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Failed Zeppelin slayer


Torbjorn

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Was a bit hesitant to post (started one week ago), since time is running out, but here goes. The kit, Airfix’s new Be2c augmented with some dedicated Eduard goodies which happened to be on discount

 

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This is the second Airfix Be2c in this group build, so I will build the other option. As opposed to the aircraft shown on the box cover, this one was never near shooting down any baby killer:

 

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See the funny sticks on the struts? Those are Le Prieur rockets; primitive fireworks which were succesfully used in France to shoot down balloons. An attempt was made to equip zeppelin-hunting nightfighters but no interception ever materialised. The Be2c had to be lucky to be in the right place (the blimps could outclimb them without even trying) and the rockets had an effective range shorter than its intended targets. 

 

For a very interesting read on the early night fighters, I recommend this article: http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/airplane%20at%20war/nocturnal%20defence.htm

 

 

Edited by Torbjorn
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To gain some time I started at all ends at once. 

 

Airscrew, wheels and PE painted. The PE has wicker chairs, to which I added cushions modelled of white stuff. The teo-bladed props and the set of larger wheels are from a Roden D.VII (to reduce airbrush cleaning sessions):

 

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The engine is not half-bad and will be very visible. I glued the 3 main parts together and primed in black. One of the exhaust stacks were shaped according to EU banana regulations, but straightened out after a hot water bath:

 

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Also started on the cockpit. The walls are extremely thick and I thinned them as much as I dared using a Dremel. I didn’t dare to thin the entire forward half, and only thinned the cockpits. This genereted a wavy look which hopefully will not be seen later on. The lower half is cloth, the upper wood. I painted accordingly.

 

Statted assembling the PE for the cockpit. The instrument boards are prepainted but too pink, so they will require some brushwork. 

 

 

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3 hours ago, CliffB said:

What a great subject :popcorn:

I thought Great War air combat was lunacy until I read about what night fighting meant at this time. Now I like the subject even more. :)

 

Parallel work continues. Added PE and drilled rigging holes on the wings. I’ve seen some replicas having double flying wires - the jury in my head is still out on that one. Airfix has provided guide holes for the rigging - VERY nice to have!

 

Of some reason all four ailerons are pointing ever so slightly downwards on the other hand. The plan is to cut loose one pair and point it upwards, and bend down the other a bit more.

 

HeiAh4K.jpg

 

I decided to use only one wicker chair. The pilot will have to settle with the original tin box. This is more likely the opposite of the real subject (I have no photos at all, very liberating!) but the fact is that I’m havig troubles fitting the wicker chair in the pilot’s cockpit. Anyway, I’m replacing the chair with one made of beer can, to get proper thickness. First, make a paper template and check it, then simply cut using the template as a guide:

 

XT7neBT.jpg

 

The new chairs, before painting:

Pf7hXKg.jpg

 

Edited by Torbjorn
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While you may be tight for time you are also flying on with this one so it looks as if we're in for an exciting thread :thumbsup: I'd certainly not put money on you missing the deadline.

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22 hours ago, Col. said:

While you may be tight for time you are also flying on with this one so it looks as if we're in for an exciting thread :thumbsup: I'd certainly not put money on you missing the deadline.

Full speed ahead certainly. Finished the instrument panel. Maybe to grimy and dirty due to inaccuratr brush work, but better than pink and it will barely be seen anyway.

 

Lv8io9g.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

More holes to drill. A hundred it feels like. Then the realisation that wires will go into every single one of them :eek: 

The instructions have a rigging diagram but omits some. The next image show such an example: fore-and-aft wires mounted on the frame inside the cockpit to the top of each strut. I dug out the .2mm drill for the occasion, since the holes are very conspicious.

 

aopAaNh.jpg

 

On the next image you can see wires attached and going out of the holes. Also I declare the cockpit finished.

 

C5ULSQO.jpg

 

 

edit: darn, I forgot the comfy cushion I made for the pilot (in the back seat (edit: as if you couldn’t guess, with stick and all)) :(

Edited by Torbjorn
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Closing the fuselage. The little black square on the front side  is a window, as is the one on top between the two sides: a tip is to open the ones on the sides *before* assembling(I did not).

