Double Deckers - over 40, but life is just beginning!

[Heather Kay]

 STOP!
 

If you’re looking for buses, I’m afraid this is the wrong thread for you. If you like multi-winged flying things, read on. 
 

I am a little bashful at proposing a group build, partly because as a proposer I will be expected to host the thing if it gets through the ritual bunfight. Let me, nonetheless, set out my stall.

 

Since I joined Britmodeller, I’ve noticed a few of us show some reticence where models of aeroplanes with more than one set of wings are concerned. Rigging seems to put people off, perhaps understandably. However, like many of you, I find I do have several biplane kits in my stash - 10 at the present time, ranging from a humble Tiger Moth to a Supermarine Stranraer - and they need to be built. I intend to rig them, too, or end up in the loony bin trying!

 

Now, the thought of rigging doesn’t particularly worry me. Getting upper wings installed so everything’s all aligned, though, is another matter. Part of the GB's remit, then, could be to help those of us who do find the idea of multi-winged machines a little daunting. What better way to show techniques for jig-building to keep wings aligned, and to show different rigging methods, for example? 

 

There we are. That’s my proposal for a group build specialising in bi-, tri- and any other number as long as it’s more than one winged aircraft. What do you think? Up for it? Add your name and we'll see if this idea has - ho-ho! - wings!

 

1. Heather Kay
2. Tony W
3. Wez
4. Corsairfoxfouruncle
5. Arniec
6. Faraway
7. zebra
8. HockeyBoy76
9. Black Knight
10. nimrod54
11. modelling minion
12. Cookenbacher 
13. Col.
14. Torbjorn
15. dn142
16. Jockney
17. CliffB
18. Ted
19. Robert Stuart
20. exdraken
21. Jack G
22. klr
23. John D.C. Masters
24. Paul Bradley
25. Dandie Dinmont
26. gingerbob
27. stevehed
28. Ray S
29. Bonhoff
30. Erwin
31. Jonners
32. DaveyGair
33. grufsnik
34. alt-92
35. AdrianMF
36. Greg Law
37. Grandboof
38. Jur
39. TonyOD
40. CYA
41. almac
42. halfwit
43. fightersweep
44. bigbadbadge
45. diablo rsv
46. Mr T
47. Marklo
48.  

 

Well done everyone, and thanks for signing up to get my little idea to the magic threshold. There’s still room for more, but we can relax a bit now and wait for the big bunfight in November. 

 

[TonyW]

Count me in, it's time I confronted my Riggerphobia.

 

Tony.

Edited December 30, 2019 by TonyW

[Wez]

Go on then, I've got plenty in the stash which need attention, count me in!

[Heather Kay]

Welcome aboard, chaps. 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Ive got a few Heather... Add me to the list. Though i may chicken out on the rigging. Like you I may have a hard enough time just getting the wings aligned correctly. 
 

Dennis

[Arniec]

I am in as well. I have got a few in the stash.

 

Cheers,

[Heather Kay]

3 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Ive got a few Heather... Add me to the list. Though i may chicken out on the rigging. Like you I may have a hard enough time just getting the wings aligned correctly.

Ah, go Dennis. I hope we can show how rigging isn’t as hard as people make it look. Besides, I’m currently thinking about a secret weapon which might help us.

1 minute ago, Arniec said:

I am in as well. I have got a few in the stash.

You are very welcome!

[Faraway]

As I’m soon to start a Wingnut Wings Sopwith Camel, I think I’ll need all the help I can get.

Count me in.

Jon

[Heather Kay]

Good to have you along, Jon!

[Faraway]

1 minute ago, Heather Kay said:

Good to have you along, Jon!

Just hope my skill level is up to this rigging challenge.

[Heather Kay]

Just now, Faraway said:

Just hope my skill level is up to this rigging challenge.

That’s partly why I wanted to start this as GB. Learning as we go. 👍

[Faraway]

1 hour ago, Heather Kay said:

That’s partly why I wanted to start this as GB. Learning as we go. 👍

Never done this before, so a bit unsure as to the procedure.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

3 hours ago, Faraway said:

Never done this before, so a bit unsure as to the procedure.

What do you want to know I’ll be happy to answer your questions ? 
 

Dennis

[Faraway]

5 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

What do you want to know I’ll be happy to answer your questions ? 
 

Dennis

I’m guessing we share our successes and failures ?

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

8 minutes ago, Faraway said:

I’m guessing we share our successes and failures ?

Yes but its also more like friendly party, there is no absolute in a group build. If you finish great, if not it doesn't matter. Just so long as you have fun doing the work. There is often friendly banter, some joking (nothing to serious), friendly advice, and camaraderie if the model goes blewie and winds up in a bin. Other than that its all about the fun and seeing what you can get done in 4 months(3 months for a single type build). At the end anything in the Gallery gets voted as to most popular build completed. Sometimes there is a prize, more often not. 
      There are group builds covering just about any subject. If you don't find one that fits the bill, you or anyone can propose one. Ive proposed 7-8 myself and have hosted a few that got through to a build. I have a few more coming up over the next year. 

