5x SPADs and a Nieuport 17 - finished

[Ventora3300]

On 24/10/2021 at 22:18, AdrianMF said:

ten wholly interior pieces and nine sub-millimetre dial decals.

What scale is this??? 😵‍💫😵‍💫Looks fantastic but tiny.

Edited January 22, 2022 by Ventora3300

[Quiet Mike]

Excellent result Adrian, that is a little corker of a build. I bought my first Eduard kit just before Christmas in a nearby model shop, a 1/48 Albatros D3. I'm not sure yet when it's going to hit the workbench, but your build is tempting me to start it soon! Likewise, also seriously tempted to join in the Matchbox GB too 🙂 

[2996 Victor]

Been away from aeroplanes and dilly-dallying with things on rails so just catching up with this.

 

Excellent work on the SPADs if I may say so - both the camouflage and the CDL/yellow look incredibly good.

 

Looking forward to seeing the Nieuports progress, too.

 

Cheers,

Mark

[Courageous]

Stunning work on the Spads, nice group photo of the four. Time for the Nieuports.

 

Stuart

[AdrianMF]

1 hour ago, Ventora3300 said:

What scale is this

All 1/72. Magnifiers definitely required!

 

Regards,

Adrian

[AdrianMF]

1 hour ago, Quiet Mike said:

1/48 Albatros D3

These kits are so detailed that a larger scale makes sense, if you’re not dedicated to 1/72.

 

1 hour ago, 2996 Victor said:

Nieuports progress

 

41 minutes ago, Courageous said:

Time for the Nieuports

Nieuport decals are soaking as we speak…

 

After the nightmares with the struts on the SPAD, I’ve changed tactics. I’m going to add the struts after everything else is done, then assemble, then rig. It’s nothing like as complicated to rig as the SPAD so I should be able to get to everything easily enough, touch wood!

 

Regards,

Adrian

 

 

[Marklo]

Lovely work as usual Adrian. If I didn’t have so many builds on the go I’d be tempted to dust off my SPAD or one of the several Nieuports I have in my stash. I think I did say if I build the Nieuport I’d have a go at a Siemens shuckers DIII as well, hmm maybe later in the year.

 

On the subject of size, as most of  the models I make are WWI or interwar they’re generally quite small so my default scale is 1/48; for example the wingspan of my salamander in 1/48 is 200mm which is about the same size as a modern jet in 1/72. Conversely my default for modern jets is 1/144. If you take the smallest 1:48 WWI fighter in my collection it’s not that much bigger than the biggest 1/144 jet  

 

 

Edited January 22, 2022 by Marklo

[AdrianMF]

Decal time for the Nieuport.

 

Didn’t expect out of register from Eduard, only on the underside though and not really noticeable on the silver:

 

The dragon decal was a must-do but really fragile (I think Decalsoft was too strong for it) but I got both of them on with only an ear missing. The Dragon’s, not mine, on the other side:

[bigbadbadge]

Great job on the last Spad looks much better with the blue repainted,  initially I did not notice but now repainted,  what a difference.   The Nieuport is looking good , great work getting that rather long decal on .

Chris 

[AdrianMF]

12 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

blue

It was ever weirder than it looked in the photos.

 

A quick diversion today is to add the bell cranks and arms for the ailerons for all the SPADs that didn’t have them in the kit. A strip of 20 thou square and a simple template for the 2mm x 4mm bell cranks:

 

I can hold them by the long braces when I paint them gunmetal before trimming and fitting.

[Brandy]

The new blue looks much better, that's a nice little collection now. I can see that the Nieuports are going to be just as good!

 

Ian

I think I might have to buy a Planet Models SPAD XI now....

[AdrianMF]

17 minutes ago, Brandy said:

The new blue looks much better

Thanks Ian. While I was adding steps and aileron linkages to the non-Eduard items, I took the opportunity to repaint the dodgy blue on the Eduard roundels on the Revell kit (port one still original):

 

And to correct the order of the RFC stripes (thanks @stevehed):

[AdrianMF]

The Nieuport isn’t dead, it’s just shagged out after a long squawk:

 

Beautiful plumage!

 

I just glued on the two interplane struts and the rear centre section “v” strut and was checking for fit. It all slotted together in place first time, and now I don’t want to move it until it’s set. So I think I will tidy up around it and tiptoe away!

[The Spadgent]

Wowza😀😀😀 What a catch up! The detail in your builds is exceptional. The way you rig before putting the top wings on makes me proper twitch but it obviously works. The count himself is truly impeccable, I bet that little diorama looks fantastic in the living room. Brilliant work. 🙌🙌

 

 Johnny.

[AdrianMF]

1 minute ago, The Spadgent said:

The way you rig before putting the top wings on makes me proper twitch

It only works if there’s a really good set of solid struttery. For the Eduard I could only do the outermost bay after I’d got it all together. Going back and doing the aileron linkages reminded me how varied all my SPAD builds were. The Eduard was not my favourite kit but it was the best result.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[RC Boater Bill]

I’m a latecomer to this thread-  terrific job on all!    

