Revell 1/72nd scale Walrus, Flotille 53S Aeronavale, Hourtin, France, 1948...

[Andwil]

I like what you’re doing with the wing fold.  It’s going to be tricky keeping the wings all lined up and rigid though.

 

AW

 

[John Masters]

6 hours ago, Andwil said:

It’s going to be tricky keeping the wings all lined up and rigid though.

Thanks AW...Aha...you see..I have a little plan, a little scheme. 😉 I will build the folded wings and rig them separate from the model and then attach them to the fuselage.  The nice thing about rigging with monofilament is that it actually adds structural integrity to the model, just like the real thing.  That's the idea anyway.

Edited April 4, 2020 by John D.C. Masters

[John Masters]

As you can see, I have made some progress on the Walrus and I think I am ready for a second round of primer touch-up.  

 

The engine nacelle was a bit of a chore.  I ended up breaking off two of the legs (accidentally) trying to twist the thing into the correct angle.  Ultimately it worked, and re-attaching the broken supports was not a bother.  I suggest this to be the correct way to attach this component.  

 

The lower port wing is on, the outrigger floats are on, the observer's hatch has been masked (with sides) and the cockpit canopy is masked.  The latter I will re-mask as I did it late at night and hurriedly.  The photo clearly shows that.  I can do better.  

 

Also, the landing gear is all on.  It all seems a bit flimsy and I will follow the online advice of other modellers and add the little support strut that makes the gear a three-point attachment.

 

 

 

 

 

Primer awaits!  Then I will give it some Dull Aluminum.  

-John

 

 

 

 

[mackem01]

Wow great start. I had thought about folding the wings on mine but I bottled it🐓🐓Yours looks great though.

[John Masters]

54 minutes ago, mackem01 said:

Yours looks great though.

Thanks mac.  We shall see.  Still pondering how to stick them on, though.  It'll come to me eventually.  Necessity...and all that...

[John Masters]

Almost everything is primed.  I keep on forgetting the wheels and the struts I have not used.   Getting close to Aluminum Dope time...

 

 

 

[John Masters]

Ha...stupid me...after all that work I neglected to mask the side windows.  They have now been primed.  I think what I will do is one of two choices...

1) Paint it, and when finished, poke the windows out, creating an open space, or...

2) after poking them out, replace them with two more pieces of clear plastic.

 

Probably #2.  

 

Duh.

[John Masters]

The French Aluminum Dope is on.  MisterKit...works great!

 

I think I will take some aluminum and a hairy brush and go around and re-paint some areas since they were probably a different material.  The outrigger floats for one and the engine nacelle.

 

 

--John

 

 

[John Masters]

The rigging began this afternoon and I have completed the larger sections, i.e. the sections that utilized monofilament.  In this case I used .008 mm test...

 

 

I also used a technique I don't always adopt.  I call it the 'shoe lace technique.'  Holes are drilled at the vase of the struts and the line is run in sections through the struts.  It only really works in models with larger strut sections.  I wold not, for example, use this on a 1/72 scale Nieuport or Sopwith camel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The remainder of the rigging--support fo the engine nacelle and the outrigger pontoons--will be stretched sprue.  I will probably decal the kit first and give it a bit of varnish.

 

In regards to the swing wing...brass rod as a 'hinge'.  That's my idea so far.

 

--John

[rob85]

Looking fantastic, and nice work with that rigging! I just tried it for the first time in the Nordic GB and it nearly drove me to a breakdown.

 

love that wing fold.

 

Rob

[John Masters]

19 minutes ago, rob85 said:

love that wing fold.

We shall see!  I love it too, for now.  I have to make sure that when I attach the wing it is really secure.

That's why I think brass rod might be the solution.

 

[Joe M]

Hi John,

Its looking very good. I like the work on the 'swing' wings. Very nicely done.

Re replacing the windows, I've used Micro Kristal Klear and it works pretty well.

Cheers

Joe M

Stick & String Rule O.K.

 

[John Masters]

5 hours ago, Joe M said:

I've used Micro Kristal Klear and it works pretty well.

Thanks Joe.  I don't have any of that so I will probably cut-to-fit some plastic packaging scrap and carefully insert the new 'glass' into the frames.

[John Masters]

Decals are on!  Next step...the varnish and the final bits of rigging (nacelle support and outriggers), weathering...then attaching the unlocked wing.  Plenty of work to do yet.

 

 

 

--John

[MarkSH]

A really smashing build John, love the extra detail and your rigging is as always top notch.

[John Masters]

1 hour ago, MarkSH said:

A really smashing build John

Ha!  Thank you...The irony of the words....It was bound to happen sometime.  The wing set-up was flimsy and it just needed the wrong bit of pressure at the right place...crunch.  I have already repaired it but I think I will use sprue to rig it this time.  The holes in the struts compromised the structure.

 

--John

[MarkSH]

Oh dear, sorry John. I shall re-check my Simplified Technical English dictionary and in future avoid the use of verbs as nouns, what I meant to say, of course was what a really excellent build John 😳.

[John Masters]

It could have been worse!  It'll be alright.  Thanks for the sympathy.

[Andwil]

I was afraid something like that might happen, hope you can get it repaired.

 

AW

[John Masters]

4 hours ago, Andwil said:

hope you can get it repaired.

Thanks AW.  Yes...few parts, easily fixed.  Once I have it attached to the fuselage it will be strong but as of now it is still fragile.

[John Masters]

I am calling this one finished and onto the shelf it goes.   Not my finest build, but worth it in the end if only to say, "I have built one of those."  The necessity fo the folded wing is apparent in this image, nestled as it is below Murphy's Duck...the rest are in the gallery...

 

 

--John

 

 

[CliffB]

Excellent John.  Congratulations!

 

Cheers

[John Masters]

Thanks Cliff.

[Alan P]

Great work, it's a lovely job and effective 11th hour repair work on the wing. 

 

Well done 👏👏👏

[Andwil]

Nice Walrus John.  Although personally not a fan of half folded aircraft (they offend my sense of order and symmetry) I understand your reason for it and appreciate the achievement of building that seperate biplane wing.

 

AW