Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Next up: WNW Roland D.VIa

Making progress on my next Wingnut Wings kit, the Roland D.VIa. The cockpit has been assembled and painted and the fuselage closed up with the seam puttied. I will be doing the scheme of Hans Jungwirth with the speculative blue butterfly on the fuselage sides. I will be using the new cookie cutter lozenge from Aviattic and machine guns from Gaspatch.  photo 20141207_105655_resized-1.jpg  photo 20141213_142912_resized.jpg  photo roland-d6a-361218.jpg

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Almost...

Getting close to calling "U10" finished! Still waiting on a wooden prop from the Micro Group and still have to finish painting the dog. I purchased cabinet "pulls" and screwed them to the bottom of the frame to lift it about an inch in an attempt to make it look a little different than just a frame. I took the glass out of the frame and replaced it with an 8X10 oil painter's palette onto which I added the groundwork, and static grass...painted it with an airbrush, oils washes, and finished with powders.  photo 20141005_124506_resized.jpg  photo 20141005_124401_resized.jpg

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Pilot #2

Trying to get everything finished for the Chicago Show this coming weekend. I don't have time to complete the fuel cart and figures right now but managed to get a second pilot painted and am working on a dog too. This pilot and the dog will be positioned next do the DVII as if he's in conversation with the pilot of "U10". Painted in oils, this figure was also sculpted by Steve Warrilow.  photo 20141004_105445_resized.jpg

Winding Down...

About ready to secure the tail...  photo 20140924_182754_resized.jpg  photo 20140924_182802_resized.jpg

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Upper wing...

Upper wing attached. This wing fought me a little bit (unlike my first DVII build) but after walking away a couple of times I finally got it into place. Still have to finish the tail. Pilot is covered in saran wrap in preparation of spraying the plane with a clearcote before final weathering and rigging.  photo 20140917_183439_resized.jpg  photo 20140917_183402_resized.jpg

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Rigging...

I used Bob's Buckles and EZ Line for rigging the undercarriage. It was easier than I had anticipated even for my 54 year old eyes!  photo 20140914_115929_resized.jpg

The Guns....

Making progress... still have to do some detail painting on the guns.  photo 20140907_182224_resized.jpg

"U10"

All of the online research I've done and the pictures that I've found show the quotation marks on the "U10" only appeared on the port side and the upper wing and not the U10 on the starboard side. After much hemming and hawing I removed the quotation marks from the starboard side decal...I hope I am not proven wrong!!!  photo 20140901_184506_resized.jpg

Monday, September 1, 2014

Decals...

Being a high school teacher my time at the workbench is rapidly decreasing but I am plugging away. Started laying the "U10" decals. I weathered the fuselage with oils paints first...trying to keep it subtle. After the decals are fully dry, I will overspray them with a satin clear cote and weather a bit more. The plastic jig is from Vertigo. It arrived missing the piece that holds the tail...I've sent two emails and haven't had a response yet.  photo 20140901_130654_resized.jpg  photo 20140901_130909_resized.jpg

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Plugging Away...

More progress...crosses added to the upper wing. These are from the WNW set and I don't use the Solvaset. They sat down nice and tight over the Aviattic lozenge with just water. I sprayed the fuselage and lower wing assembly with Polly S satin finish and then pulled the Saran Wrap masking off and am currently doing a bit of touch up work.  photo 20140824_143909_resized.jpg  photo 20140824_143934_resized.jpg  photo 20140824_143946_resized.jpg

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Progress...

More progress....waiting for the upper wing lozenge to dry. Time to gloss coat the fuselage/lower wing and start some washes (glazes), weathering, and picking out the small details.  photo 20140821_163050_resized.jpg  photo 20140821_163017_resized.jpg

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Upper Wing...

Applying the Aviattic lozenge to the underside of the upper wing. I thought I would try something different...I usually work over a gray primer but for the upper wing I lightly over sprayed it with Vallejo Air White. Though it looks really white in the picture, I just kind of covered the gray, not spraying it a solid white. I am really happy with how it is looking so far. Kind of fun experimenting with the Aviattic lozenge!  photo 20140819_173323_resized.jpg

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Painting Continues...

Preliminary colors sprayed...I used Tamiya Red Brown with a couple of drops of White for the cowling and Tamiya Dark Grey for the fuselage. Most accounts describe "U10" as being painted slate grey, almost black. I also highlighted the louvers a bit and painted the gas cap covers. When fully dry I will seal it with a gloss cote in preparation of weathering and decals.  photo 20140817_120153_resized.jpg

Friday, August 15, 2014

Masking and Painting...

I masked the cockpit coaming with green painter's tape and airbrushed the lilac and green camouflage. I also sprayed the axel wing and the wheel covers. Second picture shows the green painter's tape has been removed and touchups on the paint were completed by hand. Still have to paint the gas caps brass and then I will pick out details with oil paints later. Too bad most of this detail will be tough to see with the upper wing mounted.  photo 20140815_133945_resized_1-1.jpg  photo 20140815_134458_resized-1.jpg

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Primed...

