sandbagger

Hi all, The cockpit assembly is finished. Note that I changed the scratch built pilot seat support frame as the kit armoured seat 'cradle' is correct for this version of the BE2c. Built OOB apart from: The kit supplied 3D printed seats replaced with BarracudaCast’ British wicker AGS seats (BR32234). Instrument decals replaced with ‘Airscale’ Generic WW1 instruments (AS32 WW1). Added a observers half firewall as protection from the engine. Ckpit bracing is 0.08 mm diameter mono-filament and blackened 0.4 mm diameter Nickel-Silver tubes. Kit photo-etch seat belts/straps replaced with ‘HGW’ seat belts for the RE8 (HGW132027). The forward engine support frames and fuel tank are still to be fitted, Mike PS: I forgot to add a fuel contents indicator tube onto the pilots instrument panel. Added now using 0.4 mm diameter Nickel-Silver tube, partially dipped in 'Tamiya' Clear Yellow (X24).

Many thanks Kev - honored Mike

Hi all, I've been given further reference information on the pilots seat fit. It seems the later BE2c operational aircraft, fitted with the RAF 1a engine etc, had an armoured seat cradle. Earlier BE2c aircraft, fitted with the Renault engine etc, had the earlier Wicker seats fitted. As the 'LukGraph' model has the later RAF 1a engine etc, the armoured seat would be correct. Given this information, I can now either modify my 'modification' or remove it and fit the cradle, Mike

Hi all, After checking how the pilots seat was fitted in the BE2c, I believe the kit supplied photo-etch seat cradle is based on the 'Vintage Aviator' reproduction aircraft. However the actual Wicker seat seems to have been mounted on a plinth which was attached to the cockpit side frame and cross member and braced by wires at its front corners. There I've represented this using 0.5 mm thick plastic card and 0.8 mm diameter plastic rod. The following photographs shown the modification as well as the dry fitting of the assembly with the 'Barracuda' resin pilot and observer seats. Note that in general, the observers seat had a higher back rest than that of the pilot. Mike

Hi Thierry, "kitbash the Meng Dr.I with the Roden wings". I don't see any real problem merging the Meng DR.1 with the Roden Fokker D.VI wing. Remembering of course that the D.VI was developed from the DR.1 and was the predecessor to the D.VII. Of course you'd have the problem of removing the DR.1 lower and middle wings. I reality there isn't that much wrong with building the Roden kit and probably would be less work that trying to convert a DR.1, Mike

Hi all, Fokker D.VI of Kest 1a (Home Defence) Staffeln, operating from Mannheim in South-West Germany during the Summer of 1918. The full build log can be found here: As usual I've uploaded to my web site a fully detailed build log (in Adobe PDF format) that can be viewed or download. Just click the PDF icon in Gallery 4. Thanks for everyone's support and comments - much appreciated, Mike

Hi all, Completed model shots now up in the Ready for Inspection page, Mike

Hi all, Preparation of the fuselage and basic cockpit. The fuselage halves were sand to remove resin artifacts from the mating edges. Plastic 0.8 mm thick strips were secured to one fuselage half to aid with fuselage alignment during assembly (no locating pegs or holes). The 3D printed cockpit side frames and bulkheads were assembled, including sanding the top curved edges so fir the contour of the fuselage when joined. The actual aircraft had 'windows' in the fuselage to allow daylight to illuminate the instrument panels. The two instrument panels were secured to the cockpit frames to align with the windows. These are moulded as solid, to be painted silver and covered with acetate sheet. Instead, I've cut out the three windows to match the supplied photo-etch window frames, which will have just the acetate sheet inserts, Mike

Hi all, The engine is completed as far as possible. I've added the ignition leads and support rails, even though in reality the leads passed through the internal engine firewall. As expected, painting a complete 3D printed engine wasn't that easy. Sanding any print layer striations is not really possible on such detail. I've not fitted the exhaust manifolds yet as I want to align them correctly to the exhaust stack pipes and fuselage later in the build, Mike

Hi all, First up will be the engine. As you can see the complete engine is 3D printed, with probably only ignition leads to add. So in theory just separating the five parts from their supports, removing any residual support tags and sanding away any obvious layer striations. We'll see Mike

Hi all, One last shot. The pilot figure, which is the 'Elan13' German pilot WW1 (EL25). Painted with 'AK Interactive' and 'Tamiya' acrylics. Flesh painted with 'Citadel' paints. Mike

Hi all, Whilst compiling the basic PDF build log for this model I've already made one observation. Reinforcing rods are moulded internally within the wings, axle and struts, additional support is required for locating some parts. The lower wings have a single reinforcing rod moulded internally within the wing, intended to prevent lateral warp of the wing. However, although the instructions show that two locating rods are required to locate the wings into the fuselage, the wings have no locating rods fitted. There are no guide marks for drilling the location holes in either the wings or the fuselage. Care is needed when fitting the wings to avoid misalignment of the lower wings to each other and the fuselage. Building this model should not present major problems for the average modeler, but care and attention will be required. Particularly regards providing adequate support for the larger and heavier resin parts, especially the lower wings. Mike

Hi all, My build of the Fokker D.VI is nearing completion. Therefore I thought I'd have a crack at one of the 'Lukgraph' model in my stash. I'm going to have a crack at the resin and 3D printed 1:32nd scale RAF BE2c model. The subject aircraft has been changed - see the current aircraft further down in this thread. Mike

Hi all, The aircraft model is complete. I've rigged the ailerons, rudder and elevator. Also added the external Anemometer and a windscreen. Just the figure to paint now. I'll post up completed model shots once it's in the display case. Than for your comments - appreciated, Mike

