pheonix Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 (edited) Evening All, I have almost completed the Hansa Brandenburg W13 - I have to make a small base for it and am in the early stages of doing so and will put up photos when I have finished, but I am also tempted to try to see if I can complete a second project in the time left. I do not guarantee that I will do so but it is worth a try. So this is my second contribution to this GB - another of those wierd and little known types that fascinate me and for which there is no kit (at least as far as I am aware). Of course it has a spare wing but also two fans at the front: in fact it seems to have two of pretty much everything: wings, engines, fuselages, tails, main and tail floats, cockpits, etc. It was designed like this from the start - not a cobbled job from existing airframes like some of the WW2 types like Bf 109Z's, Mustangs. Heinkel Zwillings, etc. Blackburn's first design set a trend for unconventional, unorthodox and in some eyes ugly aircraft for the Royal Naval Air Service and later Fleet Air Arm, which continued to roll off their drawing boards for many years. Here is what their first attempt looked like: Yes it did fly - just - but more of that later. In the meantime I am off to cut some plastic - I intend to use up some of the scrap odds and ends which inevitably accumulate from scratch building - some has already gone into the H-B but I want to reduce the pile some more. Thanks for looking. P Edited November 7, 2019 by pheonix 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 Looking forward to this... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 Amazing choice, the variety of aircraft in this and the previous GB never cease to astonish me. Good luck with this one. cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMC Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 Keeping it simple, then, Phoenix. Two of everything, a forest of struts. and a race against time. Nothing to it. 😄 Front row seat please. Dennis 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 I have to agree with Dennis. I'll take a pew. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandboof Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 Another watch and learn Good luck Martin H 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greggles.w Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 I too am quite (double)taken! This will be good.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted November 8, 2019 Share Posted November 8, 2019 Hi pheonix! Nice to have a second entry from you! Another interesting choice! Good luck! Jaime 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pheonix Posted November 10, 2019 Author Share Posted November 10, 2019 Evening All, A little progress to report on this build - I have started to make the floats and have cut out the wing blanks. I reported above that I want to use as much scrap pieces of plastic for this build as possible, but the wings had to be cut from new card as they are so large. So I took a piece of 30 thou card which had been bent in a pipe as described eslewhwere and cut blanks for the upper and lower wings. The upper wing was considerably larger than the lower as the photos show: the outer panels were BE 2c parts (Blackburn was building BE 2c's under licence in 1916), with a centre panel to join them: I have added the ribs from 10 x 20 thou Evergreen strip and drilled the holes for the struts and kingposts. I also started on the main fuselage floats and am constructing them in a standard box fashion with re-inforcing pieces and strips along the top and bottom of the sides to stop the upper and lower surfaces pushing though when I come to fix them: I will need to make two sets of floats for the front and two for the rear - more later. Thanks for looking. P 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 A nice start Mr P, wings are looking very nice. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 Like - lots. Good choice of subject. Watching with great interest, as usual! Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMC Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 Well on your way. I think you might make it. Dennis 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torbjorn Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 Hopefully you will manage bring out the aestethics from Blackburn’s ugliness. I’m a fan quirky designs, so will definitely follow. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandsaw Steve Posted November 14, 2019 Share Posted November 14, 2019 Have only just found this hidden down here in the group builds. Extraordinarily challenging subject. I’m struggling with my ‘one of everything’ Avro 504 and you’re setting out to tackle this thing - and with a looming deadline! Will be watching with interest. 👀 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrlx Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 Great start, with your usual precision and cleanliness! Cheers Jaime 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnson Posted November 16, 2019 Share Posted November 16, 2019 Glad I found this, I am in awe. Looking forward to following! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted November 17, 2019 Share Posted November 17, 2019 I am totally unfamiliar with this type, but that's almost irrelevant as it's a Phoenix build, so I'm in! Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pheonix Posted November 17, 2019 Author Share Posted November 17, 2019 Evening All, Many thanks to all who have left encouraging remarks - they are always appreciated when scratch building! Ian: until I was introduced to this by Softscience I too was unaware of this type. I have been given a copy of the pages of the Blackburn aircraft book that refer to this type and will provide some more details later, but it was a little bizarre even by WW1 standards!! The floats have been assembled and completed. These were two pairs (remember two of nearly everything....) front and rear. The rear pair are rather small and were made from 20 thou card rather than 30 thou. All needed a little filler around the edges but this will not show when they are painted. I am making the fuselages one at a time to show the construction method and parts. The sides are 30 thou card cut to shape from the plans with a section cut and curved to fit over the lower wing. I added some basic framework and a floor, seat and for the left (pilot's) side a seat and control column and IP. Card was used to make a series of bulkheads so that the sides could be cemented together: here is the partly assembled fuselage on the lower wing making sure that the fuselage/wing joint is not too uneven and the fuselage is the correct width: A top and bottom surface was added. Then I started to cut and assemble the observer's side which will just have a seat - I am not adding the fire extinguisher, (more of that later), as it cannot be seen and I am not sure what one would have looked like anyway! The curved upper decking of the fuselage was push-moulded from 30 thou card. This mould was made a little too long so that I could also cut out the curved fairings which were fixed to the front of the fuselage behind the circular engine cowling. The mould was a single long piece which I cut to length and filed the rear end so that it slopes correctly behind the cockpit opening. The front end of the fuselage was blocked off with card to make a firewall. Liberal amounts of filler were used to complete the rear of the upper part of the fuselage and fill the odd gap between the curved upper decking and sides. Finally the curved pieces which fit behind the engine cowling were cemented in place and more filler and sanding took place. Here is the completed pilot's fuselage and the semi-complete observer's. I also tried to mould some engine cowlings but after several attempts decided that I had not got the time to keep making awful units and so I dived into the spares box and found the last two which would be suitable: More to come later. Thanks for looking. P 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted November 17, 2019 Share Posted November 17, 2019 (edited) Just read my copy of Putnams Blackburn book and see what you mean about the fire extinguisher - ruddy dangerous! Pity the Smith engine was a flop - it might just have made a decent Zep interceptor. Going nicely and should look interesting when finished. Pete Edited November 17, 2019 by PeterB 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMC Posted November 17, 2019 Share Posted November 17, 2019 Looking good, and not wasting any time either. Dennis 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnson Posted November 17, 2019 Share Posted November 17, 2019 Beautiful work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted November 18, 2019 Share Posted November 18, 2019 Great work Mr P, you make it look so simple. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torbjorn Posted November 18, 2019 Share Posted November 18, 2019 Neat. What kind of filler are you using? It looks nice and smooth, whereas the stuff I use gets so hard the soft plasticard just smelts away when I start sanding. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pheonix Posted November 18, 2019 Author Share Posted November 18, 2019 9 hours ago, Torbjorn said: Neat. What kind of filler are you using? It looks nice and smooth, whereas the stuff I use gets so hard the soft plasticard just smelts away when I start sanding. I use Humbrol model filler - it sets well and has enough plasticity to be able to work it well. I have used the same tube for years and it is now running out but I have a new tube in stock! P 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torbjorn Posted November 18, 2019 Share Posted November 18, 2019 1 hour ago, pheonix said: I use Humbrol model filler - it sets well and has enough plasticity to be able to work it well. I have used the same tube for years and it is now running out but I have a new tube in stock! P Will try, can’t have too much tools anyhow. But: ”We are sorry but we cannot post 'Adhesives, glues and fillers (surface)' to your selected delivery country” Hmmf, I guess I have to take a trip to the UK soon. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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