sandbagger

Hi all, The landing gear has been prepared now. I've added the following: 1.4 mm diameter Brass tube into the drilled through wheels to provide a more positive fit onto the integral 1.2 mm diameter axle rods. 'EZ' heavy white stretch line to represent the 'Bungee' type suspension cords. 0.4 mm diameter Nickel-Silver tube, bent and fitted to represent the axle restraining cables. Flattened 0.6 mm diameter Brass tube with integral 0.4 mm diameter Brass rod to represent the crew footstep. I've also made two crew steps from flattened 0.5 mm diameter Brass tube. These were fitted to the fuselage left side at the observer's cockpit and to the fuselage right side below the engine. Now it's onto preparing the tail skid, Mike

Hi all, I've prepared the fitting of the upper and lower wings, including test fitting of the six interplane struts. I found the best way to do this was to permanently fit the lower wings first. The lower wings have only one integral locating rod and no location for the rod into the fuselage. Having only one rod meant that the wings would pivot in the fuselage, making wing alignment a problem. Also, the rod in the right lower wing is located farther rearwards than that in the left wing. Therefore, the rod would be visible inside the cockpit. I chose to cut away that rod flush to the wing root. I then drilled an extra 1.0 mm hole in the left wing root and two holes in the right wing root. Into these I secured 1.0 mm diameter Brass locating rods. The fuselage was then marked and holes drilled through the sides of the fuselage. Both wing locating rods are now not visible from inside the cockpit and the wings are positively located in the fuselage. The upper wing halves needed to be drilled for 1.0 mm diameter joining rods that locate into the two slots in the top of the fuselage cabane strut assembly. The locating holes for the six interplane struts were then drilled into, but not through their location points in the wings. The integral strut rods were cut to 2.0 mm length as they were too long. The struts were then temporarily held in their locating holes in the upper wing, which was then test fitted into the lower wings and cabane strut slots. All in all not an easy wing installation, but rigid enough when test fitted. I've also prepared the tail unit, as all of the parts have no locating rods. I've added location rods of 0.5 mm and 0.8 mm diameter Brass rods. I cut the elevators from the tailplanes in order to have them angled down slightly. Now it's onto preparing the landing gear, Mike

Hi all, After closing up the fuselage I found a problem with the rear fuselage cabane struts. The two rear struts on each side were slightly bowed due to the angle they were fitted. The bottom of two struts had also cracked (3D printed and not reinforced with rods). Therefore, I cut the struts away and replaced them with shaped Brass tube and internal rod. This also makes the struts stronger for bearing the weight of the upper wing halves, Mike

Hi all, I've not posted in the last few weeks, as we took a holiday abroad. The first time in three years due to the Covid restrictions etc. The four of us arrived home yesterday. Yes, you guessed it!! I have Covid, so does my wife and the wife of our friends we went with. Anyway, once we're back to normal I'll crack on with the Lloyd model. Mike

Hi all, Fuselage closed up now, then and the throttle control rod added (0.4 mm Nickel-Silver tube), Mike

Hi all, I'm intending to add a flare and a grenade ammunition rack. So I thought I ought to add the flare and grenade pistols to the gunners cockpit. Both 'spares' from previous 'Wingnut Wings' models. The stowage containers were made from photo-etch and 1.4 mm diameter tube. I also added a map, Mike

Hi all, The internal fuselage detail is now complete. I've added Control cables and cross bracing using 0.08 mm diameter mono-filament. The spark advance control rod is 0.4 mm diameter Nickel-Silver tube, as will be the throttle control rod. The throttle control rod will be added after the fuselage is closed up, so it can be passed through the left side of the instrument panel frame. I may add a map to the gunners table, Mike

Hi all, The fuselage components have been prepared for assembly. The wood finish is 'Tamiya' Dark Yellow (XF60) over painted with Windsor & Newton’ Griffin (Alkyd) Burnt Umber oil paint. The ammunition drum is a spare from a 'Gaspatch' Parabellum set, as its more in-scale than the kit supplied 3D printed part. Now it's onto the control rods and cables before the fuselage is assembled and closed up with the engine, Mike

Hi all, Here's the final shots of Junkers J.1, Serial No: 596/18, located at the Junkers airfield at Dessau, Germany, in September 1918. The fully detailed build log can be found here: As usual a fully detailed build log (in Adobe PDF format) can be read or downloaded from Gallery 4 on my web site (link in my signature block). Once again, many thanks for your support and comments, Mike

Hi all, Final model shots are now up in the 'Ready for Inspection' page, Mike

Hi all, The basic engine is now complete. I've added the ignition leads, spark advance and throttle control rods and other pipes. Mike

Hi all, The basic engine is nearly finished. Just the ignition leads to add. The control rods, pipes and exhaust pipes will be added later in the build. As usual, painting a complete 3D printed engine is not that easy. Personally I'd prefer to paint parts then assemble the engine, but that's the way 3D printing is taking us, Mike

Hi all, Just an update. The Junkers J.1 is still waiting for its propeller and exhaust to arrive from Ukraine. They've been in transit since the 6th so I'm hoping they'll arrive soon. Once they do I'll be able to post photographs of the completed model, Mike

