Marklo Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 (edited) With the Gamecock being within weeks of the finish line, I thought I'd start something else. The DR1 was one of the first planes I ever scratchbuilt (about 35 years ago along with a Gotha GIV), although the last one was in 1/72. I have been planning to do this for a long time and I reckon that it should be a relatively simple build. So I can finish the Gamecock, the DH4a, the FW190 and the Albatross DI in parallell hmmm. In my infinite wisdom(or something like that) I've also decided to build the dragon dr1 I started but never finished 30 years ago and scratchbuild a Snark, should be fun First up the Pfalz, Step 1, wing and fuselage pieces cut out of 1mm sheet. Formers and keel slotted and fitted together. As with the Gamecock, doubled at the keel so I can split the form easily for molding. At the moment I'm planning on making the form for the cowling as part of the fuselage and splitting off for molding. I'm going to hold off on the fuselage molding until I get my vacuum box up and running as I reckon it will give me a much better mold and be a lot less work than the Gamecock was (although it should be anyway because its a much less complicated profile) But I can still go ahead and infill and shape the form and make the wings and tail surfaces. I will also endeavor to avoid all the obvious dumb puns on the name Pfalz, Pfalz move, Pfalz start and so on...... Edited March 19, 2020 by Marklo added extra stuff 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandsaw Steve Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 No silly puns! Why on Earth would you make up a stupid rule like that for this one but leave your ‘Gamecock’ so unprotected? 🤪 Will be watching with great interest. 👍 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted December 6, 2018 Author Share Posted December 6, 2018 (edited) Quote but leave your ‘Gamecock’ so unprotected? Frankly it doesn't take any effort to get a giggle with that one. For example look at the size of my Gamecock etc. whereas (in my head) Pfalz at least needs a bit of a nudge waheyyy etc. Edited January 12, 2019 by Marklo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted January 12, 2019 Author Share Posted January 12, 2019 (edited) Have decided to make this a grand triplanes thread and will also scratch a Snark and build a Dragon Fokker Dr1, might even throw a regular Sopwith into the mix if I can get hold of a suitable kit(no point in scratching one) more to follow.... Also wondering how to change the topic title... Edited January 12, 2019 by Marklo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Holden Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 On 06/12/2018 at 08:40, Marklo said: I will also endeavor to avoid all the obvious dumb puns on the name Pfalz, Pfalz move, Pfalz start and so on...... German pronunciation is ' p'falts ', ...... ie 'p' is (lightly) pronounced, 'al' as in 'Alan', 'z' is pronounced 'ts'.............which sounds nothing like 'false'.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandsaw Steve Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 Yes - all along I thought those puns were based on a pfalz premise. 🤪 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandsaw Steve Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 4 hours ago, Marklo said: Also wondering how to change the topic title... I think if you go back to your first post and click on the edit option you will get access to to the thread title and can change it. The option is only there on the first post of each thread. I think that’s how it’s done anyway. 🤔 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roginoz Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 Ah ! so the "p" is [almost] silent.....as in "bathwater"......... Anyone seen me coat .....????? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted January 12, 2019 Author Share Posted January 12, 2019 (edited) I'm Irish, if Meadhbh can be pronounced Mave (just like Dave) then pfalz is close enough for me Also why isn't phoenetically spelt, well, phonetically. Edited January 13, 2019 by Marklo 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 (edited) Started the infill on the form, Spent the morning getting my vacuum box working, Used the upper deck from the Gamecock as a test. Now we have Vacforming capability Worked pretty well once I got the plastic soft enough, Just a few tweaks needed before it's ready for the big time. Once I get the blank filled and sanded I'll then attempt to vacform the fuselage components. Edited January 14, 2019 by Marklo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandsaw Steve Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 Home-made vac-forming gear I assume? If so I would like to see what you have made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 Yes home made. A 4 x 6 photo-frame, notched to take some mini bulldog clips as a plastic holder and small wooden lidded box with holes drilled and an attachment from an old hoover duct taped together (as I couldn't find any tubes of mastic that hadn't set on me) I'll post some photos tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted January 15, 2019 Author Share Posted January 15, 2019 (edited) As promised here's a photo of the Vacuum Box, metal box bought from ebay, lid drilled side cut and an old attachement from a defunct oover ( well actually a miele, but you get the idea) duct taped together. Butchered 4 x 6 photoframe with mini bulldog clips (ebay again) Worked a charm, the trick was to get the plastic soft enough, took about 3 minutes under the grill. The nice thing over male/female molding is that after a failed attempt I could just reheat the plastic and try again. And here's the latest update on the build. Filled the blank using readmixed polyfiller and a bit more sanding, I used green stuff on the Gamecock and found it outgassed when it got hot, distorting the mold a little, polyfiller was used on the Dpredussin and this seemed to work better, also it's much easier to sand. Hopefully I'll be ready for some molding on the weekend. I'll probably start the other DR1 as well. Still working on drawings for the Snark, quite a bit of fiddling in CAD still left before I get into actual construction. Basically I know the length and the width and the square footage of the wings. I have details of the Dragon fly engine and two photos of two of the three prototypes built. my plan is to use what little data I have an d then tweak the models till the