Author Topic: 1/72 Grahame-White Type X Charabanc  (Read 5015 times)

Offline lone modeller

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1/72 Grahame-White Type X Charabanc
« on: February 02, 2021, 09:22:12 AM »
Evening All,

I am not sure whether this should be here in scratch builds or in pre-1914 types: it can be reasonably classified as either, so if the mods think it is in the wrong place please would you move it.

This was a civilian machine, (as far as I am aware there was only one), built by the Grahame-White Company in 1913 for joy riding at the aerial displays held at the factory site at Hendon, (now the site of the RAF Museum), in north London. The aircraft was important for a number of reasons which I will describe later, but for me some very important reasons for it being an excellent choice is that it is a pusher(!) and there is no kit available. I suspect that most readers will be unaware of the type, (as I was until relatively recently), so here is a link to information about it: http://flyingmachines.ru/Site2/Crafts/Craft28796.htm

I have made a small start by cutting the main flying surfaces from 30 thou card which had been bent in boiling water in a water pipe. The lower wing was one piece and had a shorter span than upper. The latter had extensions which were slightly swept back so I have had to cut these separately and will glue them to the centre section later when I have added and sanded the ribs. The wings and horizontal tail surfaces had a very marked curvature - as shown on the Flight drawings but also clearly visible in photographs. I have not cut out the rudders yet - I will do so later.



The above image shows the top wing sections (top), the lower wing with 10 x 20 thou Evergreen strip cemented on prior to sanding to represent ribs (centre), and the two tail surfaces, one with strip and one without (bottom).

I have also cut out plastic for the nacelle. I am using 30 thou card for the sides and 20 thou for the floor and nose, which is one piece.



The curves on the sides of the floor/nose are there because the nose tapered a little, the crosswise curve at the end is the pilot's position. I intend to make a simple box structure using card braces to make the nacelle and then remove the braces and replace them with wire rods when it is dry and firm. I have bought some wicker seats from Barracuda Studios which i will use for the pilot and passengers. It is my intention to scratch build all of the other parts.

More later when I have made the nacelle and finished the ribs on the flying surfaces.

Thanks for looking.

Stephen.
« Last Edit: February 02, 2021, 09:36:41 AM by lone modeller »

Offline Alexis

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Re: 1/72 Grahame-White Type X Charabanc
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2021, 11:55:24 AM »
Cool Stephen , now that is neat pusher indeed . Even though it was for the joy of the ride still has a graceful appearance . Will be following along as this unfolds  :)


Alexis
Hurra ! , Ich Leben Noch
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 Rookie

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Re: 1/72 Grahame-White Type X Charabanc
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2021, 05:27:12 PM »
This is a fun aircraft and I am sure it is going to be a great build Stephen!

I will keep a close watch  :D

Are you going to scratch build the engine also?

Willem


Offline FAf

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Re: 1/72 Grahame-White Type X Charabanc
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2021, 08:23:16 PM »
Looks excellent and I'm sure it will be a very interesting build to follow!
/Fredrik

Offline rhallinger

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Re: 1/72 Grahame-White Type X Charabanc
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2021, 08:49:43 PM »
Great subject Stephen!  As always, I will enjoy your build.  Thanks for sharing.

Best regards,

Bob

Bughunter

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Re: 1/72 Grahame-White Type X Charabanc
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2021, 09:55:23 PM »
Stephen, I will follow your build for sure!
Please enjoy  and entertain the community with the features of a unknown type 8)

Cheers,
Frank

Offline lone modeller

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Re: 1/72 Grahame-White Type X Charabanc
« Reply #6 on: February 03, 2021, 05:59:07 AM »
Thanks to all who have commented so far - I will try to ensure that updates are fairly regular and informative.

Willem: I will be scratch building the engine. I made one many years ago for an FE 2b conversion, so I have got form in this department.

Stephen.

Offline ermeio

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Re: 1/72 Grahame-White Type X Charabanc
« Reply #7 on: February 03, 2021, 07:18:43 AM »
excellent choice !
er me

Offline lone modeller

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Re: 1/72 Grahame-White Type X Charabanc
« Reply #8 on: February 09, 2021, 09:25:39 PM »
Evening All,

Thank you Ermio for passing by and leaving a comment.

Some might have thought that with all this enforced free time I would have raced on with this project. Sadly not so as I lack the energy/motivation to do so - like many others here and elsewhere I read. I have managed to put Mr Surfacer around the ribs on the wings, and have started the laborious process of rubbing the ribs down again:



The above shows (top) the wing with the strips glued in place, (middle) after application of Mr Surfacer filler, (bottom) the flying surfaces after the filler has been sanded and smoothed but not primed. Sanding off the 4 surfaces in the lower part of the image took nearly 2 hours.....

So in the meantime I have made some othe parts. Here is the nacelle structure completed - including having filled around the curved section of the nose because I just could not get the card to fit properly. Grrr.





Note in the top image tha I have added filler to the underside - joints are rarely perfect in scratch building. Also the rear has still to be fixed properly - the floor follows the sides completely. In the second image the bulkheads are there to hold the sides rigid and square while the cement dries- they were only tacked in and have since been removed.

I made a slatted floor for the cockpit - I am sure they must have had one for the passengers to stand on because that would have been lighter than a heavy gauge plywood alternative, but this is modellers licence as I know of no photos of the interior.



I have also painted the engine - acrylics for the aluminium and Humbrol metallic enamel for the cylinders. I have still got to dirty it a bit as it is much too shiny. I have also got to make and add some of the other details - they will come later.







Thanks for looking.

Stephen.

Offline Alexis

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Re: 1/72 Grahame-White Type X Charabanc
« Reply #9 on: February 09, 2021, 10:51:39 PM »
Well I would say , you are making better progress then I'm Stephen . She is looking fab so far so just Imagin yourself a week from now on the progress you have made , because you know you can creating an inner glow that will shine bright ! Looking forward on the next round of up-dates  :)


Alexis
« Last Edit: February 09, 2021, 11:15:29 PM by Alexis »
Hurra ! , Ich Leben Noch
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 RAGIII

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Re: 1/72 Grahame-White Type X Charabanc
« Reply #10 on: February 09, 2021, 11:13:09 PM »
All I can say is that this is your usual Superb work Stephen! Looking forward to more!!
RAGIII
"A man has to know his limitations": Harry Callahan

"Don't slop it on" Lynda Geisler

Offline kensar

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Re: 1/72 Grahame-White Type X Charabanc
« Reply #11 on: February 09, 2021, 11:55:38 PM »
You're progressing nicely on this, Stephen.

Bughunter

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Re: 1/72 Grahame-White Type X Charabanc
« Reply #12 on: February 10, 2021, 12:02:07 AM »
Sanding off the 4 surfaces in the lower part of the image took nearly 2 hours.....
My brain transferred some letters of "nearly" after the 2 and I read this as "2 years" :o I'm getting old ...
Luckily you finished this task earlier! Looks like real ribs with tape.

Cheers,
Frank

Offline lcarroll

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Re: 1/72 Grahame-White Type X Charabanc
« Reply #13 on: February 10, 2021, 03:03:51 AM »
Great choice Stephen, about as unusual a subject as there is and I know you'll do it justice. As always I'll be following your progress as you simplify the obstacles of improvisation and the unknown .......... This will be an impressive model once completed!
Cheers,
Lance

Offline IanB

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Re: 1/72 Grahame-White Type X Charabanc
« Reply #14 on: February 11, 2021, 03:03:56 AM »
Another one I've never heard of, and a good start so far. I'm looking forward to seeing what it actually looks like!

Ian