Eduard Junkers J.1 (1/72)

[Softscience]

First, off let me apologize for not starting this WIP until now, but I actually started working on this plane some months ago and just pulled it back out (to paint) this week.

The model has been a bit fussy thus far, and I'm not looking forward to the funny strut work for that heavy upper wing. This especially after seeing Henry Coulson's WIP, and the problems he faced. I'm going to try a slightly different approach, but who knows how it'll go. That top wing is really heavy, and there are many struts to put in before anything is stabilized. I'm going to experiment with some heavy card jigs (ala Lone Modeler).

I'm anxious because I'd really like to have a biplane in 1/72. It is my prefered scale for my WW II and modern aircraft, but so far I have never been able to successfully rig and strut up these tiny birds. But I must say, I'm coming at it with a new set of skills and mindset this time. Wish me luck.


Meanwhile, paint is on. Sprayed on mix of Tamiya blues for the bottom, and NATO green up top. The mauve is a home brew of Vallejo red and blues that I had sitting around. Those were hand brushed.  This thing looks like what Prince would flown in the Great War - as he bombarded the trenches with Funk and Love



Marathon decal session coming this weekend to get this and the Fokker marked up.

[RAGIII]

Your color mixes look excellent. I am close to needing to mix similar colors for my Albatros and I hope I do as well on my mixes.
RAGIII

[Softscience]

Your color mixes look excellent. I am close to needing to mix similar colors for my Albatros and I hope I do as well on my mixes.
RAGIII

Add about equal parts red and sky blue to get a dark pastel pink. Then keep adding drops of royal blue until you get the desired darkness.

Or just get the mauve. I'm sure they make one

[PrzemoL]

Fine colours, indeed.

Well, I built one of these a few years ago. The strut work may look difficult but honestly I do not remember any problems with it.

[Softscience]

Fine colours, indeed.

Well, I built one of these a few years ago. The strut work may look difficult but honestly I do not remember any problems with it.

What was your approach to it?

[PrzemoL]

Fine colours, indeed.

Well, I built one of these a few years ago. The strut work may look difficult but honestly I do not remember any problems with it.

What was your approach to it?

As far as I remember I first glued the interplane struts to the lower wings, checking their geometry by measuring the distances span-wise and length-wise between the free top pins to keep them fitting the holes in the upper wing. Than I put the upper wing and only after this I squeezed the wing-fuselage struts.

The tricky part was then adding the aileron push rods and the cooling pipes.

Here is the result:
http://www.ikb.poznan.pl/przemyslaw.litewka/modele_pliki/junkj1.html

[Softscience]

Thanks, Przemek. I applied your method and it seems to be working.

Nevertheless, I wish I had predrilled deeper holes on the fuselage sill where the X struts brace. As it is, they rest as nearly butt-joints against the fuselage, and aren't doing much to give rigidity to the whole structure.

I'm not too pleased with how this is turning out, and I'm not sure if I'll be seeing it through to the end. But if nothing else, I learned a lesson from this model:

rigging biplanes is easy, lining up struts and getting the upper wing square is HARD!

[IanB]

Jigs, and practice! Oh, and a little patience...... The colours do look good!

Ian

[RAGIII]

I love your jig. Very close to what I use 
RAGIII

[Softscience]

I crapped the bed on this one.

I didn't study the instructions adequately, and did not predrill the holes for the support struts on the fuselage sides. They were an absolute bear to install, and I ended up with several gluey messes. An attempt to clean one up, cause some of the struts to come loose, and threw the wing out of alignment again.

That was enough - the junkers went in the junk. 

[RAGIII]

I crapped the bed on this one.

I didn't study the instructions adequately, and did not predrill the holes for the support struts on the fuselage sides. They were an absolute bear to install, and I ended up with several gluey messes. An attempt to clean one up, cause some of the struts to come loose, and threw the wing out of alignment again.

That was enough - the junkers went in the junk. 

Sorry to hear of the misfortune. On the other hand I have had very similar things happen to me. Just look at my OLD Roden SPAD VII ordeal here on the Forum or my later Roden SE5a build that I had the wing mounted and then things went south. It happens!
RAGIII

[Softscience]

Sorry to hear of the misfortune. On the other hand I have had very similar things happen to me. Just look at my OLD Roden SPAD VII ordeal here on the Forum or my later Roden SE5a build that I had the wing mounted and then things went south. It happens!
RAGIII

I'm sorry that happened to you, but I'm glad to hear I'm not alone in that. Getting struts aligned is certainly my weak point in biplane modeling. I find it much harder than the rigging which I always thought would be the hardest part.

I guess I haven't even developed a strategy or procedure for strut work yet. Would love to hear the advice of others.

[IanB]

Sorry to hear of the strut problems. Each kit is a little different, but as a rule, I always try to fit the cabane struts first, replacing them with brass rod if necessary, then attach the wing. When that's all secure the outer struts should pop into place pretty easily, assuming you drilled the holes! ;-)
 I always cut a small slot into the ends of the struts and add a small piece of brass rod, which will then fit into the pre-drilled holes and give a good positive attachment. Don't make the brass rod inserts too long though, or you will have to bend the strut too much when fitting it, and could break it!

Ian

[Softscience]

I'll have to try the brass rods approach, Ian, though I can imagine drilling holes in 1/72 struts to be "fun"