Hi all, I decided to modify the radiator pipes to better represent those fitted to the actual aircraft. The 3D printed rear pipe in the kit was discarded and a replacement made from 1.0 mm diameter rod with a 90 degree bend in the radiator end. A hole was drilled into the water pump on the rear of the engine and also into the underside of the radiator. The forward facing extension to the pipe was added with 1.0 mm diameter rod and 1.2 mm diameter tube. The forward 3D printed pipe in the kit was modified with a 1.2 mm diameter end tube and 1.0 mm diameter 90 degree bent rod. A 1.4 mm diameter tube was cut and fitted to the pipe stub on the top, front of the camshaft housing. A hole was drilled for this pipe in the underside of the radiator. Although dry fitted for now, it can all be added after the fuselage, with engine, has been closed up, Mike

Hi all, My assumptions for how the engine cooling system worked are: The engine driven water pump on the lower, rear of the engine, supplied water to the six engine cylinders. This supply was pumped through a pipe interconnected to the lower right of the cylinders. The water flowed up inside the cooling jacket of each cylinder and flowed out into the the return in the camshaft housing. From there it flowed through the external forward pipe over the camshaft housing and into the base of the radiator. It was then drawn around the inside of the radiator housing then down through the radiator to be drawn back to the water pump through the external rear pipe. The external overhead cooling pipe supplied in the kit is in two parts and joined together. The radiator just sits on the top of this pipe. However, it seems this is not correct as can be seen from the following photographs taken at the time. The supply to and the return from the radiator are separate pipes, which given the above would make sense. Mike

Hi all, The six kit supplied 3D printed exhaust pipes are not chamfered at the ends and not bored out internally. Also, when fitted, the exhaust pipes should be angled slightly rearwards, which the kits pipes are not. Therefore, I discarded the kit pipes and replaced them with rod and rubber tube. The two supplied 3D printed halves of the cooling pipe are intended to be butt joined to the engine and to each other. This is a weak method of joining parts. Therefore I cut out and replaced the larger diameter portion of the front pipe and replaced it with Brass 1.4 mm diameter tube. The ends of the pipe were drilled and pinned into the engine, using 0.3 mm diameter Brass rod, Mike

Hi all, Having completed the basic chapters for the Lloyd C.V build log, I've found a few bits that will need adding. Addition lower wing support rods. Increased depth of support rods in upper wings. Cockpit cross bracing wires. Pilot cockpit control rods and wires etc. Pilot cockpit flight control cables. Plus the following. Mike

Hi all, Final pieces for the Junkers display. Medium size German refuel trolley ('Aviattic' ATTR011) and ladder from 'Modelkasten' figure set (B), Mike

Hi all, The Junkers J.1 model is now complete apart from the propeller and exhaust stack, which are on their way from the Ukraine. Here are the figures to accompany the aircraft. I just have a refueling drum to finish. As usual I'll post completed shots once the model is on its display base, Mike

Hi all, The build of the Junkers J.1 is coming to a close. So next up is the 1:32nd scale resin/3D printed Lloyd C.V from 'Lukgraph'. On October the 4th, 1917, Feldpilot (Zugsfuhrer) Adolph Wiltsch and his Observer Roman Schmidt were flying Lloyd C.V Serial No: 46.01 from Flik 13 on the Russian Front. They were attacked by three Russian ‘Sopwith’ type aircraft. They managed to evade these attackers and Schmidt managed to shoot down one in flames. This was Schmidt’s third aerial victory. Mike

Hi all, Ask me how I know 😠 The upper wing, although hollow, is still a relatively heavy and large piece of the model. As such, when attached to just the four outer struts, it will move and twist until the four inboard struts are fitted, which will make the fit of the wing more rigid. Until then the upper wing can easily shear away from the four outer struts!! Therefore it’s best to restrain upper wing movement as much as possible for the remaining construction of the model. I used sponge packing pieces inserted between the wings, held in place by elastic bands around the wings and packing. Mike

Hi all, I've dry brushed the metal corrugations of the wings, fin, rudder and tail plane, plus the struts, to give an effect of paint wear over Duraluminium. The fin support struts, tail skid and aileron control rods have also been added. The lower wing and struts are fitted as is the engine. Now onto the fitting of the upper wing, Mike

Hi all, One dirty ground attack Junkers J.1. 'Flory' Dark Dirt fine clay wash then sealed with 'Alclad' Light Sheen (ALC311). Now to apply the metallic wear by dry brushing, Mike

Hi all, I've represented the front and rear grills of the radiator in the upper wing. Cut strips of the 'RB Productions' Radiator Mesh (RB-T027), sadly no longer available. Mike

Hi all, A few updates. The 'Aviattic' 5 colour faded lozenge decal applied. Also the kit supplied decals. I had to print the serial number for this particular aircraft. I've fitted the tail plane, fin and rudder. Also the two flare racks, engine Tachometer and pilots mirror. Now it's weathering before assembly, Mike