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Hi all, I'm now working on the tail unit, starting with the rear float. First is to pre-rig the eight bracing wires between the four support struts. The mono-filament used is 0.08 mm diameter with 0.4 Nickel-Silver tube and 1:48th scale turnbuckles from 'GasPatch'. Next step is to fit the float and struts then complete the rigging from the fuselage to the float, Mike

Hi all, The lower wing, the wing ailerons, tail plane assembly and rudder fitted. Now it's onto pre-rigging, the struts and then start assembly. Mike

'Harv' - you must be getting sick of eating popcorn by now Hi all, The linen effect decals I was waiting for arrived so I've now finished applying them to the fuselage, wings, tail plane and control surfaces. The Ansaldo built 'Baby's' were primarily used for training and probably flown multiple times daily. It's probable they were not kept as clean as maybe the operational aircraft were. Therefore I've intentionally applied heavier weathering than I normally would, Ansaldo built aircraft tended not to have the white vertical rudder stripe painted, but instead left it as clear doped linen. Also, it was common for the upper surfaces of the lower wings to be doped with a drab olive colour, as the glare from a clear doped linen surface could affect the pilot's vision. Mike

Hi all, The main and tail floats had wood panels nailed to the internal structure. Inside each float were canvass ’bulk heads to separate the float compartments. Each of the three compartments in the main floats were accessed through a circular cover on the top surface of the floats. At the front and rear edges of the main floats were reinforced with Spruce end caps. Across each main float were recesses to locate the float cross beams and these recesses were covered with panels. These details are not reproduced on the kit supplied floats. The floats panel and nailing lines were created with a scriber and a 'Rosie the Riveter'. Base coated with 'Tamiya Dark Yellow (XF60) then overcoated with 'DecoArt' Burnt Umber. The edge beading was created by lightly sanding through the Burnt Umber to reveal the base colour. Sealed with 'Alclad' Light Sheen (ALC311) mixed with 'Tamiya' Clear Yellow (X24). Photo-etch access panels and strut plates black based then oversprayed woth 'Alclad' Steel. Weathered using 'Flory Models' Dark Dirt wash then final seal with ALC311. Mike.

Hi all, As I'm still waiting for decals to arrive I've worked on the trestles and beaching trolley. The side guard rails of the beaching trolley were broken, so I used tubing to repair and reinforce the rails, Mike

Hi all, While I'm waiting for decals I thought I'd work on the pilot. As this model is a float plane I thought I'd use the ‘Kellerkind’ Gotha bomber pilot (54095), as he is inflating his life jacket. Painted with 'AK Interactive' and 'Tamiya' acrylics. Dirt weathering is thinned 'AK Interactive' Kerosene (AK3029). Mike

Hi all, Working on the undersides of the wings. As the undersides would show the wing ribs ans spars as darker shadows, due to daylight from above the wings, the pre-shading is darker. The wings were primed with white, as before and then pre-shading was airbrushed between masking for the spars and free hand for the wing ribs (thinned 'Tamiya' Flat Earth (XF52). Then over sprayed lightly with thinned ‘Tamiya’ Wood Deck Tan (XF78) mixed with Buff (XF57) to 2:1 ration. Outer right wing outer sections were airbrushed with ‘Tamiya’ Green (X5} mixed with approximately 15% of ‘Tamiya’ Grey Green (XF76). The left wing outer sections 'Tamiya' Red (XF7). Next is to gloss coat, apply the 'Aviattic' linen effect decals and weather, Mike

Hi all, Upper wing top surface finished off. Gloss coated then 'Aviattic' linen effect decals applied, using paper templates to create the shapes. 'Flory Models' Dark Dirt and Grime clay washes applied. Smoke oil paint applied behind the location holes for the lifting points and aileron control wire guides. Roundel wing ribs slightly polished to highlight them, Mike

