Roden 1:72 Zeppelin Staaken R.VI

[IanB]

According to the WS Datafile, Jamo is correct, some of the earlier machines had standard day lozenge, oversprayed for night work, so Aviattic lozenge would work. The engine nacelles were "frequently left unpainted, or perhaps coloured light-grey", struts were "painted dark blue or green". Those areas that appear to be plain coloured, such as forward fuselage and sometimes the nacelles, were probably dark blue or green.

In other words, do what you think looks right!

Ian

[Squiffy]

In other words, do what you think looks right!

Ian

I like your thinking, Ian. 

[Jamo]

This is a late Staaken and if my memory of references serves me correctly it survived the war. I'll find pics when I get home from work but I am sure they show printed lozenge fabric just like on the kit. Certainly this was true of the floatplane version which gave joy rides from a lake near Berlin after the war.



https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/6313293886/

[Squiffy]

Thanks for posting those photos, James.

Yesterday I made a start on the interior.

Which didn't get off to the best of starts as I glued the bulkhead in the wrong place. I only noticed it today but managed to remove and relocate it without too much fuss.

So... The interior is done. I don't think much of this will be seen once it's inside the fuselage but hey ho...

[IanB]

What? Not finished yet??? 

Ian

[RAGIII]

Really nice work on the interior! Love the wood tones!
RAGIII

[Des]

You are moving along quite well with this build Squiffy, what you have achieved with the interior is excellent with great wood colours.

Des.

[Jamo]

If you wanted to see a *bit* more of the interior you could model the windows in an open position. Just an idea . . .

[Wolf]

This is an intersting thread. Happy you do a build log about this Monster.
If have one of these in my stash but not the courage to start it yet. Hopefully your build log will encourage me.

Great start.

[Alexis]

Nice wood tones 



Terri

[WarrenD]

As others have said, really nice wood tones, and you're off to a great start!

Warren

[Squiffy]

A great start but I think this is the easy part. 

Today's progress - the fuselage is closed up around the interior...


...and the Maybach engines are ready to be installed. They'll be given some weathering once fitted to the bearers.

The propellors don't fit straight onto the engines but are supposed to fit to shafts on gearboxes. These shafts are very flimsy and, if my experience with other Roden kits is anything to go by, won't turn easily in the gearbox mouldings. I may have to replace the shafts with some home-made metal replacements if I want the props to turn (and not snap off at the shafts!).

Thinking ahead, I'm wondering if I should use something other than my usual 0.13mm nylon for rigging this beast?

[Fokker boy]

Interesting looking kit.

[Squiffy]

The Maybachs are now fitted to the bearers, which are now complete with oil tanks, engineer's seat and gearboxes.

I've left the silly little plastic shafts out of the gearboxes. My plan is to drill right though the propellor bosses and sleeve them with brass tube. A dressmaker's pin will then go through the tube and will be glued into the gearbox holes, thus allowing the props to spin freely. That's the theory, anyway...

[coyotemagic]

Excellent work, Squiffy.  You're really moving along on this one.
Cheers,
Bud