Hi Stephen,

...at least someone has noticed the effort with the cable entries Actually, these are not cuts. I enclose the photo; larger holes were drilled to receive a small PE inserts that were attached with CA and then finely sanded to smooth finish. I wondered how to make clean cuts for the cables, but doing it this way seemed much more easier.



All the best,
Entoni

Hello Entoni:

I am just now getting to your build, you are making good progress and I like your wood grain. One may argue it is too pronounced, but it has the desired affect and looks better than decal. I too noticed your cable cutouts, very clean and even and the PE looks good and will enhance that part of the model. Your aluminum is outstanding. Very neat and nice.

I am looking forward to more as you progress through the build.

Best

Mark

Coming together nicely. I like the foil trick. Looks much more convincing than just painting. What did you use to stick the foil down?

I know that there is a foil used by car modelers that has a adhesive side.

That would be Bare Metal Foil, which has many uses among aircraft modellers as well.

That is the one!

Hi everybody,

It is nice to see how the discussion develops, but I used simple kitchen aluminum foil which was glued with the micro metal foil adhesive. The access hatches are from thicker vine bottle foil secured with a drop of CA.

I'm glad you all like it!

All the best,
Entoni

Superb craftsmanship Entoni – the foil is a very neat trick.

Wonder if it could be used on compound surfaces, like the cowlings of a Fokker EIII for instance?

I'm really enjoying the development of this model a lot!

All the best

Mikael

Hi Mikael,

I am absolutely positive about it! Actually, I used the technique on many irregular surfaces with a lot of engraved and raised details on it. The trick is to let the micro metal adhesive to dry enough (until it loses the milky appearance), than attach the foil and gently burnish it with a q-tip and a toothpick (to accentuate edges)... do it slowly progressing from inside out, and I am quite positive it will work fine. Just invest some patience and the efforts will pay off exceedingly. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of my previous projects with foil, but it is rather easy to accomplish. Just take care that the surface must be absolutely clean of any impurities or dust particles, because it will surely show through!

PS. also, doing it section by section (if possible) makes life much easier!

All the best,
Entoni

Hi everybody,

There's not much to report. It is only the fact that I am leaving for Prague this afternoon for another boring business trip until Saturday; so there will be no serious progress on the Albie. However, I will (hopefully) have some free time to stroll down the streets of the modelling Mecca, and will probably get a bunch of models that I will never find time to finish Nevertheless, I am looking forward at least to gaze at the models!

I just wanted to post several photos of tiny fuselage stiffeners or cabane struts anchors (I am total idiot about the exact name, since I am not a WWI specialist - please bare with my ignorance) that I reproduced from can aluminum. But the interesting thing I have to report (of course, I may be totally wrong about this!) is that the original Eduard kit comes with four raised pair on each side of the upper fuselage (two beneath the cabane struts, and two further down the fuselage beneath the Schwarzlose). The problem is that I couldn't positively identify the exact number of these stiffeners by observing the photos. The Eduard's kit seems to be right for the series 52 and 152, but bauart 252 shows only three pairs on each side. However, some photos support inconsistencies between the late 152 and early 252 series, but since I am building the Navratil's 253.06, I am almost sure that I counted only three pairs on the existing photos. However, there is another small inconsistency with the Eduard kit, and it is the inspection hatch beneath the outer wing struts, which was, to my best knowledge, not present on Oeffag built Albatrosses so it has to be removed as well. But Stephen has already pointed out to other inconsistencies in terms of smaller details and fuselage hatches as well. It may be totally superfluous and irrelevant to many, but it is just a piece of observation that comes from my obsession with detail.

And now for the photos... Everything is ready for the camo work, which will have to wait for a week or two until I find some spare time. Nevertheless, I need to come up with a strategy for the actual application of a two-tone green camo, which I already tried by utilizing small sponges and rags - just like they did it originally!











All the best,
Entoni

Entoni,
Just got the opportunity to check your Thread after a week or so of too much work, not enough play. The foil and metal work is magnificent, really sets this apart from the usual and combined with the woodgrain looks tremendous. I've tried the Bare Metal Foil that Jessica mentions, great looking product but the adhesive doesn't adhere as well as I'd hoped. Yours looks "welded" in place, very nice work and as always your ingenuity results in spectacular results. Nicely done and I look forward to more updates.
Cheers,
Lance

Hi everybody,

@lance: Thanks, Lance! You were always supportive of this project, and I hope I won't let you down!

I returned from Prague this morning, and I just couldn't wait to get my hands back on the Albie. The trip was very interesting, and I also visited some hobby shops to buy some nice treats - bet having too much beer really affected my common sense (and my wife wasn't too glad to see my suitcase upon return!)

However, I tried my camo work on the upper wing. First I had to make my special spongy, and then I started applying a two-tone green by slowly dabbing the sponge onto the wing. The results are pretty much ok, and it might seem a bit overdone, though it is far from being finished. The plan is to let it dry until tomorrow and then try to get the rubbing effect by circular movements with a very dry sponge (will see how that works). Then I will apply the decals and do further weathering. This is a big adventure for me, and I keep exploring... hope I won't ruin it in the end. So, here are the photos:









All the best,
Entoni

That sponge brush looks professionally made! Is it made from a piece of sponge clamped in the end of a piece of aluminium tube?

