WNW 1:32 Albatros D.V

[bfrd]

Albatros D.V

I have chosen the Albatros D.V for my entry into the WWI Group Build.

The Albatros D.V was manufactured by Albatros-Flugzeugwerke GmbH (Albatros Aircraft Works) and designed by Robert Thelen. The first flight of a D.V was in May of 1917. It was primarily produced for service in the Luftstreitkräfte (which would be known as Luftwaffe in WWII). The D.V was the most widely produced aircraft of the manufacturer. In total they produced around 10,300 aircraft during WWI of which approximately 2,500 were D.V or D.Va. The company was founded in 1909 and became defunct when it merged with Focke-Wulf in 1931. One interesting thing to note is the future of the Albatros company. Through mergers and acquisitions the lineage of the modern Airbus company can find a root all the way back to Albatros. Below is a quick graphic that I put together using data I found on Wikipedia. Some of the dates have been rounded a little and not all associated companies are shown (there are a LOT).



The naming of the D.V is compliant with the standard Luftstreitkräfte naming conventions. Other manufacturers such as Fokker and Pfalz used the same designations.

Here is a listing of what they mean (copied from Wikipedia).

Code	Description
A	Unarmed reconnaissance monoplane aircraft (for example the Rumpler Taube and Fokker M.5)
B	Unarmed two-seat biplane, with the observer seated in front of the pilot.
C	Armed two-seat biplane, with the observer (usually) seated to the rear of the pilot.
CL	Light two-seater (primarily from Halberstadt and Hannover), initially intended as escort fighters – by 1917–18, mainly used for ground attack.
D	Doppeldecker – single-seat, armed biplane, but later any fighter – for instance the Fokker E.V monoplane was redesignated the D.VIII.
Dr	Dreidecker – triplane fighter (twin service test Fokker triplanes initially "F")
E	Eindecker – armed monoplane – initially included monoplane two-seaters. New monoplane types at the end of the war designated as "D" (single seat) or "CL" (two seat).
G	Grossflugzeug – Large twin-engined types, mainly bombers (initially "K")[8]
GL	Lighter, faster twin-engined bombers, intended for use by day.
J	Schlachten – Fuel tanks, pilot, and (usually) the engine protected by armour plate, reducing vulnerability to ground fire. Used for low-level work, especially ground attack.
N	"C" type aircraft adapted for night bombing – apart from night flying equipment they were fitted with wings of greater span to increase bomb load.
R	Riesenflugzeug – "Giant" aircraft – at least three, up to four to six engines – all serviceable in flight.

Design and development
In April 1917, Albatros received an order from the Idflieg (Inspektion der Fliegertruppen) for an improved version of the D.III. The resulting D.V prototype flew later that month. The D.V closely resembled the D.III and used the same 127 kW (170 hp) Mercedes D.IIIa engine. The most notable difference was a new, fully elliptical cross-section fuselage which was 32 kg (71 lb) lighter than the partially flat-sided fuselage of the earlier D.I through D.III designs. The new elliptical cross-section required an additional longeron on each side of the fuselage and the fin, rudder and tailplane initially remained unchanged from the D.III. The prototype D.V retained the standard rudder of the Johannisthal-built D.III but production examples used the enlarged rudder featured on D.IIIs built by Ostdeutsche Albatros Werke (OAW). The D.V also featured a larger spinner and ventral fin.

Compared to the D.III, the upper wing of the D.V was 121 mm (4.75 in) closer to the fuselage, while the lower wings attached to the fuselage without a fairing. The D.V wings were almost identical to those of the standard D.III, which had adopted a sesquiplane wing arrangement broadly similar to the French Nieuport 11. The only significant difference between wings of the D.III and D.V was a revised routing of the aileron cables that placed them entirely within the upper wing. Idflieg conducted structural tests on the fuselage but not the wings of the D.V.

Early examples of the D.V featured a large headrest, which was usually removed in service because it interfered with the pilot's field of view. The headrest was deleted from the second production batch. Aircraft deployed in Palestine used two wing radiators, to cope with the warmer climate.

