1:32nd scale Hansa-Brandenburg W.20

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
Now the fun begins,

 

Mike

 

[sky]

4 hours ago, sandbagger said:

Hi all,
All of the pre-rigging has been added prior to assembly of the model.
The line used is 'Stroft' 0.08 mm diameter mono-filament with blackened 0.4 mm diameter Brass tube from 'Albion Alloy's'.
All of the lines have yet to be tensioned and turnbuckles to be painted, which can only be done after assembly of the various parts.

Mike

Mike, that looks absolutely beautiful - dare I say it - as usual? Not taking away from it, but you've drilled the assembly line to perfection. Chapeau!

 

I do have a question though as I'm currently stocking up on supplies for a series of projects and am wondering what kind of rigging to get (1/32 scale). I saw over the last few builds of yours that I have followed, you seem to be using different size rigging. How do you decide, which to use? Plain what looks "correct" or knowing you, probably in depth research?

 

So far I've seen

- EZ line white (heavy) - which seems a little thick for my taste for a 1/32

- Stroft -GTM silicon PTFE tempered monofilament (blue/grey) 0.08 mm

- Stellon monofilament 0.12 mm

 

Someone else uses Uschi van der Rosten fine size rigging (0.02 mm) - so many options. Naturally all of them may need a coat of paint afterwards, increasing the thickness even further, so maybe the smaller (0.08 mm) the better?

 

I believe 9/32" was the imperial dimensions for the BSF wire (e.g. Pup). That would be ~7mm diameter on a 1:1, making it ~0.2 mm in 1/32 scale, so basically anything at or around 0.2 mm should work. UvdR's super fine (0.01 mm) might work for the 1/200 Bismarck but will be too thin for these WW1 birds, even with a coat of paint.

[sandbagger]

Hi Sky,

I predominately use the 0.12 mm 'Steelon' or 'Stroft' mono-filament for general rigging, such as flying/landing wires, bracing wires etc.

The 'Stroft' 0.08 mm mono-filament I use for control cables, both internal fuselage and external rudder, elevator and rudder.

Once airbrushed with a semi-matte clear coat the lines take on a more sold and less transparent look.

The only time I deviate from this is when the limitations of the model prevent it.

This model I'm using the smaller line as the rigging requires four lots of three rigging lines to be attached to the same rigging point, so using 0.12 mm is not really practicable.

I use stretch line, such as 'EZ' only when I have to.

As for accuracy, I don't think anyone will be using a micrometer to check the thickness of the rigging 

Similarly I don't use photo-etch flat rigging even if to the naked eye it looks more authentic.

Photo-etch doesn't provide structural strength to the finished model, as tightened mono-filament does.

 

Mike

Edited May 11, 2021 by sandbagger

[sky]

Cheers Mike,

duly noted and ordered accordingly :). Again thank you for your insights and techniques, much appreciated. 

 

And I'm not one of the realism police, I prefer to use what - to my eyes - looks and feels right. The BSF reference is just something that I came across in another thread and felt it needed checking out

[sandbagger]

16 hours ago, sky said:

Cheers Mike,

duly noted and ordered accordingly :). Again thank you for your insights and techniques, much appreciated. 

 

And I'm not one of the realism police, I prefer to use what - to my eyes - looks and feels right. The BSF reference is just something that I came across in another thread and felt it needed checking out

Yeah same as me - I like to research before I build, but at the end of the day, it's a 'representation' of the real thing,

 

Mike

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The engine assembly and its support frame are now completed.
I've added representations of the pipes to and from the cockpit 'pulse meters', oil tank supply pipe, HT supply lead and carburettor control cable and lever.
I've also added the fuel supply pipe from the upper wing fuel tank to the carburettor, but this can't be connected until the upper wing is fitted.

I just wonder how companies like this expect modelers to be able to create the engine support frame from two pieces of wire and a rough drawing of the area, which is actually on the only 'instruction' sheet supplied.
Hey-Ho - moving on - Next up is the fitting of the upper wing,

 

Mike .

 

 

 

 

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The upper wing is now fitted.
The ailerons as well as the tail unit have yet to be fitted.
Now onto the rigging !!

 

Mike

 

[europapete]

Awesome Mike. It looks like that engine frame is one of your most complex creations yet. Regards, Pete in RI

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The rigging for the wings and ailerons is done.
'GasPatch' 1:48th metal turnbuckles with 0.08 mm diameter mono-filament and blackened 4 mm diameter tube.

 

Now onto the tail unit,

 

Mike 

 

 

 

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
The tail unit with elevators and rudder is done.
Bracing and rudder control cables are 0.08 mm diameter mono-filament with blackened 4 mm diameter tube.

Apart from the propeller, that's the aircraft completed.

 

Now it's onto creating a beaching trolley and the figures,

 

Mike 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 14, 2021 by sandbagger

[Landrotten Highlander]

Nice work, just one small question - how do they operate the elevator? I see control cables for the vertical fin, but none for the horizontal stab.

[sandbagger]

7 hours ago, Landrotten Highlander said:

Nice work, just one small question - how do they operate the elevator? I see control cables for the vertical fin, but none for the horizontal stab.

Hi LH,

There is very little information on this aircraft and just four published photographs.

I couldn't find and evidence of external control cables or control horns for the elevators, as found on most WW1 aircraft.

There does appear to be something I found on two of the photographs, which could be control related.

I suspect the controls were routed from the cockpit and rearwards through the fuselage then up inside the fin.

From the fin external rods were connected to elevator control horns located inboard on the elevator leading edge.

I think possibly a very similar control setup as used on, for instance, the Italian Macchi M.5 float plane.

However, without more information, I decided to disregard that control detail,

 

Mike 

 

W.20 tail unit

 

 

 

Macchi M.5 controls

 

 

[Landrotten Highlander]

43 minutes ago, sandbagger said:

Hi LH,

There is very little information on this aircraft and just four published photographs.

I couldn't find and evidence of external control cables or control horns for the elevators, as found on most WW1 aircraft.

There does appear to be something I found on two of the photographs, which could be control related.

I suspect the controls were routed from the cockpit and rearwards through the fuselage then up inside the fin.

From the fin external rods were connected to elevator control horns located inboard on the elevator leading edge.

I think possibly a very similar control setup as used on, for instance, the Italian Macchi M.5 float plane.

However, without more information, I decided to disregard that control detail,

 

Mike 

 

W.20 tail unit

 

 

 

Macchi M.5 controls

 

 

Thanks for the answer.  Although I do know that in modern - and even WWII aircraft - all controls are internal to the superstructure of the aircrafts, I was unaware that such -lets call them experiments - were already conducted that early in the history of aviation.

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
As the aircraft had a beaching trolley and of course the kit does not supply one, I scratch built it.
Made from 0.8 mm thick plastic card, Axle is 1.8 mm diameter tube with 0.5 mm rod support brackets.
Wheels are from the ‘Kellerkind’ Tail Skid Trolley (54/077).
Padding bead is 0.5 mm diameter styrene rod from 'PlusModel'.
The three leaf suspension on both sides of the axle are made from three 0.2 mm thick plastic card strips.

 

Now onto the tail trestle,

 

Mike

 

 

 

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
And the tail trestle, made from thin balsa wood,

Mike