sandbagger Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 Hi all, I'm still waiting for the figures to arrive for the Roland D.VI so I can complete that model. In the meantime I'm starting on the 'Special Hobby' 1:32nd scale Fokker D.II. This model will represent a Fokker D.II, serial number not known, that was attached to ‘Kampfeinsitzer Stafflen’ (Kesta) 4b sometime between April 1917 - October 1918 at Royal Bavarian AF, Freiburg. Should be fun, Mike 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 Mike Will be following with great interest. Keep 'em comin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandbagger Posted March 6, 2021 Author Share Posted March 6, 2021 Hi all, Just a quick update. The engine and propeller are finished.The engine has push rods of 0.4 mm Nickel-Silver tube with 0.5 mm Brass tube bases. Also 0.5 mm tube spark plugs with 0.2 mm copper wire ignition leads. The propeller is from 'ProperPlane' and although it's a British 'Lang' type, is similar to the 'Imperial' propeller fitted to some aircraft, rather than the 'Garuda' propeller. The 'Imperial' decals were spares from a previous model build. The basic cockpit is also finished, but without any added detail, such as control cables, bracing wires and pipes etc. This is because for the first time, I'm adding a pilot figure into the cockpit. With the pilot located, just about everything in the cockpit is hidden from view, except for the top of the control column and the one instrument. The figure I'm converting for this model is from 'Wings Cockpit Figures. Mike 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harv Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 WOW......harv 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 WOW! Keep ‘em comin Peter 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandbagger Posted March 7, 2021 Author Share Posted March 7, 2021 Hi all, The pilot figure started off as the ‘Wings Cockpit' figures - seated LSK pilot (LSK 04A). Some heavy modification of this figure was necessary in order to get it to be able to fit into the cockpit of the closed up fuselage. Basically material had to be removed from the legs and torso, with the arms pinned into their sockets and re-positioned. Any gaps were filled with modelling putty. Mike 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 Mike One tight fit - completely closes off any chance of seeing inside the front office Keep ‘em comin Peter 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandbagger Posted March 7, 2021 Author Share Posted March 7, 2021 Hi Peter, Yes it is, which is why I haven't bothered to detail the cockpit as I usually do as nothing can really be seen, Mike 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlrwestSiR Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 Mike, that pilot figure looks fantastic. He really does make you realize how small those planes were. Carl 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandbagger Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 Hi all, Just an update on this build. The fuselage is closed up now and prepared as far as it can go at this stage. Being a 'Special Hobby' kit there was some work to do as expected. The machine gun location required modification so the replacement 'GasPatch' weapon can be fitted. All of the rigging points needed to be drilled using either a 0.3 or 0.4 mm diameter drill. The rudder and elevator control cable ports in the fuselage needed drilling out and oval shaped. Holes were drilled into the fuselage sides for what appears to have been transportation posts, used to secure the wings to the fuselage. These posts were also fitted to the lower wings. The lower wing 'spar' is very flimsy causing the wings to flap like a demented chicken every time the wing was handled. To reinforce the wing to fuselage joint, I added a styrene block into the wing locating slot and onto the underside of the cockpit assembly. This should make the wing to fuselage joint stronger. There is also a flight control lever and cable on the underside of the fuselage which is not included. This is similar to that of the Fokker Eindeckers and I believe is part of the elevator control run. I've created slots for both the lever and cable. I've also drilled and pinned the landing gear struts as originally they were intended to be 'butt' joints (never a good thing). The strangest change was needed to align the engine cowl to the two fuselage side panels. The kit instructions tell you how this can be done, which raises the question as to why the parts were not molded to align in the first place? Anyway I ignored their instructions and as Frank would have said 'I did it my way'. Mike 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandbagger Posted March 17, 2021 Author Share Posted March 17, 2021 Hi all, I've now painted the basic colour scheme for this aircraft. I still have to seal and apply weathering, streaked decals etc. I decided to create masks for the crosses as the kit supplied decal are not good, Mike 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Paint work looks so spot on Keep ‘em comin Peter 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandbagger Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 Hi all, The 'Aviattic' clear linen effect and streaked decals have been applied. I still need to clear coat and weather the surfaces. Also I've made the tail skid assembly from micro-tube as the kit struts were very weak. I had to shorten the actual skid as well as it was way too long. Mike 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaireckstadt Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 59 minutes ago, sandbagger said: Hi all, The 'Aviattic' clear linen effect and streaked decals have been applied. I still need to clear coat and weather the surfaces. Also I've made the tail skid assembly from micro-tube as the kit struts were very weak. I had to shorten the actual skid as well as it was way too long. Mike The surface of the wings and fuselage is stunning Mike. Looks as if it was real linen! The support construction you scratched is simply perfect. This will be another beauty from you when finished. