ICM Tiger Moth

[mozart]

On 2/6/2023 at 6:22 PM, Anthony in NZ said:

Absolutely gorgeous as always Max

I just love your attention to detail! I’m inspired to get onto mine every time I read your updates 

Thanks Anthony, when you've finished your beautiful Phantom the Tiger Moth will seem like a doddle!

 

Talking of which, not quite a doddle but not too difficult either (at the moment*), the top wing is on and we have a biplane:

 

 

All is lining up well thankfully, shipshape and Bristol-fashion as we do say down 'ere in the West Country!  

 

 

* There is one area of slight difficulty at the moment at which I need to look closely; on each wing the rear interplane strut is too short to engage with wing, I can try pulling the wing down slightly but must avoid bending the forward strut.....more investigation needed!

 

 

I started off by gluing each interplane strut into their locations on the lower wing and when firm enough I placed the top wing carefully onto the cabane struts, I didn't try to get the interplane struts located in the top wing at this point.  I glued the wing to two forward cabane struts using CA because I wanted a firm but quick bond, there is a positive location on the fuel tank sides for the struts.  The rear cabane struts had naturally aligned themselves at the aft edge of the fuel tank and needed only a small dab of CA to fix securely. This morning I have glued the forward two interplane struts again using CA.  

 

One problem that I have created for myself was not checking that the four holes drilled on the nose for the inter-cabane rigging were completely clear, which I have since discovered they are not!  So I have to get a very small pin or piece of wire held in tweezers to wiggle in the holes!  I also need to think about the fuel line and actuating rods to put in this "tight" area.....more later I hope!

 

 

 

Edited February 9, 2023 by mozart

[MikeC]

Looking good Max - incredible attention to detail.

[Boch]

Fantastic 

[mozart]

Happy “endings” …..a purpose made tool (sharpened bent wire ) easily opened out the holes on the nose and a light bit of pressure engaged the port interplane strut top and bottom. The starboard one was a little more challenging so I eased it free of the lower wing, put a blob of UV glue at each end then shaped when hardened. A touch of black paint will completely disguise the botch! Rigging is under way. 

[mozart]

And before you know it, the rigging is finished!  I have to say that was the most straightforward, most trouble free rigging session tha I've ever done....and a considerable relief:

 

 

 

 

 

Moving onto the nose section next I think.

[Tolga ULGUR]

Very nice Max, indeed 

[dennismcc]

Most impressive and a good well thought out recovery.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Out2gtcha]

Wonderful!  Really starting to look Tigger like now Max

[KiwiZac]

Excellent work Max! I'm thinking I'll follow the instructions and do a single thread for each wing after pre-painting...

[MikeMaben]

20 hours ago, mozart said:

                  ... the top wing is on and we have a biplane:

[mozart]

As I've said previously, the underside of ICM's Tiger Moth is pretty good and doesn't really need the pe items from Eduard (in my opinion).  However, it can be tarted up a little because the surface isn't completely smooth, there are quite a lot of nuts and bolts for instance:

 

 

.....not to mention tubing from the pitot head up into the air speed indicator and aileron control wires.  It's worth noting here that in my experience the wooden ribbing seems not to be of a standard layout, so the ICM model is different from one of the Tiger Moths we have at Henstridge, but similar to one of the others!  It looks like G-ANFM is very similar to the ICM model:

 

 

However as a start of a little extra detailing I'm adding some of the nuts:

 

 

using a Meng sheet that I've had for years, I think they're mostly intended for armour modellers but the smaller ones work quite well for 1/32 scale planes:

 

 

The undercarriage is also in place, very fine and flimsy front and rear struts but the finished structure is sturdy thank goodness.

 

 

The axle stubs are too thick at the moment for the 3D printed hubs so will need sanding carefully. (Yes, I know I should have test fitted and sanded before installation…..senior moment!)

Edited February 10, 2023 by mozart

[mozart]

Looking much more like a Tiger Moth now:

 

 

 

So thinking about the next, and nearly final major stage of fitting the engine and nose panels, there's immediately a small problem with the engine to engine bearers fit.   Lukgraph's engine and ICMs bearers both have male fitting points and there is a misalignment of 1-2mm.  Neither should present too much difficulty in remedying providing the fix doesn't push the engine too far forward to then interrupt with the nose front.  More investigation! 

 

 

 

[Tolga ULGUR]

Looks terrific 

[Shoggz]

that is beautiful Max!

[mozart]

Just now, Shoggz said:

that is beautiful Max!

Thanks Rich, the silver nose should really show her off fully!