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Formaplane 1/72 Albatros BII vac form £3.25


stevehed

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I'm taking the opportunity offered by this years GB's to make some of the vac forms I've had for decades in some cases. I bought three of these as at the time I wasn't aware of any Albatros CI kits. That was in the early eighties. The twenty plus year sojourn then occurred before I built one as a Russian trophy CI. By now I had discovered the Joystick Albatros CI so the BII's got pushed further down the to do list. Until now. There is no price on the box but I have a Scale Models magazine from March 1983 which quotes £3.25 and this does sound familiar. I'm posting to make a commitment to myself so I don't change my mind as thirty eight years is long enough on the shelf. There are no transfers so I'll have to use a spare set from the Revell Fokker Eindekker.

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Clearing the decks before I concentrate on the B.II. The kit is a single sheet of plastic mouldings , three lengths of strut and a pretty comprehensive history and plans. I'm going to use the WSDF for additional data.

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Thanks Pat.

I've made a start with all the cutting out and filing with the wings being first. The undersurface of this plastic is very glossy. I didn't like the look of it and had doubts about paint adherence. To counteract this and gain a little more allowance when it comes to drilling strut location holes I've skinned the lower surfaces with 10 thou card. The ailerons and ribs are scored with a sharp craft knife and my big fingers have smeared pencil over one of the upper wings. I'm going to use the kit engine and have made a start on the cockpit. The bulkheads have equipment moulded on them which I have highlighted to act as a radio.

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Great to see you are underway Steve and I'm really pleased we've got vac-form kit being made. I've never attempted one - don't think I'd have the patience - but I'm always fascinated seeing them being built! Looking good so far. :thumbsup:

Kind regards,

Stix

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Looks good, Formaplane from memory we're a bit of a mixed bag and I think they used different people to make the masters. 

Vacforms seem to work well for early biplanes. I did a DH6 and it captured the frail looking nature of early aircraft. 

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All the Formaplanes I have seem to be products of Joe Chubbock and are decent moulds. I've constructed the cockpit innards using the vac form parts and a couple of spare crew. Guides added to the fuselage halves are strip and the wings are CDL for which I use Hu121.

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A lot of the smaller stuff seems to have been, but I don't think Joe was  responsible for the Nimrod and Hastings. 

Nice to see vacforms being built and I must have a go at some more in my stash. 

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Brave soul!  This is looking very cool.

I have always been a fan of the WW1 German two-seaters.  People get so hung up on DVII, DR.1, and other pursuit aircraft, they forget about

the myriad two-seaters that really ruled the air.

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Thanks Gentlemen.

                               A little progress to add. Located the Iron Crosses after a second coat of HU121. The upper wing is two part so I've attached short lengths of rod as the connecting spars. Lower wings butt joined, the port one already been knocked off once, and the rear elevators. Fuselage paint next and then the cabanes etc and defensive armament. At least that is the plan.

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  • 3 weeks later...

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Started a new job so training has been occupying most of my time recently. Slowly getting back into a more normal shift pattern and have managed to resume production. Radiator pipework has followed the same pattern as the C1 as they both had side radiators. Plastic rod sufficed as the pipes and the radiators are kit parts. I've used 30 thou rod for the cabanes and a trimmed down Spad VII windscreen. I have to make a couple of makeshift gun mounts for a front seat gun before I attempt to mount the top wing.

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Hi Steve. I hope the new job is going well and it's good to see you have been able to find some time for this build. Looking good. :thumbsup:

Kind regards,

Stix

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  • 3 weeks later...

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Thanks All. Nearly got the front end completed. A forward firing gun mount from 20thou rod was located on the right side of the front cockpit. I've got a spare Parabellum from a Roden Gotha to which I'll add an ammo box and belt. This will be mounted on a bent spigot to fire to the rear. WSDF have some decent photos. It's enlightening to see how similar the German set ups are to some of the BE2 mountings. I have a white metal rhino horn exhaust which I was hoping to use but it's too close to the upper wing. Gone for the early single pipe set up instead. Once fully set they will be trimmed to the same length. I've drilled some rigging holes and the strut holes have been measured and drilled so nearly ready for the top wing.

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That is very impressive work. I always like those Albatros aircraft, especially the early ones, they were very elegant, despite the radiators.

 

Cheers,

 

Ray

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