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IKARUS SM floatplane scratchbuilt project PT I


AEROPOXY

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Hi,

I want to share my latest scratchbuilt project with LSP forum members, and show how i made an scratchbuilt "quick built" floatplane

bipe from 1924 in just two weeks.

Yes, i built this model in just 14 days, working 2-3 or more hrs each day, collecting total of some 50 working hours.

I work under pressure to meet the deadline of 11th June and 11th "IKAR Cup"IPMS Yugoslavia modeling contest held in my citty,

Novi Sad, Vojvodina province , Serbia & Montenegro (former Yugoslavia) (yes, such a loooong name for small country,heh!).

I started "Shimika-SM" model on may 28th and finished it on 11th June, in 01 hr in the morning of the contest.

Still fresh smelling on final coat of paint , this model took 2nd place in its category( mixed Scratchbuilt and Upgraded kits category).

 

So, to present the IKARUS SM, first originaly designed and built aeroplane in Kingdom of Yugoslavia.There are some licence built

planes in early 1920s in Yugoslavia, but first series produced plane(in fact floatplane) completely designed and built was IKARUS SM,

where Ikarus is factory name and SM means Skolski Mercedes or School Mercedes, depicting the training role of this floatplane.

Designed by ing. Josef Mickl, ex MLV constructor , in 1921/22, the Ikarus factory in Novi Sad, built first prototype in late 1924 and

first series of 6 planes was delivered in early 1925. Totaly, 42 planes were delivered in seven batches of 6 planes each for Royal

Yugoslav Naval Aviation.

 

First six planes were powered by Mercedes 100HP engine, 2nd and 3rd by Czech licence built Breitfeld&Danek BLESK

 

100HP(Mercedes 100HP). Fourth series was redesigned to fit 160 HP Mercedes D II engine and 5th and 6th series was powered by

Mercedes D II 120 HP engine.

These planes served as basic trainer type till outbreak of WW II , in april 1941. some 4-5 planes were captured by Italians but they never saw any use in Italian colours.

 

Here are presented few photos, scale drawing and paint scheme for Ikarus SM.

 

IKARUS SM , "Shimika" artwork, made by famous Yugoslav modeling artist, Mr.Ognjan Petrovic,

 

A.jpg

 

IKARUS SM, No1, first (and only) prototype

 

B.jpg

 

Row of Ikarus SMs at Naval Base Kumbor, Boka Kotorska, (Now Montenegro) late 1920s,

 

E.jpg

 

Ikarus SM, No 21, late 1930s,

 

C.jpg

 

Starting of the IKARUS SM engine,No 23

 

D.jpg

 

Close Fly-By of Ikarus SM No 24

 

F.jpg

 

Ikarus Factory add from old Yugoslav aviation publications,

 

H.jpg

 

IKARUS SM, technical drawing,

 

G.jpg

 

Paint scheme of IKARUS SM, No 14. Plane is overall painted in light blue,

 

I.jpg

 

J.jpg

 

I split this topic in few parts, just to keep it easy to download as more than 100 photographs are presented,

RGDS,

AEROPOXY

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And to start with building process photo story,

 

With my Radio Control and Free Flight Flying models experiences, i chose to build this model in Balsa, using standard aero

 

modeling techniques to produce main airframe of Ikarus SM.

 

001.jpg

 

002.jpg

 

003.jpg

 

004.jpg

 

005.jpg

 

006.jpg

 

Wings are made of 3-4mm balsa sheets, fuselage is built using 1-1,5mm balsa sheets, carved and glued according the plans.All the

 

details asre sanded and primed by few coats of lacquer, then covered with Japan tissue, to cover the balsa wood heawy grains, which

 

helps to later primed and sanded model to smooth surfaces.

007.jpg

 

008.jpg

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On the wings are glued strips of self adhesive foil (Orafilm) to imitate wing ribs structure. These strips were later cowered with few

 

coats of paint and sanded to smooth surfece imitating wing fabric covering structure .

