Clunkmeister

Huber, everything I’ve seen come out of your capable hands has been first rate. I’m talking to Mike to see if I can wrangle an extra one or two. I know you’d love a Super Universal. It’s one of those timeless designs that just fell through the cracks of history. It did have a military history with Japan a day Manchukuo, but nothing here. Just a pure people or freight mover.

Hubert, that's solid work there and yes, the KH Kingfisher R-985 is a beautiful model in it's own right, if a bit fiddly to build.

Hubert, of everyone here, I just KNEW you'd be blown away by this. I really wanted to do this in 1/16, but I was limited by what was available for a commercially available R.985. As it is, I'll need to lift an engine from a Kitty Hawk Kingfisher kit. I think you know how incredibly important the Super Universal was to 1920s civil aviation, and how one of their later designs, the Fokker F.10 trimotor, through a totally unforeseen fatal accident, directly resulted in the development of the Boeing 247, DC-2, and DC-3 airliners. That F.10 crash gave us our first glimpse into the dangers of Clear Air Turbulence, along with the need for proper maintenance to prevent hidden weakening of the structure through corrosion and rot. The trademark Fokker internally braced wooden wing failed in cruise, separating from the aircraft over the middle of Kansas. The F.10 didn't deserve the bad reputation it got, and for once, Tony Fokker didn't deserve the bad rap he received, either. The F.10 could run away and hide from a comparable Ford, all while carrying more load and sipping less fuel. I'm not sure if you know this, but the Fokker Standard Universal (open cockpit and slightly smaller dimensions with a Wright Whirlwind radial) was Charles Lindberg's first choice for aircraft to do his transatlantic flight, but Fokker execs refused to sell him an airplane because of the possibility it would hurt Fokker's recently restored reputation. A smart business decision, but in the end I'm sure they wish it was their Standard Universal sitting in Paris, not an unknown Ryan design. The Fokker could have easily handled the load without needing to be specially modified and built as a one-off. I truly hope I can do this one justice, because there were two Canadian bushplanes on my scratchbuild list, the Super Universal and the Fairchild 71C. I think I'll now add the Standard Universal to that list.

I highly recommend this series on youtube: Fokker Super Universal: Back to the Sky just search it and it'll come up. It'll put lumps in your throat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmkhNoHoziw

Actually most were painted. This is a typical Fokker in construction, and Tony Fokker built his postwar US designs exactly as he did the Dr.1 and D.Vll: steel tube fabric covered fuselage and tail with a wooden, internally braced wing. The Super Universal used a P&W Wasp Jr R-985, exactly the same engine as used on the Kingfisher, Vultee BT-13, Norseman, and DeHavilland Beaver. A very few had 600hp R-1340s hung on them, but that was too much engine for the design. The Super Universal was THE definitive Canadian bushplane until the Norseman came along as a design purpose built to replace the old worn out Fokkers. The very last complete Super Universal was lost in a fire in Idaho back in 1960, until a group of Canadian historians, restorers, and airplane nuts pulled a wreck out of the bush to rebuild. The aircraft was fairly complete, but like all Fokkers, the wing had long since disintegrated due to the ravages of time and weather. A new wing was hand built from original factory drawings, and along with salvaged parts from other wrecks, after an 18 year restoration, a Fokker Super flew again for the first time in over 60 years.

Yep. We were just chatting one day and I mentioned the Super to him. It’s obscure no doubt, but literally opened up a third of the free world, plus, license built in Japan by Nakajima. It’s just one of those forgotten aircraft that without historians, restorers and scale modelers, would be lost to time.

Anyone know this? Any Canadian who knows early Canadian bush aviation knows how important this aircraft was for the development of the Canadian north woods and arctic. A simple dreamers conversation with my good friend Mike Swinburne has yielded this. A 1/32 basic shapes model of an aircraft that I expect would never have been kitted in any scale, never mind OUR scale. Everyone knows how Mike helped with my Lancaster project. And now this, totally unsolicited, out of the blue.

I need a gun camera for when I close with and pick off the moron fools I wish to flame with my eight Browning 303s and watch them burst into flame as pieces fly off in the slipstream.

The idea being a compressor on the bottom out of sight, and the generator right above, maintaining stock appearance. Notice the Chevrolet Silverado pickup on the rack, those piles of junk are my bread and butter.

Spent a bit of time at the shop yesterday, installing some Da fixated compressor brackets. I’ve been mocking these up in card, the cutting and welding Steel sheet. A few minor modifications later and we have these....

Watching this come together over the last few years has been a real treat. Very scholarly work, as usual, Sir.

Nine-oh-nine. R.I.P.

Mock it up, take it apart. Walk away for a week, come back and mock it up again. It should fit the same. If it doesn’t, find the problem and fix it. Fenders are expensive. Drilling holes commits you, and it’ll cost a bunch to go back, much more if the tin’s got color on it. Kroeber, I feel this guy’s pain. Been there, done that. Learned my lesson.

John, you’re kicking it as usual. Awesome job! I can’t do an HPH kit in one straight go either. The things kick my butt mentally. But the enjoyment factor is crazy high.

Oh I know. I miss building Wingnut kits. I’m itching for another, but I have a lot of projects going right now

A real clinic as usual. Looking great!

Awesome work so far, Rob. This is looking great!

How our guys build armor I’ll never know. It never works for me and I lose patience not really being into it

I know that’s a true story. Incredibly realistic! Kinda blows my mind it does

Hip hip yay yay Happy birthday old chap!

Flawless and beautiful build, Artro! I’ve seen a few of these Kitty Hawk P-39s built up and completed, and they’ve all been show winners. But yours raises the bar even higher. Exquisite!

Hahahaaaaa. Yeppers

Ahhh heck! D.lll or D.Xll? It should be easy enough to trace a pattern and send it to you to form from sheet styrene

After a bit of a stoppage due to burying my father in law and dealing with his estate, we’re back, barely.