1/32 partial stripdown Short Wright Flyer

[Rookie]

Excellent progress Stephen, and thank you for the elaborate description of your building and soldering techniques.

A masterclass in scratchbuilding!

Willem

[KiwiZac]

I agree with Willem. Lovely work that's looking very sharp.

[NigelR]

I repeat: pusher aircraft are not so difficult to make as some seem to think!

I beg to differ! This is all way beyond my skill level.....

More amazing work.

[DaveB]

Excellent progress, Steve -

Love your simple method of supporting the boom structure with books - just one question though - were these books as heavy to read as well as being heavy strut supports ......?!!!!

Regards

Dave

[lone modeller]

Many thanks for the supportive comments gentlemen - they are much appreciated.

Excellent progress, Steve -

Love your simple method of supporting the boom structure with books - just one question though - were these books as heavy to read as well as being heavy strut supports ......?!!!!

Regards

Dave

It depends upon what you consider to be "heavy" reading Dave. One of the books is a biography of the English king William II (Rufus) which I found straightforward. The other was D'Arcy Thompson "On Growth and Form" which is not recommended as bedside reading, but it is very revealing if the reader has the time and patience to read it properly. But you should know about my reading tastes as you have visited often enough!!

Stephen.

[RAGIII]

I just went through your build log to date. As always, I am amazed at the "seemingly" simple techniques and basic materials you use to make a masterpiece!
RAGIII

[Alexis]

Hi Stephen , I see you haven't lost your touch , looking good so far !


Alexis

[Borsos]

Stephen, you do not stop showing us part assemblers what real modelling is. Great work so far.

[lone modeller]

Many thanks Rick, Alexis and Borsos for dropping by and leaving your very kind comments.

Welcome back Alexis - I hope that you might start posting again so I will be keeping an eye out for you.

Stephen.

[lone modeller]

Evening All,

I have finished the wings at last. The lower wing had the ribs added to the port (left) side after the last post: these were slotted along the rear spar and secured with superglue:





The three outer ribs were smaller than the remainder of the wing and had to be cut and shaped separately. I added a new rudder boom to the rear spar as the one I had fitted was too short for the reasons I explained in an earlier post. I secured the brass bar with superglue but I know that will not be as strong as a soldered joint so I am hoping that it will not fall off before I can secure it with the rudders.

The upper wing was made in the same way as the lower: solid plastic for the covered part which had been sanded to aerofoil shape with an electric sander, ribs from 20 x 30 Evergreen strip which were sanded down and Mr Surfacer added to smooth out the rib sections. The spars were brass bar but this time I soldered a rudder boom which was of the correct length. Ribs and elevator boom were added in the same way as the lower wing and I have drilled rigging holes in both wing assemblies. All of the brass parts for both wing assemblies have been primed:





I can now start painting these units prior to assembly of the upper wing to the lower wing and undercarriage.

Thanks for looking.

Stephen.

[RAGIII]

Have I ever said your work is Amazing! I think Yes and certainly still believe that to be the case!
RAGIII

[Alexis]

Always impressed with you work , looking fab Stephen !


Alexis

[NigelR]

More superb scratchbuilding skills on display here, this is prgressing very well.

[DaveB]

Wow! I admire you patience (and skills) making all those wing ribs but your result really looks the part, Steve.

Regards

Dave

[lone modeller]

Evening All,

Thank you Rick, Alexis, Nigel and Dave for your kind comments - they are much appreciated.

Painting has progressed to the stage where I can now continue with construction. (There are no decorations on this model - the aircraft was devoid of any markings - as typical for the time. Only racing aircraft had numbers - usually on the rudder but sometimes on the fuselage. In this case there was no fuselage...... and Rolls did not use this particular machine for racing). I wanted to represent the wooden parts that were covered in a different shade to those which were exposed, so I used a mix of acrylic white and Revell beige (314) for the ribs and spars and white and Revell Okre (88) for the wooden parts that were normally exposed: the contrast is not strong but as the airframe was made of of ash for the spars, booms and undercarriage and a mixture of ash and spruce for the ribs, the original contrast would not have been strong either. However the exposed wood parts would have been varnished, so I made those a little darker. The fabric surfaces were a mix of acrylic white and Revell beige (314)with even less beige in the mixture than for the wood:











If anyone is wondering what the oddments are in the last image, they are the elevators. Half are represented as fabric covered and the other half will be exposed - only the spar is in place at the moment as I have still to make the ribs. There was a biplane arrangement at the front of the aircraft and a single elevator at the rear. The single booms extending from the wings support the rudders, the double booms the rear elevator.

I have been busy making parts for where the pilot sat: a new seat, (the one shown before on this thread was apparently fitted to French built Flyers, and although Rolls owned one of these - indeed he was killed flying it in July 1910 - it seems most probable that he was flying a Short built machine when he flew across the English Channel), the frame on which the seat was fixed, and the control levers:



The engine is now finished and has been mounted on blocks and a drip tray:





The engine is approximately 2cm long x 2cm high.

I am now ready to mount the top wing and struts and then I can tie off all of the pesky threads which are attached to the solid parts of the wings.

Thanks for looking.

Stephen.