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Macchi M.5


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One of my favourites it is. It’s a bit on soft side, so takes inprints easily, for good and bad.

 

 

Point of no return has passed: the wing is mounted, using the Lego jig. As a stress test I flipped her to rest on the wing:

 

Hy4SHXL.jpg

 

There is an air gap above the engine so only the thin cabane struts are holding the wing. Here you also see my interpretation of the elevator actuating system. A rod rather than wire, since it is only on one side so it should be able to push as well as pull. The rudder I believe is controlled by rotating that rod sticking down from it behind the back edge of the fuselage - I should probably paint it aluminium.

Can’t wait to get the rigging in place; this is flimsy and the wires will help keeping things together.

 

And I just realised that I have to make a propeller. I had planned to take one from the store - after building 3-4 Roden kits I have a dozen or so spare propellers - but they all spin the wrong way. Last hurdle before the markings.

 

 

Edited by Torbjorn
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4 hours ago, Torbjorn said:

Roden kits,

Hmmm, I have an Roden Albatros l/ll and there’s enough flash on the parts to build another kit so I get what you mean.

 

Dennis

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If the top wing is strong enough that you can invert the model and rest it as per the photo, it should be strong enough to handle while rigging. You may be surprised to learn just how strong such a model can be - I know from experience and was surprised myself.

 

The model is looking better with each post - with rigging it really is going to be a stunner.

 

P

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On 12/9/2019 at 12:19 PM, AdrianMF said:

Looking lovely. Plumber's tape is great stuff. 

BTW - Andrian, the white plumber TEFLON tape is a great stuff for winows curtains

Sorry for OT, 

 

Macchi looks really great. Beautiful work on it!

Cheers

J-W

 

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AFAIK there are both "left handed" and "right handed" props. For example when the Merlin in the Spitfire was replaced by the Griffon I believe it turned in the opposite direction so the prop would have to be the opposite handed version. When used as a pusher, then it would have the opposite "handing" to one used on the same engine in tractor configuration I would have thought, but still look essentially the same. I presume that as it is "pushing" rather than "pulling" the stresses might be somewhat different so the connection to the shaft might be modified?

 

Pete

Edited by PeterB
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16 hours ago, Torbjorn said:

Hmm, stupid question time: how does one of those differ from a tractor propeller? 

In the direction of rotation/thrust. You can't use the same prop as you would use for that engine if it was mounted as a tractor engine. The engine still rotates the same way, so what was the leading edge (furthest from the engine) when facing forward becomes the trailing edge (furthest away from the engine) when facing backward. If you use the same prop, it will be pulling the aircraft backwards instead of pushing it forwards.

 

Ian

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The wings have extra outer struts:

 

640px-Macchi_M.5.jpg

 

I soldered the main parts (the inverted A) using .5 and .3 mm brass rod: the remaining parts going to the upper roots of the V-strut will be .3 mm rod glued in-situ after attaching the soldered sections.

 

 

00NE1l5.jpg

 

In the image below they are in place, painted aluminium. I also started with the rigging, it is fairly simple: a pair of landing wires, a pair of flying wires, single wires from lower V-strut bracket to nose of fuselage (between gun ports and vents), support wire on tail (to elevators) and some aileron control cables. The landing wires are attached to the engine cradle: to strengthen the structure I will use one single wire for the front pair, straddling it over the cradle in front of the engine. For the flying wires I made little holes in the struts, but managed to fill them on the starboard side. Therefore I just made a knot around the struts: they are narrowest on top, so tying the knot slowly makes it travel all the way up. 

In process:

 

LhvsWre.jpg

 

 

I also started on a base. The ship modellers impress me with their bases so I wanted to have a go. The acrylic gel took three weeks to harden so I’m glad I started long ago. Tried to replicate the  muddy grey-green colours of the canal at Porto Corsini. Tips and criticism very welcome.

 

NBomfcQ.jpg

Edited by Torbjorn
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Thank you for that. Rigging is finished - bar cutting off excess wire - using my dedicated third hand (my table lamp). As said relatively simple, only had to make a two holes going through an entire wing (for the landing wires and ”nose wire” or whatever that is called), which means minimal touch ups are required:

5Defv57.jpg

osu5cUt.jpg

 

 

I sourced roundels from here:

CozLyi2.jpg

 

Print scale’s Italian WWI aces part 1. I’m minus a couple of Nieuports but is limited how many of those I want to build anyway.

 

 

Prop and floats to go. I dreaded making the propeller but it turned out to be fun. It is currently drying after being varnished so I don’t even dare to take a picture - the stuff is collecting dust like nothing else.

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Thanks again. Here’s a last update. Carved a propeller from a posicle stick and painted the metal protecting the leading edge. The hub is a PE piece from a Nieuport kit. In hindsight I should have painted it or used a wood with smaller grains:

 

dHMbMdg.jpg

 

I made some home made decals for the serial numbers M 7229. They weren’t kidding when they said spray a protective layer after printing. I first failed, then used satin varnish which worked ok. Not sure if the special products would be any better.

 

Just some levelling of the sea surface and then finding a better camera for the gallery:

90Gc3XE.jpg

Edited by Torbjorn
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