Friedrichshafen F.F.49c, a civil cabin conversion based on the 1/72nd Sierra Models vacuform kit.

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

 

Hear ye, hear ye, modelers! Abandon a life of reprehensible modeling sloth! Regain your uselessly spent energy while tempering mind and body! Why build despicable kits that fit with no effort, debilitating spirit, muscles, brain and will? Why just put measly, perfectly formed parts together, with the only help of glue, avoiding the joys of a good challenge, and remaining deaf to the call of the wild modeling nature? Wake up, BM modelers, to a true modeling life!

Do as @general melchett did! he eventually developed such eyelid musculature, that he was able to keep his eyes opened for minutes at the time!

Imitate @Space Ranger, he once sanded a kit, and now the Space Ladies follow him everywhere!

 

After many years of cracking their respective skulls, sink their economies, and lose a hefty percentage of their citizens -leaving orphans and widows galore as side-effect-, the WWI belligerent countries apparently came to the unexpected conclusion that perhaps using planes as passenger, mail and goods transport was somehow a better idea. Go figure! Thus, many planes were converted to civil use, with greater or lesser success, many times by the simple expedient of slapping a cabin atop the fuselage to give some protection for the no doubt very impressed, but perhaps a  bit startled passengers. I have done and posted here quite a few of them, as there is no better use for a weapon than to be at the service of peace, preferably not killing anyone in the process of performing said service.

For the purpose, I had acquired yet another vintage 1/72nd vacuformed kit, this time the Sierra Models Friedrichshafen F.F.49c seaplane. It's in line with standard offerings in the same media, also providing a few fairly-cast white metal parts, but no strut material, no decals and an interior that even a Spartan would call Spartan.

There are, surprisingly, several options for a civil machine, and I found without much trouble many images on the Net, among them:

- Tiedemann's N3 (apparently D-222 F.F.49, Jan. 1920) (I had already built another Tidemann's seaplane, a civil conversion of a Hansa W.33:

 

- T-DABA

- DLR W7

 

And according to the Air History registers:

D-41    Friedrichshafen FF.49 DLR                          

D-42    Friedrichshafen FF.49                                    

D-43    Friedrichshafen FF.49                                                

D-44    Friedrichshafen FF.49 DLR Berlin                            

D-45    Friedrichshafen FF.49 DLR >Deutscher Aero Lloyd            , Crashed

D-49    Friedrichshafen FF.49 1365 Deutscher Aero Lloyd >Severa, Canc 11.33

D-71    Friedrichshafen FF.49 v1       

D-85    Friedrichshafen FF.49 1368  Lloyd L.V. Sablatnig >Aero Sport Warnemunde >DVS                    

D-86    Friedrichshafen FF.49 223 Lloyd L.V. Sablatnig >DVS, Destroyed 8.28

D-114  Friedrichshafen FF.49 Sablatnig                               

D-115  Friedrichshafen FF.49 Sablatnig

D-132  LFG V.1 'Max' Used by Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft Stralsund as air taxi                           Rebuilt Friedrichshafen FF 49

D-133  LFG V.2 'Moritz' Used by Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft Stralsund as air taxi                                    Rebuilt Friedrichshafen FF 49

D-134  LFG V.4 'Witwe Bolte' Used by Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft Stralsund as air taxi                          Rebuilt Friedrichshafen FF 49

D-146  Friedrichshafen FF.49 DLR/Berlin >DVS, Canc 07.28

D-377  Friedrichshafen FF.49 DLR (W8) Canc 28.01.20

D-380  Friedrichshafen FF.49 DLR To Denmark 4.20

D-381  Friedrichshafen FF.49 D-381 DLR To Denmark 4.20

 

With so much to chose from, of course what is available as original photos should be considered as reference, not to mention the always daunting and sticky task of discerning the colors of the chosen potential subjects.

Now, to the molds:

 

 

Not bad, but not what one would call sharp definition:

 

Restrained rib detail, correct scalloping:

 

The white metal parts (half will go to the bin, as they pertain to the military version):

 

 

 

 

I have to dig deeper into the references, but I think the civil version, especially the conversions by LFG (V.1 to V.4) had an enlarged vertical tail:

 

[Brandy]

Ooh goody. Another one to watch!

 

Ian

[Space Ranger]

I’ve kicked sand on many a kit in my lifetime. They don’t fight back, unlike other modelers!

