Aces Mount 2025 GB - SE5a (Viper) of DW Grinnell-Milne - FINISHED

[RAGIII]

Mike, Nice to see someone doing an interpretation of GMs' Mount as it "Might Have" appeared in action. I came to a similar conclusion after re-reading his book and My conversation with Alex when He sent these two photos that were unpublished at the time. You are doing your usual excellent work.
RAGIII

So Frank sent Me a PM regarding My build of Schweinhund. I guess I should explain My reasoning on this one. In His Book G-M states that After the Armistice He was flying Schweinhund (III) He mentions that the "Nose" is painted red and does not say the fuselage. I think that there is a better than even chance that Near the end of the war He had the radiator / front painted red and only later was the rest done in this manner. I am also convinced by photos provided by Alex Revell that their is a "Blue" or Black W on the underside of the wing. In addition the serial number is visible on the rudder. ( repainted from the fuselage at Squadron level.)Many SE5as from 56 at this period painted the squadron marking over the fuselage serial and added it to the rudder also.
RAGIII

Here are the photos provided by Alex in a personal E Mail to Me before they were ever published. This is as of January 1919. Note that "Schweinhund" was Not Present on the right fuselage. If one enlarges the second photo the serial # C 1149 is visible although washed out by strong light. I also think that a W can barely be made out on the lower wing of the first although it is really fuzzy!







PS: These photos obviously show the aircraft after the total repaint.....perhaps 

PPS: I think we can all agree that the red overpaint did not give that "Pristine" appearance we normally see on Models 

[Mike Norris (UK)]

Hi Rich,
I also have those photographs and quotes from his book 'Wind in the Wires' and agree with you.
Although I hadn't considered a W on the underside of the lower wing, but that could be true.
The photographs could have been taken in France or England.
It seems that both the Vickers and Lewis machine guns have been removed.
Also the buildings are more permanent in structure than found on wartime airfields in France etc.
He stated that he wasn't allowed to paint the aircraft fuselage red until post WW1.
So I think, like you, these shots are of the aircraft painted up, possibly taken in England before it was struck off charge in February 1919,

Mike.

[Mike Norris (UK)]

Hi all,
The painting of the SE5a is more or less complete.
I'll be using masks to do the roundels and markings.
I have a few small modifications to do before construction:

Tachometer drive
Air pump pipe
Pitot static pipes
Fuse tank filler cap
Engine panel retaining strap
Auxiliary fuel tank pipes

Here's shots of a few completed parts,

Mike











 

[NigelR]

Looking very good so far Mike, nice work.

[Allan31]

For me, the research is half the fun.



Just ordered a new copy.

[Alexis]

Nice work Mike . Must say very taking to this version of the scheme with just the red nose .


Alexis

[Mike Norris (UK)]

Hi all,
A few update shots on the dual build.
Weathering still to do.
Getting close now to the pre-rigging stage before assembly starts,

Mike


 




   



 

[Allan31]

Oh-boy, here we come....

[Scaleber]

Your attention to detail is just awesome!

[Mike Norris (UK)]

Hi all,
The model has had ?Aviattic? clear backed Clear Doped Linen ?bleached? (ATT32044) applied:
Upper and lower wings.
Fuselage side panels, top rear, Underside and the fin.
Inner and outer wheel covers.

Tail skid, Vickers machine gun/panel and Aldis gun sight fitted.
The next step is to airbrush the various markings then apply weathering.
After that it's onto pre-rigging,

Mike

[NigelR]

Beautiful work Mike. You are the expert in applying Aviattic decals! All those difficult shapes and not a wrinkle or tear in sight. It gives a very effective result.

[Mike Norris (UK)]

Hi all,
My intention was to airbrush most of the various markings using specific masks made by Mark Beckwith at 'Making History Masks' (https://making-history.ca/), with the remaining marks as decals supplied with the kit.
However, my daughters Dachshund decide to 're-arrange' the mask set.
All I had left that was useable were the letter Ws.
Therefore, I had to use kit supplied decals and 'Xtradecal' numbers/letters as replacements.

The decal guide supplied in the 'Roden' kit of this aircraft shows the following:
'Schweinhund' marking on the lower, front sides of the fuselage. However, it seems this marking was only on the port (left side) of the fuselage.
Two white angled stripes on both sides of the rear of the fuselage. This was the No.56 Squadron (RAF) marking in late 1918.
Large letter W in white on both sides of the fuselage.
Larger letter W in white on the top surface of the upper wing (right side).
RAF roundels on both sides of the fuselage, top surface of the upper wing and underside of the lower wings.

However, this aircraft was built by the Royal Aircraft Factory (RAF), who positioned the wing roundels further inboard than other manufacturers.
This can be seen on photographs of other RAF built SE5a aircraft of No.56 Squadron, based on photographs in the following references:
The SE5 File - (Ray Sturtivant and Gordon Page).
British Aviation Squadron Markings of WW1 - (Les Rogers).

Serial No: A8909 A1 of Capt. PB Prothero.
Serial No: A8913 B2 of Lt. Muspratt.
Serial No: A4853 C2 of Lt. DS Wilkinson.
Serial No: B4863 G of Capt. JB McCudden.

As the only photographs of C1149 do not show clearly where wing roundels were positioned, I chose to ignore the 'Roden' decal guide and place the roundels as for a RAF built SE5a.
This means that the white W on the upper wing can't be positioned as shown on the 'Roden' decal guide.
However, as can be seen on the 'Wingnut Wings' kit supplied profile of C1057, identification letters were sometimes positioned on the upper wing centre section.
Therefore, I chose to position the white W onto the centre section.
Some Squadrons had the identification letters also applied usually to the underside of the lower right wing and in black.
There is at least one photograph of an RAF built SE5a of No.56 Squadron that carries the identification letter R on the underside of the lower, right wing and outboard (partly over the aileron) of the roundel.
Admittedly, it may not be the case that all No.56 Squadron aircraft carried an identification letter on the underside of the lower wing.
However, as I'm altering the positions of the wing roundels and the upper wing W, I decided I may as well add a black W to the lower, right wing.
The serial number C.1149 was displayed on both sides of the rudder and was coloured black/white.
The wheel tyres were marked with the 'Palmer Cord' manufacturers specification.

Anyway, right or wrong it's now time to apply weathering,

Mike

[NigelR]

The markings look great, your logic is eminently plausible. Thanks for the mention of "Making History", that could be a useful source of custom masks.

[Mike Norris (UK)]

Hi all,
First weathering applied using 'Flory Models' Dark Dirt clay wash.
Now onto applying finer weathering,

Mike

[Mike Norris (UK)]

Hi all,
Final weathering done.
I used the following.

'Flory Models' Clay washes or Pigments,
'Tamiya' Weathering Master sets,
'Prismacolor' Verithin Argent Metallique pencil (753),
'AK Interactive' Kerosene (AK2039), Engine Oil (AK2019) washes.

Now it's onto pre-rigging,

Mike