You’re a kindred soul- I also like building multiples of a subject in 1/72, to showcase a variety of colors and markings.   I’ve done 10 Fokker Dr.1, six Albatros, two D.VII, and two Nieuports so far.   

 

I find the Eduard N.17 to be a lovely build, as are the two Fokker kits.  I have a pair of the Eduard SPADs (the Czech dual combo), but I’ve been reluctant to start them -  apparently, the issues you had with the fit are common.  

 

I also like what you did with Barracca’s plane- great presentation there!  ( I did my N.17 in his markings.). That is an idea worth copying!!

 

-Bill

[AdrianMF]

Thanks Bill. I seem to have started doing that. I did four Po-2s last year and was going to do a pile of Blenheims in the Bristol GB, but somehow my spare time over summer disappeared. The trouble with my SPADs is that because of the dimensional issues, I can't really display them side by side.

 

I have a bit of a thing about Albatrosses - I love the wooden fuselages, although I've only got three (there are more in the stash...). I haven't really gotten into WWI subjects in general because British subjects tend to be rather dull (PC10/12 and/or linen with grey cowlings) but I'm starting to explore the other participants for more colourful options. 

 

Thanks for the words about the SPAD; Eduard have such a good reputation, and I couldn't work out why it was giving me so much trouble. The N17 has been a dream to assemble in contrast. Although now the SPAD has been built, the kit's quality does shine through - the ESCI and Academy struts felt like tree trunks after messing with the Eduard ones.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[Marklo]

2 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

I haven't really gotten into WWI subjects in general because British subjects tend to be rather dull (PC10/12 and/or linen with grey cowlings) but I'm starting to explore the other participants for more colourful options. 

I used to think the same but I find there are so many wacky British subjects that it makes up for the dull colour schemes. 

sopwith triplane
 

Wight Quadruplane 

Sopwith Snark

RAF aerial target

Bristol Scout F 

 

Bristol scout F1

supermarine PB31 ‘Nighthawk’ 

 

Port Victoria Kitten & Grain Kitten

Sopwith mouse

 

That said the Germans had probably as many plus the flamboyant colorschemes.

 

Albstross DII

Oertz W6
 

Junkers J6
 

Junkers JI

Albatros DIII
 

Actually looking at it like that my WWI collection is pretty eclectic. I also think I need a lot more German types.

 

Not trying to hijack your thread, hopefully supplying some inspiration.

Edited January 24, 2022 by Marklo

[mark.au]

Fantastic work Adrian, it’s been much fun and very interesting following along on this thread.

[RC Boater Bill]

Adrian,

 

Here’s a link to my colorful collection in 1/72, all built in the last 18 or so months:

 

Ten triplanes:

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235096949-172-fokker-dr1-triplane-9-and-10/#comment-4149254

 

 

Five Albatroses:  

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235103122-five-colorful-albatros-fighters-in-172/

 

I had said I was taking a break from WW1 to finish some other projects.   But now you have me thinking about some more WW1 builds-  one or two more won’t be too much of a distraction, right?  Not sure I’m up to tackling the Eduard SPAD right now, but   I do have four more Eduard N.17s in the stash- and one of them is earmarked to get Boyeaux’s “snake” markings…

 

 

-Bill

 

Edited January 29, 2022 by RC Boater Bill
Fixed old typos, added new ones…

[opus999]

The SPADs are beautiful and I had a lot of fun following along with those.  I'm looking forward to seeing the Nieuport done.  That snake marking is fantastic!  

[2996 Victor]

On 23/01/2022 at 15:30, AdrianMF said:

Thanks Ian. While I was adding steps and aileron linkages to the non-Eduard items, I took the opportunity to repaint the dodgy blue on the Eduard roundels on the Revell kit (port one still original):

 

And to correct the order of the RFC stripes (thanks @stevehed😞

Looking great, Adrian! I really must have a go at mine!

 

Cheers,

Mark

[The Spadgent]

On 24/01/2022 at 20:42, Marklo said:

 

Wight Quadruplane 

Sopwith Snark

supermarine PB31 ‘Nighthawk’ 

 

 

What the actual hell???? 
I am now in love with three new aeroplanes ❤️❤️❤️. Thank you for the insight. 
sorry Adrian we are back with you. 

[Marklo]

I got this for Christmas ( well actually I bought it for myself and it was snagged by SWMBO before I could open it) anyhoo less than a tenner including delivery but oh my,  it’s a gem, I thought I had a comprehensive knowledge of fighter aircraft but every page has at least one type I’ve never seen before. Most have drawings, but once you know what to look for the likes of the blueprints.com can supply the drawings. But be warned it’s a table buster and both big snd heavy.

 

I’d also strongly recommend  warplanes of the First World War volumes i to v ( which has plans for the Wight, the Snark and the Nighthawk, also if you’re interested I think I still have the buck for the Snark (1/48 scale) and the British fighter since 1912.

 

Anyway back to our host.

Edited January 30, 2022 by Marklo

[Paul Thompson]

You don't even have to go weird to avoid PC10/12 British types, just do a trainer whenever you've had enough khaki. RFC/RAF trainers always seem to me more colourful than the most excessively individualised Central Powers examples.

 

Paul.