Marklo Posted November 26, 2018 Author Share Posted November 26, 2018 Quote they've sent me a secondhand book on the Gladiator instead.... Grrr! But the Gladiator is pretty cool too. I plan to build at least one soon (I have the Airfix 1:72 kit in my stash) As I'd love to build the whole Folland/Gloster family from the SE5 through to the Gladiator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted November 28, 2018 Share Posted November 28, 2018 I saw you mentioned this ony thread, so I came looking. This is really impressive. You're a really creative modeller. I've always wanted to scratch build a voisin. One of these days. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted November 28, 2018 Author Share Posted November 28, 2018 (edited) Thank you for the kind feedback. Quote I've always wanted to scratch build a voisin. One of these days. A good set of plans, a copy of Harry Woodman's book, (it's public domain afaik) probably a few extra tools/items ( I seem to use a lot of brass rod and styrene sheet) and then taking the time to figure out how to tackle each component, it's really not that much harder than building a kit well. Older types are probably easier as they are usually made up from square or round shapes, so most of the time you don't need to resort to molding things, although that said sometimes it's easier. Personally I find scratchbuilding more mentally engaging, that said I do build quite a few kits too. This pretty much all of my 2018 build, the Pup and the Depredussin are scratchbuilt, the EIII, the Be2c , the ARC-170, the MKIV, the HE51 and the Mig are kits althoughteh BE2c and the MIG are conversions. Edited November 28, 2018 by Marklo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandsaw Steve Posted November 28, 2018 Share Posted November 28, 2018 1 hour ago, Marklo said: A good set of plans, a copy of Harry Woodman's book, (it's public domain afaik) probably a few extra tools really not that much harder than building a kit well. Personally I find scratchbuilding more mentally engaging, that said I do build quite a few kits too. FWIW - I agree with all of the above. The skills involved aren’t that demanding. I find that the main thing with scratchbuilding is persistence... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted November 28, 2018 Author Share Posted November 28, 2018 Quote I find that the main thing with scratchbuilding is persistence... I can't agree more, figure out how to make a given part, try it, but be prepared to do it again. Sometimes things go well (the lower wings on the Gamecock) sometimes terribly (for some reason it took 4 attempts to get a horizontal stabilizer I was happy with on the same) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted November 29, 2018 Author Share Posted November 29, 2018 (edited) Started working on the engine and collector ring. This pretty much defines the look of the Gamecock, so I need to be sure it looks right. First I drilled the collector disk (it's a ring on the real plane, but the spinner covers this up so I left the centre in place, just undercut the id to suggest the ring) I made a jig consisting of a 23mm x 2mm disk with a radius to bend the wires around and to act as a cutting guide for the final length. Just needs a bit of sanding/filing to neaten it up. Drilled the holes for the pipes on the engine casting and then dry fitted the assembly and the prop. I still have to cover the wires in heatshrink (ran out of .5mm brass so some of the wires are straightened paperclips ) and fit the rear collector ring, but it's starting to take shape. Coming together nicely, once it's properly fitted and painted it should look well Still in two minds if I'll bother trying to fit the cowl, there's so much going on with the engine, you won't notice the fairings and they will be a lot of work to make, plus as per my reference material the planes flew without cowlings as much as with them. Hmm we'll see.... Edited November 29, 2018 by Marklo 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted November 30, 2018 Author Share Posted November 30, 2018 Engine stack assembled and after much fiddling, cutting and cursing, decided to go for the cowlless option, Here's the Gamecock after some nose surgery and with the engine dry fitted. I'm still toying with molding another nose and fitting it around the cylinders, but it's a lot of work and really won't look all that different. Starting to look dangerously like an airplane. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted December 3, 2018 Author Share Posted December 3, 2018 (edited) Got around to making the undercarriage, converted from the Bulldog kit, although I don't know why as I really didn't save myself a lot of time by reusing the parts, ho hum. The main struts were skinned at the top, the green bits are oasis wire (9mm diameter 5 300mm lengths in a pack for €1.50 in the local florists, thank you Steve) the kit wheels are unmodified. I also skinned the fuselage over the weekend. The bottom shot is with the engine and undercarriage dry fitted. The skinning went pretty well, just need a little more filler to blend in the panels and we're nearly ready for some assembly. Starting to see the end of the build come into sight. Next up is to scribe the control surfaces, then trim and fit the lower wings (they still have about about 5mm of a cutting allowance left in them and the wing roots need to be properly shaped) Edited December 3, 2018 by Marklo 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-FAAWAFU Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 That’s coming along beautifully; really starting to look the part now 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted December 5, 2018 Author Share Posted December 5, 2018 (edited) [ Having almost convinced myself I didn't need the engine cowl I decided to give it another go and after much fiddling, filing, filling, furtling and fettling this is what I've managed to make and it's not too bad at all. Definitely looks better than no cowl. I also got around to trimming the lower wings. So here's the full inventory of parts, aside from the struts, the interior and the windshield I think that's it. (good griefe my cutting mat looks extremely tatty, must give it a good scrub once this build is over) Edited December 5, 2018 by Marklo 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted December 6, 2018 Author Share Posted December 6, 2018 (edited) Lower wings, and horizontal stabilizers scribed, trimmed, roots shaped and drilled. Cowling actually glued in place,, but will need some filling at the joint. Still a lot of progress. Might even get as far as some assembly and painting at the weekend. Edited December 6, 2018 by Marklo 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandsaw Steve Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 Major progress being made here. Good work! 👍👍👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 Like it! Have you decided on a colour scheme yet? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matti64 Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 That's looking really great, Glad that you've sorted the cowling issue so well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted December 6, 2018 Author Share Posted December 6, 2018 Quote Like it! Have you decided on a colour scheme yet? Still planning on the one in the first post in the thread as with the Orange (red ?) tail and upper deck it's that little bit different. I 've even gone and ordered some microscale 1/16th black lines in case the smer decals from the bulldog don't work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 Oops, sorry, I had forgotten about that first post. Very impressive scheme. Unless you have references suggesting orange, I would have thought that the colour would have been red to match the red hand of Ulster emblem. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted December 7, 2018 Author Share Posted December 7, 2018 Quote I would have thought that the colour would have been red to match the red hand of Ulster emblem. Ouch never thought of it as that, probably as contentious as German 'tail markings' It's no 17 Squadron and Wikipedia says it's A Gauntlet symbolizing armed strength , which doesn't quite have the same meaning. My second favorite is the Red and Blue squares of no 23 squadron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 Of course, sorry for the ‘bum steer’: it isn’t the Ulster red hand at all. It is indeed a gauntlet! I should know that - duly going to the bottom of the class. The ‘armed strength’ symbolism seems more plausible than the other suggestion that I have read ie that it symbolises 17 Sqn’s operation of the Gloster Gauntlet. As 17 Sqn received Gamecocks in Jan 1928, some of which displayed the gauntlet marking, but didn’t receive Gloster Gauntlets until the mid-1930s, this suggestion seems implausible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matti64 Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 1 hour ago, Jonners said: Of course, sorry for the ‘bum steer’: it isn’t the Ulster red hand at all. It is indeed a gauntlet! I should know that - duly going to the bottom of the class. The ‘armed strength’ symbolism seems more plausible than the other suggestion that I have read ie that it symbolises 17 Sqn’s operation of the Gloster Gauntlet. As 17 Sqn received Gamecocks in Jan 1928, some of which displayed the gauntlet marking, but didn’t receive Gloster Gauntlets until the mid-1930s, this suggestion seems implausible! Thats a relief, I was always a little uncomfortable with it, that being the most colourfull of schemes and the one that I had chosen for mine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted December 10, 2018 Author Share Posted December 10, 2018 (edited) Keep meaning to work on the DH4a, but doing this instead. (I'm enjoying th etinkering on this one, whereas the DH4a will be very straightforward and quick once I set my mind to it) Gave the fuselage a coat of mid grey to see how the sanding is going and the result was really not too bad. So I decided to go ahead with some actual assembly, Here it is with the wings and tail actually glued in place and the engine and undercarriage dry fitted. Next stage is the interior, followed by buttoning up the fuselage and one last round of filling and sanding prior to struts (the last thing I'm nervous about) then paint and decals. Edited December 10, 2018 by Marklo 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corsaircorp Posted December 10, 2018 Share Posted December 10, 2018 Hello Marklo ! Really great idea !! Congratulations ! I just saw this thread today but I will catch up and follow if you don't mind it... First result of this thread... I'll find another Bulldog since I already have the Lindberg one ! May be the same kit than the Smer... Sincerely. CC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted December 10, 2018 Author Share Posted December 10, 2018 (edited) Quote May be the same kit than the Smer... At this stage I've ended up only using the upper wings and the (heavily modified) undercarriage from the Bulldog, I'm also hoping to use the decals as the machine I'm building is from the same squadron, but notwithstanding the fact that I find making wheels tedious, the bulldog kit is pretty much optional. Now I had been planning to adapt the fuselage and the Jupiter engine, but I ended up molding the former and getting a gift of a Resin casting of the latter. So basically everything you see in the picture except the wheels and forward uc struts is scratch built. Edited December 10, 2018 by Marklo 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted December 17, 2018 Author Share Posted December 17, 2018 (edited) Funny week, had to go to Vincent's to get fitted for a CPAP machine and then spent most of the weekend doing up the spare bedroom, so painting and lots of IKEA assembly but a whole lot less modelling than expected. Still managed to move the build along a bit. Managed to get the undercarriage on and rigged. Using my new method of 0.5mm eylets, which you can see if you look very very carefully at the photo. A little fiddly but I can see that it will be way better overall once I get used to it. And at 1/48 it's pretty much to scale. And here's the current state of play, Everything given an undercoat and assembled. Still a little shaping, cleaning up, filling left to do before painting. And of course I still have to detail the interior. Not entirely sure what colour to paint the collector ring, for some reason I 'm thinking gloss black, but it looks to be shiny in a lot of the photos all black and white so very hard to tell if it's a reflection or a lighter colour. Edited December 17, 2018 by Marklo 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted December 19, 2018 Author Share Posted December 19, 2018 The upper wings are now the upper wing. Here it is on my Pup jig set to the right dihedral . Some 1mm brass rod CA'd through the joint for strength. Not entirely sure why but it felt like a significant milestone in the build. Some interior detail is next, then it's just painting, Decals, struts and rigging , but not necessarily in that order. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted December 19, 2018 Share Posted December 19, 2018 3 hours ago, Marklo said: just Hmmm finished by Christmas then? it is looking very very nice indeed. Regards, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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