Hi all, A few updates on the build. The upper wing is fitted and, as expected when using the kit supplied struts, there were problems. On test fitting the upper wing onto the interplane and cabane struts, I found the cabane struts did not reach outboard enough to contact their attachment lugs on the underside of the wing. This necessitated drilling out the interplane locating holes in the upper wing enough to allow the struts to insert deeper into the wing. This reduced the distance between the wings enough for the cabane struts to fit correctly. I've also fitted and braced the landing gear. Also fitted are the twin aileron control wires from the cockpit to the underside of the upper wing. NOTE: The struts look squared in the photographs, but they are in fact aero shaped. Now it's onto the completing the tail unit, Mike

Hi all, Landing gear fairing assembly complete. The fairing underside decal is 'Aviattic' white-backed German Blue (ATT32077). Wheel cover decals are from the ‘Aviattic’ Fokker streaked set (ATT32062). I've represented the metal foot boards on the lower wing roots, by cutting the from the ‘RB Productions’ radiator mesh (RB-T027) photo-etch. 'Flory Models' Dark Earth pigment powder was applied over the foot boards, Mike

Hi all, Propeller completed. Usually I would fit a replacement propeller from Alexy at 'Proper Plane'. However, given the present circumstances, I've used one of the kit supplied propellers. Although many Fokker aircraft were fitted with 'Axial' propellers, the photograph of this particular aircraft shows a different propeller design. From it's shape I'm guessing it could have been a propeller from 'Heine', so that's what I've modeled. Grey primed then airbrushed with 'Tamiya' Dark Yellow (XF60). Brushed over with 'DecoArt' Burnt Umber crafter's acrylic paint. Airbrushed with 'Alclad' Aqua Gloss 600 then decals applied (LF Models). Hub brushed with 'Mr. Colour' Dark Iron (214) then buffed. Finally airbrushed with 'Alclad' Light Sheen (ALC311) mixed with 'Tamiya' Clear Orange (X26). Mike

Airbrush prime the weapons with a gloss black primer, such as ’Tamiya’ Semi-Gloss Black (X18) or similar. Lightly airbrush the weapons with ‘Alclad’ Gunmetal (ALC-120) or similar. Using ‘Tamiya’ weathering master Set C (Gun metal), lightly brush over both machine guns, particularly the perforated cooling jackets. Using ‘Tamiya’ weathering master Set B (Soot), lightly sponge around the gun muzzle. Brush paint the ammunition ports on either side of the breech blocks with a mix of ‘Mr. Colour’ Bronze (215) and Brass (219). Brush paint the padded butts with ‘AK Interactive’ Brown Leather (AK3031) or similar. Brush paint the padded butts with ‘Tamiya’ Semi-Matte Gloss (X35) or similar. Mike

Hi all, The decals and weathering are completed. I've re-profiled the leading edges of the tail plane, straight not curved. Also added carburetor air intake from 1.6 mm diameter tube. Under fuselage photo-etch panels added from the 'Aviattic' DR.1 set. I've brown tinted the lozenge decals using 'Ammo' Ochre filter, applied by brush. Overall dirt weathering was done using 'Flory Models' dark dirt clay wash. Mike

Hi all, The basic kit decals have been applied. Typical 'Roden' decals - easily cracked and chipped and reluctant to conform over curves!! Next up is weathering, Mike

Hi all, Rib and border tapes done. I'll possibly mist a slight faded brown over these decals, as they faded that way. Then it's onto the kit markings, Mike

Hi all, Just a quick update. I'm working through applying the lozenge decals to the model. Upper surfaces are the 'Aviattic' 4 colour faded (ATT32008) and undersides (ATT32010). The border and rib tapes are cut from ATT32069 for upper surfaces and ATT32071 for the undersides. The main lozenge decals were cut out and applied over a white gloss base coat to allow the linen effect to show through. The border and rib tape decals are white backed and applied onto the main decals. Fokker ignored the specifications of the ‘Idflieg’. Instead using their standard method of covering the wings, with the lozenge pattern applied horizontally across the top and underside of the wings and the fuselage, with wing border and wing rib tapes of the same pattern. For the ailerons, the elevator, tail plane and the fuselage sides, the lozenge pattern was applied vertically (front to rear and top to bottom). Each wing rib was taped but border tape was only applied to the trailing edges of the lower wing and upper wing, across the centre section between the inboard aileron edges. I still have the border tapes and underside rib tapes to apply, Mike

Hi all, All of the parts have now been primed with white, polished then gloss clear coated. White because the 'Aviattic' lozenge decals are 'clear' backed, meaning the base colour will show through to give the linen effect. Mike

Hi all, Apart from the cockpit surround padding, windscreen, Fokker type panel fasteners and weathering, the forward fuselage is done. Both machine guns with feed and ejection chutes. Photo-etch ammunition belts. Photo-etch blast plates. Expended rounds counter decal. Panel between gun breech blocks (omitted from kit), Mike

Hi all, It's been a few weeks since my last post. Real life sometimes takes up time. Anyway, here's a list of the basic work. 'Gaspatch' replacement weapons. Kit gun support bar replaced with brass tubing. 'DR.1 'PART' photo-etch, some cockpit detail added. 'Aviattic' replacement resin seat. 'Aviattic' faded four colour lozenge. 'Airscale' instrument decals. Mono-filament and tubing fitted for rudder, elevator and aileron control cables. Tubing added from throttle quadrant. Gun synchronization cables added. Engine bulkhead rear edge filled to allow for the 'Aviattic' engine cowl retaining band. Still a way to go before the fuselage build is done, including fitting the weapons, Mike