Roden Albatros D.I

[Kaireckstadt]

Great progress Gary and the complete paintjob looks really awesome now.

The detailing on the front-section is stunning!

Can‘t wait to see it finished! 

[GazzaS]

35 minutes ago, Peterpools said:

Gaz

The subtle tones of the pin washes look so good and enhances the realism of the finish

Keep ‘em comin

Peter

Thank you, Peter!

[GazzaS]

35 minutes ago, Kaireckstadt said:

Great progress Gary and the complete paintjob looks really awesome now.

The detailing on the front-section is stunning!

Can‘t wait to see it finished! 

Thank you Kai.  The finishing steps are quite few...  but I still won't finish this weekend.

Paint the combing around the cockpit.  Give oils a few days to dry.  Seal the paint with clears.  Add windscreen.   ...then I can prepare for rigging.

I'm not sure I'm going to use turnbuckles.  The real thing are so thin IRL that I might just use a little paint.

[GazzaS]

Hi everyone,

     Not a huge update as I'm allowing the oils time to dry and harden.

I've finally dealt with the propeller boss question:

[belugawhaleman]

Getting better and better. Nice work!

[Kaireckstadt]

Great solution for the skull on the spinner Gary. Looks really nice!

The prop-painting is really awesome! Another eyecatcher on this beautiful bird. 

[DocRob]

Nice and subtle like Peter mentioned, your Alb is getting better and better, I love the busy side shots of the fuselage, where all the details and different materials show.
The skull integrates itself more organic now and only just distracts a little from the nice wooden prop .

Cheers Rob

[Peterpools]

Gaz

You hit the nail on the head with the hub and prop - both looking fantastic

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[GazzaS]

On 5/23/2021 at 2:26 PM, belugawhaleman said:

Getting better and better. Nice work!

Thank you, Sir!

 

23 hours ago, Kaireckstadt said:

Great solution for the skull on the spinner Gary. Looks really nice!

The prop-painting is really awesome! Another eyecatcher on this beautiful bird. 

Thank you, Kai!  Getting the itch to to build WWI, yet?

22 hours ago, DocRob said:

Nice and subtle like Peter mentioned, your Alb is getting better and better, I love the busy side shots of the fuselage, where all the details and different materials show.
The skull integrates itself more organic now and only just distracts a little from the nice wooden prop .

Cheers Rob

Thank you, Rob.  I'm much happier with the propeller boss, too.

15 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Gaz

You hit the nail on the head with the hub and prop - both looking fantastic

Keep 'em comin

Peter

Thank you, Peter!

[Jackster]

Immaculate build!

Cheers

Kev

 

 

[GazzaS]

12 hours ago, Jackster said:

Immaculate build!

Cheers

Kev

 

 

 

Thank you!

 

[Kaireckstadt]

On 5/24/2021 at 8:32 AM, GazzaS said:

Thank you, Sir!

 

Thank you, Kai!  Getting the itch to to build WWI, yet?

Thank you, Rob.  I'm much happier with the propeller boss, too.

Thank you, Peter!

I only have 2 WWI kits in my stash Gary:

A Meng Fokker DrI with a bust of Richthofen and a WNW Fokker DVII. Because the rigging is very few on them 

The DrI will probably be on my desk after the Tornado and the Gina.

 

 

[GazzaS]

1 hour ago, Kaireckstadt said:

I only have 2 WWI kits in my stash Gary:

A Meng Fokker DrI with a bust of Richthofen and a WNW Fokker DVII. Because the rigging is very few on them 

The DrI will probably be on my desk after the Tornado and the Gina.

 

 

There is no need to fear rigging.  Especially on most German fighters.  Uschi and mig make great elastic line.  Rigging is a bogeyman we've created with our minds.  It can be as simple as 1 piece of elastic line between two holes with 2 dabs of CA.  That's how I started with a 1/48 scale Eduard Roland C.II.  Actually...  it might be a useful way for you to start...  something cheap and disposable to learn on.

 

Personally, I don't really find it an enjoyable experience until it is finished.  Because most of the time you are afraid of what your fingers may do...  or worst case, knock your model off of it's jig.

 

....speaking of jig....   do you have a biplane-capable jig?

[DocRob]

5 hours ago, GazzaS said:

....speaking of jig....   do you have a biplane-capable jig?

