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I'm in with WNW Albatros D. V!


whiskytngofxtrt

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My package from New Zealand arrived in the mail yesterday, and I can scarcely contain my excitement...

 

This is my first kit in almost nine years, and the first Great War bird and first 1/32nd aircraft I’ve done since I was eleven years old. I’ve found aspects of those early aircraft quite daunting in the past, especially rigging and effectively depicting their grace and fragility. However, a friend of mine recommended Wingnut Wings, and after drooling over their offerings for a few weeks, I’ve made my selection and cleared out my workspace. I can’t wait to try out new techniques I’ve only read about, and in a scale that allows for their visibility. The fact that the finished product won’t be too much bigger than the 1/48 jets and 1/72 bombers I’ve done before is an added bonus!

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I've gotten started prepping the interior and its framing for the faux plywood finish. I took a couple of photos tonight, and I have a kinda-dopey question to ask: how do I post the photos I'm taking? I tried linking to my Flickr, but that didn't seem to work...

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101_1100.jpg

Thanks, Dave--now I can post pics!


This first one is just showing the base coat on interior and framing parts. The next one 70226980-CA5F-4B56-8920-112DF1C76A9E-106

 

I took because I didn't like how the flash washed out all the texture detail...not sure which I dislike less... :hmmm:

 

Anyway, I am taking my time, relearning my old skills, and regaining new ones. I can't believe I let nine years pass since my last modeling project! I'm so glad I was pointed to this page--I'm learning so much from the interaction between members on the forums!

 

Thanks for looking!

 

Dwight

Edited by whiskytngofxtrt
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Hi Dwight, welcome to LSP.

 

It's super to see you back into modelling and sharing your project here. Glad that you got the knack of photobucket so that we can see your progress. You're off to a neat start.

 

I took because I didn't like how the flash washed out all the texture detail...not sure which I dislike less

lol! nice turn of phrase.

I don't know if this idea will help but in the past, I've draped a household tissue over the flash of my camera to soften the effect. If you're finding the flash washes out the image (possibly because the camera has to be quite close to the subject) give it a go. Remember also, you can very the strength of the diffuser by using more than one ply of paper tissue. Choose white tissue which then should n't affect the colour balance. HTH

 

Looking forward to more.

 

Cheers.

Edited by geedubelyer
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Tonight I got some more done on the Albatros:First colors on the propeller and the pilot's seat1D3F0B15-B939-4714-BFCE-6BA654195B8C-126


and the second step, adding the suggestion of wood-grain, for the plywood on the interior:62F1D794-1A24-4F25-B112-4E0BFC2B68C8-126

I "practiced" on the back part of the inside of the fuselage before committing to trying it on the parts that will actually be eventually more-or-less visible. The front will eventually be the interior primer green sprayed over the plywood...local hobbystore was out of the color I needed, but it was ordered for me today. Woo-hoo!

 

After shading with oils and spraying with transparent yellow-orange, the loud tiger-stripey effect will hopefully settle down!

Edited by whiskytngofxtrt
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Hey Dwight,

 

Looks great! You will be amazed at the shift in color once you overspray with the transparent colors. One thing to watch out for, and you may already be clued into this, but you will need to remove the paint from the mating surfaces of both the interior bulkheads and the recesses on the fuselage interior, otherwise the kit's engineering tolerances are so tight that you may have some issues closing the fuselage. I found out the hard way! I also agree with your thoughts on joining this group build. A high quality kit in combination with the free flow of information on technique has resulted in a huge jump in build/finish quality for me. Have you decided on a marking option?

 

Dave

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Since this is my first build in a loooong time, and I'm already learning many new techniques, I'm keeping my finish choice simple. I'll do Eduard Ritter von Schleich's Jasta 21 bird:

 

Albatros%20D.V%20D.2034~17,%20Eduard%20R

The sharp demarcations between colors will allow me to mask and spray this plane relatively quickly, allowing me time to make sure I know what I'm doing with the rigging and the weathering!

 

Really, there are so many different schemes to choose just in the box alone, much less independently researched and home-printed. I can easily see myself returning to this kit just to indulge a whim to see a different look.

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Thanks, Maru and Clunkmeister, for the encouragement!

 

I took the weekend off to visit my sister in San Diego, but I will be back at work on the Albatros this week! I've been enjoying painting with my airbrush way more than with a paintbrush on this project. After the last evening I spent painting parts, it occurred to me that the 30-year-old Model 200 was unable to spray a pattern tighter than a half inch or so...then I realized that I was missing its original fine-spray head and needle. So, a little search turned up the parts I needed, and, one footrub later, I got clearance from the Boss to order them. I'll have them in a week or so, in time to do the countershading on the wing-ribs! Until then, I'll be working on things I can spray with that wide blast and detail with washes and drybrushing.

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Slowed down for a bit--got my missing interior paint color--got that interior gray-green painted on!

 

Worked tonight on tying together the tones of the plywood with 50/50 Tamiya clear orange and clear yellow--looks like actual varnished wood!

 

My progress isn't speedy, but it is definitely satisfying. I will be posting pictures next time!

 

I'm greatly enjoying seeing how others' projects are taking shape. This is a great hobby, and I think even more folks would get more out of it by tapping into the fantastic resources others have to share. Thanks for taking the time to read.

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Okay, some photos tonight (sorry it's been so long, Dave!):
48A4E4DB-0E11-4222-9E6B-FBD75BE3BADC-146
And one I took mostly to share with others who aren't familiar with the size of the model:87AC07F9-C4AC-439C-8FDE-30E0D85C009B-146

 

I took these tonight between affixing the belts to the seat assembly and bending them into their final position and painting them. I am soooo glad this is not my old favorite, 1/72 scale! Approaching 47 years this summer, I am using all the assistance I can find in assembling this little beauty--clamps, vises, tweezers, magnifiers, LED spotlights...

 

I have prowled modeling forums and checked out the reports others have made while building this and other WNW kits. The byword is PATIENCE, and dryfitting many times before committing adhesive. The Albatros has fantastic fidelity to scale. It's up to me to find out from my sources what the proper color and finish will be, and apply it and weather it. The legwork of accurate details is mostly complete straight out of the box.

 

Anyway, tomorrow is looking like another cold, windy day in the High Desert, so I'd better sign off so I can be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for the third graders tomorrow.

 

Thanks for following my progress!

Edited by whiskytngofxtrt
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