 

doCqJTT.jpg

 

 

The cabane struts are really solid, fortunately. I dry-fitted the upper wing while the glue was setting the struts to the fuselage to ensure correct alignement. The wing appear to sit high:

 

Kwwo9Om.jpg

 

While that is setting, I started to mask the ribs on the underside wings. With the uppersides painted the ribs were highly visible, appearing lighter due to the see-through doped cloth covering the wings. I will mask the ribs, paint black and then remove the tape to paint the linen undersides. The upper sides were painted PC-10 and I won’t bother with any special effetcs.

 

It is a boring but meditative process:

CMOJQQu.jpg

 

Edited by Torbjorn
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Loads of painting rounds, but mot much to show yet. The undersides of the wings were sprayed black, masks removed and followed by several layers of Aged White (Vallejo model air). They still need a bit more. 

 

tO1WWcP.jpg

 

 

Finally found a way of adding those pesky airelon control horns (each consisting of the horn itself and a bracket) that satisfy me in terms of ease and robustness. First carve a slit in the plastic, CA-glue the horn into the slit and lastly thread the bracket (shaped like a picture frame with an opening) over it, add CA and push down. It stays, and alignement is easy. Previously I added first the bracket, which did not work well for me.

 

v6ZXRkT.jpg

 

 

Also worked on the engine, a V8 with exhaust stacks like horns - wonderful!

I only added plugs and ignition wires. The plastic top cover piece will be replaced with Eduard’s part from the PE sheet.

 

f4Bg6GP.jpg

Sorry for lousy picture quality.

 

edit: spelling

 

Edited by Torbjorn
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WOW!!! You snuck this one in right at the end and what a stunning build!

 

I had to check a couple of times on the scale, as I was sure it was 1/48th, but 1/72nd! Incredible work and detailing a beautifully done.

 

Good luck with her, I really do hope you're able to complete her in time as it'd be great to see her in the gallery.

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Hehe, thanks for flattery. :) Ithink I will manage, everything is painted and ready for assembly. I have a partisl gloss coat drying since decals have to be added before rigging - quite a few wires will go over the decal locations.

 

I rushed it and added the lower wings before the coat was fully dry, and of course I managed to put some clumsy fingers on it. Not a disaster, the underside will need touch ups after the rigging anyway. Next time I shall consider not painting the underside of the wings at all until after rigging.

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I’m moderatly happy with the rib effect: I would have like to have a thin dark outline on the ribs, as seen when the cloth makes a sharp edge on the ribs, but I have not figured out a way of achieving that. And maybe could have left the non-rib area darker. Here’s an example:

http://yorkshireairmuseum.org/latest-news/blackburn-b-e-2c-display-horse-guards-parade-london-2018/

 

Edited by Torbjorn
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Painted the struts, they should be wooden. Used first Vallejo model air «camo pale brown» followed by Wood (mainly because I get lousy coverage with Wood so it needs a base), then enhanced with oil paint. These are the inboard struts:

 

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The outer are maybe more interesting:

 

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The rockets! They are basicly fireworks: a tube of powder (red) taped (white - decal strip cut and painted white) to a stick, put in a tube (black grey). They were apparently fired simultaneously, using electric wire. I assume they would have been connected parallel to avoid an error in one preventing all from getting ignited. This means two wires from each. I cheated a bit and added two wires in some and one in the rest. The wires are stretched sprue, but it would still be too crowded with ten wires. From the cockpit to the strut I only put two wires:

 

HlWX2A4.jpg

 Based on nothing I put them on top of the spar. I will fasten them properly after the struts are in place...

 

...something I’ve started on. The solid cabane strut construction makes this a breeze compared to other models I know, and the dry-fitted upper wing is used to align them 😎

 

pmyIJ2k.jpg

 

 

The rockets should really be quite a lot bigger, but I have no time to make new ones.

 

Edited by Torbjorn
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Removing the tape around the cockpit area revealed a need for renovation:

 

GH8s72X.jpg

 Overspray (it should not be green on top), struts where I forgot to remove those nasty molding lines and more. The ridge between the brown and green is intentional though. Of some reason the stitching is only molded on the starboard half. I made a thick ridge to simulate it on the port. It doesn’t look the part of course, but the brain is quick to fill in the blanks, so as long as it is *something* there it looks much better.

 

 I scraped the struts, masked and repainted with airbrush and did touch-ups.

