John Masters Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 OK...This will be difficult. --John 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 oh dear..... another sucker brave person to do a resin bi-plane! those resin struts would be the thing that'd worry me the most..... known the properties of resin. Hopefully they and the model won't give you too much trouble as it's an interesting subject, good luck with her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 That's a good looking aircraft. Nice artwork on the box as well. Tony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 22 minutes ago, trickyrich said: oh dear..... another sucker brave person to do a resin bi-plane! those resin struts would be the thing that'd worry me the most..... known the properties of resin. Hopefully they and the model won't give you too much trouble as it's an interesting subject, good luck with her. Thanks Rich 🤪...The tractor will be first. I might have to replace the struts with contrail if that is allowed? I have never had good luck with the supportive nature of thin resin bits. I will most likely use brass rod for augmented landing gear... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 1 hour ago, John Masters said: Thanks Rich 🤪...The tractor will be first. I might have to replace the struts with contrail if that is allowed? I have never had good luck with the supportive nature of thin resin bits. I will most likely use brass rod for augmented landing gear... Absolutely allowed- a prudent precaution!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehed Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 I like this. Tried to kit bash one using an Emhar Anasal but failed. Got the WSDF so will be watching with interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 15 minutes ago, Mjwomack said: Absolutely allowed- a prudent precaution!! Thanks Mj. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 11 minutes ago, John Masters said: Thanks Mj. It doesn't look to me like the undercarriage can possibly exceed 25%; unless I'm missing something!! I guess this means there's no white metal in there to help things along? I'll admit that the phrase high quality resin kit immediately puts a shiver in my heart. Tally ho and pip pip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 12 hours ago, Mjwomack said: I'll admit that the phrase high quality resin kit immediately puts a shiver in my heart. Tally ho and pip pip Not for the faint of heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 replacing those struts with plastic rod is the only way to go, resin is just a bit too brittle. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 2 hours ago, trickyrich said: replacing those struts with plastic rod is the only way to go, resin is just a bit too brittle. Thanks Rich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted March 28, 2021 Author Share Posted March 28, 2021 Boy-o-boy-o-boy...here we go! I will build the Polish post-war aircraft. It has a nice CDL/varnished wood/steel fuselage and CDL wings. I am thinking French CDL for this. Fun! The parts! A close-up inspection of the cockpit pieces... The motor/exhaust/radiator/water tank... The undercarriage... Fuselage/wings/Spandau/parabellum/scarf ring Control horns and other, small pointy bits. Destined t be replaced, I think...some of them at least... The cabane struts...notice something? I am missing some pieces... 🤨 Good thing I am replacing them anyway with plastic rod. I am happy to have set for sizing. The larger piece actually goes in front of the top wing and the radiator attaches to that...you'll see...I will still have to find a good example of this kit built up with some detail images. The instructions are not perfect. Interplane struts. Nicely moulded pieces. Also destined to be replaced. I think that's it. I'll do a little research and then start in on the cockpit pieces tonight. I am already thinking ahead to rigging.🤪 I am loathe to drill. I might have to use cardiac thread for this one...😉 --John 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted March 28, 2021 Author Share Posted March 28, 2021 A quick recon has shown me a lot. First off, I am not missing any pieces, as the cabane struts are 'delta' style. Also, I have a good idea abut the interplane rigging now...Also...donlt had me to the Polish markings. I have stacks of Blue Rider sheets I will need to look at. Hungarian Clandestine Air Force anyone? --John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted March 29, 2021 Author Share Posted March 29, 2021 The cockpit components came together easily and without any fuss. They will get some tan primer today (since much of it is 'wood'). The Mercedes-Benz D.III is a neat little piece. Here it is with some primer. I'll paint it up and glue it into the nose later... The decals. Techmod has done a superb job on these. Poland it will be... --John 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Thompson Posted March 29, 2021 Share Posted March 29, 2021 I built this last year, along with a Skybirds 86 kit of the same, kindly given to me a few years ago by John Adams along with some spare PE frets for the same kit. The latter has the cabane structure on it, so I used one of the spares on the Ardpol kit, also replacing the interplane struts with Strutz. Still had to make new undercarriage legs. Ardpol kits are generally really good, for resins, but the struts are never useable, as you'd expect. For the rest it went together dead easily except for having to cure the inevitable warps in the wings. I used the Ardpol kit for the Polish trainer (check the Windsock Datafile for detail differences) and the Skybirds for another one in the Datafile, which due to imbecility on my part in not recognizing the glaringly obvious should have a different engine, with the exhaust on the other side. Doh! Paul. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted March 29, 2021 Share Posted March 29, 2021 (edited) I’d definitely replace the struts. I don’t think I’d trust a resin strut. My favourite strut material these days is (are?) shaved cocktail sticks they’re light and strong. The Albatros and the PV7(the one in the right) both have cocktail sticks for struts. The PV8 has a cocktail stick undercarriage. They are 1/48 but you can shave then down quite a bit and I’ve seen 1/144th scale models using them. Edited March 29, 2021 by Marklo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted March 29, 2021 Author Share Posted March 29, 2021 1 hour ago, Marklo said: I’d definitely replace the struts. Thanks! I've built enough resin kits to do that. I have contrail strut material that I will use and Evergreen for some pieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted March 29, 2021 Share Posted March 29, 2021 1 hour ago, John Masters said: I have contrail strut material I envy you that’s in extremely short supply these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted March 29, 2021 Author Share Posted March 29, 2021 It is—and my supply dwindles. I will be using Evergreen as much as I can and brass rod too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted March 30, 2021 Share Posted March 30, 2021 13 hours ago, Marklo said: I’d definitely replace the struts. I don’t think I’d trust a resin strut. My favourite strut material these days is (are?) shaved cocktail sticks they’re light and strong. I take it they are leftovers from evening Cocktails? Nice start to the build, those resin bit (sans struts) look to be nicely done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted March 30, 2021 Share Posted March 30, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, trickyrich said: I take it they are leftovers from evening Cocktails? If only… Also known as toothpicks in foreign climes. Edited March 30, 2021 by Marklo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted March 30, 2021 Author Share Posted March 30, 2021 The engine has been painted; the cockpit area painted; the interior painted. 90% of this will be out of view once I button her up. That's ok. --John 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Hi, Many years ago I bought Contrail struts, tube and rod, all of which are now heavily depleted, Fortunately I managed to get some Aeroclub struts from John Aero when he was in the process of winding up the business, but the rod and tube could be a problem as all I have seen of late is single size not mixed and I don't want to pay for several dfifferent sizes of both. Apologies to John but his post reminded me. Anybody got any suggestions? Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted March 31, 2021 Author Share Posted March 31, 2021 5 hours ago, PeterB said: Anybody got any suggestions? What would be the cost to start making it again? What kind of infrastructure would you need? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 (edited) Hi John, Not an area I am familiar with but I am guessing the rod, tube and strut was extruded (a bit like pasta) so you would need something to heat and inject the plastic, various "dies" to form the shape, and maybe a cooling system to set the plastic before cutting into lengths. I suppose it is the sort of operation that would not be that difficult for the sort of "cottage industry" type operation that I guess Contrail and Aeroclub were, and clearly companies like "Evergreen" are already making similar strip, rod and tube but for the limited use I would make of `it I would like to see bags of mixed sizes which seem hard to come by but I may be wrong. I guess the problem would be limited demand and small profit margins. Still we can always hope somebody will make some available eventually - or maybe they already have and I have not come across lt? I am a bit surprised that the Aeroclub moulds or whatever have not resurfaced though I know John Adams did say he thought the ones for the white metal bits were about shot. Of course, vac form modelling probably peaked in the 1980s and 90s so perhaps there is no longer a market. I have a bag full of WWI biplane vacforms which I will probably never build, but some are now available in injection from Roden or various short run companies. I don't think I ever did get an LVG but I do have various Albatross, Rumpler, Halberstadt, DFW, and AEG C and CL types together with a DH9 and Fe 2d, all of which I suppose I should consider getting rid of - Ray has already taken the Gotha off my hands! Anyway I will leave you to get on with your build. Cheers Pete Edited March 31, 2021 by PeterB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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