look like the photos, The shape and size of the wings is almost there, the fuselage and tail need quite a bit more tuning, but it is getting there. Once I have the CAD done, I'll print off drawings to use as a cutting guide, then it will be very similar to the Pfalz in construction. Edited January 15, 2019 by Marklo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted January 18, 2019 Author Share Posted January 18, 2019 Fuselage almost ready for molding, Blank cut into three pieces after extensive filling and sanding. Painted in (black as happens) enamel to see if any more sanding is needed. The cowl has a bit of a visible seam but the sides are ok. Hopefully will get molding at the weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Aero Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Are you aware that there's a quite nice three view of the Snark in Vol three (Fighters) of War Planes of the first World War. The Snark wings (all) also have quite a wide flat centre panel and not as in your CAD sketch. Can I also suggest that you use Lime (or Bass) wood not Balsa. It's close grained and easy to carve, it finishes beautifully and you can form over it without painting the surface. John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted January 19, 2019 Author Share Posted January 19, 2019 (edited) Funny you should mention the fighters of WWI book i actually ordered a 2nd hand copy just this week. More detail will certainly help. The cad is very much a work in progress and probably has quite a way to go until it's ready for translation into the real world. Since I posted that view I've made quite a few changes to the tail, wings and fuselage. I tend to use the balsa because I have it to hand and it's easy to shape, not sure if I can get bass wood, but I am using some deal on my ju87 a canopy mold as it is more robust and has much finer grain, which won't show on a clearmolding. Edited January 19, 2019 by Marklo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted January 21, 2019 Author Share Posted January 21, 2019 Molding at the weekend got two reasonable fuselage halves done (as well as the spats for the Stuka) the front cowl didn't go so well, so I'll need to go again for that, but I won't need it for a while anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted January 21, 2019 Author Share Posted January 21, 2019 (edited) As happens I ordered copies of British Fighter Since 1912 and Warplanes of the First World War: Fighters. Volume 1 Great Britain last week as both are cited as references by wikipedia for the Snark so hopefully they will yield a bit more info. The first is shipped and due by the end of February while the second is confirmed as available (?) and promising 4 - 21 days shipping. I'll just putter along on the 2 DR1's till they arrive, ho hum. That said the two orders came to £11 including the shipping so I can't exactly argue Edited January 21, 2019 by Marklo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Aero Posted January 22, 2019 Share Posted January 22, 2019 There's no drawing in the Peter Lewis book and you will need Volume Three of Warplanes for the Snark. It's the only drawing of the Snark that I know of. The Sopwith Harleyford book does not have a drawing either. If you can't get a copy of the drawing I will be pleased to copy it for you. Just PM me. Bass wood can be bought via Hobbys website. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted January 23, 2019 Author Share Posted January 23, 2019 Quote Bass wood can be bought via Hobbys website. Found some on ebay (wouldn't you know it) expensive but I don't need much, will give it a try for the blank for the Snark fuselage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 Started working on the cowling. I've made this out of sheet rolled and glued, needs a little filling and cutting, but not a million miles off. This is the first of 4 I've made one of which may make the big time. II do have it in mind to do a Pfalz DVI or DVII (basically biplane versions of the DR1) so another might get to see the light of day there. I may still try to mold one, but the prospect of cutting out 12 identical triangles with radiused corners seems like very hard work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matti64 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 On 1/19/2019 at 12:18 AM, Marklo said: Funny you should mention the fighters of WWI book i actually ordered a 2nd hand copy just this week. More detail will certainly help. The cad is very much a work in progress and probably has quite a way to go until it's ready for translation into the real world. Since I posted that view I've made quite a few changes to the tail, wings and fuselage. I tend to use the balsa because I have it to hand and it's easy to shape, not sure if I can get bass wood, but I am using some deal on my ju87 a canopy mold as it is more robust and has much finer grain, which won't show on a clearmolding. I think that Bass wood is what Lime is called in the USA. Jelutong is a very suitable timber. It was traduitionally used for pattern making , for metal casting. It is fine grained and dimensionally very stable., I havent found any suppliers in Ireland , but I would recomend it if you can get hold of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 (edited) Just got my copy of The British fighter since 1912, an absolute treasure trove of weird and obscure planes from 1912 to the late 70's from the Fe 3 all the way up to the Tornado, many line drawings (no Snark, but John has very kindly PM'd me a set , I must admit I love this community) Thrilled with both. On the Basswood front ebay has provided Edited January 24, 2019 by Marklo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 (edited) CAD Model better already Still a lot to do to get it right, but it's not a million miles off the drawings. BTW I am being difficult and I'm going to model the third prototype which had a faired spinner, rather than the one in hte drawings with a normal spinnerless propeller, I have a photo of it in my Ray Rimmell Sopwith Fighters book, so based on the plans I Should be able to figure out the dimensions. Edited January 24, 2019 by Marklo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted January 25, 2019 Author Share Posted January 25, 2019 Cad now matching the drawings although the horizontal tail looks much wider on the rear view photo. Still I now have something I can model from 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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