 

The windshields I had put off as long as possible. I lost those supplied with kit, so new were cut from a clear plastic cup. 

Here you see one area where the rigging diagram isn’t perfect: Only the forward struts should have X-shaped bracing, and both should have fore-n-aft wires attached to the frame in the pilot’s cockpit. Enough rambling:

 

e7zljIr.jpg

 

Oops, the pic shows I put the pilot’s windshield the wrong way (wavy side should be down!). No wonder it didn’t fit so well...

 

Next comes the fun part: rigging.

 

 

 

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PihiBaD.jpg

 

A picture says it all? 

Short note on what I have found work well:

0: colour the wires. I decided to use hair for the standing rigging and thinner stretched sprue for the control wires. Some time ago, in a display of complete lack of foresight, I foolishly answered «red» when the lady in the house asked which hair dye to buy, otherwise step 0 would have been easier. 

1: drill holes, all way through where the hole will be seen the least (lower wings), almost through on other side. The 0.3 mm drill is the smallest practical, here I used 0.4mm since I broke the last 0.3 on one of the first holes. This is done before anything else.

2. before adding top wing. Add all wires by dipping the tip in CA (pic above). When dry, fill in with more CA using a needle (pic below). Top it off with white glue. 

 

FrMTsIp.jpg

 

3. Add top wing. Use my best clamps* to hold in place til dry. Remember to start movie before you start glueing.

eFA90yh.jpg

4. Thread the wires through the lower holes. Put a weight on a wire, lift it and wet the lower end of the wire just above the hole with CA, then lower the weight to drag the CA-wetted wire into the hole. Then once more with CA, then seal with white glue.

 

wxDL5Br.jpg

 

 

 

*) i.e. hands

Edited by Torbjorn
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:wacko:.....I got scare at the first picture!!!

 

It looks amazing but wow really complicated!!

 

I think I may runoff back to my corner and play with some resin!

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10 hours ago, trickyrich said:

:wacko:.....I got scare at the first picture!!!

 

It looks amazing but wow really complicated!!

 

I think I may runoff back to my corner and play with some resin!

It’s actually simple and orderly - it just looks messy until you’ve put the wires in right holes. I made a mistake though: the engine cowling is painted gloss black, and to avoid masking I thought I’d be smart and add it late. I forgot to check the fit... a horrendous gap was the result that needs to be fixed:

 

KRLTbA5.jpg

 

The top cover is still missing on the engine: wires should go between the cylinders and fastened to the engine holding frame, which need to fastened before the cover is added.

 

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Tremendous job you are doing on the rigging. You must have a very steady hand to do that. I envy you. Looks like a typical last minute problem like I'm having.

Good luck I hope you get over the line with this one. Now I'm off to get mine over.

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Thanks for the comments and likes guys. I do cut down on the coffee the days I’m doing this...

 

All standing rigging in place, lacking only control wires and some weathering.

 

y1ipt61.jpg

 

The tail skid appears to be in flight... I should have fixed that, but oh, well, I don’t like redoing things. 

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well done you made it!!! :thumbsup: I'm so glad you were able to complete her in time, she looks amazing.

 

The rigging looks amazing and is way beyond anything I'd attempt, so well done on doing such a great job.

 

I do hope you enjoyed yourself, it was a great build to follow.

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4 hours ago, Greg Law said:

Looking at it in the gallery you have done a marvelous job of this plane. 👍

/\ What he said /\

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 7/9/2019 at 12:05 AM, trickyrich said:

well done you made it!!! :thumbsup: I'm so glad you were able to complete her in time, she looks amazing.

 

The rigging looks amazing and is way beyond anything I'd attempt, so well done on doing such a great job.

 

I do hope you enjoyed yourself, it was a great build to follow.

Thanks guys, and thanks for hosting. I’ve certainly enjoyed it and learnt a few things as well.😎

 

I assure you the rigging is not that horrible: this is my third attempt and by far the smoothest (the previous were Albatros DVs and a SPAD) in terms of ease, which is due to the extra care taken to fasten the lines in the upper wing properly. Previously I went with ”good enough”, this time I made sure all connections were made as good as possible. That is really the key for me at least - it is when I start having wires getting loose I loose nerve and start making sloppy work. 

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