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FE2B help please


Courageous

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Hi folks,

 

As the likelihood of a new kit arriving for this bird in 1/72 are non-existent, I thought I'd start gathering reference for a future build.

I have obtained the conversion process from the Airfix forum using Airfix DH4 kit(s) and now need help on producing the cockpit tub. I understand that the tub will have to be vacformed but have never done such a thing, no plans...nothing. Where do I start?

I also have lots of photos of the Beardmore 120hp engine that I plan to scratch-build but I have no scale reference. 

 

Stuart

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The Formaplane vac is fairly easy to find at a reasonable price. The wings need a lot of work (it has grooves for ribs) but the nacelle is a good starting point. All the plans you could shake a stick at are in Windsock Datafile 18. Many useful photos in the later Datafile 147. Then there are also the Cross & Cockade book 'FE2b/d & variants in RFC, RAF, RNAS and AFC service, and for colour photos of an authentic modern repro there's 'The Fe2b Flies Again!', which like the datafiles is an Albatros publication. HTH.

 

Paul.

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Aren't the wings and tailplane of the Fee identical with the BE2c? The nacelle (cockpit tub) is pretty easy to do from plastic card. Except the nose area even no vacuforming is necessary. Even more, you may replace pretty complex vacuforming with the simple crash-moulding: http://uamf.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=4381

Edited by GrzeM
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8 hours ago, Paul Thompson said:

The Formaplane vac is fairly easy to find at a reasonable price. The wings need a lot of work (it has grooves for ribs) but the nacelle is a good starting point. All the plans you could shake a stick at are in Windsock Datafile 18. Many useful photos in the later Datafile 147. Then there are also the Cross & Cockade book 'FE2b/d & variants in RFC, RAF, RNAS and AFC service, and for colour photos of an authentic modern repro there's 'The Fe2b Flies Again!', which like the datafiles is an Albatros publication. HTH.

 

Paul.

Thanks Paul, I did know about these ref books but as I tend to build 'one-offs' of a type, I think they're an expensive option for me...we'll see. If the Formaplane is easy enough to find, it might be the case of getting it for the tub and bits and use the wings and stuff from the Airfix DH4?

 

8 hours ago, GrzeM said:

Aren't the wings and tailplane of the Fee identical with the BE2c? The nacelle (cockpit tub) is pretty easy to do from plastic card. Except the nose area even no vacuforming is not necessary. Even more, you may replace pretty complex vacuforming with the simple crash-moulding: http://uamf.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=4381

I couldn't tell you if the FE2B has identical parts to a BE2C but I'll take a look at 'crash moulding'.

 

Thanks Guys,

 

Stuart

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20 minutes ago, Courageous said:

Thanks Paul, I did know about these ref books but as I tend to build 'one-offs' of a type, I think they're an expensive option for me...we'll see. If the Formaplane is easy enough to find, it might be the case of getting it for the tub and bits and use the wings and stuff from the Airfix DH4?

 

 

Should work. There are plans with the Formaplane kit but they're quite old and may not be currently regarded as all that accurate, but they are very informative. If you can't find the kit I can scan them for you (assuming I can locate them in the stash).

 

Paul.

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2 hours ago, Courageous said:

I couldn't tell you if the FE2B has identical parts to a BE2C

That was a hint :smile: The wings are identical, so you can use wings from new Airfix BE 2c! The tailplane may be identical too, maybe the propeller, machine gun...

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4 hours ago, Paul Thompson said:

Should work. There are plans with the Formaplane kit but they're quite old and may not be currently regarded as all that accurate, but they are very informative. If you can't find the kit I can scan them for you (assuming I can locate them in the stash).

 

Paul.

Paul, I'll keep an eye out for the Formaplane and I'll keep your offer in mind if nothing appears.

 

2 hours ago, GrzeM said:

That was a hint :smile: The wings are identical, so you can use wings from new Airfix BE 2c! The tailplane may be identical too, maybe the propeller, machine gun...

Mmm...not sure about the wings; Wiki put the FE2B wingspan at 14.55 m, BE2C at 11.28 m and the DH4 at 13.21 m?

