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Graham White Type 20


Marklo

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I know I shouldn’t be starting any more projects but as I’m almost back in check on my various builds and I really wanted to get this one in to the high wing GB and it will be a relatively straightforward build I thought I’d press on with it.

 

resized_57839317-e2c8-440f-b79f-17f8d4d3Built as a prototype scout in 1917 i think the key design was to position the upper wing to maximise the pilots view. I think it looks as if it were startled :) 

 

d1e30a2e-0e0f-43f1-8aa7-6925ac78f9b4.png
The first step was to scale the plans. Unfortunately no record exists of the actual size of the aircraft, it was powered by a clerget engine, so I’m scaling it on the basis of the diameter of the cowling on other clerget powered machines. The spares box has supplied a cowl that with a little remedial work will fit the bill, so the next step is to start cutting out some blanks and fabricating the fuselage.

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Dear old Claude Graham White.... almost been completely written out of aviation history, but he was the hottest thing in flight at one time. Basically the authorities took over his factory, facilities and flying fields..... And never gave it back. 

This looks like an interesting project Marklo, and who needs a stoopid kit anyway ⁉️🤣 1.48 is a sensible scale for this type 

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11 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Another one ??? No seriously welcome with another interesting type

I know, but if I get the Bristols done this week and keep chipping away at the 109s I’ll have my wip under control soon.

 

resized_8d926300-3746-49cc-9a09-b74cd992A small update. Trimmed the cowl, cut a rudder blank and started assembling the fuselage.

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Crisis time, I’ve run out of 1mm plastic sheet, I do have some in the post but still not here yet. So I decided to  see if the spares box might help. And to my surprise found a set of Albatros wings and a tail plane from a bulldog that could be cut down and sanded to wing cores.

 

resized_27344f50-f76e-4936-89cc-6a964829
A set of Albatros wings left over from my DII conversion and the tail plane from a bulldog that was used for parts for my Gamecock. So reuse, repurpose recycle all the way.

 

resized_eb14ff48-b360-4a1c-bbd2-0c892763Wing skins ready to go. I’ll make good the chord length differences by cutting these to size after they’re assembled.

 

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resized_a274be39-53fb-4ac2-9f93-5f13ba17That’s the tail skinned and fitted and the wings skinned and cut to the correct chord length. I added a strip of 1mm card to the lower wing blanks and I’ve cut slots for brass pins on all the pieces. I just need to shape the wing tips correctly.

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resized_0e17b12f-bae4-4615-875c-96a245f9Oops, something just wasn’t right with the upper wing, until I realised I had attached the lower wings about 10mm too far forward, ouch, any hoo after some field surgery snd a bit of filler, I decided to jig the upper wing. 

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resized_c42f08f3-7368-467c-8223-0e18dd53After the third wing move ( yes I got it slightly wrong again) and much fiddling the upper wing is on.

 

resized_01c08d2b-1c8b-4256-9d0c-8dd62352And the undercarriage is now on.  Looks relatively normal, must take some comparison shots beside a normal biplane. I think the cockpit is a few mm too far aft ( hmm) but at this point I’m not moving it.
 

Wheels next then I think we’re on the home stretch, final painting, rigging, tail skid and rudder, engine, cowling and a prop and it’s finished. 

 

Edited by Marklo
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resized_57087d76-d63e-4f99-b182-8d7452ea

Wheels added. The struts look a light colour in the photos so I’ve gone for more of a natural oak colour, the foredeck I may leave battleship grey. As you can see I’ve been doing a little preshading with burr and dark yellow. I think I’ll go for quite a light yellow/off white for the CDL not sure if I’ll spray it or brush it.  
 

A little bit of filler and neatening up required first.

Edited by Marklo
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resized_6e5a94c9-97d9-4acc-aeb2-0627ddacTailplane and tail skid added.


resized_6140f0f5-e104-4b23-a20a-6d4fe1f1And engine and cowling. The cowl isn’t sitting guitar right so I’ll probably remove it and trim the inside a little before refitting it. I’ve also given it another coat of paint, possibly the last one. Then it’s just a little detail painting snd the rigging and it’s done.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Less than two weeks left, need to get the finger out. Really just the rigging left. Not a huge amount of work, I was planning on using EX line but have run out, so nothing else for it monofilament and drilled holes.
 

At least the ridiculously high wing makes access easy.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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