Army_Air_Force Posted December 31, 2017 Author Share Posted December 31, 2017 (edited) Tuesday Feb 28th - We got the top wing attached, gluing the interplane struts first to hold it in place...... While that was drying, the landing gear parts were cut. Edited October 22, 2020 by Army_Air_Force 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valleyofvallejo Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Looks brilliant! Especially from a youngster. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army_Air_Force Posted January 1, 2018 Author Share Posted January 1, 2018 (edited) The landing gear struts were small, delicate and fiddly, so I put the parts together while my daughter applied the glue. Once the interplane struts had time to harden up a bit, the cabane struts, previously glued to the top wing, were pulled into place and glued to the fuselage top deck. Edited October 22, 2020 by Army_Air_Force 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 Looking about ready to chase a dog house! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army_Air_Force Posted January 3, 2018 Author Share Posted January 3, 2018 (edited) We were running out of time to do anything else that day, but to be fair, the parts all needed time to dry properly before moving on anyway. This is how the project looked in early March 2017. Edited October 22, 2020 by Army_Air_Force 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army_Air_Force Posted January 3, 2018 Author Share Posted January 3, 2018 (edited) Due to school trips, homework and other after school clubs, nothing much happened with the project until after mid-March when we got the tailplane attached, using a block of ply and some styrene shims to get it parallel to the wings. An old Lead-Acid battery terminal added a little weight to keep it all still while the solvent evaporated. It was really starting to look like a triplane by this point, but the hardest part of the project, the scratch built Snoopy, was still ahead of us. Edited October 22, 2020 by Army_Air_Force 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murdo Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 Superb!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army_Air_Force Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 (edited) On March 21st, we got back to it, assembling the engine. My daughter cut out the cylinders and cleaned up the sprue cuts with some sand paper while I cut the very fragile manifold, each pipe of which was attached to the sprue. Delicate work, but it was cut free without damage. The tailplane struts were more tiny fragile parts. I cut them out but it was a joint effort to get the tiny parts in the right place and glued. Edited October 22, 2020 by Army_Air_Force 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army_Air_Force Posted January 7, 2018 Author Share Posted January 7, 2018 (edited) She cut the rudder out next, and attaching it was another joint effort. After placing it in the right location and applying some glue, it was held for a little while before we realised it was going to droop if unsupported. I quickly rolled some Blu-Tac sausages and stuck them in place to hold the rudder still until the glued joint hardened up properly. That was it for the day. The glue all needed to harden before progressing. I decided we should paint the rest of the airframe next, then apply the decals, before attaching the landing gear, engine and cowl; mainly due to how fragile the landing gear is. While the paint is drying on the airframe, we'll make a staart on Snoopy's kennel and Snoopy himself. Edited October 22, 2020 by Army_Air_Force 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Quack Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 I'm REALLY looking forward to seeing this develop.....a brilliant project for Dad and daughter. Most impressed by her patience and application. (From one proud Dad to another) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army_Air_Force Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share Posted January 9, 2018 (edited) We had a short window on Friday, March 24th to get a little more done. This was basically painting the rest of the airframe red so that it had time to dry, and that would allow me to spray a clear coat the next day, ready for the next session where we would be decalling. The tail, rudder, bottom of the fuselage where the wing joins and the wing struts all needed painting. The Triplane together with a Revell Fokker EIII I was building for a customer. Edited October 22, 2020 by Army_Air_Force 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army_Air_Force Posted January 11, 2018 Author Share Posted January 11, 2018 (edited) Since the Dr.I was to be in a flying pose, and chasing Snoopy, the engine needed to be running and so the prop turning. I'm not a big fan of clear plastic discs for props, and I don't like etched brass blurred blades, so decided to try something new. One of the things I don't like about clear discs is the lack of thickness, so for my experiment, I cut a lump of 3mm clear acrylic, which was then cut down to a bow tie shape. This was tapered towards the tips and tapered to the leading and trailing edges. Edited October 22, 2020 by Army_Air_Force 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army_Air_Force Posted January 13, 2018 Author Share Posted January 13, 2018 (edited) After a fine wet sand, it was polished with 'T-Cut' car paint colour restorer, and then dipped in Future, dried and dipped again, then left to dry. I then sprayed wood brown along the prop, more heavily along the leading edges and at the root. Once dry, I then scraped through the paint in a radial pattern with a sharp scalpel. It just needs a washer adding for the washer on the hub. It's not a perfect solution to moving props, but as a first experiment, I'm quite pleased with it, and with some more practice and refining, it could work well. For the Triplane, it is fine and my daughter thinks it's great. Edited October 22, 2020 by Army_Air_Force 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army_Air_Force Posted January 13, 2018 Author Share Posted January 13, 2018 (edited) Late March 2017, spraying the gloss clear coat ready for the decals. Another view of the prop, push fitted onto the engine/cowling which is yet to be attached. Edited October 22, 2020 by Army_Air_Force 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 Nice prop, but don't forget it is a rotary engine, so that should be blurred too! Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army_Air_Force Posted January 13, 2018 Author Share Posted January 13, 2018 The way the model is mounted in the picture frame, you can't see the engine, so that wasn't a major concern! :-) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army_Air_Force Posted January 14, 2018 Author Share Posted January 14, 2018 (edited) After a day or so for the clear coat to harden, my daughter made further progress by starting the decalling. We got most of the decalling done after school one day. I held the model still while she applied the decal and aligned it, particularly for those on the side of the fuselage. Edited October 22, 2020 by Army_Air_Force 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army_Air_Force Posted January 15, 2018 Author Share Posted January 15, 2018 (edited) While each decal was left to dry a little while, we finally made a start on Snoopy. I printed an image of Snoopy and divided it up into squares. I then drew him out on modelboard using the square grid to get him roughly the correct shape. I cut out the outline on the bandsaw, then left my daughter to start sanding down to the outline. Edited October 22, 2020 by Army_Air_Force 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army_Air_Force Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 (edited) Then it was back to the decalling, the top side. Next came the starboard side; and that is as far as the decalling got that session, as it was almost time to eat. I wanted that side to fully dry and harden before turning the model over. Edited October 22, 2020 by Army_Air_Force 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Modeller Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 This is the most adorable project in the world. Ever. I can't wait to see the results! Your daughter is very talented and patient for her age! I was nowhere near as good! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army_Air_Force Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 It's probably in my top five favourite models! She started modelling just before her 4th birthday. Back then, 20 to 30 minutes was as long as she could manage. These days, now she's recently turned eight, two and a half hour building sessions is quite possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Modeller Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 That's brilliant! I used to do modelling with my ex's nephew...he loved it! If I ever have kids they'll be indoctrinated into the life of modelling too haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army_Air_Force Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 (edited) @Ms Modeller This was her first build, a Red Arrows Hawk, completed when she was about four and a half. Edited October 22, 2020 by Army_Air_Force Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Modeller Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 Just now, Army_Air_Force said: @Ms Modeller This was her first build, a Red Arrows Hawk, completed when she was about four and a half. That's freaking awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army_Air_Force Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 Obviously I gave a lot of guidance, helped align parts etc., but a large amount of the building, painting and decalling was her work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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