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Bristol Scout 1/32 first scratch build attempt


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I was reading about early attempts at invisibility and apparently a number of WWI aircraft manufacturers experimented with cellulose type coverings with at least three ‘transparent’ Foxxer Eindekkers being built and tested and at least one Albatros two seater with transparent wings. 


ec36fc50-d888-48a4-88a1-125a87343341.jpeThis is the book in question, interesting stuff but like a lot of luft 46 needs to be taken with a small punch of salt.

 

0bc5aaa3-4034-40f8-b635-87b868ce1007.jpeNo definitely real. Would be quite a project even in 1/32.

Edited by Marklo
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Just a little update, it was a rare sunny day so I sat in the garden and whittled a prop from laminated veneers, the prop on Scout 1264 is a thing of beauty.

 

50084389882_e6dd5abe44_z.jpgBristol Scout 1264 by Richard Williams, on Flickr

 

After pretty much the whole day spent whittling, filing and generally faffing about I ended up with this:

 

51317657793_3d1e239456_z.jpgBristol Scout Prop by Richard Williams, on Flickr

 


The blades look different lengths in the photo but I have measured them to be within 1mm of each other, I must have been stood slightly to one side when I took it. There is something off with the symmetry though and I just couldn't work out what it was. It's good enough though and I will be using this one. I didn't scratch the prop boss, that is a resin one from Alex at Proper Plane. His hand carved props are astonishingly beautiful, well worth looking at if you are into WW1 aircraft.


As my cricket match is cancelled due to Covid tomorrow will be a day of drilling holes for rigging, mounting the Lewis gun and maybe the top wing if it finally decides to plays nicely. 

Richie

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On 17/07/2021 at 21:57, bigbadbadge said:

Great prop work Richie, now that's a great skill there.   I can see what you mean but will look great at an angle on the model fella. Good luck with the rigging prep and top wing tomorrow. 

Cracking work 

Chris

Thanks as always Chris, prop carving is great fun. In the absence of anything better to do I spent the lockdown last Summer whittling away in the back garden and made quite a few. It's actually not quite as hard as I thought it would be but I am a long way from being a master of the art!

 


Another little milestone reached, the undercarriage is all on and rigged. The wheels are from a Fokker Eindekker that went to the place unwanted models go to die.

 The cowling, side panels and engine are all glued in place, it's not quite the Tamiya style fit I hoped for but it'll do. I am not going to attempt a rescue as I would quite like to finish this project one day!
Hopefully it won't be a monoplane for much longer but the thought of drilling all those rigging holes in my stifling man cave is not very appealing at the moment.

51322137446_5ba09f93dd_z.jpgUndercarriage done and rigged. by Richard Williams, on Flickr

Many thanks for reading, stay well everybody!

Richie

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Wicked , it looks fantastic to me and although Tamiya kits are very nice shake and bake kits, you should be rightfully proud of your achievements with this model and the fact you are scratching this it makes it better than any manufactured kit.  Really greatwork and great to see on it's own wheels and look far better than they would on one of those little Fokkers!!!

Chris

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Thanks Chris, I am actually really chuffed with how it's turning out and it's been a heck of a lot of fun so far. 

 

LOL, the wheels certainly do look a lot better on this than the Fokker. It had the most comical wing droop that I couldn't fix so had to be put quietly to sleep. ;)

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5 minutes ago, RichieW said:

Thanks Chris, I am actually really chuffed with how it's turning out and it's been a heck of a lot of fun so far. 

 

LOL, the wheels certainly do look a lot better on this than the Fokker. It had the most comical wing droop that I couldn't fix so had to be put quietly to sleep. ;)

It was the most humane thing to do, although a crash diorama perhaps???

Chris

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8 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said:

Oh crikey, they certainly are expensive now!!!

Ridiculous prices on eBay now, I'm almost tempted to sell my stash but I reckon they'll be a welcome retirement project. 

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15 minutes ago, RichieW said:

Ridiculous prices on eBay now, I'm almost tempted to sell my stash but I reckon they'll be a welcome retirement project. 

Yes keep them although you can build what ever you want now!!!