I have one, but never used it for my biplanes, because I found it easier to rig the upper wing completely without being attached and after attaching the upper wing the more fiddly part starts only on the lower wing.
I second the thoughts of Gaz, it's best to work on a dummy for the first time. You have to find the method wich suits you best. For 32 scale elastic rigging was not my option for different reasons. I prefer metal tube with an inner diameter of 0,3 mm and loop a fishing line through which has a diameter of 0,12 mm. This setup is almost self securing and enhances the models rigidity.
For 48 scale, I have used bot, fishing line and elastic thread with PE fittings.

Cheers Rob

[Kaireckstadt]

7 hours ago, GazzaS said:

There is no need to fear rigging.  Especially on most German fighters.  Uschi and mig make great elastic line.  Rigging is a bogeyman we've created with our minds.  It can be as simple as 1 piece of elastic line between two holes with 2 dabs of CA.  That's how I started with a 1/48 scale Eduard Roland C.II.  Actually...  it might be a useful way for you to start...  something cheap and disposable to learn on.

 

Personally, I don't really find it an enjoyable experience until it is finished.  Because most of the time you are afraid of what your fingers may do...  or worst case, knock your model off of it's jig.

 

....speaking of jig....   do you have a biplane-capable jig?

 

1 hour ago, DocRob said:

I have one, but never used it for my biplanes, because I found it easier to rig the upper wing completely without being attached and after attaching the upper wing the more fiddly part starts only on the lower wing.
I second the thoughts of Gaz, it's best to work on a dummy for the first time. You have to find the method wich suits you best. For 32 scale elastic rigging was not my option for different reasons. I prefer metal tube with an inner diameter of 0,3 mm and loop a fishing line through which has a diameter of 0,12 mm. This setup is almost self securing and enhances the models rigidity.
For 48 scale, I have used bot, fishing line and elastic thread with PE fittings.

Cheers Rob

Thanks to both of you for your rigging-tipps.

I only have a normal rig for aircraft, Gary:

Could it be upgraded to a biplane-capable rig? If yes, how? If no: where do I get such a rig? 

I also have buckles from Gazpatch and elastic line. 
I‘m a little afraid that the line will not keep tight when rigged. This is why I thought of using elastic line which could be stretched and then glued. 
 

@Rob:                                                    How do you attach the metal tube to the place where the rigging line should go? Or do you just make a hole at that place, threat the line through the metal tube and then through the whole and fix it with superglue in the metal tube after looping? How long is this metal tube, which diameter does it have and where do you get it from? 
How do you assure with that method that the line will keep tight? 

Sorry for all these questions. I just want to be sure to use a method that works (even after training...). 
 

Thanks in advance for your replies!

[harv]

Really nice. You've nailed the look of the real one....harv

[DocRob]

1 hour ago, Kaireckstadt said:

@Rob:                                                    How do you attach the metal tube to the place where the rigging line should go? Or do you just make a hole at that place, threat the line through the metal tube and then through the whole and fix it with superglue in the metal tube after looping? How long is this metal tube, which diameter does it have and where do you get it from? 
How do you assure with that method that the line will keep tight? 

Hi Kai, you're welcome. Normally I glue a tiny eyelet (made by thin wire or casted from Gaspatch) into pre drilled holes first. Then I take the tube (aluminum or brass off an inner diameter of 0,3 mm, outer diameter of 0,5 mm with a length of 3 mm or 5 mm) and thread the fishing line (Maxima Chameleon with 0,12 mm diameter) first through the tube, then through the eyelet and again in the opposite direction through the tube again. The second pass through the tube is a bit fiddly and it's necessary to clean the tube's holes out properly with a 0,3 mm drill. The fiddle pays off, because when you tauten the fishing line in the end, it's almost self securing. With a drop of CA the line is finalized.
You can buy pre cut tubes from Bob's Buckles, or cut them yourself from Albion Alloy tubes. I have used aluminum tubes from Bob, but these are no more available. Now I use brass, which I blacken chemically.
The fishing line (it's the 2LB variant) is available at the big A for example and I use it, because with it's brownish color, it fits great to most of the models.

The benefit of this laborious method is, that the rigging itself makes the biplane model stronger and more rigid.

Cheers Rob 

[GazzaS]

13 hours ago, Kaireckstadt said:

 

Thanks to both of you for your rigging-tipps.

I only have a normal rig for aircraft, Gary:

Could it be upgraded to a biplane-capable rig? If yes, how? If no: where do I get such a rig? 