Idflieg issued production contracts for 200 D.V aircraft in April 1917, followed by additional orders of 400 in May and 300 in July. Initial production of the D.V was exclusively undertaken by the Johannisthal factory, while the Schneidemühl factory produced the D.III through the remainder of 1917.

Operational history
The D.V entered service in May 1917 and structural failures of the lower wing immediately occurred. In 2009, Guttman wrote that "Within the month Idflieg was doing belated stress testing and concluding, to its dismay, that the D V’s sesquiplane wing layout was even more vulnerable than that of its predecessor". The outboard sections of the D.V upper wing also suffered failures, requiring additional wire bracing, and the fuselage sometimes cracked during rough landings.

Against these problems, the D.V offered very little improvement in performance. Front line pilots were considerably dismayed and many preferred the older D.III; Manfred von Richthofen was particularly critical of the new aircraft. In a July 1917 letter, he described the D.V as "so obsolete and so ridiculously inferior to the English that one can't do anything with this aircraft". British tests of a captured D.V revealed that the aircraft was slow to maneuver, heavy on the controls and tiring to fly.

Albatros responded with the D.Va, which featured stronger wing spars, heavier wing ribs and a reinforced fuselage. The modified D.Va was 23 kg (51 lb) heavier than the D.III but the structural problems were not entirely cured. Use of the high-compression 130 kW (180 hp) Mercedes D.IIIaü engine offset the increased weight of the D.Va. The D.Va also reverted to the D.III aileron cable linkage, running outwards through the lower wing, then upwards to the ailerons to provide a more positive control response. The wings of the D.III and D.Va were interchangeable. To further strengthen the wing, the D.Va added a small diagonal brace connecting the forward interplane strut to the leading edge of the lower wing; the brace was also retrofitted to some D.Vs.

Idflieg placed orders for 262 D.Va aircraft in August 1917, followed by orders for another 250 in September and 550 in October. Ostdeutsche Albatros Werke, which had been engaged in production of the D.III, received orders for 600 D.Va aircraft in October. Deliveries of the D.Va commenced in October 1917. The structural problems of the Fokker Dr.I and the mediocre performance of the Pfalz D.III left the Luftstreitkräfte with no alternative to the D.Va until the Fokker D.VII entered service in mid-1918. Production of the D.Va ceased in April 1918. In May 1918, 131 D.V and 928 D.Va aircraft were in service on the Western Front; the numbers declined as the Fokker D.VII and other types replaced the Albatros in the final months of the war. By 31 August, fewer than 400 Albatros fighters of all types remained at the front but they continued in service until the Armistice.

General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 7.33 m (24 ft 1 in)
Wingspan: 9.05 m (29 ft 8 in)
Height: 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Wing area: 21.2 m2 (228 sq ft)
Empty weight: 687 kg (1,515 lb)
Gross weight: 937 kg (2,066 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Mercedes D.IIIaü piston engine, 150 kW (200 hp)
Propellers: 2-bladed wooden propeller

Performance
Maximum speed: 186 km/h (116 mph; 100 kn)
Endurance: 350 km
Service ceiling: 5,700 m (18,700 ft)
Rate of climb: 4.17 m/s (821 ft/min)
Time to altitude: 1,000 m (3,281 ft) in 4 minutes
Armament
Guns: 2 × 7.92 mm (0.312 in) LMG 08/15 machine guns

It would be difficult to have any discussion of WWI aircraft without mentioning the dawn of the fighter ace. The most prolific being Manfred von Richthofen, more affectionately known as the "Red Baron". He gained his nickname by flying planes painted in red. Many a Sopwith pilot feared seeing a red plane in the sky.





Rather than clutter the page with additional information copied/pasted, I will just leave a link to his wikipedia article.
LINK

The scheme that I have chosen for this build is one that he flew in late 1917. While I was tempted to paint the more iconic all red plane, I decided for something a little more challenging and interesting.