[Marklo]

Good, good. I actually think I have a 1/48  one of these in the stash. The W33 is super, makes me remember I have one on the build list; maybe next year. I happen to know I’m getting a book in WWI german seaplanes which includes scale plans for Christmas, so expect a bit of naval action next year ( maybe even civilian versions)

Edited December 18, 2020 by Marklo

[Lightpainter]

Moa did you know they are building a replica FF.49C passenger version in Denmark?

[Killingholme]

Suddenly thinking about The Who's- The Who Sell Out album...

 

plastic aircraft modelling as pop art?

[general melchett]

Quote

Do as general melchett did! he eventually developed such eyelid musculature, that he was able to keep his eyes opened for minutes at the time!

 

I say, steady on there, I'm still building up the stamina required to keep the second eyelid open.

Good choice of subject, looks a pretty reasonable little kit. Totally agree with you regarding needing a challenge, why, I have three Mach 2 marvels on standby as I type this, Charlie Atlas would be proud. (Actually I think I'll just return to the Joystick Bison, by comparison, it's a shake-n-bake).  

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

5 hours ago, Brandy said:

Ooh goody. Another one to watch!

 

Ian

Ian, not sure modeling voyeurism is approved behavior!

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

5 hours ago, Space Ranger said:

I’ve kicked sand on many a kit in my lifetime. They don’t fight back, unlike other modelers!

I retract my hastily-spoken words. Long Live the Space Ranger Corps!

4 hours ago, Marklo said:

( maybe even civilian versions)

We live in hope...

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

4 hours ago, Lightpainter said:

Moa did you know they are building a replica FF.49C passenger version in Denmark?

 

Well, I heard Marcellus said long ago that Something Is Rotten in the State of Denmark, but he may have been referring to other matters.

I shall ask the Space Rangers to investigate. I don't trust those Vikings. They may be building a Draken ship in disguise for all we know. Next thing they are landing on your stretch of shore and plundering your kit stash.

But thanks for the heads up, I shall follow that lead.

 

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

5 hours ago, general melchett said:

Totally agree with you regarding needing a challenge, why, I have three Mach 2 marvels on standby as I type this

Dear General (is that General as opposite to Particular?): THREE Mach 2 kits? You know we have lost many a good man trying to accomplish even TWO Mach 2 kits. The risk is too high, the odds stacked against you in an almost unbearable way (not sure what bears have to do with it but there you go, you never know).

We would hate to lose you, Melchett. I suggest you contact EBay Disposal Command and get rid of those, as discretely as possible, after all we have a name to protect.

 

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

 

I must confess that I find buying the easiest part of the hobby, being building the most difficult part.

 

The usual steps pertaining to vac building are performed; first using a permanent black marker to delineate the outline of the parts, then scoring them a few times with successive careful passes of a new blade, then gently bending back and forth until the parts pop out of the backing sheet:

 

 

 

 

And here a very rough draft only to show what it's to be done later properly, the addition of a new engine back fairing associated with the pilot's windshiled, and then the passenger cabin. The latter varied from 3 to 5 passengers, so one has to be chosen later (here -more or less- is the 3 pax cabin):

 

For the purposes of illustrating the point, and what interesting new things can be obtained from an old kit with just a little bit of effort:

I have followed similar procedures with many other models, among them the Hawa Hannover (Based on the Airfix kit) of 9 years ago:

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235053010-hawa-f3-cabin-conversion-172-airfix/

 

And with the Hansa Brandenburg W.29 (Based on the Toko kit) from the same time ago:

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235050562-hansa-seaplane-modified-172-eastern-express-ex-toko/

 

The Rumpler of not that long ago:

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235052449-rumpler-5a2-limousine-modified-vacuum-formed-joystick-models-172/

 

The LVG "Kabine" (Based on the KP kit):

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235052739-lvg-cvi-kabine-passenger-conversion-172/

 

and the Bristol tourer/coupe (Based on the old Airfix kit):

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235056966-bristol-tourer-coupe-conversion-airfix-172nd/

 

[Vesa Jussila]

Nice subject. I am waiting what will come out. I assume something spectacular.

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

1 hour ago, Vesa Jussila said:

Nice subject. I am waiting what will come out. I assume something spectacular.

 

You are indeed very kind. And very optimistic! 😄

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

He or she who takes upon the noble path of body and character-building modeling, shall know that sanding is considered one of the bravest deeds.

