1:32nd scale Phönix C.I

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
You ever get that feeling of 'I probably should't have started this'.

As the Bristol Scout build is just waiting for the display case to be delivered, I thought I'd start my next build.
The 'KatModel' 1:32nd scale kit of the Phönix C.I, which hopefully will represent Phönix C.I, Serial No.121.57 of Flik 57/Rb, operating from Godega (Italian Front) during June, 1918.
 

Hmmmm - where do I start?
When the fuselage halves are held together at the tail, the from of the fuselage spreads to an 8mm gap.
Also the forward sides of the fuselage are not vertical, which prevents the two 3D printed nose cowls from fitting correctly.
The massive 'engine supports in the the fuselage are next to useless.
The 3D printed cockpit decking panel spreads over the fuselage sides by at least 4mm.
The engine side panels are too long to fit between the nose cowls and cockpit decking.
The right side of the engine has carburetors, which foul the panel that side and stop it from fitting correctly.
The 3D printed cockpit assembly did not fit inside the closed up fuselage. 
The surface detail, such as panels and panel 'fasteners' are way oversize and look like they were made in a shipyard.

Other than that, so far OK

Suffice to say:
I pinned the fuselage halves
Filed down the fuselage join seams
Filed down the cockpit sides
Added a spreader inside the forward fuselage to straight the sides
Removed the engine supports
Removed the engine carburetors for the right side
Filed back the forward edge of the cockpit decking panel
Filed the end edges of the two engine side panels
Filed down the propeller shaft in the lower nose cowl.

The fuselage and nose cowls have been joined with CA adhesive (the cockpit assembly and engine can be inserted).
The 3D printed panels and engine are just test fitted for now.

As you can doubtless see, most if not all of the fuselage detail will probably have to be removed and replaced with more in-scale detail.
Also the joins between panels and the fuselage will need to be blended. 

I enjoy a challenge, but really

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
Just a few updates.
The 3D printed cockpit decking panel overlaps the sides of the fuselage, which also do not align with the decking panel.
Therefore I've had to pin the bottom edges of the decking panel into the top edges of the fuselage to force the two to align.
Also, when the cockpit assembly is located into the fuselage, the 3D printed 'block' forming the floor of the observers cockpit does not extend far enough into the rear of the fuselage.
In addition, there is no rear cockpit bulkhead supplied in the kit.
Therefore, the spaces left will be seen with the cockpit decking panel fitted.
I've made a 'false' floor and rear bulkhead from 0.4 mm thick plastic card, which is thin enough to be able to flex when the cockpit assembly is inserted into the fuselage.

Mike

[DocRob]

You put yourself into a situation here, Mike. I guess with your professional approach, it will only prolong the building time a bit. Sometimes, these difficult kits give, after a lot of hacking and slaying even more satisfaction, when transformed into a gem.

Cheers Rob

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The saga continues.
Having carried out a bit more research I've found the following regarding the 3D printed cockpit:

The aircraft was fitted with a pilots steering wheel with the associated aileron control cables - not a control column
The pilot seat was a curved back seat type - not an armchair
The observers seat was a fold down seat on the rear bulkhead and facing forward - not an armchair type facing rearwards
The pilot and observers cockpit were as one - not separated by a solid bulkhead
The instrument panel does not have all of the instruments required
The observers cockpit has no detail such as radio gear etc
The observers machine gun is the wrong type.

So basically the only usable part of the 3D printed cockpit is the rudder bar!!
Then there is the over scale landing gear and wheels, not to mention the flimsy wire in the wings, intended as support and to prevent warping.

I will conquer this model, but for now it's being shelved,

Mike 

[KevinM]

I can understand that one Mike.

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The only model I have ever shelved is the 1:32nd scale KatModel Phonix C.1.
I bought it back in 2023 when it was first released.
I shelved the model as it proved too troublesome, for various quality and detail reasons.

