Author Topic: 1/72 Siemens Schuckert DDr 1  (Read 6761 times)

Offline lone modeller

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1/72 Siemens Schuckert DDr 1
« on: October 18, 2020, 06:16:21 AM »
Evening All,

There seems to be an increased interest in triplanes among WW1 modellers at the moment, probably because Meng have released the WnW Fokker triplane after the latter company ceased trading earlier this year. It was in discussion about this topic in another thread on this forum where I found out about another, and in my opinion much more interesting, triplane from Siemens Schuckert Werke. Most people will probably be like me and not heard of this machine, but it was the product of the "triplane craze" in Germany in late 1917 following the success of the Sopwith triplane on the Western Front. Research has shown that two kits have been released: one in 1/48 scale in resin and a vacuform in 1/72 scale. I do not build in either resin or 1/48 scale, and consider that if you are going to build a vacuform you might just as easily scratch one instead. For those of you who are not familiar with this machine there are more details here: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Siemens-Schuckert_DDr.I

I have to make my models on a shoestring so I propose to make one of my own using as much scrap materials and left-overs from earlier builds as I can. Here is my kit:



The above consists of scrap plastic pieces, some bent 30 thou card for the wings, wood for the propellors, pieces of soft iron wire for the booms: the only new material which I will use will be strip and rod which I already have in stock.

The wings were cut from the bent plastic sheet and the corners rounded and shaped, as was the aerofoil section. Then I added 10 x 20 thou strip for the ribs:



The wings in the image above are in descending order as per the original aircraft: the lower wing has strip in place and trimmed, the middle wing has untrimmed strip and the top wing awaits the application of the strip. When all the strip is in place and trimmed I will gently sand it down so that it is only just visible.

I made a mould for the fuselage from basswood after I had tried to make a fuselage from plastic sheet. The curve on the top of the nacelle defeated me so I reverted to a tested method and made one by push moulding, using scrap plastic of which I have plenty. I also made two engine nacelles using an old mould which I had made for a Caudron G IV some years ago, and I found a spare spinner from a Dornier flying boat build, also from some years ago:



I do not intend to put much detail in the cockpit because it will not be visible and anyway no plans survive to the best of my knowledge. This build is not large or particularly complex but I fear it is going to take longer than usual as have a number of issues looming which are going to take me from my favoured activity in the next few weeks, so updates may be erratic and uneven.

Thanks for looking.

Stephen.
« Last Edit: October 19, 2020, 05:33:36 AM by lone modeller »

Offline ermeio

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Re: 1/72 Siemens Schuckert DDr 1
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2020, 07:32:52 AM »
Great Choice!
I'll follow with interest!

Offline Alexis

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Re: 1/72 Siemens Schuckert DDr 1
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2020, 07:44:50 AM »
I'm following a long on this one Stephen . It is an interesting subject and I do have Spin Models 48 scale kit in the stash and even for that scale she is a good size .

You are off to an excellent start so far with the wings and other bit's . Are you just going to wing it for the details in the cockpit ? I haven't been able to find and ref's for this part of the aircraft .


Terri
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Body and life is a vessel we use to travel the planet . Femininity is the gift , The miracle comes from what we do with it .

Offline kensar

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Re: 1/72 Siemens Schuckert DDr 1
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2020, 09:17:21 AM »
An ambitious looking project that I know you can pull off.  Quite an interesting design.

Bughunter

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Re: 1/72 Siemens Schuckert DDr 1
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2020, 04:37:57 AM »
Haven't posted for a while ... out of time (and motivation for my own projects) :-\

So now I find this project - great subject and a great start! The wings looks like a kit release.
And you are back to your main little scale ;)

I will follow!

