sandbagger

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

Hi all, A few shots of the figures and accessories. Both figures are from 'Kellerkind Miniatures'. The crate and can are from my spares collection, Mike

Hi all, Well, the rigging of the Caudron is finally complete. I didn't post any more shots of rigging progress as there was too much. Anyway, here's a couple of general shots. I've just got the propeller, instruments and windscreen to fit to complete the basic model. Then it's onto the figures and display case, Mike

Hi all, The tailplane of this aircraft could be adjusted to either increase or decrease the angle of attack (AOA) of the tail unit. Lifting the tailplane leading edge increased the AOA and lowering decreased the AOA. Bracing struts were fitted between the tops of the king posts on the tail booms and the fins and also between the fins. As the fin/rudder assemblies were fixed to the tailplane, if the AOA of the tailplane was altered, it meant the fin/rudders would move up or down with the tailplane. Although the centre strut between the fins could be fixed in position, the outer struts attached between the fixed king posts and fins must have been able to move with the change in tailplane AOA. With the tailplane AOA in the neutral position, the three struts would most likely be parallel to the tailplane when viewed from above. If the AOA was increased the fins and therefore the outer struts would move up and rearwards. If the AOA was decreased the fins and therefore the outer struts would move down and forwards. My assumption therefore is that the end fittings of the outer struts must have been able to pivot to allow the struts to move as required. This is all conjecture, but based on the fact that I used the optional photo-etch adjuster brackets and have the tailplane secured in the brackets at a decreased AOA (tailplane tilted slightly downwards). This means that the fin end of the outer struts are slightly forwards when viewed from above. As the distance between the king posts and fins is slightly increased, the kit supplied struts do not fully span the gap between them. To avoid any problems for those who have not yet built their Caudron, I would advise having the tailplane AOA fixed in the neutral (mid) position to allow the struts to fit correctly and be parallel to the tailplane. Mike

Hi all, Front end on its wheels, Mike

Hi all, A bit more progress. The tail booms and bracing struts are fitted. The three different bracing wire sets for the lower wing to tail booms has also been completed. The bracing wires from the lower wing back to the tail booms will be final rigged later, once the tail unit if fitted. So now it's onto assembly of the tail unit, Mike

Hi all, More wing rigging completed. Outer interplane strut incidence wires. Outer lift strut incidence wires. Outer lift strut bracing wires. Twin wing warp control cables. Single wing warp control cable. Lower to upper wing bracing wires. Now the basic wing rigging is finished, it's onto assembly again. I need to fit the two tail booms and tailplane before I can complete the rigging on those components, Mike

Hi all, More final completed. Forward brace wires. Inboard incidence wires. Outer flying wires. Outer landing wires, Mike

Hi all, The inboard twin flying wires are rigged. Also the inboard single landing wires. Both using 0.12 mm mono-filament and blackened 0.5 mm diameter tube. The turnbuckles are Proper Plane resin 1:32nd scale Eye End type (RD-018), Mike

Hi all, The eight cabane strut bracing wires have been added. I used 0.12 mm diameter mono-filament, 0.5 mm diameter blackened tubes and Gaspatch 1:48th scale metal turnbuckles (Type A and C) and Anchor Points. Mike

Hi all, The upper wing has now been fitted, apart from the bracing struts for the outer lift struts. They will be fitted after final rigging of the wings. Despite have a total of 16 struts, there is still some slight sideways flex of the upper wing. The final rigging should make it all more rigid, Mike

Hi all, I've spent four days pre-rigging and creating rigging holes for the Caudron. Here's a few shots, but most are rigging locating holes in the wings and tail unit. Combination of 0.4 and 0.5 mm diameter tube and 0.08 and 0.12 mm diameter mono-filament. Turnbuckles are a mix of Gaspatch 1:48th scale metal and Proper plane 1:32nd scale resin. After assembly I'll final rig the rest of the wires and cables, Mike