Well, if you count me in professionals, than the answer is positive No, it was made from a piece of natural sponge (not the synthetic one!) that was fixed at the top end of an old paintbrush. I just spread the aluminum tip that holds the hairs of the paintbrush, inserted the sponge and tightened it again. It's not that complicated at all...

Entoni

Hello Entoni:

I marvel at your wood tones. The metal looks the part as well. This is going to be one sweet model. I like your mottling too.

Best

Mark

Hi everybody,

As the server was down for a day or two, I was wondering how much we owe to StaffJim and his hard work! I am really thankful for his hard work that enabled us to meet again! Thanks, Jim!

I was quite busy these days (there are too many builds going on behind the scenes!), but I am eager to finish the Albie asap (so as to leave some room for the models in the pipeline). I continued with the camo work (first layer without weathering), and - alas - all the nice wood tones are gone! What a waste of time, you may think. But I am not going to convince you that it paid off, because all the fine detail peeps through the camo (the studio lights and the camera are not going to reveal that, though).

I must repeat that I am a complete novice in the early aviation world, and my k.u.k. autumn camouflage (or at least this is what I attempted to do) is in fact only an educated intuition in terms of hues, tones and techniques. But now when it is completely dry, it appears to me as satisfactory interpretation of the camo (but isn't that the best we could possibly offer?)

So, here are some of the photos with only short description of the sequence of steps. First, I dabbed with my spongy a uniform pattern of Vallejo Model Air Drab Olive (71043), which has some brownish appearance to it...



... and this is how it looked with the first layer of Drab Olive applied to the fuselage and the wings...



... than the same procedure and technique was used to apply Vallejo Model Air Black Green (71021), but with slightly rounded and circular movement of the sponge, as you can see on the tip of the left wing...



... when the application is done and dry, I toned it a bit with a light airbrushed layer of Vallejo Model Air Camo Green (71002), which gave it a bit light greenish hue. So, that is a short pictorial, and here are the photos of the finished first phase. The next step is to apply decals, varnish and do the weathering...







I hope you like it! Of course, comments are more than welcome!

All the best,
Entoni

Looks good. I don't know how I'd feel about painting over that wonderful wood effect!
My Phonix needs to be painted in a very similar pattern so I'll be trying out the sponge technique myself.

Yes, I think the patterns were very similar. However, I advise you to take your scale into account as well, and try to utilize the size of your sponge. Otherwise the blotches may appear too unrealistic (but it is up to you to decide whether and to what exent you want to be true to scale). If you decide to work with the sponge, I advise you to practice on a scrap model until you are confident about the outcome. I found it easier to work with slighthly thinned color and a bit dry sponge... be sure to dab it slowly onto surface in irregular patterns (do not press your spongy too hard!)

All the best,
Entoni

Like it?  – I love it! This fantastic build of yours just keep getting better and better, I'd love to do this cammo in 1:32 some day...

Mikael

WOW...!!! WOW...!!! WOWhhhH...!!!!!

Great...!!! It's really nice...A real brave whit courageus determination, painting over that pollywood... AWESOME...!!!


Only one asking question... You tell "natural sponge", they Are from animals of the sea or plants from the land...?

Thanks You very much...

Diego

Hi Diego, and thanks for your nice comments; the natural sea sponge are harvested form the sea. The only apparent benefit of using the natural sponge over the synthetic is to be found in irregular patterns, which are not that present with the syntetic ones (though I am very positive that you can utilize the synthetic ones for the same purpose!)

All the best,
Entoni

Hi,

I haven't had time to post images, but it will come soon... I also experimented with my DIY weathering solution, which is rather simple: dissolve the artist chalks in watter, apply it with airbrush and wait until it dries out! Very nice results (I can feel further development here!)

However, I need a helping hand! Could anyone, please, post and image or a photo with the exact engine and fuel piping that extends from the firewall to the engine, as well as fuel instalation on Albatros 253? I would really appreciate it!

All the best,
Entoni

No helping hand with the piping?

Hello Entoni,

Well, I don't have any pics that are my own to post for you, but I had a lot of help with these kind of queries, when I built my 153:140 from the very accurate replica builds of Coloman Meyerhofer. (Perhaps you've heard of him already?)

There are several pictures and films to view, here is one link I found just now:link

I know there are picures here at aeroscale – if you use the search engine in the black band topside here I think You'll get some good results.

From memory (and looking at the image above) There are some fuel/pressure lines extending through the firewall down at the left side, just on the engine "ledge" (seen from the pilots veiw) These connect to the fuel tank which rests snuggly, just below the back end of the engine sump.

Here is a link to my build where I think I asked the same question.There are some shots of my interior here that shows how I solved it: my 153 build

Hope some of this is of help to you!

Mikael

Hi,

Thanks, Mikael! Stephen also stepped in and reminded me about the finest Koloman's replica build. This will serve the purpose, and I thank both you and Stephen for assistance!

All the best,
Entoni