Kondor D.2 1/48 SPIN model; 5.8.21 Finished

[Bughunter]

Kondor D.2  
 


There are enough of started projects in my man cave, but there is a special reason to add the next one.

Today, on the July 20, but in the year 1912 the aircraft company "Kondor Flugzeugwerke GmbH" was founded in Essen (t least according to my Windsock article, Wikipedia says June 15th; another date I found was December 15th). Esssen is one of the bigger cities in the german "Ruhrgebiet" (Ruhr Metropolis, Ruhr is a river).
My wife was born there, and my mother in law lives there.
So you guess what? I have to build a Kondor aircraft!

After the experience with my last project Quadruplane I know that I'm able to handle a resin kit by Spin.
And Spin offers also some Kondor aircrafts, I decided to try a nice little biplane: Kondor D.2

There was a D.1 biplane, with Nieuport style struts and a single spar lower wing.

Source: wikimedia.org

This was not very successful so the D.2 project was started. The upper wing was the same as D.1, but now 2 spars in the new lower wing and conventional struts. Two prototypes was build, the first with a 80hp (some sources says Oberursel U.0) in a round cowling and a second one with a 110hp Oberursel UR.II in in horseshoe type cowling. Both take part on the fighter competition, but not ordered into production.

The designer was Walter Rethel, who was later involved in Arado aircrafts and the Bf 109. For the German readers: His granddaughter is an actress and was married to Johannes Heesters.

Source: wikimedia.org

There are no Datafile for those rare birds but Windsock International Vol 13 No.2 has an nice article, photos and drawings about the Kondor aircrafts. A picture here shows clearly, that the engine was a Le Rhone 80hp. The U.0 looks different.


So far about the background of this project.

Cheers,
Frank

[kensar]

Looks like a nice design - at least it's pretty.  It will be a beauty when you're done with it.

If you can handle a Spin kit, you can handle a resin kit from anyone.

[Bughunter]

Ken, welcome to the show!

The kit in 1/48


The SPIN model kit allows the first prototype. This is the box:



Here are the parts:

There are nearly no bubbles on the wings.


The fuselage is very short - a little bird










Some small parts:


A little decal sheet:



The manual:





So far so good. It seems to be a nice kit!

Cheers,
Frank

[RichieW]

Ah, now I see why the Tuesday update Frank! What a great project, I'm looking forward to seeing this cute and little known little biplane emerge from the resin.

Richie

[Bughunter]

A warm welcome also to you Richie!

After the background and the kit now the first real update

Wings

As often I started again with the wings.

The wings of the kit are nice:



But I like individual ailerons so I cut and reattached them.



This allows also a cutout for the aileron control wire. Please note the mounting plates, but I decided to remove them.



I primed the wings and added some shading, may be not strong enough.





The kit drawing (see above) shows a blue lower surface, but there is also a 1/72 kit. That manual tells 5 color lozenge on upper and lower surfaces, also some drawings in a Jack Herris book. After checking the available photos I decided to go that way.

So I applied Aviattic 5 color lozenge. After drying overnight I fixed the edges with Micro Set.
(I forgot pictures, here I started already with the rib tapes on lower surface.)





I added thin stripes of another Aviattic sheet, 5 color lozenge on white decal paper, as rib tapes.
Not easy to cut similar tapes, but the look is impressive.





Again as some macros.





As shape of the crosses of the decals looks different to the Windsock drawing, photos and even the kit box! I decided to draw and cut masks with my cutting machine.
Masks on decals is dangerous, it stopped my Albatros triplane project (I still haven't fixed the damage!), but Fredrik gave me the advice to spray a flat coat. Thank you, that worked!
I lifted only two rib tapes a bit, which could be fixed easily.


This way also the gap between wing and ailerons is handled automatically and I like the look, with the embossed rip tapes.



You think the wings are done? Not yet, there will be a part 2!

Cheers,
Frank

[Alexis]

Wings are looking good for the first round 

Alexis

[Manni]

Your builds are always very exciting to watch, like a good book you just can't stop reading. I am curious what miracles you pull out of your hat this time.
Bye Manni

[Bughunter]

Thank you Alexis. You always tried to persuade me to make resin models. Now the spell is broken and this is already the next one

Manni, glad you are here! I hope that I can add some more exciting chapters to this book! And this time until the final end please!

Cheers,
Frank

[RichieW]

Wings part 1 is an excellent episode Frank, very much looking forward to part 2. I am captivated already!

Richie

[Bughunter]

Ok Richie, then let's finish the wings.

Mounts


In the first posting about the wings I mentioned the mounting plates, opposite to the struts.



As I removed them for the decals I need now new ones.

I soldered 12 small brass plates (+ some spares) to a block and filed it to shape and drilled for mounting.



So I have some self made PE, threaded to avoid loss.



I glued them on and bolted to the wings with 0.2mm wire.



Here again as macro:



The lever of the ailerons are also painted black and glued in place.



Now together with the wing. I painted also the mounts slightly. Some metal looking through was intended.



Some weathering will be added after mounting.
I'm satisfied with the look of the wing and very happy, that masking on top of decals worked this time.

Cheers,
Frank

[RichieW]

Wow Frank! Wings episode 2 is awesome, those plates are fantastic! Can I ask how you separated the individual plates from the block? This looks like a technique worth learning!

Richie

[Bughunter]

Thank you Richie!

Of course you can ask!
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You want also an answer?

I soldered small pieces of brass foil to a layered sandwich piece. Then shaped and drilled the block.
Once finished it is easy to desolder the block into the single layers. I do it with a steel needle on wood and the iron. Only short and without solder to avoid a drilled holes are filled again.

A fried is doing that also with Evergreen sheet and white glue to get identical parts.

Cheers,
Frank

[Gisbod]

Awesome as ever Frank!

Love your esoteric subjects 


Guy

[MichaelStieber]

 Now this is a very interesting plane.
It is always amazing  to see your detailed work.

I am definitely looking forward to the next steps. 

[coyotemagic]

Nice kit of a beautiful little kite, Frank.  I have this one in my stash and it's been calling out to me for a few years now.  You just bumped it up in the queue.
Cheers,
Bud