I hope that all of you reading this will enjoy my attempt to put this icon of aviation back to life. This is my first plane that will require rigging and prolific wood paneling.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Gonna be a cool build for sure
You are going to love the engineering, fit and detail in the WNW kit; it kinda spoils you for others

[Tat2bhoy]

Nice choice of plane and paint scheme, looking forward to this one

[Kevthemodeller]

Oh I'm pulling up my chair, can't wait

[digger303]

Oh I'm pulling up my chair, can't wait

[bfrd]

Here are the obligatory sprue shots. As expected the sprues are magnificent. No flash whatsoever. Crisp panel lines and wonderful detail.



A bit of detail on the fuselage.


Crystal clear windscreens.




Closeups of a section of wing.










The photo etched fret is great.


Nice Cartograf decals.


And to finish it off, an exquisitely casted resin Manfred!

[Kevthemodeller]

They're stunning kits aren't they and although expensive you can see why, that said you still need a bunch of skill to do it justice. Based on your other work you'll have no problem, I'm just hoping I can raise my bar

[bfrd]

This morning I came up with my paint selections. The WNW kit listed Tamiya and Humbrol (yuck!) and I needed to convert to Vallejo. The first thing I did was to figure out which paint colors I was going to need for the scheme I selected (20 distinct colors!).

Here is what I will be using:

Color Code	Vallejo Code	Vallejo Color
a	71.067	Vallejo Model Air - Bright Brass
b	77.720	Vallejo Metal Color - Gun Metal Gray
c	77.701	Vallejo Metal Color - Aluminium
d	71.057	Vallejo Model Air - Black
e	71.026	Vallejo Model Air - USA Flat Brown
f	71.034	Vallejo Model Air - Sand Brown
g	71.318	Vallejo Model Air - AMT-7 Greyish Blue
h	71.251	Vallejo Model Air - NATO Black
j	71.009	Vallejo Model Air - Eau De Nil / Duck Egg Green
k	71.085	Vallejo Model Air - Ferrari Red
l	71.105	Vallejo Model Air - Brown RLM26
m	71.001	Vallejo Model Air - White
n	71.076	Vallejo Model Air - Skin Tone
o	72.776	Vallejo Game Air - Alien Purple
p	77.712	Vallejo Metal Color - Steel
q	71.132	Vallejo Model Air - Aged White
r	71.114	Vallejo Model Air - Medium Gray
s	77.710	Vallejo Metal Color - Copper
t	MIX	Vallejo Game Air - Alien Purple + White
y	72.732	Vallejo Game Air - Escorpena Green

I will be priming in Ultimate White. I find that priming gray plastic in gray primer is just asking for trouble.

Off Topic

Tip: Priming white plastic in white can be challenging, try priming in gray first. By priming in gray first you can ensure proper coverage. A second coat of primer won't hurt!

[Gary30]

Looking forward to seeing this one develop

[Twokidsnosleep]

Ahh the mouldings are magnificent aren't they??!!
Look at all the fine details and just wait until you start fitting parts.
I found the sprue gates a bit weird as can interfere with fitting if you don't trim them right.

The styrene is nice as well...seems a different plastic when I compare it with the Evergreen stuff I am using for extra parts
Makes you ask why all kits are not like this.
They are expensive, but not ridiculous for what you get. I have paid more for a far lesser kit or an expensive meal I later flushed

[DRUMS01]

This kit looks stunning even before any parts are assembled. I am sure that with your skills this will be a stunner!



Ben

[pourquoi61]

Looks like a superb kit and looking forward to the build.

[bfrd]

Finally getting a little bit of work done. Haven’t really touched the kit yet, but at least I am getting closer.

Today I am practicing my technique for wood grain. I am trying out two different methods. I am honestly a bit surprised at which one I like better.

In either case I start with a light base color. For my test sprays I used Vallejo Flesh Tone over Ultimate white primer.



First up will be the stencil method. I purchased a 1:32 scale template for wood grain. I wanted the Zoukei-mura set but couldn’t find them in stock anywhere that would get here soon. Here is the template I picked up.



It is a very thin photo etched sheet. Much thinner that standard PE. I picked a darker color for the grain pattern; Vallejo USA Flat Brown. I did my best to tape the pattern to my test sheet. As you can probably see it lifted in areas causing a defect in the pattern.



