Thank you Jean-Luc , I'm really inspired by the positive feedback from everyone, especially someone of your calibre. I'm really enjoying posting pics of my progress and will see it to the end. If you think my work is good enough I'd love to have a feature on Aeroscale. I have a week off from work for the Thanksgiving Holiday and plan to spend a lot of time with my two sons ages 5 and 7. Postings may be intermittent if at all this week but I'll be in full swing next Sunday or Monday.

Thank you to all modellers out there viewing my postings.

Mark

I just got in two back issues of "WW1 Aero" #126 and 133. These are only available in photocopies now. These contain a little more info on the M.5 for the build. Many of you probably know that Leo Opdyke has retired. I talked to a very helpful lady named Beverly.



As I check the fit of the fuselage I noticed the halves aren't meeting together properly above the cockpit seat.



I checked into my reference "Russian Aeroplanes 1914-1918" by Mikhail Maslov and found a picture of an M.5 in the construction phase and noticed some kind of support over the partition between the cockpit and fuel tank sections. It looked something like this...



So I put in the supports to align the halves correctly....



After this dries I'll get a pic and show you the progress.


Mark

Hello all,

I forgot to say that the picture of the support above the cockpit seat is from the side and I can't tell if there's 2, 3 or more vertical parts to it. I'll take a little artistic licence and make it a functional support.

Mark

I have to say I really like this whole build. Knowing what goes into a vacuform makes it more satisfying when you see one well built. Model On!

Thank you, Stephen. I enjoy the scratchbuilding that goes along with it. Even though I have a wealth of references for the build, there is actually very little detailed info on the cockpit arrangement in what I have. It's made me sit and think "what does this pulley do", "how does this get to the elevators", etc. Quite a learning experience in it self.

Speaking of scratchbuilding, I thought I'd start on the control panel before retiring for the night. Here's the kit piece.............



The control panel with the "blobs" sanded down, my trusty Waldron Punch and Die sets and a few Dial Faces and Instrument Bezels from the spares box....



"Knocking out" the Dial Faces.....



Here's how the parts will eventually (roughly) be positioned......



That's all for today. More for you soon.

Mark

The cockpit with "supports" added in above the seat......



Cockpit installed and glued in to port side...



Very little of the fuselage gas tank will be seen over the back seat, but it's there.

Mark

More cockpit pics...


Rod for control stick and blanks for tailplane controls (can anyone tell me what these are called?)....



Holes drilled into the center.....



Good fit......



Holes drilled for control wires



Sanded to shape...



Test fit.......


Send out some comments, questions and/or suggestions. More soon.


Mark

Time to wire up a little of the cockpit...

I use Dai-Riki fishing line (.005) for rigging and color it with a Sharpie...





Pull it through to the back.....



Out of the predrilled hole......



The lines will eventually be pulled taut.......



Control stick assembly......



I'm hoping to have the cockpit finished in a day or two and get the fuselage halves together. More soon.

Mark

One last posting today...

I've finished the control panel. Here are the parts. I flattened out the bottom of the panel. It looks more like the pic I have of the actual cockpit.



Here I'm making a part from the pic that has a guage and a switch. I'm pushing my scriber into the back corners so that it creates dimples on the front that I'll drybrush to bring out. The piece is .005 sheet styrene. I tried .010 but it looked too thick.



Here's the finished panel. I painted the bezels a brass color.



You can see the Dimples I pushed out from the back on the black panel then drybrushed with grey. This works well to simulate raised rivets or nail heads.



Let me know what you think.

Mark

Hi Mark!

I think you make me want to try a vacuform kit...

Thank you for sharing this interesting and motivating build with us.

Jean-Luc

Just wanted to add my word of praise for your build. I wouldn't have the aptitude (yet) to attempt a vacform; I just plod along with the usual injection kits. However, the skills you are using for this build are great, and I am learning a lot about scratch-building from following this thread. Thanks for explaining everything so clearly - it is truly useful. Keep up the good work.

