jrlx Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Dear Fellow Modellers, After completing my Grumman Duck (RFI here) I got the "biplane bug"... Then I read a favourable build review in Model Aircraft Magazine's December 2014 issue of the Revell Fokker Dr.I triplane (Red Baron's triplane, of course), which also classified it as an easy build, and thought: "Why not build a simple and quick triplane, in between more complicated models?". So, recently I went to my local hobby shop and got this for 10,50 €: IMAG1571 Just two red sprues and a small decal sheet. Since I mainly use Gunze Mr. Hobby paints and the instructions have all the painting references using Revell paints, I went to Eduard's website and downloaded an instruction sheet for one of their Red Baron triplanes. Then I applied white primer to all parts, still in the sprues. Red plastic is not the best option for painting colours other than red... I used Tamiya's flat white acrylic paint as primer. It took several light layers to make the red less visible: IMAG1588 IMAG1589 This was done by the end of March. I left the kit alone for about a month and two weeks ago got back to it. I cut off most of the parts off the sprues, cleaned the molding lines and a bit of flash (not much really) and glued the parts to toothpicks with a drop of super-glue. I do this in order to achieve a better paint finish of small parts at first attempt, because I can choose the best point of contact to hold each part on the toothpick and don't have to touch them until they're finished. With the parts on toothpicks, I applied additional layers of white primer, to cover the cleaned up spots: IMAG1678 To keep things simple and quick, this will be a purely OOB build (really!) and I'll only use acrylic paints (no Alclad for metallic parts). I started painting the small parts, progressing from lighter to darker colours, in order to optimise airbrush time (less cleaning needed between colours). Here are the cockpit parts already painted. This aircraft was mostly made of wood and canvas, which shows in the colours of the parts: IMAG1705 The rims of the wheels, some pieces that where installed under the wings and the stirrup where also painted: IMAG1706 After this I painted the cockpit walls, which are nicely detailed in the kit. First, the wood brown colour: IMAG1707 IMAG1708 This was masked before painting the second interior colour. Started by applying thin strips of masking tape to clearly define the edges of the area to be protected: IMAG1715 Then I filled the interior with tape: IMAG1716 This was done to the other half of the fuselage, of course. After painting the second colour (Olive Drab) and removing the tape, this was the result: IMAG1720 To finish the cockpit walls, I used a paint brush to paint the ribs (Green-Gray) and the instrumentation / throttle quadrant (blacks, dark iron), resulting in this: IMAG1727 Most of it won't be visible after closing the fuselage, but still... The last colours to apply with the airbrush were the metallic colours (silver, black metal), to the machine guns, engine parts, propeller centre,...: IMAG1728 IMAG1730 My last action was a dry-fit of the fuselage and wings to determine the best building / painting sequence. The idea is to make painting of the main parts as easy as possible and minimise damages to painting due to seam treatment. Here is the fuselage and the lower and middle wing dry-fitted: IMAG1721 Now with the struts in place: IMAG1722 and now with the top wing in place: IMAG1723 It seems the best sequence is: close fuselage glue tail plane and fin and treat seams glue middle wing with struts and treat seams paint fuselage and middle wing paint lower wing glue lower wing and treat seams (these should be visible, like in the real plane) paint upper wing glue upper wing So, this should be enough for now. I haven't progressed further than this yet. Looking forward to your comments, as always. Jaime 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Looks nice. Seems like a good coat of primer over the red is the best way to go. Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blitz23 Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 I have this kit, having never made a biplane I'll be looking for tips. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted May 19, 2015 Author Share Posted May 19, 2015 I have this kit, having never made a biplane I'll be looking for tips. I believe this is a good first option for someone considering building a WWI aircraft, because it is very simple with almost no rigging. The only complication is the three wings. Cheers Jaime 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted May 19, 2015 Author Share Posted May 19, 2015 Since I'm building the Fokker "in between" my other builds, I haven't progressed much lately. I've applied a dark wash to the cockpit walls and small parts, using Vallejo's acrylic "Oiled Earth" wash. The following picture is not very clear, but the small parts look now a bit darker and worn: IMAG1799 While I was looking for references on this aircraft on the web, I found that the Eduard instructions I was using seem to be wrong regading the engine part colours. They direct us to paint aluminium on parts that should be dark metal and vice-versa. So, I corrected this: IMAG1807 That's all for now. Thanks for looking. Jaime 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSTON Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 EXCELLENT ..SUPER start to a beautiful aircraft. . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalkeEins Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 be careful with the undercarriage struts...broke mine...but then I did have trouble seeing them 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 EXCELLENT ..SUPER start to a beautiful aircraft. . HOUSTON, thanks for your kind words. be careful with the undercarriage struts...broke mine...but then I did have trouble seeing them FalkeEins, thanks for the advice. The parts are really small. I'll be extra careful. Cheers Jaime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREG DESTEC Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Looks good Jaime, i have had this in the stash for ages (unstarted) so i will be watching with great interest. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted October 27, 2015 Author Share Posted October 27, 2015 Welcome on board, Greg! Thanks for your interest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 (edited) It,s a cracking little kit this one Ideal for a lot of folk as not a lot of rigging,look forward to your progress Jaime,hope you dont mind the link here,s mine from a year or two back http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234961194-der-rote-flieger/ Edited October 28, 2015 by stevej60 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Looking forward to seeing this one progress. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted October 29, 2015 Author Share Posted October 29, 2015 It,s a cracking little kit this one Ideal for a lot of folk as not a lot of rigging,look forward to your progress Jaime,hope you dont mind the link here,s mine from a year or two back http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234961194-der-rote-flieger/ Thanks for your interest and the link Steve, your Fokker looks great! How did you weather it? Did you dry brush the ribs? Looking forward to seeing this one progress. Thanks Mish, I hope to get back to it in the next few weeks. Cheers Jaime 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Thank's Jaime,yes dry brushed just lightly to bring out the detail,and I noticed on a real sized replica the difference between the red on the fabric airframe and metal engine cowl so satin coated the cowl just to show a slight difference. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted October 29, 2015 Author Share Posted October 29, 2015 Thanks, Steve. That's good to know the finish difference between the engine cowling and the fabric cover. What colour did you use for the dry brushing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Thanks, Steve. That's good to know the finish difference between the engine cowling and the fabric cover. What colour did you use for the dry brushing? Just flat white but dried out the brush thoroughly Jaime,so almost powdered on if that makes sense. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted October 29, 2015 Author Share Posted October 29, 2015 Thanks Steve. I was thinking about using a mix of red and orange, just to lighten the red a bit, as I read in a Model Aircraft Magazine issue. Cheers Jaime 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob85 Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I remember you starting this Jamie... If it turns out anything near your duck (must build one of them one day... Might do a boat plane period... Fond memories) then it will be a corker. Glad its in here. Should throw mine in really! Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted November 1, 2015 Author Share Posted November 1, 2015 Thanks for your interest Rob By all means start you Duck! It's a tricky old kit but with patience it can be turned out into a nice model. Cheers Jaime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Always impressed by your very precise workmanship Jaime. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted November 1, 2015 Author Share Posted November 1, 2015 Thanks Stix, that's very kind, as always Cheers Jaime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboydim Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I missed this one Jaime. Looking very good. Joe 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted November 16, 2015 Author Share Posted November 16, 2015 Thanks Joe, you're always very welcome on board 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted November 24, 2015 Author Share Posted November 24, 2015 Hi again, This one has been on hold since mid-May. I got stuck in doing the seatbelts with masking tape and, then, other builds got in the way. Anyway, at the time I did mark the seatbelts on tape and even painted them, but they stood on the cutting mat till now. I also had prepared some electric wire and painted it silver, to do the buckles, as shown here: IMAG2009 IMAG2014 During the last weekend, I finally got to finish the seatbelts. Here they are, near the seat and rear bulkhead: IMAG2978 First, I applied the seatbelts on the seat: IMAG2979 Then, I cut and bent pieces of wire to make the buckles: IMAG2980 These were glued in place with CA. The following pictures show the result: IMAG2981 IMAG2982 Next, I had to finish the cockpit and close the fuselage. Here are the components: IMAG2984 The cockpit base, seat and rear bulkhead were glued to the port fuselage half: IMAG2986 Then, the fuselage was closed: IMAG2990 Big clothes pegs were used to keep things tight while the glue cured: IMAG2991 The joins were sanded and polished and the lower wing glued in place: IMAG2998 In a previous post I said the middle wing should be glued in place first, in order to ease the treatment of joins. However, closer inspection of schemes and pictures shown that these joins were a feature of the aircraft. On the other hand, due to the installation of the machine guns, it will be easier to paint the middle wing first and glue it in place latter. That's why I decided to apply the lower wing first. Then, the horizontal stabilisers were glued in place: IMAG2999 as well as the diagonal braces between the stabilisers and the fuselage: IMAG3000 That's all for now. Thanks for looking: Jaime 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now