Next I sprayed a coat of Tamiya Translucent Yellow mixed 50:50 with IPA. I followed that with a coat of Tamiya Translucent Orange, again mixed 50:50 with IPA. This is intended to mimic a shellac finish.



The overall look isn’t bad, but could be better. I think my biggest issue with this method is the difficulty in getting the template to lay down flat. It is also very delicate and could easily be damaged part way through the project. If I relied on this method I could be in trouble.

On to the next method. Here I am going with only a paint brush. I took the same brown and thinned it with Ultimate thinners. The brush I used is called a “grainer”. I have seen in one of Will Pattinson videos a similar brush called a “wisp”. The art store that I got mine from hadn’t heard of wisp but from my description told me I should get a grainer.

Here is a picture of the brush and paint.


Next I just used light random-ish strokes and painted grainy looking patterns. Use light pressure and try not to over paint any one area.

Here is that result.



Now I give it the same finish as the first method.



My conclusion is that I like the simple brush method much better. It is easier to control and I think more realistic.

What do you think?

[Timplastic]

super kit to do a build on

The etch set you have for the wood grain is very very much like the zouks stuff and i wouldn't be surprised if it was the same
The choices you have to apply wood grain are two very different methods and both give good results but i would also lean towards the brush effect. That also surprised me as i also would have thought the etch version would have been superior. Either will work, with would you be more happy to apply over the model ?

[Tomcat64]

Interesting experiment - I hadn't come across the PE templates before.

But like you and Tim I think the random brushstrokes gave you the better results in this test and I guess would probably be easier to apply over the various shapes on a kit too.

[digger303]

Finally getting a little bit of work done. Haven’t really touched the kit yet, but at least I am getting closer.

Today I am practicing my technique for wood grain. I am trying out two different methods. I am honestly a bit surprised at which one I like better.

In either case I start with a light base color. For my test sprays I used Vallejo Flesh Tone over Ultimate white primer.



First up will be the stencil method. I purchased a 1:32 scale template for wood grain. I wanted the Zoukei-mura set but couldn’t find them in stock anywhere that would get here soon. Here is the template I picked up.



It is a very thin photo etched sheet. Much thinner that standard PE. I picked a darker color for the grain pattern; Vallejo USA Flat Brown. I did my best to tape the pattern to my test sheet. As you can probably see it lifted in areas causing a defect in the pattern.



Next I sprayed a coat of Tamiya Translucent Yellow mixed 50:50 with IPA. I followed that with a coat of Tamiya Translucent Orange, again mixed 50:50 with IPA. This is intended to mimic a shellac finish.



The overall look isn’t bad, but could be better. I think my biggest issue with this method is the difficulty in getting the template to lay down flat. It is also very delicate and could easily be damaged part way through the project. If I relied on this method I could be in trouble.

On to the next method. Here I am going with only a paint brush. I took the same brown and thinned it with Ultimate thinners. The brush I used is called a “grainer”. I have seen in one of Will Pattinson videos a similar brush called a “wisp”. The art store that I got mine from hadn’t heard of wisp but from my description told me I should get a grainer.

Here is a picture of the brush and paint.


Next I just used light random-ish strokes and painted grainy looking patterns. Use light pressure and try not to over paint any one area.

Here is that result.



Now I give it the same finish as the first method.



My conclusion is that I like the simple brush method much better. It is easier to control and I think more realistic.

What do you think?

I think the PE template would be suited to a replicating fading peeling paint work on a old door. No 2 does show a better grain pattern, but it may give you a similar result. I actually have both versions by RB tucked away, but you made me go find them for a better look.

[bfrd]

One of the items I took care of today was anealing the PE fret. I just used a lighter and did my best to heat evenly.



Now the moment I have been fearing. Time to start work on the kit.

I decided to go use a darker set of paints for the bulkhead items. I used Vallejo Khaki and Mahogany. The interior parts were painted using the set of paints I tested in my last post.



Since all of the sprue gates are going to be hidden I left the bulkheads attached. I found them easier to paint.

Here is the result after the translucent colors are added.



Thanks for watching!