However, while I wait for 'Flying Bears' Thulin K to arrive from Sweden, I thought I'd have another go at the Phonix.

I've replaced most of the external details and am currently building the cockpit from scratch.
The only part used from the 3D printed cockpit assembly is the floor.
Everything else was removed and/or replaced.
I'll post progress shots soon,

Mike   

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
Apart from what I've previously mentioned, here's more that has had to be addressed:

No instructions or decals supplied.
Resin cast upper wing halves - warped, over scale access panels, no underside details, trailing edges thick, missing detail.
Resin cast lower wings - warped, trailing edges thick, no support into the fuselage.
3D printed ailerons - warped, no control horns, no aileron hinge attachment points in upper wing.
Rudder - no control horns.
Elevator - no fuselage control horn.
3D printed upper wing centre section - Incorrect top panel, no underside detail at all, over scale detail, missing detail
3D printed tail plane - warped, trailing edges thick, no control horns.
Cockpit - virtual rebuild from floor, rudder bar, control wheel, no internal detail or equipment.
Cockpit decking panel - incorrect shaped pilots cockpit opening, thick sides, observers gun ring, incorrect machine gun, lightening holes missing in fairing sides.
Landing gear - axle end too short to attach wheels fully.
Engine - propeller shaft too short to mount propeller, engine support required, no radiator to wing pipes supplied.
Propeller - rectangular cross section.
Engine access panels - fasteners, hatches and panels over scale, incorrect panel right side.
Fuselage - hatches over scale, some missing others not located correctly, no external compass housing.

Now I need to address the wing struts:

Interplane struts, which are 3D printed with no internal support rod, weak, some warped and rectangular cross section (not aerofoil).
Side cabane struts, which are 3D printed, thin and very weak. 
Rear cabane struts missing.

Maybe soon I can thick about building this 'kit'  ::)

Mike 🤔

[sandbagger]

Hi all,

Here's some progress shots of the kit parts after priming.

I won't go into details of what needed to be straightened, deleted, added or modified.

Suffice to say it's taken a while to get to this stage.

Everything done and why will be detailed in my PDF build log on completion,

 

Mike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DocRob]

Wow, seems it will be the most comprehensive of your great pdf-build logs. I hope you pull through this difficult build.

Cheers Rob

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
I've prepared the fuselage internal parts ready for construction.
Wood effects done with ‘Windsor & Newton’ Griffin Alkyd oil paint (Burnt Umber).

The kit does not supply any decals or fuselage internal equipment parts. The following are either purchased, scratch made or from my 'spares' collection:
Decals from ‘Airscale’ generic WW1 dials (AS32 WW1) and spares.
Photo-etch seat belts (spares).
Cockpit equipment (spares). 
‘GasPatch’ un-jacketed Schwarzlose 07-12 machine gun (17-32112).

The engine is very basic as only the top of the cylinders are visible on the finished model.
Some of the side detail on the 3D printed engine had to be removed (not visible anyway) to allow the engine side access panels to fit.
For ease, the ignition leads are attached to the bottom of the engine cylinders as that area can't be seen with engine side access panels fitted.
The engine still needs to be modified to fit the three radiator coolant pipes to the underside of the upper wing (not supplied in the kit).

So now moving towards assembling the fuselage at last,

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The cockpit is now complete.
Just about everything has had to be either modified, replaced or scratch made.

I still need to weather and clear coat the surfaces.
Then it's onto creating the coolant pipes needed before I can fit the engine,

Mike

[HubertB]

Looking good Mike, even more when one knows where you started from …

Hubert

[belugawhaleman]

I think few would have proceeded with this kit given the challenges.

Nice work on the cockpit and engine !, I especially like your woodgraining. Impressive.

