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Hello all

    As I have loved Felixstowe F.2a when I first learned of it and seen a built 1/72 Roden at a show. So I purchased the WNWs late Felixstowe F.2a.  Most likely be building N4297 (WNW B version) light blue strips on white background. The instructions have 3 subversion's of the B version. So I'm looking at B2 or B3. What I ask is, Does this Felixstowe F.2a have flat rigging wire? If so I use Prym thread as it's flat. WNW asks you to use two different thicknesses 0.15mm and 0.20mm and show you a round style?  But is both the thinner and thicker bracing wire flat?  Or should I bother? Control wires is round right?  Also what Gas Patch Turn Buckles and ends do you recommend for the Felixstowe F.2a?

 

    I also have Windsock Datafile 82 on the Felixstowe F.2a. What References are a must for learning more about this aircraft. Or a understanding of WW I aircraft. I find that it's hard to find info on this subject matter. It's not an Albatross or Me-109 :innocent:   I ask this as I try to gather all items and references needed for my kits! 

 

http://www.wingnutwings.com/ww/productdetail?productid=3116&cat=3

 

Cheers

Danny

Edited by Vandy 1 VX 4
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Danny,

 

I also bought the F.2A (late), and was wondering the same thing about flat vs. round wires. I just checked WNW's website - and looked for a British subject other than the Felixstowe. If you look at the instructions for the SE5.A, (page 16), you will find that they call for a flat wire (.1mm x .3mm). I'm going to go with round throughout. 

 

The .15mm diameter confuses me; Berkshire Junction's EZ Line comes in two diameters .1mm (fine) and .25mm. (heavy) I ordered the line directly from WNW, thinking that they carried some intermediate diameter. What I received was the 'fine". 

 

I wish someone would put together a list of AM hardware for the rigging...

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I use gaspatch turnbuckles in 1/32 for a lot of rigging; I've heard a lot of guys use their 1/48 stuff on WNW kits as well, feeling they get a better scale effect. For internal rigging, I tend to use our very own Radu Brinzan  brass PE turnbuckles. They are flat, and fold to a 3d profile; to me, they are ideal for interior  applications as well as breaking up the "look" of just one style of turnbuckle. If you have the Datafile for the Felix, you have arguably the best ref for the big flying boat. Albatros also printed a Datafile for the "Curtis type" flying boats, which were produced in tandem with the Felix, but they used the Liberty V-12, so are prolly a good second source. I bought a spool of the Uschi v der Rosten elastic thread, as it seems more constant in dimension, but still have my EZ line. 

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Danny - 

 

I'm EXTREMELY jealous that you have Windsock 82. I've hunted for that friggin' thing and finally managed to "pre-order" it or something. I'm dying to get a peek at the USNAS boat #4291 from the early kit - apparently there's a photo of it in there.

 

Here's a site with some interesting collections of references: http://www.seawings.co.uk/FelixstoweF2A-ARCHIVEmaingal.htm 

 

As for rigging - I'll probably be using a mix of 1/32 and 1/48 Gaspatch buckles and "lazy buckles" - lengths of tubing slid down over EZ-Line looped through an eyebolt. On my Snipe I found the 1/32 buckles seemed overscale - but 1/48 were a pain because the eyebolt ends were a nightmare to thread anything through.

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Thank you all for your info. Maybe I should be more specific on the turn buckles. What type of Gaspatch turn buckles should I use for the F.2a late Felixstowe?

 

 

Danny - 

 

I'm EXTREMELY jealous that you have Windsock 82. I've hunted for that friggin' thing and finally managed to "pre-order" it or something. I'm dying to get a peek at the USNAS boat #4291 from the early kit - apparently there's a photo of it in there.

 

Here's a site with some interesting collections of references: http://www.seawings.co.uk/FelixstoweF2A-ARCHIVEmaingal.htm 

 

As for rigging - I'll probably be using a mix of 1/32 and 1/48 Gaspatch buckles and "lazy buckles" - lengths of tubing slid down over EZ-Line looped through an eyebolt. On my Snipe I found the 1/32 buckles seemed overscale - but 1/48 were a pain because the eyebolt ends were a nightmare to thread anything through.