[Timplastic]

That’s looking good

Good idea keeping the parts on the spruce

[NorthernModeller]

Okay, I have seen some good build threads but this is special Such a super detailed thread and on such an excellent subject.

[Twokidsnosleep]

I have never even thought of annealing a PE fret...that is flipping genius
How does the material handle after that process?
How hot do we get it??? Like red? I have a little butane torch that just loves to set things on fire
Learning something this morning


I am glad you are doing your own wood grain pattern with a stif brush...it just looks so much better
I agree with Digger, the stencil would make a good worn door surface

[digger303]

I have never even thought of annealing a PE fret...that is flipping genius
How does the material handle after that process?
How hot do we get it??? Like red? I have a little butane torch that just loves to set things on fire
Learning something this morning


I am glad you are doing your own wood grain pattern with a stif brush...it just looks so much better
I agree with Digger, the stencil would make a good worn door surface

Brass doesn't go red, it goes a dull gold colour then becomes liquid. Heat it until you see a colour change then quench it. A lighter won't melt it very easily. Try it on a scrap piece first and you will see what I mean...of course a pair of pliers is very helpful in this process. I would use the gas stove to do it myself. Stainless tow ropes, PE and brass can be treated like this.

[bfrd]

Digger beat me to it! Just heat until you see a color change.

One thing that I did prior to starting this build was to get my bench in order. Cleaned off the remnants of past models, sorted out paints, and organized tools. One new item I am trying out is a magnetic white board.



I cut up the instructions so that I can place a couple of pages at a time on the board.

I also built a small paint stand to hold the paints that I am using for this project. I use a strip of Tamiya tape to identify each color with the WNW color call outs. Based on previous experiences, I also labeled each bottle. I used small circle labels. Please don’t judge my mess, for me, this is clean.

Now that the translucent colors have dried I used dark brown panel liner just to add a bit more depth.



One other note is that I took my knife and scraped all of the paint from the outer edges of the bulkheads. WNW kits are notoriously tight fitting kits and I don’t want any more layers of paint than I must.

[digger303]

Digger beat me to it! Just heat until you see a color change.

One thing that I did prior to starting this build was to get my bench in order. Cleaned off the remnants of past models, sorted out paints, and organized tools. One new item I am trying out is a magnetic white board.

Looks absolutely pristine compared to mine, maybe I should do what Scott did and CLEAN it up. It might look more enticing than it does atm.

[bfrd]

Off Topic

Transparent vs Translucent:

This build requires the use of "translucent" paints. I am using Tamiya's Yellow and Orange; they mark them as "clear" which isn't technically correct. Clear or Transparent means that all light passes through the substance. In order for an object to have color some wavelengths of light have to be reflected back. Therefore, any object that has color cannot be transparent.

But wait! I can see through it! That is where translucency comes in. Translucent object allow most light through while only reflecting back some. So stained glass, tinted windows, and colored water are all translucent.

Speaking of colors, what is color? Let's look at something called a wavelength spectrum. This spectrum covers the light waves from the shortest wavelengths to the longest. The area that humans can "see" is quite small. On either side of the visible spectrum are two words we are all probably familiar with; Infrared IR and Ultraviolet. They describe the areas sub (infra) red and beyond (ultra) violet.



So how do we "see" that an apple is red (assuming it *is* a red apple). The first thing we need in order perceive color is light. Colors happen when object absorb some wavelengths of light and reflect back others. A perfectly red object absorbs all wavelengths of light except for the red ones. The red light gets reflected back.

Where are white and black?

Strictly speaking, I would not call white or black colors. They are either all wavelengths reflected or absorbed. A black object absorbs everything and reflects back nothing. Conversely, white reflects back everything and absorbs nothing. Obviously, this only works with light. If you mix all of your paints together you do not get white!

Here is a fun trick. Take a colored ball like the one below and throw in the air while spinning it as fast as you can.



The ball appears to be white! Even if the ball didn't have a white strip in it the same thing would happen. There are a couple of things happening here. Something called "Persistence of vision" is effectively blending all of the sections of the ball together. Your eye is therefore receiving all of the different colors of light at the same time. Your brain is then interpreting this as "white".

