Roden Albatros D.I

[GazzaS]

17 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Gaz

Excellent work on filling the turtle deck gap and the MG's look great.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

Thank you, Peter!

And they are coming.  Tons of Time on PE.  I find the big parts easiest because they want to stick.  But the little bastards...   They're the opposite.

The stern:

Amidships:

These two pics remind me I need to do a little work with clear yellow in the pit.

Abaft the beam:

Of course....   gotta see the guns as often as possible....

And finally...  below the waterline...

I used whichever parts I thought would enhance the build (regardless of size) and didn't use the rest.  I even built both ear radiators.  One with CA and the other with solder.  The one built with CA might be passable after some clean up.  However, the one I attempted to solder got all twisted as I struggled to hold the joints together whilst operating the soldering iron.

In some ways, the Eduard and WNW PE is nicer.  However the Part sets have much more to them.  Including wiring harnesses, spoked wheels, and every conceivable detail you might want to replace.  I think all I have left for PE is the rudder and elevator control tabs...  or whatever you call them things that the control cables hook up to.

 

Happy modelling!

 

[Kaireckstadt]

1 hour ago, GazzaS said:

Thank you, Peter!

And they are coming.  Tons of Time on PE.  I find the big parts easiest because they want to stick.  But the little bastards...   They're the opposite.

The stern:

Amidships:

These two pics remind me I need to do a little work with clear yellow in the pit.

Abaft the beam:

Of course....   gotta see the guns as often as possible....

And finally...  below the waterline...

I used whichever parts I thought would enhance the build (regardless of size) and didn't use the rest.  I even built both ear radiators.  One with CA and the other with solder.  The one built with CA might be passable after some clean up.  However, the one I attempted to solder got all twisted as I struggled to hold the joints together whilst operating the soldering iron.

In some ways, the Eduard and WNW PE is nicer.  However the Part sets have much more to them.  Including wiring harnesses, spoked wheels, and every conceivable detail you might want to replace.  I think all I have left for PE is the rudder and elevator control tabs...  or whatever you call them things that the control cables hook up to.

 

Happy modelling!

 

The PE parts you chose to install really improve the model.

I like your statement about these little bastards. Can only underline it!

I have a little trick for them:

I use white glue to place them on the model. So it is possible to even move them a little or even remove them if necessary. Also removing of the white glue from the part is easy. 

When alignment is correct I apply a little bit of superglue with a needle to the edge and let it dry. The capillary effect tears the glue under the part. Then I do this for the rest of the edge. 
Works really nice.

[GazzaS]

1 minute ago, Kaireckstadt said:

The PE parts you chose to install really improve the model.

I like your statement about these little bastards. Can only underline it!

I have a little trick for them:

I use white glue to place them on the model. So it is possible to even move them a little or even remove them if necessary. Also removing of the white glue from the part is easy. 

When alignment is correct I apply a little bit of superglue with a needle to the edge and let it dry. The capillary effect tears the glue under the part. Then I do this for the rest of the edge. 
Works really nice.

Thank you, Kai!  I will give that method a go!

[DocRob]

5 hours ago, Kaireckstadt said:

The PE parts you chose to install really improve the model.

I like your statement about these little bastards. Can only underline it!

I have a little trick for them:

I use white glue to place them on the model. So it is possible to even move them a little or even remove them if necessary. Also removing of the white glue from the part is easy. 

When alignment is correct I apply a little bit of superglue with a needle to the edge and let it dry. The capillary effect tears the glue under the part. Then I do this for the rest of the edge. 
Works really nice.

Me too, thanks for sharing. I hate it, when tiny PE bits fly away, while airbrushing a model, when they weren't properly attached. Your method could ensure a better placement and therefore a better bond.

Cheers Rob

[Jeff]

11 hours ago, GazzaS said:

Easy as:

http://www.part.pl/

Thanks, easy is always good !

[Peterpools]

Gaz

Beautiful work and looking brilliant!

Right with you and the guys on PE. Big is wonderful and tiny: at the bottom of the ladder. I've lost my share, even to the part of ordering a replacement fret . I've seen videos where builders are using a wax pencil to pick up and hold the PE parts for placement. Haven't tried it yet but I'm going to give it a shot. 

Keep 'em comin

Peter

 

[Kaireckstadt]

4 minutes ago, Peterpools said:

Gaz

Beautiful work and looking brilliant!

Right with you and the guys on PE. Big is wonderful and tiny: at the bottom of the ladder. I've lost my share, even to the part of ordering a replacement fret . I've seen videos where builders are using a wax pencil to pick up and hold the PE parts for placement. Haven't tried it yet but I'm going to give it a shot. 

Keep 'em comin

Peter

 

Also a good tipp Peter! Thanks! 

[GazzaS]

1 hour ago, Peterpools said:

Gaz

Beautiful work and looking brilliant!

Right with you and the guys on PE. Big is wonderful and tiny: at the bottom of the ladder. I've lost my share, even to the part of ordering a replacement fret . I've seen videos where builders are using a wax pencil to pick up and hold the PE parts for placement. Haven't tried it yet but I'm going to give it a shot. 

Keep 'em comin

Peter

 

HI Peter, Thank you!

Here are a couple tools I have learned to use to make things easier:

Sticky toothpick:  A toothpick with a tiny gob of blue-tack on the end.  Much more dependable/sticky than a wax pencil.

Electric toothbrush with 2-sided tape and sandpaper:  I use this to sand of the tiny bit that I can't cut off with a blade.  I find it helps me avoid twisting the part...  and it's damn fast! 

Tamiya PE pliers:  I use these to hold the part and keep it flat while sanding away the excess with the toothbrush.

 

 

[Peterpools]

Thanks Gaz

Just can't have enough weapons when working with PE, especially the smallest of the lot

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[GazzaS]

Morning update:

Oh...  rude of me...  Hello everyone!

Anyway...  the color scheme affords me the rare WWI-modelling luxury of attaching the LG legs prior to main painting.  It's a complicated process as you try to bring angles and materials into line with your way of thinking. 

 

One interesting material is silk Thread.

Silk is less fuzzy than cotton, and any frizz can be quickly burnt of with the quickest lick of flame.  And you have to be quick!  CA hates flame, and you know about styrene already.

 

WWI aircraft were very simple.  The shock absorber of the day was bungee cord.  It was looped around the axle and LG struts to soften the shock of landing and taxiing.    On a WNW kit, the bungee is represented with some wavy plastic with a hole for the axle.  On the Roden kit, nothing is supplied, and there isn't even a spot in the directions telling you what you must do.  

However, a good result with the technique shown does look better than the WNW way.  But nobody really notices...lol

 

The end result is a rock-solid structure if you used as many brass pins as I have.  If you don't pin it...  it will eventually collapse.

 

I also worked on the empennage.

 

And finally, she can sit on her own.  Now we can start thinking about paint...  Glorious paint!

 

Now...  the paint plan:  I have to place the white areas for kreuzen and skull markings.  I could try the decals.  But I'm never really confident about Roden decals.

 

[Peterpools]

Gaz

Nice work on the bungee cords - great solution and I”m Looking forward your Albatross roll out of the paint shop.

I first soloed a Piper J3 Cub back in 1965 and all Cubs had bungee cords. Part of the pre-flight was to check the bungee cords to make sure the were still tight and not coming loose. 
Keep ‘em comin

Peter

[krow113]

• Scan the decals if poss!

[Kaireckstadt]

Nice work and beautiful pics Gaz!

Whenever I build my only WWI plane in my stash (Fokker D VII WNW) and have problems I will come back to you...

[DocRob]

Love the silk thread work, Gaz. I consider shaving away the chord on my next WNW build and use your method as it looks more real.

