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Scratchbuilders 1/32 Staggerwing


Gene

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It all starts with a foundation - the floor. The kit supplied floor seems to work well. As you can see, the door has been cut away; in the process of repeatedly inserting the floor and removing, I accidentally broke out a piece of the roof. It turned out to be a benefit (and it broke in such a way that it can later be easily re-attached) - building the cabin requires a lot of cut and fit sessions. In the actual bird, the floor carpet comes up to form a base and this was chosen to be a ledge to sit the cabin side panels on. This last pic shows a 10 thou plastic card cut to receive later detail:

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The side panels were detailed using Milliput to represent the 'tuck and rolled' leather panels. The instrument pre-assemble is tested and the back seat was made anew also using Milliput. One drawing source notes that the rear seat had an optional pull-down armrest; seemed to be a nice detail to work-in:

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Gene,

 

Like with almost everything else that occured 30 years ago, my memory is a bit vague. I wouldn't say the pit was cramped at all, nor was it roomy. I'd have to say it was comfortable, and I'm 6' 1".

 

Fred

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I agree with you Barry - the more research and work on the model, the more I appreciate the quality of this craft.

 

And thanks Fred, as you say is just how I sense it would be judging from how the model is fitting together.

More to follow another day -

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An interesting thing happened on the way to making the front seats. I started out making a negative pattern out of Milliput directly, applied Bare-Metal-Foil as a barrier and then applied some Milliput rolled out into a thin sheet. When the raw shell was pulled from the pattern, the Foil went with the new seat - not a surprise, this is almost always the case when I'm using cyano and foil as a barrier. The interior of the shell presented itself as an interesting aluminum seat shell. Of course this was not the goal for the present because the shell now has to be upholstered, etc., but the shell was interesting and the technique will probably be used on other projects.

post-132-1284820898.jpg

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Thanks guys! For Kev: I usually press the Milliput as flat as I can and into the general area size/shape I want and then place it between two piecs of cellophane (I use a discarded bread wrapper). It needs to be lubricated so it can move between the cellophane. I then simply press the sandwich with two very flat objects until I achieve the thickness I want. I use water to lubricate; I think the Milliput 'adventures' website suggests that even handlotion or Vasiline can be used. Milliput is a very curious material and has three distinct stages that it can be manipulated in and each stage requires different modeling techniques - I'm still exploring!

 

As mentioned before - on to the upholstery-

post-132-1284995510.jpg

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With all the 'white' work pretty much done, I went about determining some 'interior decorations'. Taking a reference sampe of fabric from an 'Art Deco' book, I adapted a pattern for my color scheme and then reduced it to be compatible with this scale. It was printed on regular paper, wetted and then pressed into the seat. I had inteded to print the pattern on decal paper, but with a coat of Dullcote, the paper print-out seems to be doing a good trick by having the texture of fabric (in scale). Final application TBD, but here is is so far with the full 'color swatch' below -

post-132-1284995989.jpg

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With all the 'white' work pretty much done, I went about determining some 'interior decorations'. Taking a reference sampe of fabric from an 'Art Deco' book, I adapted a pattern for my color scheme and then reduced it to be compatible with this scale. It was printed on regular paper, wetted and then pressed into the seat. I had inteded to print the pattern on decal paper, but with a coat of Dullcote, the paper print-out seems to be doing a good trick by having the texture of fabric (in scale). Final application TBD, but here is is so far with the full 'color swatch' below -

Wow! Brilliant. Very convincing fabric and upholstry. I am so used to seeing military subjects in modeling so this build is made even better by it's uniquness. Can't wait to see you proceed.

J

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  • 3 months later...

Hi Gene. Very convincing Staggerwing model. I am one of those lucky guys that has been able to fly them. I have flown the D-17S, and the B-17R converted to a Pratt&Whitney.

The interior space of the D when I was a teen was very roomy. Now it is nice but snug. The B-17 is narrower and much more snug.

My parents had a D-17S when I was in grade school and sold it when I started college. Luckily, I was taught how to fly in it, and actually was soloed in it when I turned 16! I later flew another D as an airshow/rides/jump plane. My brother-in-law owns the B-17R and we currently fly it about 10 hours a month.

Super work you're doing there, Gene. Would love to see any more...

Chris...

PS I have pictures but cannot figure out this new system.

Edited by Chris McMillin
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As luck would have it, I just found yesterday the very tool I couldn't find that stalled this project - so now I can drop the Bf 109G-10 and continue with this beautiful aircraft!

Edited by Gene
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  • 6 years later...

On the shelf-of-doom for seven years - it is about time that I pay some attention to it!!

 

If possible Kevin, the old link is: http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=31208&hl=staggerwing

 

 

Wow, GREAT looking model when its done!  Have not always heard the best things about the kit, but I can attest to how awesome it can look when done though.  Went up against a SB Staggarwing at the 2011 US NATs.   It was a glorious looking model. Really well done. 

 

 

Will follow along!! 

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