Light and color is a fascinating topic and I could probably go on too long. Completely understanding the physics of light is impressive and I don't think I could do full discussion justice. So I think I will stop here.

[bfrd]

No pictures today, but did have a bit of a setback yesterday. A couple actually.

1. I forgot about the PE seat belts. They needed to be attached before the seat section was glued to the fuselage. I tried my best to get them in, but I know I will cause more damage. Better to just go without them and take the ego hit.

2. In an attempt to check the fit of the two fuselage halves I cemented one side (per instructions). I then dry fitted the second half to check the fit. It was tight as expected, but the two halves came together well. Scraping off the paint from the edges is a good plan. Unfortunately, the fit inside of the grooves was tight enough to pull the cemented pieces out of the other side of the fuselage when I separated the two halves . This caused a bit of paint damage and broke one of the rods going through all three bulkheads. I was able to get the broken piece back in and glued, but it is going to be crooked.

So, in closing. RTFM! Once it has been read, follow the instructions. In general they people that wrote them know what needs to be done.

I have made many more mistakes by deviating from the instructions than I have made by following them. I bet if you are honest with yourselves, you have too!

[bfrd]

I got some more of the cockpit assembled. Put some of the decals on the required parts.

Here is the main instrument cluster. Photographed on a US quarter for reference.



This will be the gun mount and tachometer. I used Tamiya's Dark Brown Panel Line Accent to weather it a bit.



Here is the compass. I added a little of Citadel's Necron Compound dry paint to give it a bit of detail.



Lastly here is the grease pump, which I found out was in the wrong spot and now removed.

[Kevthemodeller]

looking good mate

[Tomcat64]

Superb detailing - the woodwork on the instrument panel (dashboard?) is stunning.

[bfrd]

Superb detailing - the woodwork on the instrument panel (dashboard?) is stunning.

Thanks, I must admit I am kinda proud of how that turned out. Which is saying something as I can't normally compliment myself! I think the key to getting a good grain is the right brush. I also thinned the darker color quite a bit.

I an fairly certain this is the one I used.

[Twokidsnosleep]

How did I miss all of this
Awesome work

Interior details and dash are spectacular
Wood grain effects..yep bang on
Organized desk with instruction holder and specific paint holder....taking notes on that

I glazed over a smidge in the science lesson, but that is just b/c my brain is too full of learnin already
All in all some pretty solid modelling going on here

[bfrd]

I am a bit late in getting an update posted. I have made a bit more progress.

Here are some images of the ammo feed and used shell containers. Also, the fuel tank is on the other side of the main firewall.






I have just about finished the engine, but haven't taken the pictures yet. Look for another update soon!

[Twokidsnosleep]

The richness of colour for these interiors really shines through for me
I love the wood/aluminum/metal contrasts in there
You have done a great painting job

[Kevthemodeller]

You've nailed the wood effect Matt

[bfrd]

Here are a couple of engine pictures.





I also got a bit of work done on the figure. I blocked in basic colors in Vallejo acrylics last night. Today I started on thin oil washes. I used various shades of 502 oils.



Thanks for the comments on work already done. I only hope I can keep it up without having to rush to make the deadline.

[Kevthemodeller]

The Engine looks great Matt, are you planning on doing anymore to it, great start on the figure

I'm not looking forward to the figure in my kits, not my strong point

[Tomcat64]

Great progress - like Kev already said the engine looks superb.

[bfrd]

I have finished the painting of the figure. I think I may give him a shot of dull-cote since the oil washes made him shine a little too much for my liking.



All of the base colors were painted using Vallejo Model Color and Model Air. I used Ultimate thinners for both (just keep in mind that Model Color is quite thick and needs more thinners). Once I got a couple of coats of acrylic I let dry for a day or so and moved on to oils.

The oils are from Abteilung 502. I squeezed out a very small amount of paint into a small plastic paint tray and added Testors Enamel Thinners until I got a very thin mix. I then brushed on several coats of different washes until I got the desired color and variations. It isn't perfect but this is the first real attempt I have made a painting a realistic figure. Since the scale is small and so is my skill I have left the face in just flesh tone.

