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Pegasus Albatros W4, another refugee from 2018/2019...


John Masters

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Somewhere along the line I planned this one for the Maritime Patrol/Coastal Command GB.  I missed that window and then figured I'd get it into one of the Floatplane events.  No dice.  So it languished upon the shelf...until now!  Yay!  I'll admit to have already built this kit back in the early Naughts.  It was a good build with few bumps.  I am a better modeller today so let's see how I can complicate things, shall we?

 

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Basic Pegasus instruction sheet...exploded view and measurements for the struts, colour table, et al...

 

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The decals look like the might be a bit dry.  I will have to handle them with care.

 

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And what was in the bag...good looking plastic with moderate detail.

 

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OK.  Time to clean off the bench!

 

--John

 

 

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8 hours ago, Shorty84 said:

your trials and tribulations

I've built this before.  It's not so terrible.  But I think I am a better modeller than I used to be, so that could be a problem! 😉

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I have given most of the parts another layer of paint.  In the cases below, Humbrol rattle can Desert Tan.  It'll make a good undercoat for both the MisterKit WW1 German CDL as well as the first layer for any wood effects--propeller, cockpit and fuselage interior sides.  I'll use it for the exterior as well once I have the fuselage halves together.

 

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Here's the MisterKit German WW1 CDL.  This paint is pretty much indestructible.  I just added some airbrush cleaner and it came together like cream.  

 

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The engine and radiator vents have been given a coat of rattle can aluminum.  With these white metal pieces, I really like a paint that sticks.  Acrylics tend to be problematic.

 

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I have assembled the floats and although the undersides look ok, the topside of each will need some reworking.  I will probably sand down the tops as much as I can and re-cover them with thin plastic card.  I can easily fill any gaps, straighten edges, etc...plus, I can add those little cap things (what are they called please?  Some kind of ballast filler cap?) which are well out of whack in the moulds.  In the image below you can clearly see how crisp the edges are on the pontoons and how little the caps are.

 

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Here are the kit pieces...

 

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I have my work cut out with them.  In looking at this kit, I would like it to be really nice, so I think I will put the Walrus aside for a bit (In the Navy GB) and concentrate on this little thing.

 

--John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hmmm...not as difficult as I thought.  I sanded down the tops of the floats and remembered to make where the ballast filler caps would go.   I will skip the new layer of plastic card.

 

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I used a small punch to make new caps.

 

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And glued them on to the tops of the pontoons.  They look a big snaggley right now and are certainly too high profile.  Tomorrow when they are all set up and secure I will sand down the tops of the pontoons again until the caps are almost flush.

 

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--John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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10 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

really looking forward to seeing this one being built.

Thanks Pat.  As of this morning...

 

I have carefully sanded down the filler caps by gently, without undue pressure, running the top of the pontoon along the length of a flat sanding stick.  Then I tidied them up with a flat file, if they needed it.

 

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And after priming...

 

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Much better.  

--John

 

 

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I stayed inside yesterday and, as a result, progressed a fair amount.  I also re-built my paint rack.  It was falling apart.  More wood glue, a bit of hammering, yammering and blue language...success!

 

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OK.  The W4...

 

Interior of the fuselage.  I had to file down the area where the motor was to go about 2mm so it would sit more back towards the cockpit.  I also separated the cockpit floor/engine mount section to make it easier to assemble these parts.  I gave each a bit of dark wood colour over the tan, then a smidgeon of Clear Yellow.

 

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Before I assembled the fuselage halves I did some test fitting of the Spandaus and also a look-see of the underside where the wing will go.  Trimming and filing will be required.

 

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Next...

 

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While that sets up I have cut all of the struts to size based on the instruction sheet.  I have only used the supplied Contrail strut material for the interplane struts.  All the rest are Evergreen rod. T = tail; I = interplane; F = Front brace (pontoon); C = center brace; R = rear brace.

 

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When the fuselage was dry I examined the needed surgery...you see where I have to trim?  I have already taken care of the other side.

 

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It looked good and the wing fit fine but there was a substantial gap in the rear.  I used some plastic strip to fill that.  It will still need putty.

 

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Looks alright.  I still have to work on the placement of the Spandaus.

 

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This is what I will use for the Grey/Green metal parts and the pontoons...

 

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Now I am off to the shops.  Greece is under full, nationwide, lockdown as of this morning.  I have to carry all of my ID with me and also have the proper paperwork to say where I am going, for what purpose and for how long I will be out of the house.  I can do this via SMS.  It is the first day of this routine and I hope that the police will be easy on people who make mistakes.  I imagine they will be outside the markets, the post, etc...but there are only 8-9 officers on the island.  Best to be prepared.  It's 150€ fine if I don't have the right stuff.