I also have buckles from Gazpatch and elastic line. 
I‘m a little afraid that the line will not keep tight when rigged. This is why I thought of using elastic line which could be stretched and then glued. 
 

@Rob:                                                    How do you attach the metal tube to the place where the rigging line should go? Or do you just make a hole at that place, threat the line through the metal tube and then through the whole and fix it with superglue in the metal tube after looping? How long is this metal tube, which diameter does it have and where do you get it from? 
How do you assure with that method that the line will keep tight? 

Sorry for all these questions. I just want to be sure to use a method that works (even after training...). 
 

Thanks in advance for your replies!

 

Hi Kai,

     There are a couple jigs out there that are useful.  You've seen the one I'm using on this build which is the Vertigo Jig.  It's made out acrylic with some hardware and is held together with CA.  I actually drilled holes and put copper pins in the joins because I kept knocking parts down.  MIG makes another one that looks like it secures the model better than my Vertigo jig.    Here is a link:

https://www.migjimenez.com/en/scale-model-kits/2232-biplane-plastic-jig-stand-transport-evo-bi-3224.html

Let me introduce you to Bob's Buckles:

https://www.bobsbuckles.co.uk/index.html

This is my preferred method to rig.  What you get from Bob's Buckles are eyelets and brass tubes.  My favorite method is to drill a hole and place and glue with CA, the eyelet in the desired place.  Then I slide my line through a the tube, through the eyelet, and back through the tube where I can snip it off cleanly.  Stretch line is great for this as it disappears back into the tube.

This image is from Bob's page:

I prefer this to Gaspatch buckles because IRL, turnbuckles don't jump out at you.  But Gaspatch buckles draw my eyes every time.  But to each his own. 

Like Rob has said, you can use monofilament fishing line.  The trick with that is that I heat shrink it with an incense stick.  I will be honest...  I have actually melted a line before, or burnt though the wrong line.  But it is stronger than elastic line.

You have WNW kits...  And they are Fokker's Dr. I and D.VII.  So, rigging will be limited.  Very limited.

 

If you don't wish to buy a jig, here is a home made method that looks relatively simple:

https://modelpaintsol.com/guides/a-brilliantly-simple-biplane-assembly-jig

There is little that can go wrong with Bob's Buckles.  Because the line is only glued inside the tube, it avoids glue blobs on the surface.  If you make a mistake, you just cut your line, grab a fresh tube and start again.  There is no need for tying tiny little knots.  Because the line is drawn taut either by elastic action, or by heat shrinking, and because the ends are attached to eyelets and free-moving, there is no chance to get the angle wrong.  That is one of the most common mistakes with the Gaspatch turnbuckles...   getting that angle wrong on either the vertical or horizontal axes.

... tell you what...  I'll see if I can manage some close up pic's of the finished installation.

 

 

[GazzaS]

Here are some quick and dirty pics.  You'll notice Bob's buckle used on the albatros along with monofilament fishing line....  I used Stren 2lb. test.

The tubes look really large in macro shots.

Here...  on the Fokker, I used elastic line and only glued the tips of the line where I wanted... You really don;t need turnbuckles if you don;t want to use them...WNW says not to bother.

It's all easier than you think.

 

[GazzaS]

13 hours ago, harv said:

Really nice. You've nailed the look of the real one....harv

Thank you Harv.

[GazzaS]

Anyway...  how about a micro-update.

Last night I painted the combing for the cockpit.

I will try to give it a satin gloss once all else is said and done.  Same with the prop.

I've decided not to use speckling anymore.  It just doesn't look right to me.  inadvertently I always get one hugely out-of-scale speck seen by the camera's unfailing eye.

So...  I did this with an airbrush:

Then....   I remembered this picture I'd saved from Farcebook.  

You won't find many better images of the underside of a used aircraft from WWI.

 

Happy modelling!

[Kaireckstadt]

14 hours ago, GazzaS said:

 

Hi Kai,

     There are a couple jigs out there that are useful.  You've seen the one I'm using on this build which is the Vertigo Jig.  It's made out acrylic with some hardware and is held together with CA.  I actually drilled holes and put copper pins in the joins because I kept knocking parts down.  MIG makes another one that looks like it secures the model better than my Vertigo jig.    Here is a link:

https://www.migjimenez.com/en/scale-model-kits/2232-biplane-plastic-jig-stand-transport-evo-bi-3224.html

Let me introduce you to Bob's Buckles:

https://www.bobsbuckles.co.uk/index.html

This is my preferred method to rig.  What you get from Bob's Buckles are eyelets and brass tubes.  My favorite method is to drill a hole and place and glue with CA, the eyelet in the desired place.  Then I slide my line through a the tube, through the eyelet, and back through the tube where I can snip it off cleanly.  Stretch line is great for this as it disappears back into the tube.

