World War One Whifs

[Dizzyfugu]

Uh, pretty! 

[zenrat]

 

[NARSES2]

Coming together nicely 

[stevehed]

Thank you, Gentlemen. Not finished yet but with the top wing and floats in position you can see how this is going to look. The float support struts and the wing struts are 20x40thou strip. These will be painted grey. I need a leading edge radiator which will be made from three strips of 30x80 strip. The N struts I intended to use were too long and couldn't be shortened easily. It was simpler to recreate with strip.

[Old Wombat]

 

[NARSES2]

That does look nice   

[stevehed]

Construction is complete. The strut arrangement allowed wireless support which is always nice with WW1 types. The leading edge radiator sits on strip and the pipes are 20thou rod. I've given the fins a coat of Revell wood to represent ply and the mgs are scratch shaped card for the breeches and 20thou rod for the long blast tubes favoured by the Austro-Hungarians. I had intended making up a serial number based on navy practice but the intended transfers appear to have gone on a trip as they are nowhere to be seen. Another thing was what to call it. It's a Fokker design, built by Thone and Fiala, modified by Phoenix. Think I'll go with Phoenix-Fokker (Th) WD.VII. Serving in the Adriatic, in the Kumbor(Kotor) region, mid 1919.

[Wardukw]

Awesome stuff Steve ...excellent..excellent..excellent 👏 👌   

[NARSES2]

That's terrific, love the lozenge   

[Old Wombat]

I dunno, the Phoenix-Fokker WD.XL* works for me. 




[*: Think about it!    Although RP.VII would work almost as well.  ]

[scooter]

I dunno, the Phoenix-Fokker WD.XL* works for me. 

[stevehed]

Thanks Folks. Probably opening a can of worms but I think I've worked out WD.XL but RP.VII has escaped me.

[scooter]

Thanks Folks. Probably opening a can of worms but I think I've worked out WD.XL but RP.VII has escaped me.

Ozzy spray lube.

[stevehed]

Right OK, back to modelling.  This is the old KP Letov S-16 Czech bomber. It flew in 1926 and served as a bomber and reconnaissance aircraft until the mid thirties. It was the equivalent of the British Westland Wapiti and also served with second line units after withdrawal from the front line squadrons. Examples were still flying in 1938. The S-16 was based on an earlier design, the S-6, which flew in 1923. Previous to this, the S-1 and Sm-1 flew in 1920. They were all capable aircraft and proved the design capabilities of the nascent Czech aircraft industry. However, I've thought for a while that aircraft of this period are last generation WW1. Had the war continued, it was likely that similar aircraft would have appeared, at least as prototypes. The main difference in the mid 20's was the lack of Central Powers engines. The S-1 and Sm-1 were powered by Heiro or Maybach engines as was the S-6. The supply was finite, so when depleted, engines were sought from France or Great Britain and eventually made under licence. The S-16 was a prime example of this and was powered by the French 450hp Lorraine Deitrich. Other examples in the immediate post war period included the French Hispano Suiza, ranging from 300hp to 500hp and later the GB radial engines, the most well known being the Bristol Jupiter. So, the idea forming, is to back-track a 1920's aircraft to the end of WW1, and make something that could have entered service in 1919.

I've built this kit before as a SCW Whif. I like KP kits as they are fairly simple and I don't recall any major issues with it. The AH version will need a different engine and I'm looking at changing the undercarriage back to a simpler design. Also got some AH lozenge which I don't think I'll ever use. It's from Printscale and tends to be very thin but if it goes on alright it should make a pleasant change from greens or greys. Found some photos of the earlier S-6 and will probably be aiming for a hybrid of the two.

[NARSES2]

I can see that fitting into a 1919 scenario