Cheers,
Frank

Online RAGIII

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Re: 1/72 Siemens Schuckert DDr 1
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2020, 11:18:56 PM »
Excellent start to what is bound to be another Fantastic Model! The wings and other parts are looking great!
RAGIII
"A man has to know his limitations": Harry Callahan

"Don't slop it on" Lynda Geisler

Offline Early Bird Fan

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Re: 1/72 Siemens Schuckert DDr 1
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2020, 04:20:44 PM »
scraps or not i'm sure this will turn in to another superb looking model, following with interest

Offline IanB

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Re: 1/72 Siemens Schuckert DDr 1
« Reply #7 on: October 24, 2020, 04:31:12 AM »
Now that's an interesting take on a "pusher"! I've never heard of this one before, looking forward to seeing it come together!

Ian

Offline William Adair

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Re: 1/72 Siemens Schuckert DDr 1
« Reply #8 on: October 25, 2020, 11:23:12 AM »
Looking good so far.  I hadn’t heard of this one before either.  It looks like it would be terrifying to land!

Offline ermeio

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Re: 1/72 Siemens Schuckert DDr 1
« Reply #9 on: October 25, 2020, 07:14:35 PM »
I will follow with great interest, as ever!

Bughunter

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Re: 1/72 Siemens Schuckert DDr 1
« Reply #10 on: October 26, 2020, 03:46:07 AM »
Now that's an interesting take on a "pusher"!
Ian, it's a "pull-push"er :D With a two blade at the front and a four blade in the middle.

It looks like it would be terrifying to land!
That was never necessary. It crashed at maiden flight ::)

Cheers,
Frank

Offline lone modeller

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Re: 1/72 Siemens Schuckert DDr 1
« Reply #11 on: October 30, 2020, 08:35:38 AM »
Evening All,

Thanks to you all for for the encouraging comments - they are very much appreciated. I have managed to make a little progress which I can report upon here. I started by completing the basic fuselage nacelle - I added a seat for the pilot, floor and control stick, and an IP but little else because it cannot be seen. The fuselage will need some cleaning up of the joints as with most push moulds that I make and I suspect that the tube of filler will get a bit of a bash too!

I also made the engines: I cut two circles from 60 thou card and cut the cylinders from 60thou rod. The push rods were made from 20 thou rod. I did not scribe the cylinder cooling fins because again they will not be very visible on the completed model: I am trying to keep this one simple.





[

Thanks for looking.

Stephen.

Offline Rookie

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Re: 1/72 Siemens Schuckert DDr 1
« Reply #12 on: October 30, 2020, 07:41:46 PM »
Nice progress Stephen! This is a peculiar aircraft. I especially like the wings.

I will follow this build with interest!

Willem

Online RAGIII

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Re: 1/72 Siemens Schuckert DDr 1
« Reply #13 on: November 03, 2020, 12:21:13 AM »
Great start. Your ability to create these parts is amazing!
RAGIII
"A man has to know his limitations": Harry Callahan

"Don't slop it on" Lynda Geisler

Offline lone modeller

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Re: 1/72 Siemens Schuckert DDr 1
« Reply #14 on: November 11, 2020, 08:20:52 AM »
Evening All

Thanks Willem and Rick for the kind comments: they are much appreciated.

I did warn that progress would be erratic, and life has kept up to expectation as I have not been able to do a great deal even with the new restrictions on outside activity: most of my activities are at home so I am not affected as much as many.

I have made a little progress however, including shaping the nacelle and the cowlings. The latter were push moulded using an old set of moulds I had from an earlier scratch build. The fronts of the cowliings had two large cut-outs and the lower part was removed. To get this arrangement I started by drawing the openings on the front of the cowling mould:



I drilled small holes around the edges of the opening and a single larger one in the centre for the propellor shaft:



I cut around the holes to remove the bulk of the unwanted plastic:



and finally cleaned up the openings with a file:



The lower parts of the fronts of the cowlings were cut away and the units cemented to the nacelle. I had also filed and sanded the joints of the nacelle and then I used a reasonable amount of filler to obscure the joints and some dimples caused by glue deforming the plastic where I had added formers inside. Sanding helped to get the shape and finish that I wanted. A small pice of scrap was used to shape the headrest:





There were two plates at the rear of the nacelle which were to direct cooling air to the rear rotary engine - these were added and the joints cleaned up with glasspaper:





I have still to add a coaming around the cockpit opening..

Thanks for looking.

Stephen.