Biplanes and Other Rigged Aircraft

@hudson29 Thanks Paul!
Unfortunately, I didn’t take any photos while rigging. Wingnut Wigns suggested not using turnbuckles but as I said when you look at the photos WnW provide they are quite evident. So, I sourced a range of German type turnbuckles from Gaspatch and tried to match them to how they looked in those pictures. The 3D printed turnbuckles themselves are great though the challenge is attaching the ez line and trying to keep them straight. I try and keep the ez line just tense enough to keep it taut and not over tighten. As to the order of rigging, I started on the underneath so I could rest the plane on its wings on the edges of the box. I focused on the tail first since that was the most complex. The underside of the wings was more straightforward than the topside given that is where the warping controls were. Once complete, flipped it over. The topside of the tail is a mirror image of the underside but the top of the wings have a lot more going on. I used the turnbuckles only for the rigging, for the controls cables I wasn’t sure they had them except on the longer runs from the cockpit to the tail.
I am thinking of doing another build for this campaign, a biplane. I will try and take more photos though the rigging plane looks somewhat simpler.

cheer
Michael

Well not really an update just 2 pics showing just how bad this little ICM kit is, I don’t mind a challenge but after sanding the fuselage I lost 75% of the rib detail along the top and bottom, after I sand it 100% of the detail will be gone, after that I will have to add it back maybe maybe not. I was going to add more detail to the cockpit like seat belts and some detail to how the rigging is installed, that will not happen.

Some of this is my own fault for expecting to much from a kit I had little knowledge of, I thought this was a modern kit no it’s not (again my fault). I will work on it a little more see what happens.
IMG_24561 (600 x 277)
IMG_24571 (600 x 326)

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I am getting ready to start my build. I will try some new rigging techniques, so not going to take my chances on big expensive kits.

It is going to be the KP Aero A-100. Looks like I need some alternative decals. Maybe go for another marking scheme.

More to follow :slightly_smiling_face:

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What a great project! I have not heard of this aircraft and it is from a particularly interesting time between the wars. Please do take plenty of pictures of your rigging process.

I heard somewhere years ago that sometimes yellowed decals can be saved by leaving them in a window with the sun shining directly on them. If I have tried that myself, I have foirgotten the results.

Paul

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Hi Jesper, looks like a great project for practicing your rigging skills. I hope to start an interwar build in the next couple of weeks once I get back from holiday.

cheers
Michael

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Thanks for the comments, guys. I Will make sure to take some pictures. I will start with instructions. Only one page - and quite complex :sweat::sweat:

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Wings getting aligned….

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That looks great already!

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Thanks!

Good news is that the main wings seem to be perfectly aligned. With very few location holes it is a small miracle.

The bad news is that tail is completely screwed to one side. Maybe I bumped it while doing the wings or messed it up in the first place. Anyway, too much to just leave it, so extra repair surgery is needed on the tail.

More to follow :slightly_smiling_face:

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Main construction done - it went quite well taking the age of the kit into account and the rather complex instructions.

More to follow :slightly_smiling_face:

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That whole tail looks twisted. Would some gentile heat like steam or a blow dryer soften the plastic enough to adjust it?

Paul

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Paul, maybe it is the whole tail. I am not sure I dare apply heat to it. I think I will make it worse….

In the meantime I have started on rigging loops for the wings. I am using 0,6mm rod to wrap thin cobbler wire around. This is an experiment and first time I try this.

More to follow :slightly_smiling_face:

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Well back for another go at this campaign. I thought I would try a biplane this time and an interwar one at that. I am going to give this one a go


I didn’t know anything about it other than the name appealed. Westland is a part of New Zealand and we do have a lot of Wapiti down that way thanks to Teddy Roosevelt who thought it would nice to have something to shoot at when he visited.
Anyway it is a plane that the British used to keep the unruly natives inline in Iraq and India. It had a fairly lengthy operational history and was also used by the Canadians, Australians and the Indians up until 1942.
I didn’t have the best start with the kit as it arrived minus 5 parts, which were the cockpit floor and the fuel tanks. Lukgraph were happy to send me a stl file so I could print them myself and I agreed because my son said he knew what he was doing. That was too good to be true and while I did get the two pieces for the cockpit floor I don’t have the fuel tanks, not that it matters that much since you certainly can’t see any sign of them once the fuselage it sealed up. I may find someone else to print them or just scratch them myself.
But in the meantime I started on the engine, a 9 cylinder Bristol Jupiter radial engine. The box shows, and the instructions call for, a rusty exhaust collector at the front. I gave it go, never quite knowing much is to much, but it is done.

I should say all the small parts in this kit are 3D printed and the fit of the engine parts was excellent. All the body parts are resin and there is some photo etch as well.

cheers
Michael

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I am looking forward to seeing how you use these loops.

Paul

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Great to see one of these Lukgraph kits being built. They make kits of such interesting subjects that I have bought a number of them for future projects.

Your engine looks great, a good start. Please take plenty of pictures and show us how you rig it.

Paul

The loops are now in place. I drilled small holes to insert the loops in. Very difficult with the wings in place, so I should have done it before construction.

Also the loops are different sizes despite using the same piece of rod to wrap the cover wire around.

I am continuing this process, but I will not use it again - at least not in this scale.

More to follow :slightly_smiling_face:

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Thanks Jesper, I can see the loops in place. Did the real aircraft have these loops? I can’t say that I remember seeing them before.

Paul

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Cockpit complete. Wasn’t without its challenges, first being the fuel tanks. I reverted to using some German Army fuel drums since I couldn’t organise some 3 D printing but they turned out OK. Everything was fiddly but fit well except the pilots back wall which required some trimming for it to fit and the fuselage close up.

The detail was good, even came with a camera, but there is no opening for it

and those fuel tanks

and in situ before it all disappears into the fuselage

cheers
Michael

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That really is spectacular! Considering how little of your drums will be visible once its all closed up, I think they are more than adequate.

I notice your assembly is on top of a Tamiya lacquer. That is not a paint I have heard of before. Is it for the airbrush or paint brush?

Paul

Thanks Paul!
The Tamiya lacquer is for airbrush though it does brush better than its acrylics. I like because I think it leaves a smoother and harder finish. Of course it has the drawback of being lacquer so you need a mask and an extractor to help with the fumes. I use it and the Mr Hobby lacquers, they being the most available brand in NZ. Either mixed 50:50 with Mr Hobby Levelling thinner are a great combo.

cheers
Michael