Cheers Rob

[GazzaS]

21 minutes ago, Kaireckstadt said:

Nice work and beautiful pics Gaz!

Whenever I build my only WWI plane in my stash (Fokker D VII WNW) and have problems I will come back to you...

Thank you.  I'll be glad to help.

[GazzaS]

1 minute ago, DocRob said:

Love the silk thread work, Gaz. I consider shaving away the chord on my next WNW build and use your method as it looks more real.

Cheers Rob

Thanks Rob,

      I never even considered it when I built my (3 so far) WNW kits.  Never even entered my mind.  Sometimes there is something to be said for easy steps.  But I can see that it is one more way to improve on an already fabulous kit.

[GazzaS]

5 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Gaz

Nice work on the bungee cords - great solution and I”m Looking forward your Albatross roll out of the paint shop.

I first soloed a Piper J3 Cub back in 1965 and all Cubs had bungee cords. Part of the pre-flight was to check the bungee cords to make sure the were still tight and not coming loose. 
Keep ‘em comin

Peter

Thank you, Peter.  I am amazed that a plane after WWII still used bungee cords.

4 hours ago, krow113 said:

• Scan the decals if poss!

Already done.  I also made the masks in the Silhouette software.  I'll cut them tomorrow.

[Peterpools]

Gaz

J3's are classics and production started after the J2, which was before WWII. 

Keep 'em Flying

Peter

 

[Jeff]

Gaz, here is an idea... for the thread, instead of burning it, try some bees wax, just put a little between your fingers and slide the thread over it or through it, the wax holds all the little fibers tight to the thread, and it also holds the thread tight, I did that on the old Revell Spad XII  almost 30 years ago and the rigging is still tight as the day I did it, no sag and no little fibers showing....the wax is very light and thin, you don't even know it's there, and it holds beautifully

[GazzaS]

4 hours ago, Jeff said:

Gaz, here is an idea... for the thread, instead of burning it, try some bees wax, just put a little between your fingers and slide the thread over it or through it, the wax holds all the little fibers tight to the thread, and it also holds the thread tight, I did that on the old Revell Spad XII  almost 30 years ago and the rigging is still tight as the day I did it, no sag and no little fibers showing....the wax is very light and thin, you don't even know it's there, and it holds beautifully

Thank you, Jeff.

[GazzaS]

Masking... 

 

Once painted, will give it an overnight dry.  Then I can start with the color.

[Kaireckstadt]

Your speed is amazing Gaz!

Looks as if the skull wasn’t that easy to apply. 
Very nice work! 

[GazzaS]

2 hours ago, Kaireckstadt said:

Your speed is amazing Gaz!

Looks as if the skull wasn’t that easy to apply. 
Very nice work! 

Thank you, Kai!  I'm not really that fast.  We had a public holiday on Monday, and I had a couple more days-off which I arranged into a 5-day weekend.  Back to work tomorrow.

 

After setting the Albatros aside to dry, I worked on the small things.  Propeller, Spinner, and other details required painting.  I even tried to place one of the skull decals on the spinner as shown in the artwork.  Unfortunately, the decal would not respond to decal softener and had to be removed in fragments.  Now...  I will have to mask it, and somehow make it square.  Sometimes I wonder about that skull on the spinner.  I haven't seen it in any photos.

[DocRob]

Like Kai said, you are breezing through your Albatros build. I've never used Roden decals, but read about their reputation. Nice job on the masking which looks great. Makes me thinking about a mask cutter for myself.

Cheers Rob

[GazzaS]

7 minutes ago, DocRob said:

Like Kai said, you are breezing through your Albatros build. I've never used Roden decals, but read about their reputation. Nice job on the masking which looks great. Makes me thinking about a mask cutter for myself.

Cheers Rob

Thank you, Rob!  The mask cutter is the best thing for a modeller.  No decals, no problem!  Not much use for tiny stuff...  But eminently useful....   especially for those troublesome propeller spirals.