This image is from Bob's page:

I prefer this to Gaspatch buckles because IRL, turnbuckles don't jump out at you.  But Gaspatch buckles draw my eyes every time.  But to each his own. 

Like Rob has said, you can use monofilament fishing line.  The trick with that is that I heat shrink it with an incense stick.  I will be honest...  I have actually melted a line before, or burnt though the wrong line.  But it is stronger than elastic line.

You have WNW kits...  And they are Fokker's Dr. I and D.VII.  So, rigging will be limited.  Very limited.

 

If you don't wish to buy a jig, here is a home made method that looks relatively simple:

https://modelpaintsol.com/guides/a-brilliantly-simple-biplane-assembly-jig

There is little that can go wrong with Bob's Buckles.  Because the line is only glued inside the tube, it avoids glue blobs on the surface.  If you make a mistake, you just cut your line, grab a fresh tube and start again.  There is no need for tying tiny little knots.  Because the line is drawn taut either by elastic action, or by heat shrinking, and because the ends are attached to eyelets and free-moving, there is no chance to get the angle wrong.  That is one of the most common mistakes with the Gaspatch turnbuckles...   getting that angle wrong on either the vertical or horizontal axes.

... tell you what...  I'll see if I can manage some close up pic's of the finished installation.

 

 

Thank you for this beautiful tutorial Gary. It convinces me that I don’t have to fear the rigging. Thanks also for the tipps  for a jig suitable for Double Deckers! 

 

On 5/25/2021 at 8:24 PM, DocRob said:

Hi Kai, you're welcome. Normally I glue a tiny eyelet (made by thin wire or casted from Gaspatch) into pre drilled holes first. Then I take the tube (aluminum or brass off an inner diameter of 0,3 mm, outer diameter of 0,5 mm with a length of 3 mm or 5 mm) and thread the fishing line (Maxima Chameleon with 0,12 mm diameter) first through the tube, then through the eyelet and again in the opposite direction through the tube again. The second pass through the tube is a bit fiddly and it's necessary to clean the tube's holes out properly with a 0,3 mm drill. The fiddle pays off, because when you tauten the fishing line in the end, it's almost self securing. With a drop of CA the line is finalized.
You can buy pre cut tubes from Bob's Buckles, or cut them yourself from Albion Alloy tubes. I have used aluminum tubes from Bob, but these are no more available. Now I use brass, which I blacken chemically.
The fishing line (it's the 2LB variant) is available at the big A for example and I use it, because with it's brownish color, it fits great to most of the models.

The benefit of this laborious method is, that the rigging itself makes the biplane model stronger and more rigid.

Cheers Rob 

Thanks for all your tipps, sources and description too Rob. Your methods and these from Gary are nearly identical. I will give it a try on my Fokkers! 

[Peterpools]

Gaz

Looking so good and as with Kai, much appreciate the tutorial

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[GazzaS]

Alright, my friends!

Getting very close... 

got the matte coat on the dorsal surfaces yesterday.  I'm pretty pleased with the appearance.

And now, the final non-rigging/final assembly detail left:  adding the windscreen.  This isn't a thick plastic windscreen a la' WNW.  This is a thin flat piece of acetate.  The Part PE set comes with metal frames that go nicely  with the Roden Acetate...  just have to paint them and attach.  To attach them, I used canopy glue (a relative of white glue) backed up by CA.

Macro shots show a little excess glue...  

Once dried (gave it a few days) and bent a little to fit the curve of the fuselage, I used more canopy glue to fit it.  Canopy glue is thick, and very tacky...  so, the windscreen stayed vertical straight away.

 

Again...  the large photos don't help my cause.  In reality this thing is about half the size of a pinky fingernail.

I hope to get the upper wing set this weekend, and maybe the rigging too...  so this will be the last update until it is completed.

 

Bis später!

 

 

[Peterpools]

Gaz

Looking spectacular ... just fantastic

Keep 'em comin

Peter