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The aircraft had three pipes that connected the engine coolant system to the radiator, mounted on the upper wing.
No surprise that these pipes are not supplied in the kit.
Therefore they were made from 'Albion Alloy's' Brass rod and tubes of various diameters.
The engine ends were annealed then formed and the wing ends will be formed once the upper wing is fitted,

Mike

 

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
When the engine and the 3D printed side access panels were test fitted, I found the following:

The bottom edges of the engine side panels were bowed and did not align with the fuselage. 
The top, rear edges of the side panels did not meet, leaving a large gap between them.

I removed the bow in the side panels using heat from a hair dryer to re-profile the panels.
The gap between the top, rear of the panels was filled with 1.0 mm thick plastic card then sanded to shape.

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
I had hoped that the kit 3D printed interplane struts would be OK after I'd re-profiled their flat cross section.
However, I had my doubts and sure enough one broke just by a gentle knock with my finger.
So all of the kit struts have been discard and I'll need to make replacements from Brass rod and tube.
I had to make the fuselage cabane struts anyway as the kit struts were frankly pathetic.

So, we'll see how that goes  ???

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
Well that was fun!!
Fuselage cabane struts made from 'Albion Alloy's' 1.1 mm diameter Brass tube with 0.5 mm diameter internal support Brass rod.
Interplane struts made from 'Albion Alloy's' 1.4 mm diameter Brass tube with 0.5 mm diameter internal support Brass rod.
All strut tubes were compressed into an aerofoils shape using my 'Albion Alloy's' 'Strutter' vice jaws (no longer available).
Wings and fuselage were drilled to accept the strut support rods.
I used masking tape strips to hold the wings together as I made and fitted each strut, as the solid resin wings are not rigid and do flex.
Also, this enabled me to achieve the slight dihedral for the lower wings whilst keeping the upper wing horizontal.

Now it's onto:
Re-profiling the shape of the upper wing opening above the pilot.
Creating the cut outs in the trailing edge of the lower wing roots.
Creating the clear window ports in the decking panel each side of the pilots windscreen.

Mike 

[DocRob]

Very nice Mike. I´m a bit jealous at your Strutter tool. I couldn´t lay my hand on one, but helped me with wooden brackets for my vice, which worked well enough with brass tubes and inserted brass rods.

Cheers Rob

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The kit supplied wings have a cut out in the upper wing above the pilot and no cut outs at the lower wing roots.
These seem to be for earlier production aircraft.
Later production aircraft had the upper wing cut out enlarged and cut outs at the lower wing roots, both for better visibility for the pilot.
Also, clear window ports were located in the cockpit decking panel, each side of the pilots windscreen.
My assumption is that these were to allow daylight into the cockpit to better illuminate the pilots instrument panel, which was set forward under the decking panel.
Finally, earlier production aircraft had rear fuselage cabane struts fitted, but it seems later aircraft did not and the strut openings in the decking panel were blanked off.
Later in this build the clear wind recesses added will be filled with clear resin.

Mike  

[Bomber_County]

Mike, as the Kesteven coat of arms quotes PERSEVERANTIA VINCIT' - Perseverance succeeds, you have certainly tamed this one. Not sure if I would have even opened the box……..

 

[FullArmor]

4 minutes ago, Bomber_County said:

Mike, as the Kesteven coat of arms quotes PERSEVERANTIA VINCIT' - Perseverance succeeds, you have certainly tamed this one. Not sure if I would have even opened the box……..

 

So true. Mike should take tattoo of this quote😄

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The three coolant pipes (not supplied in the kit) have now been formed in shape.
They were made from annealed 0.8 mm diameter Brass rod and 1.0 mm diameter Brass tube.
The finished pipes were immersed in 'Black-It' solution then lightly buffed with a cloth.
They fit between the engine and the underside of the radiator on the upper wing.
Also the supply pipes from the auxiliary fuel tank in the upper wing to fuselage (not supplied in the kit) were made from 0.5 mm diameter Brass rod.

Now I could be wrong, but I think I'm ready to actually start building this model!!

Mike