Wright Flyer 1903, Revell 1/39 - FINISHED

[Bengalensis]

I thought I would squeeze another build in here, but wasn't quite sure what. Another bird kit was an easy choice, but I need s small break before the next one. The amount of kits in my stash for under a tenner is alarmingly low, but today my eyes suddenly fell on this forgotten box; Revell's issue of the Wright Flyer from the 100 year anniversary in the odd 1/39 scale.

I bought the kit just by chance when I visited a reasonably local hobby shop to get some paint back in 2003. I had just read a long article on the project in regards to the anniversary and so just grabbed the kit when I saw it. Having not done my homework I had no idea that the tooling was as old as it was (it dates to 1958 according to moulded in notes) and when I looked at the content I wasn't very impressed with what I saw, so it just went into the stash, where it has since stayed for 11 years.

I'll be honest and say that I don't remember exactly what I paid for it, but I remember it being surprisingly cheap, which usually means under 100 SEK for something like this, it may well have been 99.50 SEK (just over £9), but as I said, not 100% sure anymore. So I did a little search today and found some old shop ads on the web from when it was new in 2003 for €9.99, £7.90, $8,90 and similar, so I think I'm OK. Here's the box.

As I took the parts out it's not looking as bad as my memory have told me. I seem to remember things like very heavy mounting points for all the struts, with large snap like hooks through the wings, but that's not quite the case, it's not too bad actually. Well, that's good start. The amount of ejector pin marks on the wing surfaces is not though...

I think the figures and some parts for the display are a more recent addition to the moulds. Revell also supply some rigging thread that looks far too black. I'm not sure what to use for the rigging yet. I want to display it just lifting off from the ramp, so I need to do spinning props. However I can't go buy some photo etched prop blurs even if they would exist, with the 10£ budget in mind, so I'll be forced to try and create something from clear discs. We'll see what happens with that, now I must try to understand how to approach this build.

Edited May 15, 2014 by snapper_city

[PlaStix]

Looks like another fascinating build in the making. Shall be interested to see how this one goes together. I've never seen this kit at all - and like you mentioned, it's in an odd scale too.

[theplasticsurgeon]

The aircraft that started all this flying malarkey.
I built the Monogram release of this kit in 2007 for an ARC GB
http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=119450
I rigged mine with 2lb monfilament fishing nylon.

[Bengalensis]

That rigging is looking real good, much more like what I would like to achieve. How did you drill the holes for the rigging? Through the wings or through the strut locations? It's been eons since I tried rigging something like a biplane. Actually I realise it's high time to do it again...

[theplasticsurgeon]

That rigging is looking real good, much more like what I would like to achieve. How did you drill the holes for the rigging?

I didn't - there are slots on each strut to feed the rigging into. It's actually very few threads - each going right across the span.

PM if Revell doesn't show that on the instructions - but Monogram did, so I can copy them to you.

[Bengalensis]

I didn't - there are slots on each strut to feed the rigging into. It's actually very few threads - each going right across the span.

PM if Revell doesn't show that on the instructions - but Monogram did, so I can copy them to you.

Now there's a great idea; "if in doubt, check instructions" . You're right, there is a rigging diagram also in the Revell instructions. And I now understand my weird memory of snap-kit like strut mounting, it was the small rigging slots I saw. It seems I didn't really gave the kit the chance it deserves when I first bought it...

Revell doesn't seem to show any rigging crossing between the fore and aft wing struts. The structural engineer in me would think that would also have been in place? What does Monogram say?

[Tomjw]

Looking forward to this. Something a little different...

[snapper_city]

A great choice Jorgen. Looking forward to this...

[Caerbannog]

Very nice! I buid this as a kid and it is still somewhere in the basement. It is a very nice kit I think and build up quite nicely as far as I remember - especially given the fact it is a stringbag with delicate "framework". I would love to have one in 1:48.

Rene

[Bengalensis]

Thanks for all support. I did some searching and found two blue drawings that are quite good and they confirm my thoughts about the rigging. With those and a few pictures I also found I should be able to make something.

