.IV had to be replaced.



The 6B was a single seater fighter.

Next up will be to convert the interior to fit the exterior...

Cheers: Kent

[Alexis]

Awesome project Kent and will be following a long on this one . Built Copper States Models kit of this type and you are right , she is a beautiful aircraft on floats !

https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=10795.0

Terri

[RAGIII]

The floats are awesome as is the rest of the conversion work! It will be a gorgeous aircraft when done!
RAGIII

[lcarroll]

   This is quite a project Kent and already looking like a very rewarding one. Some real modelling already completed and looking very good so far, I'm looking forward to following your progress. Break a leg!
Cheers,
Lance

[Bill_S]

Kent, your work never ceases to amaze me. I'll be following this one!

[kkarlsen]

Thanks Terri, Rick, Lance & Bill - Appreciate the support!

Does any of you know anything about the way some of the German floats were treated/painted to make them more water resistant?
In the top photo of the two Rumpler 6B's there is a clear difference in how the floats are looking?

Kent

[bobs_buckles]

Marvellous!

 

vB

[kkarlsen]

Thank you Bob!

[kkarlsen]

Questions on the bituminous waterproofing paint used on some of the German floats...

Was the paint pitch black or did it have a brownish tint to it?

Did it cover all of the floats, incl. the top side which would have been covered with naval hex fabric before painting?

Kent

[Bill_S]

From the WNW Felixstowe...

Felixstowe flying boat wings and tailplane upper surfaces usually appear very dark in photographs and have been recorded simply as ‘green’ with the bottom surfaces remaining heavily varnished Clear Doped Linen (CDL). The bottom of the hull, bow, tops of the fins, and rear hull washboards were finished with gloss black bituminous tar based paint inside and out for waterproofing, as were the fabric wrapped side struts and tailplane struts.

[kkarlsen]

Found a photo of a german floatplane with 'black' floats...



Maybe I'm imagining things, but I think the fabric shows through the black paint on top of the floats?

[kensar]

Looks like naval hex on top of the floats and black on the sides (and probably the bottom).

Nice work, Kent.  Those floats are awesome.

[smperry]

We used coal tar epoxy extensively at the Wastewater Plant to protect concrete and steel from harsh liquids. That stuff would have never allowed the loz to peek through, but this stuff is a paint, not an epoxy and from working around coal tar products, I can say that what the photo shows is likely a coat of coal tar paint slathered over the already applied loz.  Just my "Number Two" cents worth from the treatment plant.
sp

[Alexis]

Hi Kent , I guess the short answer is yes ,

Sp is correct on the tar/paint as waterproofing and was applied over the loz on the float tops , but is kinda of transparent ( like Tamiya Smoke ) . This was sometimes over painted with the undersurface colour ( pale blue/grey ) depending on the squadron . Not sure if this was done at the factories or something they did at the unit level for extra proofing . I'm more on the side of unit leave on where this was done . The float struts aren't coated the same as the floats , but painted ( light grey ? ) perhaps . Sorry I couldn't be of more help Kent , but I was not able to find much info about the floats .


Terri

[GazzaS]

Great looking float, Kent!  Really love the idea of the conversion.

Gaz