 

--John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Some minor surgery on the area where the Spandaus sit.  I'm not really happy with the guns but I also don't feel like futzing about with plastic card and...ok, dammit...I'll cover it all up with plastic card and use a better pair of Spandaus from the spares box!  Boy, you guys are tough!

 

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Yes...I can do better than these guns.

 

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I have masked the areas that will be painted Grey/Green.  Ready for a tan undercoat...

 

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And the rattle can Desert Yellow goes on.  This must dry for at least 24 hours before I add any darker pigment for the varnished spruce effect.

 

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--John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Good decision to replace the "gun-shaped" objects from the kit . I guess they would have bothered you if you left them as is (I know it would have bothered me).

12 hours ago, John D.C. Masters said:

Greece is under full, nationwide, lockdown as of this morning.  I have to carry all of my ID with me and also have the proper paperwork to say where I am going, for what purpose and for how long I will be out of the house.

At least we can go outside without such paperwork (for now) although they already recommend to have a written confirmation from your employer if you need to go into the office. But aslong you distance yourself enough from others and are going alone (or with people you live together) you can move quite freely and even make sports outside.

 

Cheers

Markus

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56 minutes ago, Shorty84 said:

you can move quite freely and even make sports outside.

Yes...we can do all of that too but it is all listed 1-6, 1 being the pharmacy or medical, 2 shopping or post, etc...6 is exercise.  Let's see how long it goes on for.

 

 

 

 

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I have filled in the gap with plastic card.  As of now it looks a bit shabby, but once the guns and ammo chutes are on, you won't notice it.

 

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Speaking of guns...my last two Aeroclub Spandaus.  I bought these way back in 2005-2006, along wth a few other things.  I might use them, or I might see if I have some Roden Spandaus from a Fokker.  They are better moulded and I can attach them more easily since they are plastic a weigh less.

 

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--John

 

 

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The 'wood' stain is on.  I let this dry them applied some spray clear matte.  Why?  Because the stain can run when in contact with the Clear Yellow.

 

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As you can see the Clear Yellow varnish is on.  Looks good.  Atest fit wththe lower wing revealed some annoying gaps.  I will use shims to fill those in, not putty.

 

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Shims in place.  I'll file those down.  They are too thick at the moment.

 

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And a test fit with the wing revealed this...the starboard side is the same.  I think it worked!  Notice the pice of white plastic where the guns will go?  More will be revealed...

 

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--John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Spandaus from Roden...really nicely detailed.  

 

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I have placed them on the support using a bit of sticky tack just to see...

 

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I will file the support so it also replicates the ammo chutes...

 

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--John

 

 

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Time for a little CDL...

 

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And afterwards...

 

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I assembled this bit yesterday...

 

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Spandaus, exhaust pipe, engine painted, air coolers attached...

 

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and the port aspect...

 

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Now...the time has come.  I will drill tonight.  Rigging an Albatros D.II (which is what this really is) is not difficult, but there are a few rigging lines that I will have to research to get right.

 

--John

 

 

 

 

 

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Trolley wheels...As I am posting this I have just figured out a better way to make these so they don't end up so wobbly...anyway, such is the learning curve.

 

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Four wobbly wheels.  he next ones will be better.  No...don't tell me...let me figure it out...I'll document it...

 

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Lower wing is on; stabilizer and rudder are on; rigging holes are drilled...Phew!  I'll spend some time building trolley wheels and slow down bit!  Using a drill bit, I have removed the paint from the connection points for the struts.

 

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--John

 

 

 

 

 

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Cabane struts are on.  They are white metal and needed some subtle adjusting to make them fit, figure out which side is which and then make sure they are straight on top.  

 

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With the top wing attached I will let this sit for a bit.  I test fitted the interplane struts and, sure enough, they are not all the same.  Most are off about fraction of a millimetre or so. Bummer.  I'll have to re-cut at least two and size-to-fit.

 

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And the trolley, part 2.  Completely fictional.  I'll try to make it look well-used.  Can you see where I am going with this?

 

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--John

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Caution:  Trolley design and building in progress!

 

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And this is what it looks like.  It's actually several pieces.  I haven't primed it yet.  I'll make it look as if it has been sitting next to the sea for a while.

 

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As you see, it will fit the pontoons in either direction.  

 

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--John

 

 

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The interplane struts are on.  Undercarriage is next!

 

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Part of the trolly.  I scratched up the plastic with a scribing tool to replicate some wood grain, then softly sanded it down.  I also drilled little dents to simulate the connecting pints for the rest of the trolley.  

 

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I painted the 'wood' a desert tan, then added some wood colour--more natural than dark--, then matte finish.  Then added the oil pin washes to fill in the cracks.

 

With the tongue attached.   Everything all painted a dark steel.  The wheels, by the way, are from a 1/72nd scale caisson I have cannabalized.  The little wheel in front is scratched from plastic card--4 layers and a flat strip around the circumference.  

 

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All it's waiting for now is rust!

 

--John

 

 

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