[Bengalensis]

I'm quite excited by now. I made a little start by doing one of my hate modelling works; filling in and cleaning up ejector pin marks... I'm much happier cleaning up resin moulds. There is an overwhelming amount of these pin marks, and each one need its own care to avoid damaging other details. This will no doubt take some time. I might need to discuss this problem I have with a psychologist...

©1958. China is a later addition. To be fair is doesn't look that bad for the age of the moulds.

[theplasticsurgeon]

Very nice! I buid this as a kid and it is still somewhere in the basement. It is a very nice kit I think and build up quite nicely as far as I remember - especially given the fact it is a stringbag with delicate "framework". I would love to have one in 1:48.

Rene

This box is advertised as 1/48 - but measuring it scales out as 1:39.

[Caerbannog]

The included figures are also clearly taller than 1:48. I think this is the only box which shows any scale. Anyhow - I added a 1:48 Wright Flyer to the current Revell wish list and there are almost zero votes for this, so if any maybe ajp-maquettes.com will release one. Well I'd be happy with that :-)

The plastic parts look a bit more crude than I remember Jörgen (I mean the attachment points of the struts) but as you say: The parts have quite crisp details still.

Rene

[Bengalensis]

The first ejector pin mark done. An eternity to go... "That'll be the death of me..."

Sometime later the first wing is finally done. There is a chance I might survive this...

And in the end I got the all done.

The filler colour is so close I may actually get away with a shortcut in my painting.

I expected the engine to be a blob from my memory. Not quite, it's simple but not too bad. As it's not too bad but also very exposed I decided to add a little detail.

Ignition wiring, fuel and water lines will be added later. I think it could look quite good in the end.

My dry fitting suggests that the chain drive will require some tweaking to match up correctly to all three points. I can only do that when real assembly starts.

Orville is having an early trial, while Wilbur seems eager to tell him it's too early. The figures look surprisingly good when viewed closely.

I also cleaned up some parts for the display.

[Bengalensis]

The parts for the rudder struts are moulded with large supports to form a jig to aid the building. The four large flat supports are supposed to be cut off after assembly, which will make painting the wooden parts awkward.

Having built numerous complex Formula 1 wing assemblies in my day I decided I could to without that aid. So I chopped the parts up and assembled the centre frame.

Then I started work on the forward framework for the elevators. I decided to give this "Green Stuf" that I have never used a chance. I have for many many years never used anything but two part fillers but thought I may try something that is quick to apply for this type of work. I'm not totally convinced, but will use it a little more before my final verdict.

I want to assemble as much as possible of the framework before painting so I make this balancing act up before adding liquid glue to the tiny joints I can fix.

Here are the struts to which the fuel tank and cooling system is mounted. There is a crude set of two coolant lines moulded in.

I cut those lines off and drilled the part for the three coolant lines I will add from scratch when assembly starts.

I thought the flight instruments could do with some improvement. A photo etched 1/350 ships wheel was cut down and some aluminium tube and Evergreen strips and rod used to form this set up. The instrument decals are from my extensive collection of left over 1/43 decals. I still have to add two tiny details to the centre clock and a support piece from the wind rotor thing.

Here the instrument assembly is dry fitted to the centre strut with the cooling system.

The front framework turned out surprisingly strong when it had dried and could be removed.

I had never expected that this kit, which has been forgotten and rather unloved in the stash for 11 years, could be this interesting to work with...

[snapper_city]

That's looking really smart. A superb build so far.

[Martian]

Excellent work! Will you be getting rid of those awful strut locators on the wings? I believe that the kit is correct in telling you to omit chord wise rigging, certainly pictures that I have looked at seem to indicate it's absence.

Martin

[Bengalensis]

Thanks a lot guys. My plan has been to leave the strut supports on the wings as they are and just paint them like the struts, but I agree, the more I look at the kit parts and compare to reference photos they do look really heavy. Not sure how much will be left to mount the struts in though, if I remove them. Or it the struts themselves will look worse if more exposed. Will have to do some investigation.