Matt I picked my Windsock 82 on E bay with the Windsock LVG C.VI just before the announcement of the F.2a late Felixstowe.  I have heard it is in reprint, The F.2a Felixstowe 82 

 

USNAS boat #4291 from the early kit - apparently there's a photo of it in there.   Back page is a color example of her as photo #83 and #84

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1708&bih=723&q=felixstowe+f.2a&oq=Felixstowe+F.2&gs_l=img.1.0.0l2.2716.2716.0.5774.1.1.0.0.0.0.98.98.1.1.0.msedr...0...1ac..60.img..0.1.97.52eAtyv-uis#imgdii=_&imgrc=_PzR__k8aZm8pM%253A%3Bj2OaTyHv8Q_EzM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.helmo.gr%252Fgallery2%252Fd%252F49483-1%252Ffelix.jpg%253Fg2_GALLERYSID%253DTMP_SESSION_ID_DI_NOISSES_PMT%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.helmo.gr%252Findex.php%253Foption%253Dcom_deeppockets%2526task%253DcatContShow%2526cat%253D18%2526id%253D1088%2526Itemid%253D35%3B1000%3B411

Cheers

Edited by Vandy 1 VX 4
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There was also a fantastic set of drawings published in an old issue of Scale Models. I kept mine like a treasure for all these years. Need to dig it up.

 

Hubert.

 

PS: I have to give away (need to check if it's complete though) a LSM vac-form 1/48 F-2A, against TLC ...

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Vandy,

 Go to  greatwarmodels.com, and have a look about. Jim is a modeler, honest, and does excellent customer service. The various types are shown, and you can decide for yourself how to approach rigging.

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Being a true red-white & blue Ammurican, I d like to convert the Felixstowe into the Curtiss H12 as used by both the USN and the British and was used as a model for the Felixstowe (if I am not mistaken). :hmmm:

But, at the present time I am literally saving my pennies to buy just one of these beauties. Seriously, when I get the urge to go buy a pizza I open a can of tuna fish and satisfy myself with that (not as fattening, too). Or I'll cut open a kaiser roll, squoosh it down flat, pour pizza sauce on it, cover that with pizza cheese, a few slices of pepperoni, nuke it in the microwave and I make my own pizza.

So much to do and so little time to do it all. :shrug:

Stephen

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Guest Clunkmeister

I guess I'm old fashioned when it comes to turnbuckles. I'm stuck on Bob's Buckles. I like the Gaspatch stuff, but I find it over scale. Maybe I should use 48 size?

Bob's stuff with a bit of paint look amazing, and they're much, much less expensive.

Gaspatch parts work great in a high viz area that is right out in the open, like on a FEE or DH.2, but for regular biplanes, save some money and use Bob's Buckles..

My.02

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I agree on Bobs buckles. His stuff is cheap and I use it in conjunction with both 32nd and 48th Gaspatch stuff. I think the 32nd stuff looks great on the exterior as Clunk pointed out, but I too would recommend BBs for the interior stuff.

 

I usually use BBs for the upper rigging portion, then the 32nd GP buckles for the exterior bottom connection for the rigging. I think the 32nd GP turnbuckles do look over-scale for anything other than the main exterior rigging, so I use the GP 48th buckles for the control cables.

The only issue with the 48th scale ones is that the eyes on the 48th scale turnbuckles are so small, they tend to get a bit of the white metal flash in them, and it can be a real PITA to thread your rigging through them.

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There was also a fantastic set of drawings published in an old issue of Scale Models. I kept mine like a treasure for all these years. Need to dig it up.

 

Hubert.

 

PS: I have to give away (need to check if it's complete though) a LSM vac-form 1/48 F-2A, against TLC ...

I found these online...

 

http://www.seawings.co.uk/

 

Click on the WNW F.2a box, the "Felixstowe F2.A Plans Gallery"

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