Dennis

[Faraway]

9 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Yes but its also more like friendly party, there is no absolute in a group build. If you finish great, if not it doesn't matter. Just so long as you have fun doing the work. There is often friendly banter, some joking (nothing to serious), friendly advice, and camaraderie if the model goes blewie and winds up in a bin. Other than that its all about the fun and seeing what you can get done in 4 months(3 months for a single type build). At the end anything in the Gallery gets voted as to most popular build completed. Sometimes there is a prize, more often not. 
      There are group builds covering just about any subject. If you don't find one that fits the bill, you or anyone can propose one. Ive proposed 7-8 myself and have hosted a few that got through to a build. I have a few more coming up over the next year. 

Dennis

As I thought, sounds fun. Not ready to start my Camel just yet, but shouldn’t be too long, then I’ll have to find a way to post photos.

[Heather Kay]

49 minutes ago, Faraway said:

As I thought, sounds fun. Not ready to start my Camel just yet, but shouldn’t be too long, then I’ll have to find a way to post photos.

Ah, now don’t get too enthusiastic. There’s a process to undergo before we can start building.

 

I’ve proposed a group build. Now we have to get thirty like-minded nutters to sign up. Pass that milestone, we get into a voting bunfight with all the other proposed GBs. If we get through that, and are assigned a date, we might be lucky to start the build some time in 2021.

 

Mind you, there’s nothing to stop you starting a build in the usual places in the forum. Much of what Dennis said still pertains, just without the time limit and mild sense of competition.

[Faraway]

11 minutes ago, Heather Kay said:

Ah, now don’t get too enthusiastic. There’s a process to undergo before we can start building.

 

I’ve proposed a group build. Now we have to get thirty like-minded nutters to sign up. Pass that milestone, we get into a voting bunfight with all the other proposed GBs. If we get through that, and are assigned a date, we might be lucky to start the build some time in 2021.

 

Mind you, there’s nothing to stop you starting a build in the usual places in the forum. Much of what Dennis said still pertains, just without the time limit and mild sense of competition.

Ah, ok. I’ll watch and wait.👍👍👍

[zebra]

Count me in Heather. I've got a Stranraer, an Airfix Walrus and a Silver Wings Hart in the stash. Fear of rigging is putting me off all of them!

[Wez]

8 minutes ago, zebra said:

Count me in Heather. I've got a Stranraer, an Airfix Walrus and a Silver Wings Hart in the stash. Fear of rigging is putting me off all of them!

That's the spirit!

[Heather Kay]

25 minutes ago, zebra said:

Fear of rigging is putting me off all of them!

Well done! That’s what I want this GB to be about.

[Faraway]

42 minutes ago, zebra said:

Count me in Heather. I've got a Stranraer, an Airfix Walrus and a Silver Wings Hart in the stash. Fear of rigging is putting me off all of them!

Have a look at this thread on WW1 aircraft, I’ve had some fascinating replies. Sopwith Camel rigging question

[Pin]

Well, I find the suggested name misleading. Biplanes are by no means double deckers, they are biplanes. Double deckers (besides Roadmasters, of course) are planes with two decks, like A-380, Breguet Deux Ponts, Latecoere 523 etc., not with two wings. So when I opened this topic I had Deux Ponds in mind that is apparently not a subject of this GB.

 

19 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

Heather Kay

I suggest you reconsider the title. Biplanes, IMO, could attract more people (myself included) than double deckers. 

[Heather Kay]

1 hour ago, Pin said:

Well, I find the suggested name misleading.

 

I thought it would be a fun title, but I see that doesn’t fit with everyone. I will think about it, and see if I can come up with something humorous, but technically correct. 

 

Now, while I intend the GB to be chiefly about encouraging folk to overcome rigging phobias, I don’t want it to be compulsory. We model for fun, after all, and you don’t need to tell me about some aspects of making models becoming a real chore. I am not going to object to models being built that won’t have bits of string holding them together.

Now, where did I put my thinking cap? 
 

(A short while later...)

 

Stringbags, and other animals? Nope. Type specific.

 

Give me wings, lots of wings? No, too obscure.

 

Stack 'em high? It’s not a shelfstackers' convention.

 

Vier, Drew, Zwei - nicht Eins? Um, huh?

 

Fokker felt naming their triplane a Dreidecker good enough, so the original title remains. All complaints will be forwarded to the relevant department and filed accordingly.  

 

Edited December 31, 2019 by Heather Kay

[Pin]

Ironically, if you named it "doppeldecker" I would think of biplanes.