I have one a DH2 and they have gone mad , saw one for around 270 quid, good grief I want to build it though so not going to sell mine, will build it one day!!!

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1 hour ago, bigbadbadge said:

have one a DH2 and they have gone mad , saw one for around 270 quid,

I have the DH2 too, it really looks like one to savour. No kit is worth 270 quid though, that's just plain (plane) crazy! I think I paid £75 for mine and thought it was expensive at that price. It does come with a neat little Lanoe Hawker figure but I fancy standing him by the next Bristol Scout I build. He won his VC on the type so probably a better subject. 

 

Richie

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Cheers Hendie, it's getting more Scouty by the day. I've surprised myself by getting this far, might just as well crack on and finish it now!

 

Richie

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Time has been in short supply this week but I managed to take a small step forward that has been holding me up. The Lewis gun arrived from Gaspatch and very lovely it is too. I made the mount from styrene channel, brass wire, miniature hex nuts and bits of left over photo etch fret. Brass pins are used to help form a stronger bond to the fuselage and the gun which is just dry fitted here.

51330459146_fcf3c80bbc_z.jpgLewis gun practice fit. by Richard Williams, on Flickr

 Sorry for the rubbish photo, the worst thing about it is that is shows I have managed to remove the latches and hinges from the access hatch. Ho hum at least it's Friday and therefor Rum O'clock

Richie

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Thanks Chris,  I was quite worried about making the gun mounts but Evergreen came to the rescue, not for the first time. Their product range is superb!

 

Richie

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20 minutes ago, RichieW said:

Thanks Chris,  I was quite worried about making the gun mounts but Evergreen came to the rescue, not for the first time. Their product range is superb!

 

Richie

 

You have no need to worry at all fella after making the majority if a Bristol Scout by scratchbuilding it, an amazing achievement and a cracking model so far.  The evergreen  rods, struts are excellent have used many times too, in my models and railways too. 

Great work 

Chris 

 

 

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The Battle of the Top Wing is over, the Battle of the Rigging is about to begin. Well it's actually begun but that wouldn't have helped to channel my inner Churchill. I will be needing plenty of his kind of determination to get this finished, the Battle of the Top Wing was not a victory for me, more of a strategic withdrawal to preserve what remains of my mojo. Things got really ugly and I have decided to just plod on and get it finished even if it looks a bit on the warty side. 

51345786878_834466a7ea_z.jpg20210730_180251 by Richard Williams, on Flickr

Have a great weekend everybody
Richie

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Keep going mate! Keep going! 👍

 

You are now at the point where:

- you have been working on this for a long time.

- the fast & fun stage at the beginning, where big shapes are made quickly and ‘something is coming from nothing’ is long over.

- you can see almost exactly what the final result will look like and so your curiosity  is mostly sated.

- there are still a few challenging and fiddly steps to go. (Rigging being the main one).

- each time you do one job you damage something else.

- you can see dozens of faults in the model (that no-one else notices)

- you are thinking more about the next project than the current one

 

So, as you point out above, now it’s more about determination and bloody mindedness than skill.


Just keep going mate. Keep going! 👍

 

 

 

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Thanks so much Chris and Bandsaw  Steve. I was feeling a little glum about it yesterday but you have cheered me up no end!

 

Steve, you are absolutely spot on mate. You've hit the nai squarely on the head with all of those points. You are either telepathic or a very experienced scratch builder or both! ;)

 

Head down and plod on it is then! 

 

Richie

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Just a quick little update, the main rigging is all done although looking at the photo I just noticed that the rigging on the undercarriage has mostly pinged off. Many little touch ups will be needed but it is so nearly finished. I am so glad I didn't succumb to the temptation to test its resistance to hammer blows last week. I have a new golden rule, NEVER go to the workbench whilst feeling miserable!

51350825496_67f71056fc_z.jpgRigging by Richard Williams, on Flickr

Many thanks lovely people for all your encouragement, this one would be in the rubbish bin by now without you.

Best wishes
Richie

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I have to state (again) that for a first time scratch build, this is just phenomenal, it really is.

THAT, right there is something that anyone would be proud to display. I know I would.

 

 

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