sandbagger

Hi all, I've added the rigging to the tail unit of the SE5a. No turnbuckles as the tailplane/fin and landing gear bracing wires were RAF Streamlined type. The rudder, elevator and tail skid control cables were wire wound, but had their turnbuckles in the cockpit. I used 0.08 mm diameter mono-filament for the control cables and 0.12 mm diameter for bracing wires. All with blackened 0.4 mm diameter tube. Now it's onto pre-rigging the wings before assembly, Mike

Hi all, The Spitfire Mk.1a is done. This will be part of the dual build with the SE5a (Viper). No build log for this model as it's really just a one off, Mike.

Hi all, Final weathering done. I used the following. ‘Flory Models’ Clay washes or Pigments, ‘Tamiya’ Weathering Master sets, ‘Prismacolor’ Verithin Argent Métallique pencil (753), ‘AK Interactive’ Kerosene (AK2039), Engine Oil (AK2019) washes. Now it's onto pre-rigging, Mike

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

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

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

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

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

Hi all, A bit of progress on the SE5a. Undersides CDL (with PC wrap over edges added later). Top surfaces in PC. Propeller with painted boss and metal spinner. All need to be weathered of course, but after I've applied the markings. Until then a few kit parts need to be modified, Mike

Hi all, I've carried out more research on the colour scheme for this aircraft. Many resources and models have the whole fuselage of C1149 painted red and the assumption generally is that this was during 1918 when he flew this aircraft with No.56 Squadron (RAF). However, Grinnell-Milne, in his book ‘Wind in the Wires’ stated that the ‘nose’ of his aircraft was painted red, so presumably not the whole fuselage. Also, in much later interview, he stated that he was not allowed to have the whole fuselage painted red until after the cessation of hostilities. So according to Grinnell-Milne, the fuselage of C1149 was not painted completely red until it returned to England with No.1 Squadron (RAF) during 1919. The best photograph from the Imperial War Museum archives show the aircraft with the usual aircraft serial number on the fin painted over, as well as the ground handling ‘Lift Here’ stencils at the lower, rear of the fuselage. This suggests this was taken when C1149 was in its post war colour scheme. I’ve chosen not to model this aircraft following the all red fuselage trend for its wartime colour scheme and instead paint the model with just the ‘red nose’, as stated by Grinnell-Milne. Having decided on the colour scheme, I had to decide how the nose of the aircraft was to be painted. The famed ace Albert Ball flew his SE5a Serial No:A.4850 with No.56 Squadron (RFC). His aircraft had its nose only painted red. Ball was killed flying this aircraft in 1917. Possibly Grinnell-Milne chose to use the same colour scheme for C1149 during 1918. Given there is no definitive answer to the actual colour scheme, I decided, correctly or not, to replicate the red nose of Albert Ball’s aircraft but with Grinnell-Milne’s markings. Mike

Hi all, I've posted recently as I had a problem with my PC. Fortunately any data and build photographs were saved as they were on my external hard drive. I've pushed on with the SE5a buils and in particular test fitting the 3D printed 'Viper' engine coversion set, intended for the Wingnut Wings kit. The set addresses the external changes with regard to the radiator, underside louvred panel and the engine top access panel. Roden do have a Viper engined SE5a model kit and also the Viper engine as a separate kit. However, that engine is larger in scale than the Hispano-Suiza engine supplied from Wingnut Wings. That meant a Roden Viper engine would require heavy modification to fit with the Wingnut Wings model and the conversion set. Therefore, I found it easier to modify the Wingnut Wing Hisso engine to that of a Viper engine. That primarily involved lowering the propeller shaft to that for a Viper engine. So far the fuselage internals and control cables have been completed and the fuselage closed up. The 3D printed conversion set was test fitted and only required minor changes to the top access panel. The underside louvred panel and radiator (without the shutters fitted) have been fitted and the modified engine test fitted. Mike

Hi all, I'm being sent a 3D printed conversion set to convert the Wingnut Wings SE5a (Hisso) kit to a Wolseley 'Viper' engined SE5a. This set has been in development for two years. I'll be testing it on a Wingnut Wings kit and report back to the creator. If it goes well we could see a conversion set release in the future. If not, I'll report any findings in the hope they can be tweaked and I can re-test if necessary. I can always revert to the Roden kit build if I need to, Mike

Hi all, The next model will be the Wingnut Wings 1:32nd scale SE5a but with a 'Viper' engine. Duncan William Grinnell-Milne flew three SE5a aircraft and all three were named ‘Schweinhund’. So called in reference to 2 years in captivity as a German POW. The most famous of the three was his red painted SE5a thought to be serial number C.1194. He last flew this particular aircraft on the 23rd of January 1919. This aircraft was built by the Royal Aircraft Factory as one of a batch of 100 aircraft (C1051—C1150) and was powered by the 200hp Wolseley ‘Viper’ engine. The aircraft was taken to No.2 Air Issues (Issues Section) from the Reception Park in France on the 17th of October 1918. From there onto No.56 Squadron (RAF). After the end of hostilities, the aircraft was transferred to No.1 Squadron (RAF) on the 23rd of January 1919. Eventually it was sent through the Reception Park back to England on the 5th of February 1919 and then struck off charge. I have already built the Wingnut Wings SE5a 'Hisso', which is on my web site. However, at that time I wasn't writing build logs, which I will for this model. This will be one of a two model build hopefully. The other model is not WW1 obviously and will not have a build log. Mike

Hi all, Here's the 1/32nd scale Copper State Model of the Caudron G.III trainer. Belgian Caudron G.III trainer, No.79, Ser No: C.6207, operating from the Air Service pilots school at Juvisy-sur-Orge in France during 1918. The forum build log: https://forum.largescalemodeller.com/topic/20703-132nd-scale-caudron-g3-anzani-engine/ As usual a fully detail build log, in PDF format, will be available tomorrow from the Build Logs page on my web site. https://mikesww1aircraftmodels.com/ Mike

Hi all, The Caudron will be up in the Ready for Inspection page later this evening. Once again, thanks for your support and comments throughout this build, Mike