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 Mike Looking so good Keep ‘em comin Peter 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandbagger Posted March 24, 2021 Author Share Posted March 24, 2021 Hi all, A few updates for the Fokker D.II build. The pilot figure has been painted and is fitted into the cockpit. Also the engine is now fitted. The general weathering is a combination of 'Flory Models' Dark Dirt fine clay wash and 'Tamiya' Weathering Master Set A (Mud). The engine exhaust and oil erosion on the fuselage forward side panels is 'Tamiya' Flat Aluminium (X16) stipple brushed over the green. Then the same 'Flory Models' wash dabbed into the Aluminium painted surface. The same technique was used for the doped linen erosion on the forward streaked decal area, but for that, 'Tamiya' Deck Tan (X55) was stippled on before the 'Flory' wash was applied. 'AK Interactive' Engine Oil (2019) was brushed at the outlet of the side panels and under the forward fuselage. Mike 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocRob Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 Convincing painting, decaling and weathering work as ever Mike. You make the plain painted surfaces pop during your processes. The soldered skid struts look the part. I never realized, what a laborious construction this is. Cheers Rob 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandbagger Posted March 25, 2021 Author Share Posted March 25, 2021 Hi all, The single ‘GasPatch’ early LMG ‘Spandau’ 08 has been fitted. This required modification of both the gun and fuselage decking panel. I used the 'GasPatch' ammunition belt instead of the kit supplied photo-etch part. I also had to scratch the empty ammunition belt chute as the kit does not include the chute? The eight 'transportation' posts have also been added to the fuselage sides and lower wings. Now onto the struts then pre-rigging, Mike 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 Mike Awesome- long fantastic Keep ‘em comin Peter 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axeman Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 The painting is amazing. The prop is just stunning. Great work! Tim 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandbagger Posted March 28, 2021 Author Share Posted March 28, 2021 Hi all, Just a quick update. Looking at photographs it's difficult to see detail for the interplane struts on this aircraft. Some look to be of wood construction only. Others seem to show a tubular reinforcing tube that was fitted to the leading edge of each strut with wood aerofoil struts attached to its rear edge. Also what appears to be four 'wrappings' of either linen or metal around each strut. Normally strut wrapping would be linen and these were used to help prevent the wood struts from splitting under stress. Anyway, the kit 'wrappings' were over sized so I decided to modify all eight struts. The 'wrappings' were sanded off and the leading edge tubes, which are not represented on the kit struts, were scribed. Base coated with 'Tamiya' Deck Tan (XF78), then clear coat sealed. The wood areas were masked off and 'Alclad' Steel (ALC112) was airbrushed over the tubes. Clear coated again then 'Flory Models' Dark Dirt clay wash applied. Clear coated yet again and 1 mm wide strips were applied from the ‘Xtradecal’ Parallel Stripes (White XPS2) set. A final clear coat was then applied to seal everything. The cutout in the two inboard, rear interplane struts, are to allow the wing warping control lines to route from the fuselage to the outboard struts. Mike 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandbagger Posted March 28, 2021 Author Share Posted March 28, 2021 Hi all, Two of the six wing warp control lines were attached to the base of the rear interplane struts on the lower wings. The two control lines were routed between the lower wings through twin pulleys, mounted on a support frame in front of the cockpit. Mono-filament lone of 0.08 mm diameter and routed through 0.2 mm diameter holes above the pulleys. 'GasPatch' 1:48th One End turnbuckles fitted with 0.4 mm diameter blackened brass tube. Mike 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandbagger Posted March 29, 2021 Author Share Posted March 29, 2021 Hi all, I've finished pre-rigging stage now. Thirty two lines with 'GasPatch' One End type turnbuckles and two with double ended Type C turnbuckles. Also the Rudder and Elevators have their control lines fitted. Tube used is blackened 0.5 mm and 0.4 mm diameter with 0.12 or 0.08 mm diameter mono-filament. Now all I have to do is fit the anchor points to their various locations and the ten struts and upper wing can be fitted, Mike 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Terrific progress, looking so good Keep ‘em comin Peter 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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