1:32nd scale - Ansaldo A.1 'Balilla'

[Mike Norris (UK)]

Hi all,
Well a bit of a disaster tonight.
Whilst preparing to fit the upper wing I found real problems with the photo-etch rigging points.
Most detached from the model surface, despite cleaning up the contact surfaces.
More importantly, several actually broke apart with the side members breaking away from the main body.
This was without apply any undue stress to them.
In fact several very thin parts had already broken off during pre-rigging, but I though I might get away with it.
It could be that as usual with photo-etch, I annealed the parts before assembly so maybe that weakened them.
I must admit I had my doubts as to how durable these parts would be and I'm glad I found out now before fitting the upper wing.
Anyway I'm too far into the build now, so I've removed and disposed of all but four of the rigging points and will go back to 'Gaspatch' turnbuckle rigging.
Hey-Ho,

Mike

[Fvdm]

Bummer! Glad to see you have already a solution for the problem.

[Mike Norris (UK)]

Hi all,
Pre-rigging Part 2.
All of the photo-etch rigging plates, except four, have been removed and replaced with 'GasPatch' pre-rigged lines.
So, now onto fitting the upper wing,

Mike

[FAf]

Swift recovery! Good looking too! To bad the PE didn't work out, but why have you kept four of them?
/Fredrik

[Mike Norris (UK)]

Hi Fredrik,
The two rigging brackets at the lower wing roots are made of two separate photo-etch parts and so are stronger.
Also they have a hole that allows them to slide onto the wing reinforcing steel rods.
When the lower wings are fitted the brackets can't move as they are mounted on the rods and also held in recesses in the wing roots.

The two double sided brackets on the underside of the upper wing are for the front cabane struts.
Again these are more sturdy than the others, plus the have a larger contact area.
I was reluctant to remove them from the surface of the wing in case they lifted the decal underneath,

Mike

[PrzemoL]

I am sorry to hear about your problems with rigging stations, though I am sure your remedy will work just fine. Still I wonder, were not all of them made with holes for the strut reinforcing wire to pass through and so to fix them to their positions?

[Mike Norris (UK)]

Hi PrzemoL,
I think the damage was done when I annealed them, as on fitting the side members on some brackets just broke away.
Now you've mentioned it, the holes in the sides of the brackets - use to pin brackets to struts - 
To late for me now, but it does make sense - I just wish the instructions in the supplied build log would have mentioned that.
All the instructions say is to glue the brackets in position, no mention of pinning to the struts 

Good information though for anyone else taking on this model,

Mike

[FAf]

Aha, thanks for the explanation.
/F

[RAGIII]

Good recovery and nice to see you back on track so quickly!
RAGIII

[Mike Norris (UK)]

Hi all,
Upper wing fitted.
The kit has two exposed fuel pipes between the underside of the fuel tank in the upper wing and the top of the rear engine cowl panel.
However, this particular aircraft, like many 'Balilla's', had these pipes covered by a fairing.
So, before starting the final rigging I'll need to make this pipe fairing.

Mike

[Mike Norris (UK)]

Hi all,
When I test fitted the propeller to the model, it seemed to me that the propeller looked as though its diameter was a bit small.
When I scaled a photograph of the model and its propeller to the illustration in the data file, it seemed to bear this out.
Also photographs of the aircraft indicate that the propeller tips were more or less aligned with the landing gear axle (propeller vertical).

Anyway right or wrong, I decide to modify the propeller.
I cut off the two blades, then used 1.0 mm diameter rod to re-join them to the hub, but with a gap in each.
This gap was filled with 'Green Stuff' putty and once cured, filed and sanded to restore the blades profiles.
The overlay below shows the difference before and after modification,

Mike

[Mike Norris (UK)]

Hi all,
There were two fuel lines between the fuel tank in the upper wing and the engine bay.
Some ‘Balilla’ aircraft had these fuel pipes exposed, however, this particular aircraft being modelled had the fuel pipes covered with a fairing.

This was made from 1.0 mm thick plastic card, cut and shaped to fit between the underside of the upper wing and engine cowl.
The edges were rounded and indications of fasteners added.
It was then covered with the 'Aviattic' CDL decal and secured in position under the fuel tank in the upper wing.

Mike

[RAGIII]

Excellent work on the prop and fairing for the fuel lines!
RAGIII

[AndRoby67]

Hi Mike!
Great work on propeller, I think now it have right lenght.
Photo that you posted of restored 16553 shows plane with its original propeller, restored too.
You may see tyres color too.
I think that Ansaldo was inspired by SPADs for fuel lines fairing, and you reproduce it in a perfect manner.
Congrats for the work!
Roberto

[Monty]

Some great fixes on the rigging, the prop and the pipe fairing, Mike... absolutely top-notch work! An inspirational build... ATB, Marc.