There are three known enemies of sanding, as follows:

1) Sanding itself

2) Not sanding enough

3) Sanding too much

 

Sanding, properly performed, will turn those flabby Tamigawa arms into Victorian 10-ton steam presses, when you go to Telford and other modeling shows (possible in 20 years from now given the actual restrictions), your fellow modelers will stand in awe! Parade in admiration! You will no longer be the weakling being pushed out from the line at the pasties stall, or being scorned at the Pub for asking for a glass of lukewarm mineral water. No sir! You now, thanks to the never enough extolled benefits from Extreme Modeling, will be respected! You will crack those nuts at the Xmas table by just pinching them between two fingers, thanks to the wonders of the Marvels of Sanding!

 

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

Sanding proceeds, with the help of powerful aids, in this case the rotary tool used to remove the bridged plastic from the wingitp:

 

 

 

The trailing edges MUST be thinned, gradually and cautiously:

 

The scalloping is restored:

 

In the process of further thinning the T.E. To the left, the backing sheet original thickness:

 

Some of these bits may become useful to substitute or supplement the ones in the kit:

 

After a truly invigorating sanding session, a real modeler should look like this, half-buried in a mound of styrene dust. Able wives may turn such modeler into a useful seasonal Xmas decoration:

[Andwil]

Would the Friedrichshafen cabin have had room for a dunny?

 

AW

 

ps.  “Dunny” = Australian for WC, convenience, or as you Americans have it “Bathroom”

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

5 minutes ago, Andwil said:

Would the Friedrichshafen cabin have had room for a dunny?

 

AW

 

ps.  “Dunny” = Australian for WC, convenience, or as you Americans have it “Bathroom”

Not really, but I couldn't resist to consider modeling  license 😉

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

59 minutes ago, Andwil said:

“Bathroom”

Well, not a proper one, but a German contemporary invention, attributed -although most likely apocryphally- to Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern-schplenden-schlitter-crasscrenbon-fried-digger-dingle-dangle-dongle-dungle-burstein-von-knacker-thrasher-apple-banger-horowitz-ticolensic-grander-knotty-spelltinkle-grandlich-grumblemeyer-spelterwasser-kurstlich-himbleeisen-bahnwagen-gutenabend-bitte-ein-nürnburger-bratwustle-gerspurten-mitzweimache-luber-hundsfut-gumberaber-shönendanker-kalbsfleisch-mittler-aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm, called "Ze port-a-potty"

 

[bigbadbadge]

Great start Moa, I like watching you cut the Vacform plastic  you make it look so easy.  I must try the Charles Atlas modelling work out and get some vacform experience  myself.  I have cut one out but it is no where near as neat as yours and I need practice before I cut the fuselage out on my Aeroclub DH89 as I do not want to ruin that.

Chris

[Bengalensis]

Aah, another fantastic excursion into vac form model building coming up! It will be a joy to follow. Lovely preparation of the wing parts.

 

Thanks for the links to all those other builds. It's amazing how interesting these machines suddenly become in their civil versions.

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

7 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

Great start Moa, I like watching you cut the Vacform plastic  you make it look so easy.  I must try the Charles Atlas modelling work out and get some vacform experience  myself.  I have cut one out but it is no where near as neat as yours and I need practice before I cut the fuselage out on my Aeroclub DH89 as I do not want to ruin that.

Chris

Dear Chris

After you have cut and sanded about 300 vacuform kits as practice, you will be most likely ready then to seriously commit to the proper build of your DH89 Aeroclub kit.

You have to developed that musculature first, and hone your mind and spirit in the crucible of real modeling, where proper modelers are forged!

 

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

2 hours ago, Bengalensis said:

Aah, another fantastic excursion into vac form model building coming up! It will be a joy to follow. Lovely preparation of the wing parts.

 

Thanks for the links to all those other builds. It's amazing how interesting these machines suddenly become in their civil versions.

Thanks Jörgen!

I have so many nice kits in the stash, and yet I gravitate towards the Vacuform Maelstrom!

[Marklo]

3 hours ago, Moa said:

I have so many nice kits in the stash, and yet I gravitate towards the Vacuform Maelstrom!

And as we all know sometimes it’s nice to build a well tooled kit, sometimes it’s nice to reconstruct a wreck. You’d get bored if all you did was assemble and paint moulding masterpieces  

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

Some parts have been already glued together, and a few ancillaries readied. The passenger seats will be later adapted to the chosen final layout and modified accordingly:

 

Here are some of candidates:

 

 

The extended cabin version reputedly for five passengers: