Turnbuckles

[Kev The Modeller]

I'm currently researching for some future builds of WNW and Eduard I'm wanting to fit detailed turnbuckles.  I have settled on GasPatch http://www.gaspatchmodels.com/products/metal-turnbuckles-32.html I now find myself a little lost and in need of some help please. 

 

What type (A B C etc) of turnbuckles you use and how do you find out which type for which aircraft, is there some kind of reference book or data base available? 

 

Many thanks 

[JackG]

I wish there was such a thing as a database for turnbuckles, but I've yet to find such a thing.   I have mainly relied on large photos of rebuilt machines that still fly (hopefully the owners have not veered too far from the original wartime configuration).  

 

For the most part, the ends of wires will be attached in one of three ways:

1.)  - turnbuckle

2.) - inserted through a hole (so no visible attachment point)

3.) - attached to a  bracket

 

Concerning Gaspatch products, can only comment on a couple from experience. 

 

Albatros style is pretty self explained, but still need photo reference as they are not used everywhere.

 

RAF Late type, definitely for the Camel and S.E.5a - but these are tricky the way they have been made.  The flat end is the side that attaches to the aircraft surface, but that leaves little surface area to attach your wire with glue.  I haven't tried it yet, but two options on how to approach their use:

 

 

regards,

Jack

 

 

[krow113]

I found the Gaspatch items to be of top quality. I ordered a full array of all the turnbuckles to counter any situation that came up.

I also found that there is enough info on their site to make the correct choice.

RAF flying wires are not cables they are actually flat 'bars' with built in threaded ends for stretching . The flat part of the RAF Gaspatch items are where the rigging material of choice is attached , WNW recommends Prym as it gains a flat profile when stretched.

Avoid the p/e flying wires as they dont work.

Researching my Gotha revealed that the majority of German planes had turnbuckles only on the bottom of the rigging. I also used 1/48 scale turnbuckles in my 1/32 Gotha

Without knowing which plane you are researching its tough to supply more info.

Edited September 2, 2018 by krow113

[Kev The Modeller]

Hi Jack 

That's extremely helpful and much appreciated, thank you very much mate 

 

Hi krow113 

Thank you very much and I am following your Gotha build with great interest.  My first step back into WW1 aircraft will be an Eduard Albertros D.V in 1/48 and after that if I can do it justice to the D.V, I'll move on to my WNW kits.  Which I've thus far got stashed Albertors D.V, DVII early, Pfalz D.IIIa, SE.5a Hisso, Sopwith Snipe (Early), with other planned as funds become available. I wide selection but I just love WW1 aircraft    

 

Any advice on turnbuckles or otherwise on these would be gratefully appreciated.   

 

 

[JackG]

Sorry Steve, but have to kindly disagree with you on which end the wire is attached to the RAF Late type Gaspatch product.   Unless the Shuttleworth collection got it wrong on their Camel, I see differently:

 

https://www.largescaleplanes.com/walkaround/wk.php?wid=175

 

 

 

regards,

Jack

 

 

 

 

Edited September 2, 2018 by JackG

[Brandy]

One other thing you can see from those last pics is that it's almost impossible to tell at a distance which end the turnbuckle is. Which is exactly why I don't bother about them at all.

  Admittedly I work in 1:72 but even in 1:32 it would be hard to see.

 

Ian

[Beardie]

I have to say that I took the decision to not bother with turnbuckles on my 1/32 builds. As Limeypilot says, when you look at a photograph of the real thing you realise that, even at 1/32 scale, turnbuckles should be hardly any thicker than the rigging lines and a fair bit thinner than it is possible to represent them with tubing or other means. If I feel the need I will touch the ends of my rigging with a little paint to represent the buckles.

[krow113]

Pretty tough to see turnbuckles per se on flat rigging.

Most likely because there aren't any.

[malpaso]

5 hours ago, krow113 said:

Pretty tough to see turnbuckles per se on flat rigging.

Most likely because there aren't any.

Correct - because the RAF* wire is effectively one long turnbuckle!  In the WW1 rigging notes it gives the exact length of the RAF* wire to use.  It would then be rotated to get the right tension whilst presenting the right profile to the airstream.  Not sure if German types used a similar system though.  The things at the end, fixed to the wings are the anchors, though presumably there's a correct nomenclature.

Cheers

Will

* RAF in this case meaning Royal Aircraft Factory.

[Beardie]

Well yes it is rather obvious that there are no turnbuckles on the end of RAF wires but the point in general is that, if you look at the (shall we say terminal apparatus and adjustment fittings) of rigging in general on WWI aircraft the said apparatus and fittings should be very little wider than the rigging itself or, in the case of RAF wires, as can be seen in the photos above, about as wide as the wire.

[krow113]

Googling RAF flying wire rigging gives almost all of the info required to understand the flying wire concept. It is as I suspected the two clevis' are one right hand thread and the other left hand thread . Back off the corresponding lock nuts , set the tension by rotating the wire , and lock it with the nuts.

looks like some of the Nueports had flying wires too..