Jump to content

Roden's Albatros D.III: Weathering, U/C, and some Rigging


Gazzas

Recommended Posts

Hi Everyone,

    Time for me to move on to my 2nd LSP this century.  ...and my 2nd biplane this century, too.  I hope this one turns out better than the first.

 

This model heralds a lot of firsts for me, and TBH I'm a bit scared of ruining it.

 

For the first time I've sprung for a substantial amount of AM:  True Details Mercedes D.III.  Aviattic seated German pilot with 5 heads.  And lastly Gaspatch Spandaus.  I'm going to shy away from turnbuckles and things that would have me sawing a big hole in the wing until I feel I can do that kind of thing without wrecking it.

 

Here's the boxart on the kit:

roden_albatros_1.jpg

 

Another first will be me trying to make woodgrain.  I want to make a lighter colored wood because I like the look of it better. 

 

No pictures for the first update as I've just finished sawing the resin from it's blocks and washing it.  Of course, hindsight is just correct vision and I realize that washing should have been done before I removed the parts from the blocks.  Consequentially, the smaller pieces just got soaked and not brushed as they were tiny.

 

I like the Roden box art.  Having recently perused their box art online, the boxes always show some kind of plane having just been shot down.

 

I hope you can enjoy the journey with me,

 

Gaz

Edited by Gazzas
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Peterpools

Gaz

Holy Cow - what a project and will be following all the way

Looking forward to the next update with photos of course

Keep ‘em coming

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gaz

 

Have a look online for some of the builds of this kit. There is an 'art' to getting the fuselage contents into place correctly (I recall a part may have been shown incorrectly oriented in the instructions - online build will mention this)and the top decking into place tidily.

 

I have one part built (what, me with a part built kit..!) where I have assembled one fuselage side to the lower wing and then built up the interior frame work into that half. Glued frames in with diluted gator grip (as it has some flex  when dry) while they were held in place with small clamps..

 

It's a nice enough kit... BUT it isn't WNW.. 

 

Matt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good choice, Gaz. With a nice pair of N shaped cabane struts and those outer vee struts, that top wing should be pretty easy to mount

 

Richard

This is one of the parts that scares me most.  I'm going to need a jig of some sort.  My only other biplane was a 1/48 Roland C.II which meant only two struts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gaz

 

Have a look online for some of the builds of this kit. There is an 'art' to getting the fuselage contents into place correctly (I recall a part may have been shown incorrectly oriented in the instructions - online build will mention this)and the top decking into place tidily.

 

I have one part built (what, me with a part built kit..!) where I have assembled one fuselage side to the lower wing and then built up the interior frame work into that half. Glued frames in with diluted gator grip (as it has some flex  when dry) while they were held in place with small clamps..

 

It's a nice enough kit... BUT it isn't WNW.. 

 

Matt

Thanks for the tip.  I read a review half a year ago, but I don't remember that bit in the review.  After work I'll go looking for some build blogs.

 

Gaz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll tag along for this one. I have this kit shelf of doomed as I lost a cabane strut but overall its a good kit. Just take your time and you'll get through each challenge. 

 

For the woodgrain I suggest doing some googling and then just practice on some scrap plastic. It's not too hard. Generally I use tamiya flat flesh as a base coat and then brush on raw sienna or burnt sienna oil paints (or a combination depending on the effect I want). Once the area is covered take a sponge and wet it with odorless thinner (for oil paints) and then dab it so its not too wet. Rake the sponge in the direction you want the grain to go. This will pull some of the oil paint off and let the base come through a little. Then take a wide flat brush dipped in the thinner and run it through the paint and you will see grain like texture start to form. If you take too much oil paint off just apply it again. It's pretty forgiving as a medium. I also use a fan brush to make wavy patterns int he grain and you can use darker oils to show knots in the wood but strictly speaking through this is pleasing to the eye it is over scale. When all that is done and dry, I coat with Tamiya clear yellow or clear orange depending on how deep and rich I want the wood to look. This also protects the more fragile oil paints from handling. 

 

In all honestly of the "challenging" finishes I like doing wood grain over the others. I feel like my NMF finishes are much more challenging to get "right" thank wood grain even though the application techniques are technically simpler. 

 

Zach

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is one of the parts that scares me most.  I'm going to need a jig of some sort.  My only other biplane was a 1/48 Roland C.II which meant only two struts.

 

I don't think you will

 

The lower wings are located by the fuselage. The cabane struts are a rigid shape and fixed to the fuselage. The top wing sits on that fair and square and the outer struts are vee shaped making another rigid part. it all looks very sound to me, like most WW1 Axis aeroplanes

 

See how you get on before worrying about a jig, I think you will be pleasantly surprised

 

Richard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Zach,

Thank you for the tutorial on wood grain application. I had never heard about using a fan brush before. Fortunately, I actually have one. I'm not really considering any knots in the finish. I can't think of any warplane that I've seen with knots. And I'm pretty certain that modern aviation grade plywood is knot free. There could be old warplanes with knots, I just haven't seen any.

 

I read a book where the Smithsonian Institute restored an Albatros D.V. they had to replace the entire plywood skin.

 

The finish they got was very clean, and I hope to get a like result.

 

I really appreciate the pointers.

 

Gaz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gaz, I think you would find rigging with Bob's Buckles and E-Z Line to be very easy and adds a lot to the end result. Actually easier to rig with Bob's Buckles than without.

Jay

Jay,

Now you've just about got me convinced to buy them...

 

Gaz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jay,

Now you've just about got me convinced to buy them...

 

Gaz

 

Gaz, at the risk of sounding like a shameless self-promoter, Karim has a terrific tutorial on using EZ Line and Bob's Buckles for rigging in our AEG book:

 

https://www.klp.com.au/product/building-the-wingnut-wings-aeg-g-iv-late-in-132-scale/

 

He makes it look pretty easy; I'm almost inspired to try it myself!

 

Kev

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A long time ago, I visited the War Memorial Museum.  I got spoken to by a curator because I stepped upon the raised dais to get some close-up pictures of the Albatros there.  The turnbuckles were photographed, but I've long since lost those photographs.  If I were to order some of Bob's Buckles eyelets and tube, how long do you reckon the tube should be?...  and then I guess I have to count the number I'll need for this Albatros.

 

Sheesh...  You  guys are great salesmen!

 

Gaz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...