Biplane!

[Nick]

True what they say then, one in three pilots gets legless when not flying.....

Nice figure painting John. Well done.

Nick B)  

[elmayerle]

Ahhh!   My biplane is actually being converted from a 1:48 "Nieuport Type 17C.1" aka a "Vee Strutter" which, as you can see from the wings and tail features so far, looks nothing like that, anymore.

Hey, wouldn't the real plane have wire rigging b/w the wings, too?

I believe some biplanes managed to get away without wires, but not many.

And fess up, after hearing you swearing about misplacing the box Mrs. Hitler came to your aid, right?  

You can avoid bracing wires by using cantilever wings like the Fokker Dr1 and DVII, you'd still need control wires though. Not sure with the Nieuports small sesquiplane layout you'd get away with it though, but Evan would know.

Chris

Oh and by the way I think you should take your dog to the Vet  ^_^

Not necessarily would you need control cables.  You might have another designer like Hugo Junkers who much preferred bellcranks and pushrods to cables.  Not perhaps as simple to run as cables, but they do have the advantage that, unless you're using very thin wall tubing from your bellcrank shafts, you don't get any control system deformation that'd cause slackness at inopportune times.

[Leigh]

JHM why do you even bother buying kits? They all end up butchered and completely built up again from scratch. I prostrate myself in awe of your skills, and whats that five? amazing projects you've got on the go now? I'm taking my paints and leaving I don't deserve to be in such company.

[John Howling Mouse]

"JHM why do you even bother buying kits?"

Ahhh, you've been talking to Ms. Hitler again, haven't you?  She always asks that very question.  Actually, I do wonder that myself from time to time.  So often, I'm using some portion of a fuselage as the basic foundation and the rest is all from scratch, anyhow.  My big goal is to get my vac-forming skills to a worthwhile level and make some 1:48 twin-engined turboprop commuters with T-tails (like Super Beech-Kings but my "own" design).

"I'm taking my paints and leaving I don't deserve to be in such company."

Ha---don't you dare!  Not on your life!   ^_^

Here's how the wing extension finally looks.  There's half a tube of Tamiya putty in there to blend the airfoil shape.  Again, this would have been quicker to simply shape one out of styrene from scratch.    :dum:  

[nev]

yes, yes, but which combination of cellulose, acrylic and enamel paints will you be coating her with?    

[The Rat]

There's half a tube of Tamiya putty in there to blend the airfoil shape.

Be very careful with that stuff, it melts plastic at least as well as styrene cement, and can even pit areas on its periphery.

[John Howling Mouse]

There's half a tube of Tamiya putty in there to blend the airfoil shape.

Be very careful with that stuff, it melts plastic at least as well as styrene cement, and can even pit areas on its periphery.

Oh sure, NOW you tell me!

So, uh, this lower wing of my first biplane could end up being as bent as a Corsair's, in other words?

Innnnnnnnnnnnteresting....

[The Rat]

Oh sure, NOW you tell me!

So, uh, this lower wing of my first biplane could end up being as bent as a Corsair's, in other words?

As long as it's already hardened then you're fine. But don't try handling stuff like that if the putty is still wet, and check carefully near the edges for pitting.  

[John Howling Mouse]

It's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Ms. Hitler asked, "If you can make parts like this from just sheet plastic, why do you go buying all the model kits you do?"

I dunno.

Here's the stabilizer, hand-shaped from some 40 thou styrene sheet.  One of the very few times where I can honestly say the real thing looks better in person than it does in the photos here!





And the homemade tailfin, also shaped from 40 thou sheet:

[retro_seventies]

if my arms could reach you out there in the chilly wastes i'd punch you.

jealousy, obviously.

in awe of your skills? obviously...    

[nev]

*shakes head in awe*

[cthulhu77]

Holy cow.  That is some seriously nice work.

             

[The Rat]

 
There is a parcel on its way to you with some plans I need carved out...

Ah, forget it, I sent it Canada Post.    

[kurly]

nice work. but quit biting your thumbnails.

[Brian da Basher]

That's some awesome work there John! I can't wait to see this one finished! BTW, most biplanes had some rigging between the wings. The only one I can think of that didn't is the Fokker DVII. C'mon John, you know you want to rig this one!

Brian da Basher

P.S. Speaking of biplanes, last night I attached the top wing to my 1/144 Curtiss H-16. The sixteen hand cut and painted struts made from toothpicks weren't all exactly the same size, so I had to use the old capillary action trick with the CA. Today I attach the final six tailplane and ancillary struts and commence rigging.