Small steps but still moving forward...covered the pilot and engine with Saran Wrap and sprayed the fuselage with my usual gray primer. Next I will do some masking and paint the cockpit coaming lilac and green, the front cowlings chocolate brown, the fuselage a slate gray, and touch up the other details.  photo 20140813_164547_resized.jpg  photo 20140813_164519_resized.jpg

Friday, August 8, 2014

Lower Wing...

Lozenge in place on the lower wing. The wing is just temporarily fitted for the pictures.  photo 20140808_102635_resized.jpg  photo 20140808_102648_resized.jpg

Thursday, August 7, 2014

More Lozenge...

Aviattic lozenge applied to the upper flying surface of the lower wing. This was put down over a glossy gray primer. I used a touch of Solvaset followed by a blast from the hairdryer and everything snugged right down. Just a little trimming to do when fully dry.  photo 20140807_103110_resized.jpg

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Fuel Cart Crew

Started some preliminary work on the fuel cart crew from Aviattic. Some assembly completed and putty added where the upper and lower torsos come together on the first figure. It looks like a small swipe of filler will be necessary at the arm joins, but that is pretty standard. Clean up of seam lines was a breeze. Both heads and the reaching arm of the second figure are just held in place with blue tack for these pics. Final placement of the heads, arms, and fuel hose will not happen until it starts to come together at the end of the entire build. The set comes with three heads giving you a few options for the figures. A very nice set sculpted by Steve Warrilow...who also sculpted the pilot in the cockpit.  photo 20140806_162112_resized.jpg  photo 20140806_162220_resized.jpg

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Lozenge

Taking a break from the fuselage, I started applying the lozenge. I am using the Aviattic OAW, 4 color, faded, with blue ribs. This is my second go at the Aviattic cookie cutter set...I used it the first time on my Fokker built DVII. I prepped the wing with gray primer followed by a clear gloss coat. I used some Solvaset and then hit it with a blow dryer and the decals set down quickly. I will eventually be using oil paints for some shadow and weathering effects...that's a ways off though.  photo 20140730_170009_resized.jpg

Engine cowls...

Working on the engine cowls. I had to remove three small louvers from each of the cowls (just to the right of the puttied seam) as per the "U10" instructions. WNW instructions call for filling these seams on both sides of the fuselage...I use Squadron Green putty diluted with a little Testors liquid cement. I'll sand them flush when the putty dries. The exhaust is not cemented into place yet. I will do some painting first and then attach.  photo 20140729_145537_resized.jpg

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Small steps...

A little more progress...the coaming has been drilled out and ready to be cemented into place. U10 photo 20140723_173916_resized.jpg

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Fuel Cart

Also working on the 1/32 scale German fuel cart from Aviattic. Nice little resin kit that will make an interesting addition to the "U10" scene. I replaced the resin kit-supplied push bar with some brass rod. This will eventually have a 2 figure crew. Feul Cart photo 20140722_113713_resized.jpg

Friday, July 18, 2014

"U10"

This is U10 as pictured by Ronny Bar for Wingnut Wings and, also from the WNW archives is a photograph of U10 after its capture and with the US 95th Aero Squadron's kicking mule insignia applied. U10 has an interesting history: Fokker D.VII (OAW) 4635/18 captured by the 95th Aero as the pilot, Lt. Heinz Freiherr von Beaulieu-Marconnay, landed his aircraft at their forward field. This took place on November 9, 1918...two days before the Armistice. Older brother to German ace Olivier von Beaulieu-Marconnay Cmdr. of Jasta 19. Heinz saw his brother linger in death after wounding by friendly fire. When he landed he seemed tired of the conflict and commented. "...The war will be over in a few days anyway..." U10 is now at the Smithsonian. U10 photo Fokker20D_VII20OAW2046351820U1020Heinz20Freiherr20von20Beaulieu-Marconnay20Jasta206520September201918.jpg U10 photo Fokker20D_VII20OAW2046351820U1020version201_120very20soon20after20being20captured_20Greg20Van20Wyngarden201.jpg

Fokker DVII (OAW) "U10"

U10 Cockpit 1 photo U101.jpg  photo U102.jpg U10 Cockpit 2 photo U103.jpg Decided to commit to building Fokker DVII (OAW) "10". I will use the markings to represent the morning of its final flight before capture. The pilot is finished and placed in the seat. Now I can finish building the cockpit around him without worrying about squeezing him in later and possibly damaging the small, fiddly parts. I will be using Aviattic lozenge and the "U10" markings from Wingnut Wings.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Another Wingnut Wings DVII

 photo 20140708_202448.jpg Haven't been motivated to paint or build anything in months so I decided to take a crack at another Fokker DVII. Started work on the cockpit and decided to add a figure. This 54mm pilot was sculpted by Steve Warrilow and released by Wings Cockpit Figures. After some test fitting I have decided that the figure will be painted and positioned in the cockpit before construction continues. I think it will be too difficult to get him into place later. This DVII is the OAW version and I will keep the markings under wraps for now.