 

009.jpg

 

Whole model is then primed with few coats of paint, sanded between each coat and then sealed with Pronto( European version of

 

FUTURE).

 

010.jpg

 

In meantime, i made and Mercedes D.I / Blesk 100 HP engine, using sheet styrene , plastic and copper tubes and coper wire, paper

 

"soaked" in thin superglue, self adhesive foils etc....sanded, glued,primed, detailed in few steps.

 

011.jpg

 

012.jpg

 

013.jpg

 

 

Prop was carved from 6mm balsa wood, sanded and then filled using superglue,which is fast and easy process.

 

014.jpg

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Engine detailing finished,

 

025.jpg

 

 

And primed,

 

026.jpg

 

Then painted, waiting for drybrushing and shading,

 

027.jpg

 

028.jpg

 

Main airframe structure is also primed, polished and partialy assembled.

 

029.jpg

 

030.jpg

 

031.jpg

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Some pictures of cockpit area,

 

037.jpg

 

038.jpg

 

And control "wheels" with instrument dials printed on my home laser printer(Canon LBP810), on clear decal film(www.TangoPapa

 

Decals.com).

 

039.jpg

 

And completed cockpit,waiting for drybrushing and detailing.

 

040.jpg

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So, go to the control surfaces, aileron,

 

041.jpg

 

horisontal tail,

 

042.jpg

 

and vertical tail,

 

043.jpg

 

Tailplane pre assembled,

 

044.jpg

 

Wing struts were made from 2mm thick plasticards, with steel wire glued in pre drilled holes. Strut tips were filled using superglue and

 

resin dust, which made strong, smooth and fast built wing struts.

 

045.jpg

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Wing floats(pontoons) were made using mixed materials, balsa wood and vacformed( heat formed) sheet styrene, 2mm thick.

Using plastic ball as master plug and pressing heated styrene over it i made two rounded parts, for wing float front parts.

Then sanding and gluing all the parts i create two wing floats, covering it with few coats of superglue as base coat. All the surfaces

 

were later sanded and polished, and - wing floats were made in just 10 minutes.

 

046.jpg

 

047.jpg

 

048.jpg

 

049.jpg

 

I use regular superglue in packed small tubes, here in Serbia are available in 50 pcs box for less than 3 EUR/4US$

 

050.jpg

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Top wing temporary placed, to test fit wing struts,then go to the paint shop, final coats of paint, pre shading of wing ribs,

 

057.jpg

 

058.jpg

 

059.jpg

 

060.jpg

 

And finaly, all the wing struts glued,

 

061.jpg

 

062.jpg

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Engine /top wing support struts(copper wire 1mmdia) placed,

 

063.jpg

 

065.jpg

 

066.jpg

 

067.jpg

 

Just one step of insignia airbrushing, using Aeropoxy Cool Mask airbrushing masks,

 

068A.jpg

 

and "VOILA"!, Shimika floatplane is finished, just few photos of fuselage insignia airbrushing , decaling and wing rigging missed, i do

 

this few minuts past midnight and have no time to take a shots of this , its just 7 hours to 11th "IKAR Cup" oppening ceremony, and i

 

do not want to miss it.

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Royal Yugoslav Air Force/Naval aviation insignia,

 

078.jpg

 

079.jpg

 

080.jpg

 

Front view,including rubber bumper on the nose,

 

081.jpg

 

Cockpit area and engine radiator, including hand powered inertia starter crank,

 

082.jpg

 

083.jpg

 

084.jpg

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Nose inscription, insignia and serials,starboard sied on Cyrilic letters

 

085.jpg

 

Port side on Latin letters,standard manner on all Royal Yugoslav Aircrafts in pre WW II era.

 

086.jpg

 

096.jpg

 

Underside view, not a lot of details, but shows insignia positions,

 

087.jpg

 

And top view , with engine radiator details,

 

088.jpg

 

Mercedes D.I. - 100 HPEngine details,

 

089.jpg

 

090.jpg

 

091.jpg

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