Hi all, I'm working on preparing the wings for the linen decals etc. This is the upper wing (top surface). First primed white then masked for the wing ribs and front and rear spars. Airbrushed with 'Tamiya' Smoke (X19). Then the outer five wing rib areas airbrushed to represent the Italian red and green under wing colours 'ghosting' through. Finally airbrushed with 'Tamiya' XF78 and XF57 to give the base colour for the linen effect decals. I lightly polished across the wing to smooth the surface and to highlight the wing ribs. Next is to gloss coat the surface then cut and apply the linen effect decals and roundels before a touch of weathering is applied, Mike

Hi all, I've represented the four locking turnbuckles at the fuselage joint, using 'GasPatch' 1:48th scale resin 'Anchor Points', Mike

Hi all, Weathering applied using a combination of: 'Flory Models' Dark Dirt clay wash. 'AK Interactive’ Engine Oil (AK 2019). ‘502 Abteilung’ Smoke (ABT005) oil paint. Now to create the four turnbuckle type locking devices that join the rear fuselage to the front fuselage, just behind the cockpit rear decking panel. Mike

Hi all, The Canvass/linen effect decals have been applied after cutting out the necessary paper templates. Kit Italian Roundels and Serial number also applied. Engine and engine cowl fitted. Next is to weather and seal, then create the various rigging points, Mike

Hi all, Just a quick update on the fuselage progress. The metal is 'Alclad' black base with Duraluminium top coat. Wood panels are 'Tamiya' XF57 base with 'DecoArt' acylic Burnt Umber for wood effect. Fuselage pre-shaded with 'Tamiya' Smoke X19 with XF55 used to highlight formers. Top coated with XF 78 for CDL base colour. The pre-shading and formers are faint but should show up more once the decals and sealing coat are applied. I still have to gloss coat and apply 'Aviattic' Clear Linen effect decals and seal the wood effect. Then weather it before starting on the rest of the model, Mike Post script: I've gloss coated and applied a test decal of the 'Aviattic' canvass/linen effect (ATT32236). This decal has no colour tint, just the canvass/linen weave. The colour required shows through from the base coat.

Hi all, Just a few updates for the fuselage as they're not covered in the kit: Filler cap (oil tank?) and access panel hinge to the top of the front decking. Filler cap is 0.2 mm plastic cards discs with a 0.3 mm diameter tube. Both fuselage/wing roots have photo-etch flying wire attachment points added from the ‘PART’ 1/48th scale WWI Aircraft Control Horns (S48-087). Creases added to the corners of the linen stitched panel, using ‘AV’ Masilla Plastica (401) putty, Mike

Hi all, The cockpit assembly is now enclosed within the fuselage. The fuselage seam joint and the various surfaces blemishes were first filled, then sanded before being primed. This showed slight surface anomalies which were re-sanded and re-primed until the surface was smooth. The right side of the fuselage had pre-moulded linen stitching, which I felt was overdone and unrealistic. So it was all removed, including stitching further forward, which didn't exist on the actual aircraft. The stitching was replaced by photo-etch from the ‘Eduard’ WW1 Stitching (EDP32228) set. Also a joint line was added around the fuselage to the rear of the cockpit decking, to represent where the rear fuselage could be detached. The rear fuselage was secured to the forward fuselage by turnbuckle type fasteners, which will be added later in the build. A white primer was applied as this is required prior to applying the 'Aviattic' Clear linen CDL effect decals, Mike

Hi all, The basic cockpit assembly is ready to be fitted into the fuselage. Control wires are 0.08 mm diameter mono-filament, cross bracing 0.12 mm diameter mono-filament. Turnbuckles are the 1:48th scale resin versions from 'GasPatch'. All tube work is either 0.4 mm or 0.5 mm diameter Nickel-Silver tube. Seat belts were replaced with spare Sopwith F.1 Camel kit from 'Wingnut Wings'. Fuel tank pipe and throttle control rod are 0.4 mm tube. Aileron control line pulleys scratched from cut plastic card discs, with spacer discs to allow the control line to be able to wrap around them. Seat cushion made from 'Milliput', Mike

Hi all, The inside of each fuselage half has been painted and side frame outlines added with oil paint. The frame cross bracing is 0.08 mm diameter mono-filament with 0.4 mm Nickel-Silver tube and 'GasPatch' 1:48th scale resin turnbuckles. The bracing still needs painting of the tubes and turnbuckles, Mike