The days left in the WWI build are rapidly coming to a close. I am not sure if this one will make the deadline. I think it is best to be late and have a model for which I can be proud.

[Kevthemodeller]

Matt that's great result on the figure

[Timplastic]

Good work on the figure.

[bfrd]

Mr. Richthofen underwent a radical arm-ectomy this evening. Luckily, the arm was reattached without much trouble. I did give him a liberal matte-cote and I think it looks good.



Incidentally, completely tearing my hobby area apart looking for the part in the next shot is what caused the Baron to lose his arm in the first place. After much cursing the part was found and mounted. The part in question is the port side mounting plate for the engine. I went ahead and glued the oil tank as well. Some of the ribs are only loosely fit. I find it easier to only glue a couple at a time and let those dry completely.



Next I started work on the props. This particular kit includes 4 of them. Rather than paint the “right” one I will paint all and just pick whichever turns out best. I started with Ultimate white primer. Next, I painted the entire prop with Vallejo Model Air Wood.





In other news I think I need to replace the nozzle in my H & S.

[Tat2bhoy]

Love your idea of the props

[Kevthemodeller]

Matt I think you need a new nozzle

[Twokidsnosleep]

Matt I think you need a new nozzle

Yep, that boy’s gone out and damaged his nozzle on a Friday night
Plane is looking good man

[Tomcat64]

Great work on the plane and the figure - but yep that's one busted nozzle

[bfrd]

Unfortunately, I don't have much of an update this round. I got the engine mounted which was made a little more difficult since I mounted the oil tank previously. If you build this kit wait on the oil tank until after the engine. Just like the instructions say you should!

[Twokidsnosleep]

Dude, that is PHENOMENAL

I hope you are test fitting a lot along the way..one little thickness of paint and bammo the fuselage won't close up right

[Kevthemodeller]

Very, very nice Matt it just keeps getting better

[bfrd]

I have finished the other side of the fuselage. Just a few bits on that side. I unfortunately found that I mounted the gun rack in the wrong place and had to remove it. Sadly, there will always be a little bit of damage when removing previously glued parts. My only complaint so far about the kit is that the instructions are (in places) vague.



Next up I begin work on the guns. They provide two sets of guns, one using the PE shrouds and one without. I will use the PE shrouds. The first task will be to bend the shrouds into a tube shape. In order to make this easier, use a 2.5 mm drill bit.



I started by making a small bend right in the middle.



Then just wrap around taking your time to not let the part move out of line with the drill bit.



Finally just press the sides together. The fit perfectly.




The shroud mounts directly to the bottom of the barrel. I used a toothpick to put some CA glue. This is also where the seam is so you get a two-fer.



Make sure you get the shroud all of the way back against the gun. For the gun sight to fit you need to see the groove. Before mounting the sight you will need to clean up any gate leftover. I suggest using a flat tweezer and diamond file. The parts are very small and easy to bend.



The primed and painted shots coming up later as I apparently forgot to photo.

[bfrd]

I got the two fuselage halves together this afternoon.



I used some tape to hold the parts together while the TET cured. Remember to prepare some tape strips ahead of time so you don’t have to juggle a plane and tape dispenser.

The headrest doesn’t have any fitting keys, so I suggest getting it position first and holding it down with tape before adding cement. If you don’t you run the risk of it slipping and leaving glue marks.

Next I added the rigging mounts to the elevators. These parts are quite small so I used a couple of clips to hold the part upright while curing.



Then I glued in the left and right horizontal stabilizers.



Next the rudder and elevators were mounted.



After that I mounted the left and right lower wings and struts.



It is at the point of placing the inboard struts that I realized one of the ribs is out of alignment. The are two small indentations that I thought went over a bump in the fuselage. It actually is for the struts. Oops! I don’t think it will hurt anything but my ego.





Pay close attention to the direction of the struts. They fit perfectly either way. I dry fit everything as best I could before gluing anything. Fit then glue! Or in my fit, glue, remove, and re-glue.

[Twokidsnosleep]

It is looking great man, just great. Don’t worry, it will work out