sandbagger

Hi all, Anthony Fokker completed. Just the tyres and wheels to do and this one is done, Mike

Hi all, The twin aileron control cables (with turnbuckles) that are routed from the cockpit and fuselage to the underside of the upper wing (both sides) are done. Also the engine exhaust and propeller are now fitted, Mike

Hi all, The photographer and his camera are done. I still have the other figure to paint yet, Mike

Hi all, And Wipe Off, Mike

Hi all, Using 'Flory' fine clay wash for weathering. Just like the 'Karate Kid' - wash ON ---------- Mike

Yes I know the feeling - so many models and so little time!!

Hi all, The pre-rigging is done now so it's time to fit the upper wing, Mike Hi Gaz, I thought so. I used to model 54 mm Napoleonic figures from 'Historex'. I built quite a few dioramas but only have these two left now,

Thanks. Gaz: I didn't use the Cartograf decals supplied in the kit but instead used decals from 'Aviattic' - the linen effect lozenge range for the Fokker D.VII. Are you into Napoleonics as I think they are Prussians in your signature picture? Mike

Hi all, The rigging used is 0.08 mm 'Stroft' and 0.12 mm 'Steelon' mono-filament (fishing line). The pre-rigging is done for the rudder, elevator, ailerons and undercarriage cross bracing. Mike

Hi all, Apart from final weathering, the fuselage front end is done, Mike

Hi all, The engine with radiator assembly is now fitted, along with the cockpit coaming panel and the lower wing. Mike

Hi all, The fuselage sides and top decking had a brown glaze applied, but nowhere else on the aircraft. I've added that and now I'll add the personal and national markings, Mike

Hi all, I've applied the 'Aviattic' linen effect lozenge to the first Fokker D.VII now. Under the decals, although it's difficult to see in the shots, is pre-shading. I've yet to apply the kit decals and weather it all in, Mike

Hi all, A few more bits done. 'Properplane' Heine propeller treated with 'Tamiya' Clear Orange then Hull Red. Weathered with 'Tamiya' Weathering Master Set B (Rust) and 'AK Interactive' Kerosene wash. 'GasPatch' Spandau 08/15 extended handle guns with 'Alclad' Gun metal, then Steel. Weathered with 'AK Interactive' Kerosene wash and 'Tamiya' Rubber Black. Figures assembled and primed for painting - Anthony Fokker ('Aviattic'), Photographer and camera ('Black Dog'). Mike

Thanks. Normally I would add control rods or cables to things like the carburettor, magnetos, tachometer drive, machine gun synchronisation etc. But not on this engine as it'll be mostly covered by the fuselage panels. The accompanying model will be detailed, Mike

Hi all, Well the engine is done. There are details I've not added as this model will have the engine fully enclosed. The second Fokker D.VII will have more detail as its engine will be fully exposed, Mike

This engine is the test bed for the second Fokker D.VII and will be more or less covered by the forward fuselage panels. The next engine will be visible when I build the second aircraft, which will have the internal structure and engine etc totally exposed I know it seems senseless to cover the detail on this engine, but at least I know it's there, Mike

Hi all, The engine is progressing although there's a way to go yet, not including application of the weathering effects: Cylinder fuel primers Fuel manifold and locking rings Coolant pipes Ignition leads Oil filler pipes Exhaust The oil sight glasses were made by dropping PVA adhesive into the holes - it dries clear (good for making windows etc). Mike

Hi all, The fuel primers for each cylinder are built using the 'Taurus Models' fuel priming cups (3219). They'll be painted when fitted to the engine. Mike

Hi all, I decided not to use the 'Taurus' spark plugs after all as although they are good, attaching the ignition leads to the tiny end of the plug was difficult to do without leaving it looking unrealistic. Instead I've made the spark plugs from 0.8 mm and 0.4 mm diameter 'Albion Alloys' brass tube with a 0.31" aluminium nut from 'RB Motion'. This way the fine lead wire I use to represent the ignition lead can locate inside the 0.2 mm bore of the 0.4 mm tube. Mike

Hi all, To enhance the engine detail I replaced the engines pre-molded locking rings for the fuel inlet manifold with the ‘Taurus Models’ engine intake manifold nuts (3211). The kit does not have spark plugs to fit to the six cylinders (two per cylinder), however the cylinders do have a pre-molded location hole for the spark plugs. The plugs to be used are from the ‘Taurus Models’ engine spark plugs (late type) (3204) set. Mike

Hi all, A magneto was located on each side at the rear of the engine. These were driven by the engine through a split drive shaft. Attached to each magneto were six ignition leads, which were routed through support tube attached to each side of the cylinder block. Each cylinder ignition lead exited the support tube through an aperture and was then attached to the cylinder spark plug (two per cylinder). The pre-molded support tubes supplied in the kit seem under sized, so I replaced them with micro-tube. The sump of the engine was essentially a ‘wet’ sump, as the oil reservoir was in the rear and lowest part of the sump. The oil was drawn from this reservoir by the oil pump (located at the rear of the engine) and distributed through the engine, after which it returned to the reservoir to be recirculated. The forward part of the engine sump appears to have been open, as can be seen through the open apertures and the front of the sump in the following photograph. An oil contents sight glass was located on the sides of the oil reservoir at the rear of the sump. Some engine installations had an oil tank installed in the engine bay and outside the engine, although this particular kit does not have this feature. I've drilled out the apertures and created a sight glass on each side - the 'glass' will be made of PVA adhesive once the engine is built. Mike

Hi all, The cooling of the engine cylinders was carried out by cooled water from the radiator being fed by pipes to the water pump, located on the bottom, rear of the sump. This water was pumped through an outlet pipe and through interconnected stub pipes at the bottom of each cylinder. The water was then pumped up through the cylinders jackets and out through the interconnected stub pipes at the top of each cylinder, then forward to the front of the engine and back to the radiator for cooling. The kit supplied cylinder block has the pre-molded coolant pipe for the cylinder jackets, but it looks unrealistic, as it extends through and between the separate cylinders, presumably to act as a solid fixing base for the cylinder block. I've cut this pre-molded pipe away to separate the cylinders and replaced it with short lengths of 0.85 mm diameter plastic rod, with a chamfer at at end to fit the contour of the cylinders. Mike

Hi all, Now that the fuselage is buttoned up I've moved onto the engine. As usual not an OOB build. Modifications will be (I hope). Complete timing gear Fuel priming cups Spark plugs (late type) Intake manifold nuts Ignition leads Engine control Coolant pipes Engine sump apertures Oil sight glass. First off is the removal of the coolant pipe for the cylinder jackets, which is pre-molded in between each cylinder. Also the conical vale springs. Mike

Hi all, The additional linen baffle (wind break) that was fitted to some Fokker aircraft is done. The shoulder straps passed through slots is this baffle and down to be attached to the cross bar of the seat frame bulkhead, which had at the top the standard linen baffle. The coloured shot below is from the Canadian restoration of a war prize Fokker D.VII. It was comprised of parts from different Fokker D.VII aircraft, including OAW built Serial No:6506/18, 8318/18 and 8502/18 and was partially restored in 1963. The B/W shot is of a similar baffle fitted to a Fokker DR.1. Mike