Hi all, Thanks for you comments and support during this build, Mike

Hi all, Just a small update. The instrument panel is complete. Oil paint for the wood effect and decals added (not in the kit) from my spares. The five selector levers were made from 0.4 mm Nickel-Silver tube, flattened then bent to 90 degrees. Mike

Hi all, Here's the completed Siemens Schuckert D.III (Serial No. 834 to 8359/17) as flown by Ltn. Joachim von Ziegesar when serving with Jasta 15 during May, 1918. As usual a fully detailed build log, in PDF format, is available to download from my web site (link below), Mike

Hi Rob, Yes the Fokker E.V/D.VIII builds into a nice kit. I built it, but it was before 'Aviattic' released some of their after market parts and photo-etch set. I did use their cookie cut decals though, as well as theirs and others other after market parts. I also replaced all of the struts and cockpit framing with brass versions. If you go to my site, on Gallery 1, there's the downloadable PDF build log, Mike

Hi all, The fuselage halves had two pre-moulded resin location pegs only and when the fuselage halves were located together, the pegs did not align correctly. Also, as noted by 'PrzemoL' during his build of the Sopwith 'Baby, once the cockpit if fitted and the fuselage closed up, the fuselage seam will be seen from inside the cockpit. Therefore I decided to sand away the resin location pegs and drill three 0.9 mm holes into one fuselage half, then fitted 0.8 mm brass location rods. To align the rest of the fuselage halves I added short strips of 0.8 mm thick plastic card to the fuselage half, in positions that would not interfere with the cockpit fit. Finally to hide the fuselage seam and to add to fuselage halves alignment, I cut and profiled a single piece of 0.8 mm thick plastic card, which was secured to the cockpit floor area of the fuselage half. The result is a much better alignment of the fuselage halves wih the seam below the cockpit hidden, Mike

Hi all, The pilot operated the ailerons on the wings by turning the pilot’s wheel on the control column. The typical aileron control from a pilot’s wheel was effected by cables. The control column would be fitted with two cable pulleys, one from the wheel and located on the top of the control column and a second pulley located at the bottom of the control column. The aileron control cable run was routed around the top pulley then down to the bottom pulley, where the cable run was crossed. From the bottom pulley the cables were routed out of the cockpit and through the lower wings to their respective ailerons. Unfortunately these pulleys are not supplied in the model kit, so had to be made. Each pulley is a 2.5 mm diameter disc, cut from 0.5 mm thick plastic card, and sandwiched between two 3.5 mm diameter discs. These represent the basic 'grooved' pulleys, around which the aileron control cable run will be routed, Mike

Hi Rob, Yes I'd say buying the engines separately would be a good move. Probably the best 3D prints I've come across thus far. You do get 12 cylinders and intake manifolds, even though the engine only requires 9 of each. Mike

Hi all, I've been sorting out certain anomalies with the primary parts of the model. The details will be covered in the PDF build log, but as a heads up: The resin locating pegs for the fuselage halves cause the assembly to be misaligned, as do those to locate the wings to the fuselage and upper wing centre section. These pegs were removed and replaced with 0.8 mm diameter brass rod, which with the kit original steel pins provide a better joint and alignment. Even so I found that with the wing leading edges aligned, the trailing edges were not. It seems the wing chords are slightly less than their mating faces. Therefore some sanding of the trailing edges of the upper wing centre section and lower wing roots was required to align correctly to the wing sections. Resin surface irregularities, such as blow holes, chips, edge delaminations and joint seams, needed to be either filled and/or sanded. The two fuselage halves have pre-moulded external linen stitching, which is not very realistic. Also the stitching at the sides of the cockpit was not present on the aircraft. In addition, the removable rear fuselage was attached to the forward fuselage at a joint to the rear of the cockpit. This joint has been moulded on the fuselage halves as a thick ridge, but in reality did not look like this (see the following photograph). The joint at the fuselage sides was covered with a strip. These details were scraped and sanded away, in preparation for being replaced with photo-etch (‘Eduard’ WW1 Stitching (EDP32228). Mike