Thanks Jean-Luc and Richard,

I haven't been doing the scratchbuilding thing for very long. A good way to practice is to take a piece from one of your injection molded kits and try to reproduce it with spare plastic sheet and/or rod you might have lying around. Then you move on to larger pieces. It can be fun just trying to figure out how to do it and moves your model building onto a more personal level. Having good tools and advice are of great importance.Then you realize things like;

1. I can replace this part I lost by making it myself................
2. I can modify this kit to the version I'd like to build...............
3. I can make this part look better.............
4. I can take these plans and make an airplane that is not available as a kit............
5. I am becoming a better modeller and can help other modelers with my suggestions
based on my experience, trials, sucesses and failures............

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Edit: Speaking of scratchbuilding, I really should mention two books that I reference alot:

1. Scratch Built! by John Alcorn
2. The Master Scratch Builders - Their Aircraft Models and Techniques - John Alcorn - Editor

Both of these book published by Schiffer

I hope these help.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just remember that it's all about having fun and........ having a great site like Aeroscale for suggestions and advice from a world of fellow builders is one of the greatest blessings we have as modellers.

Mark

Hey Mark,
I like your philosophy.
That is the same experience I have been having with my BE2c (Roden 1/48). The experience I am gaining scratch building details will improve me as a modeller. And it's fun.

Cheers,

Hugh

Sounds great Hugh, I'd like to see some pics of the BE2 you're building. Are you going to post pics when you're done?

I found a few pics of the BE2a and really like the lines of the aircraft. Are you aware of any scale plans of the plane?

Mark

Hey Mark,
have a look here.

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/models/31063-roden-1-48-be2c-progress.html

There are a few Windsock data files on the BE2 Series. I have the BE2c volume.

Otherwise, I can have a look through my Archives and see what I can find for you.

Cheers,

Hugh

Excellent work, Hugh!!!!!!!!

Here's some more progress on the cockpit panel....

I needed to add some more detail to it. The pic I have of the cockpit has placards on it and an added instrument mounted to the bottom middle of the panel.

Here's how I made the added instrument and placards.

Punched a hole in .005 sheet



Cut out the piece and checked the hole size with my instrument face.........



Cut round rod to make the back of the intrument, shaped the instrument holder....



Began bracing fro instrument holder.......



Drilled a hole for wiring and painted the instrument back silver while it was in the bit......



Finished bracing................



Painted grey with brass bezel added to the front...........



I found some convincing placards on an Archer 1/35 Sd.Kfz 251 dashboard sheet.........



Cut out the placard and burnish it down............



Added wiring...................



End result...............





I need to make an ammo box for the Maxim machine gun that is attached to the bottom right side of the panel.

More soon.

Mark

Mark,
That Instrument panel is sensational!

Cheers,

Hugh

Thanks, Hugh!!

Here's the Maxim ammo box build................







Here's the completed panel, the box will get an oil wash on a day or two....





Next I'll be joining the fuselage halves and finishing the cockpit.

Please post any comments or questions.

Mark

I am inpressed. But I can see from your photos, my fingers are much larger than yours.

Hello all,

Well, I was going to mate the fuselage halves together today but I can't bring myself to do it.



I'm modelling the flying boat number "36" and it had a wireless transmitter.



Here's a closeup of the transmitter from flying boat "38".



I'll go ahead and scratchbuild that stuff too. OCD will be the death of me. Here's the starting point..the starboard side.



Mark

Yes Carl, It seems I'm constantly poking myself in the eyes.

Mark

OK, The wireless......

Mark it out........



Cut it out...........



Use and Aires WW2 German radio as a base..............



The basic parts............



Ready to be painted and installed...............



There....I feel better...............



More tomorrow.......

Mark

Most impressive.

I love your work. and have enjoyed this very much. keep it up and I will try one......... TRY being the operative word there

Thanks for the posts Steven and Kelly.

Here's one more post from me before I turn in. Here's a few pics of the fuselage test fit.





More tomorrow.

Mark