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22 hours ago, Courageous said:

Mmm...not sure about the wings; Wiki put the FE2B wingspan at 14.55 m, BE2C at 11.28 m and the DH4 at 13.21 m?

FE 2B has the wingspan extended by adding center section between the standard BE 2c wing panels. It is literally stated in FE 2B Windsock Datafile. Also you can see that on the plans of the two airplanes.

In my opinion this is easiest way to build good FE 2B model.

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11 hours ago, GrzeM said:

FE 2B has the wingspan extended by adding center section between the standard BE 2c wing panels. It is literally stated in FE 2B Windsock Datafile. Also you can see that on the plans of the two airplanes.

In my opinion this is easiest way to build good FE 2B model.

Looks like both BE2C and DH4 kits will be useful with the Formaplane tub.

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As the author of the ATF article on the FE 2 conversion that you alluded to I can assure you that if I were to do it again I would use BE 2C wings: you will need two kits so that you can make the centre sections. Alternatively build the centre-section from plastic card as I did. The struts, wheels, probably the prop, guns could all come from the BE 2 kits. The nacelle is easy to plunge mould (as I did) and the Beardmore can be scratched - look up the WNW site or Viking's build of the WNW kit on this site - I used his photographs to help me. The drawings in the Albatros publications are very good.

 

If you want any further help/advice just pm me and I will try to help.

 

P

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1 hour ago, pheonix said:

As the author of the ATF article on the FE 2 conversion that you alluded to I can assure you that if I were to do it again I would use BE 2C wings: you will need two kits so that you can make the centre sections. Alternatively build the centre-section from plastic card as I did. The struts, wheels, probably the prop, guns could all come from the BE 2 kits. The nacelle is easy to plunge mould (as I did) and the Beardmore can be scratched - look up the WNW site or Viking's build of the WNW kit on this site - I used his photographs to help me. The drawings in the Albatros publications are very good.

 

If you want any further help/advice just pm me and I will try to help.

 

P

Hi P,  thanks for the input as being the author and I will certainly pm you when I'm closer to the build. I haven't had much need to do anythig with plunge moulding so it would be very new to me but if needs must...

Scratch building the Beardmore engine sounds interesting and hopefully the reference you suggest should help.

 

Stuart

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9 hours ago, Courageous said:

WingNutWings FE2B

Viking's FE2B RIP

Between the two, one should be able to build the Beardmore engine, all we need is a scale?

 

Stuart

You can find a scale drawing of the engine in DataFile No 147 FE 2b at War.

 

I will post some photos of my completed build on this site shortly, (I have to load the images first as Photobucket has terminally fallen over for me). There is a build log on ww1aircraftmodels.com under scratchbuilds and in ATF under conversion corner. Unfortuneatley the photos  are not as good as they may have been because the close-up system was not working properly on my camera at the time.

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Hi Stuart, 

               I built the Formaplane FE2b last year and found it a pleasant build. Here's the build thread.

 

http://airfixtributeforum.myfastforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=78&t=48847

 

http://airfixtributeforum.myfastforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=80&t=39957

 

And the ATF article referred to by Phoenix.

 

Regards, Steve 

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10 hours ago, pheonix said:

You can find a scale drawing of the engine in DataFile No 147 FE 2b at War.

 

I will post some photos of my completed build on this site shortly, (I have to load the images first as Photobucket has terminally fallen over for me). There is a build log on ww1aircraftmodels.com under scratchbuilds and in ATF under conversion corner. Unfortuneatley the photos  are not as good as they may have been because the close-up system was not working properly on my camera at the time.

I must confess that reference material is my weakness, I'm not one for spending lots of money on a book for one build.:nono:

I wasn't aware of the the dedicated WW1 site you stated and looks rather interesting.

 

5 hours ago, stevehed said:

Hi Stuart, 

               I built the Formaplane FE2b last year and found it a pleasant build. Here's the build thread.

 

http://airfixtributeforum.myfastforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=78&t=48847

 

http://airfixtributeforum.myfastforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=80&t=39957

 

And the ATF article referred to by Phoenix.

 

Regards, Steve 

An interesting Formaplane build Steve.

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I think I may have a duplicate of the vac FE2b kit in my stash. Let me know if you're interested and I'll double check. 

 

Ian

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