Without chord wise rigging (I think we mean the same thing) the whole construction makes no engineering sense to me. It would be very fragile in longitudinal direction. At first I found some drawings, more modern ones of course, that shows the rigging I think was necessary, but then I found this photo at www.wright_borthers.org that also shows what I'm looking for. I was going to use that and these four drawings as a guide:

Drawing 1 - Drawing 2 - Drawing 3 - Drawing 4

Any opinions and food for thoughts are most welcome.

This morning the flight instruments looked much smaller than they did yesterday. I managed to add what I first wanted, but gave up on adding eight small round wing blades inside that rotor...

I cleaned up the figures and tried to improve the detail a bit on the cradle Wilbur is laying in.

Also got the rail done. Not sure if I will use the full length of this, or try to shorten it to reduce the size of the base.

[Bengalensis]

When assembling the main framework I made up another of those balancing acts. Again it worked surprisingly well.

I don't really enjoy repetitive preparation and cleanup work, but here all struts are done. I did some checking and measuring on what would be left for strut location if I removed the raised sections on the wings, but doing that would involve some serious extra work so I decided to leave things as they are. Not ideal but it will have to do.

The main components match up really well when doing some dry fitting.

This doesn't look much like airplane parts, more like some old fragile agricultural thing...

I started painting. First some brown shadows.

Then I mix white with some sand brown for the main coat, finished off by a thin layer with much more white in it. This over exposed crap picture doesn't look like much though.

Then I went on airbrushing and actually managed to get the first main coat onto all parts, except for the chain prop transmission that I'm sure will require modifications before painting.

[Caerbannog]

Looks great! Really strange that airplane kits of the early years are so unpopular and neglected by the manufacturers (well - sure they are unpopular so why should they bother...).

Rene

[Jherek]

Great build so far, looks really interesting!

[Bengalensis]

Thanks a lot guys. I realised the days have just passed, I just painted away last week and didn't take any pictures. But on Saturday morning I had almost all parts painted and ready for assembly to start, all nicely collected in a box.

The engine was first installed and the ignition wires added. And for the record; I am adding some detail here and there, but it's all material from my scrap- and scratch material boxes, nothing bought extra.

Then I added the first struts and tried to get them as correctly aligned as possible using CA-glue.

The top wing was then put on using traditional tube cement to get some time adjusting the whole assembly. It was set up like this and left over day to dry.

Here are the flight instruments with the scrap decals added. Looks good enough for my needs.

The rudder assembly was put together without any problems.

The elevator assembly required some slight trimming of the centre struts to make everything fit, but nothing problematic.

My worries about the chain drive fit was largely unfounded, it was easily pushed in place it without any noticeable bending and could have been painted with the other parts.

With the wing assembly fully dried I quickly added all he struts and then had some dry fitting to see if I could rig the wings separately or if they would need any tweaking first. It looked OK so I decided to do all the rigging I can before further assembly.

The coolant and fuel lines were also added.

Then it was at last time for the rigging work to start. I may be considered a candidate for strong medication by some, but the rigging is probably the work on this project I have most looked forward to. I don't think I have done any proper rigging work since my Titanic build more than ten years ago, and I actually enjoyed that a lot.

After much studying of real photos from 1903 and the reference plans I have found it turns out none of the plans are entirely correct. I think I have worked out how most of the rigging was actually done to allow for structural strength in all directions while allowing the ends of the wings to warp for the steering. My work will certainly not be correct in details, but at least a little more correct than the kit instructions.

I'm using 0,1 mm monofilament fishing line. Here are the first threads in place.

And after a while the wing assembly was done. All the joints have been secured with CA-glue and it was left like this overnight to fully cure before I start cutting off all the loose ends. I'm not joking, I find this work both relaxing and rewarding.

[PlaStix]

That is looking brilliant!! I'm very impressed with all the little detail touches you are adding. You deserve that glass of wine in the last photo......cheers!

[snapper_city]

Looking good

[Jherek]

Stunning! Perfect activity to go with a glass of red!