Aviatik 'Berg' D.1

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The remaining Lozenge decals applied,

Mike

[DocRob]

Looks great, specially with the faded parts and reminds me a little of a board game with that huge Austrian Lozenge.

Cheers Rob

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
All of the decals have now been applied.
Also I've added some post-shading, although there's still final weathering and sealing coat to be applied.

Now it's onto the myriad of photo-etch parts for the fuselage,

Mike

[Bomber_County]

Mike, the dope effect on the wings, is that decals or paint. If so what colour paint is it. I’ve going to start on my Ships Camel soon and if I remember correctly the wings are plain dope......

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
Thanks for your encouraging comments.
The radiator grill, which is photo-etch, was annealed to allow it to be bent around an appropriate former to shape it to the front of the fuselage.
Annealing also creates the 'heated' look of a radiator.
It was then secured in position using thin CA adhesive under the edges only, otherwise the adhesive would seep under the grill and block the cooling holes,

Mike.

[sandbagger]

5 hours ago, Bomber_County said:

Mike, the dope effect on the wings, is that decals or paint. If so what colour paint is it. I’ve going to start on my Ships Camel soon and if I remember correctly the wings are plain dope......

Hi Phil,

The underside CDL is 'Aviattic' decals, pre and post shaded with thinned 'Tamiya' Smoke (X19).

The Lozenge is the decals from 'HPH Models', but to be honest they were a real pain to apply. These were also pre and post shaded as before.

Mike

[Bomber_County]

Thanks Mike, those wings do look amazing.......

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The tail unit is coming together now with added photo-etch and rigging points.
I've still to add the tail skid bungee suspension and later, the bracing rigging,

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The tail skid was mounted on a forked swivel fitted into the bottom of a 3-ply wood covered streamlined fairing.
This allowed the tail skid to pivot up and down as well as swivel.
The type of suspension for the tail skid consisted of double sprung rings, the ends of which were looped over extended support bars located on the bottom edge of the fuselage.
The other end of the rings were attached to the forward end of the tail skid.
This was done using ‘ANYZ’ Black braided line 0.5 mm diameter (AN011),

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
I've now added all of the necessary photo-etch parts to the fuselage and lower wing halves.
Also the main undercarriage, a windscreen (which wasn't supplied in the kit) and a flare pistol and cartridge rack (not supplied in the kit, but often carried on this aircraft).
The whole lot has been sealed with a semi-matte lacquer, ready for a 'Flory Models' clay weathering wash.

I've still got to add a small pipe to the radiator condenser assembly and two cross bracing cable at the rear of the engine bay. These will be attached to the underside of the upper wing centre section.
Also the propeller shaft access hole.

Then it's onto pre-rigging and fitting the wings

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
Just a few minor additions.
The upper wing was cross braced from the top of the rear cabane struts to the bottom of the opposite rear cabane struts.
These are not detailed in the kit. I've drilled holes for adding the cross bracing through the cockpit front decking later in the build.
The 'ProperPlane' Knoller-Jaray propeller has a 2.0 mm diameter tube added for mounting into the fuselage.
The small pipe on the top of the radiator condenser assembly has also been added, using 0.4 mm diameter Nickel-Silver tube.

Now it's onto weathering with clay wash, pre-rigging the wings and fitting them, which I know already will give me problems with alignment!!

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
I've applied the 'Flory Models' Dark Dirt clay wash to give a 'subtle' grimy look - I added a few drops of washing up liquid to break the surface tension of the wash to help it spread more over the model. The wash wash applied by brush.
Once the required amount was wiped away with a very slightly damp tissue and brush, I sealed it all with 'Alclad' Semi-Matte (ALC-312) lacquer.
I've also prepared the rigging and control lines.

The next step is to install the pre-rigged lines and fit the wings, so as to be able to complete the rigging.

Mike 

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The tail unit is now rigged with cross bracing cables and rudder and elevator control lines.
A combination of 0.12 mm and 0.08 mm mono-filament with either 0.4 mm or 0.5 mm diameter Nickel-Silver tube and 'Gaspatch' metal 1:48th scale turnbuckles (Types A and C).

Mike

[Clunkmeister]

This build is truly awesome!  I consider myself a halfway decent resin kit builder, but this is utterly world class!

[HubertB]

2 hours ago, Clunkmeister said:

This build is truly awesome!  I consider myself a halfway decent resin kit builder, but this is utterly world class!

Totally agree Ernie (but for the « I consider myself a halfway decent resin kit builder » : too strong for me, and too weak for you)

Hubert

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
I spotted that the upper surfaces of the lower wings, at the forward wing root area, had protective ‘walkways’ fitted, presumably to protect the wing surfaces from being damaged whilst the engine area was being worked on by ground crew (too far forward for pilot’s access).
As no details of this could be found, I’ve assumed this was possibly reinforced plywood fitted under the lozenge linen wing covering or a thin metal design and fitted over the lozenge linen covering of the wings.
I decided, more for aesthetics, that I'd use metal mesh from 'RB Productions', which was cut to share and secured in position using thin CA adhesive.
They were then weathered using 'Flory Models' Dark Dirt and Grime clay washes and then dusted with pigments. 

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The lower wings are fitted now.
Given the wings are pinned into the fuselage at the trailing edge, but only supported at the leading edge by the front spar bracing bar 'resting' on the underside of the fuselage, it leaves the wings liable (with handling) to break free at the front and pivot down on the rear support pins.
There didn't appear to be any additional bracing bar support fitted to the actual aircraft, so with 'poetic license' I've added 'U' tube supports over the bar (at the outer ends) and secured them into the fuselage underside.
They should provide extra support for the wings and prevent 'break away' until the upper wing is finally fitted, 

Mike

[Clunkmeister]

Nice catch, and a decent enough interpretation of the sheeted area. It certainly looks the part, that’s for sure. 

[Clunkmeister]

On 12/22/2019 at 1:43 PM, sandbagger said:

Hi Phil,

The underside CDL is 'Aviattic' decals, pre and post shaded with thinned 'Tamiya' Smoke (X19).

The Lozenge is the decals from 'HPH Models', but to be honest they were a real pain to apply. These were also pre and post shaded as before.

Mike

Mike, what’s your secret?  I have always struggled with the HPH wet transfers. Despite my absolute care with prep and application, I always end up lifting some up when I pull the transfer sheet off. 

I’m all ears here, as I’m faced with using their transfers on my B-36, and not just for major decals. It also has about 20 million stencils to apply to it as well.

Ernie

[sandbagger]

Hi Ernie,

'HPH Model are tricky to apply, as you no doubt know, for the following reasons:

The printing method used is not a fine as other manufactured decals, especially small numbers and lettering. Usually decals are silk screen or laser printed. 'HPH Models' appear to be similar to those created with ink jet printing then coated to seal them. If so then that might account for their fragility.

They are not 'cookie' cut' and are part of the overall carrier on the decal sheets. Therefore they need to be carefully cut out from the decal sheet.

The backing sheets are thick when compared to other manufactured decals, such as 'Cartograph'. This means they need to be soaked for a bit longer than expected in order to release the decal from the backing sheet, otherwise they can be damaged as they are slid off onto the model surface.

A sharp blade is needed to cut out the decals and the cut shouldn't be too close to the decal edges, otherwise the decal edge can lift from the backing sheet.

The surface onto which the decal is to be applied should be smooth and glossy - I use 'Alclad' Aqua Gloss (ALC-600), which airbrushes well and dries quickly.

The decals themselves are thin and semi-transparent, similar to 'Aviattic' decals and so pre-shading can be applied if desired. Be careful to avoid decal 'fold over' when removing them from the backing sheet.

After application, 'MicroSol' to conform them to the surface and seal them with your sealer of choice to protect them from further handling or when applying post-application weathering. I use 'Alclad' Light Sheen (ALC-311) or Semi-Matte (ALC-312) lacquers.

 

Apart from that they're great ,

 

Mike

[Clunkmeister]

I have had better luck cutting a bit farther away from the markings, yes.

I use MM lacquer clear for by undercoat, but I doubt that would make any difference. 

Ill try allowing wing them to soak longer, although I leave them soaking longer than all others already. 

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The upper wing underside has been pre-rigged, ready for fitting.
Combination of 0.12 mm mono-filament, 'Gaspatch' type A turnbuckles and 0.5 mm diameter brass tube.

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
Undercarriage cross bracing wires fitted,

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The upper wing has now been fitted.
Now it's onto completing the rigging for the flying, landing and cross brace wires.
After that it'll be the propeller and wheels and that's it, apart from the display base,

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The rigging is now complete, so it's onto finishing the propeller and wheels,

Mike