This is one of my newest projects. It is the model in 1:48 scale of an aircraft model developed by Igo Etrich.
This was the very first example of his designs based on the Zanonia seed. Finally this wing design ended up in the famous Etrich Taube.
The Etrich glider was built and airborne in 1905. Flightesting was very satisfying. In 1906 it was motorized with a 1 cylinder motorcycle engine.
In nature this plane had a wingspan of 6m and so the model has an average span of 12,5 cm.

I really hope, you also like this amazing little craft with its spectacular design.






If you like this little project I will keep you updatet with details and progress

That's sure something different. I would be pleased to stay informed!

Greetings, Nico

Now that is early aviation!

Hi Peter!

Very interesting indeed! Do you have any plans or photos of this bird?

Anyway, I will follow your build each time you'll post an update...

Jean-Luc

Thank you for your kind coments. In deed it is very early aviation. But it was a revoulutinary design. An all wing aircraft in 1905 and it worked pretty well.

On the attached pics you can see the first steps. the airframe was brass wire soldered.

The original airframe was made from pinewood and the spars from Bamboo.

Hi Jean-Luc!

Here you will see the general layout and and the details as they have been attached to the pantent file of Etrich in 1906. this is already the version equiped with the motorcycle engine.
On the drawings you will note a neagative dihedral. It was not realized on the origin. The shape realized was pretty close to my model.

Fotos of the glider are rare and the quality is mostly very poor but I will upload some in the next days.

I really hope that this item is not to wired for this forum

Excellent work, and interesting subject.
Please keep us posted on your progress.

Hi Peter!

Certainly not! Thanks a lot for the additional infos...

Jean-Luc

Hallo Herr Peter!

I really loved seeing your latest scratchbuilt project!
I admire your skill to solder those thin and delicate ribs, and make them so perfect - at least from what I can see from the photos.
Also, I have a question:
What have you used to reproduce the "canvas" on your model?
Architects vegetable paper?

Please keep us posted on your progress, and congratulations on such an (another) exquisite model from you!
Rui Matos (aka Skipper)

Now it is going to be more serious.
The Etrich was driven with two counter rotating propellers. They really gave me some headaches how to make them. Originaly as you can see on the drawings they have been made of thin bended bamboo, covered with tissue. But how to display that in 1:48 scale

Finally, after some weeks of heavy rumors, there was a way I bent them out of 0,2 mm copper wire... soldered the pieces togehter and painted them with airbrush. The tissue cover is made with white glue.



The other parts on this pic are:
The gear for the counter rotating props, the one cylinder motorcycle engine and the tank.

Hi Peter!

This is just brilliant!

Jean-Luc

Thank you all for your encouraging comments. They are very helpful.

The following pics show some progress. I started painting...but i will need som more layers for appearing in a satisfying finish.
I love the propellers they really look like feathers.
For the tissue i have used "Japanpaper" this is a very fine material. It is much thinner than the stuff used for RC models.

Peter,

Absolutely incredible! Your skills are most inspiring. I really enjoy seeing something out of the ordinary. That last post really made my day. This is true modelling. Keep posting more, please.

Mark

Hi Peter!

I couldn't have wrote it better than Mark!

I noticed one skid is higher than the other though... but I'm sure it is because you will put the model on an uneven ground in your diorama.

Jean-Luc

Hi Jean-Luc
Oh ...dear there can be nothing hidden. The skids are equal but the underground was uneven.I was to lazy to make a new arrangement...sorry
Regards Peter

Very impressive build Peter! This is the kind of kit I would expect Aerobase of Japan to do and you scratchbuild it. Most impressive.

Thank you all for your encouraging comments! They are so helpful for a modeller besides the tracks.

Here are two more pics from the same stage of building. The underside shows the little rigging attached.
On the pics the glider seems to be huge but it is so tiny and it is difficult to work with tweezers on it.

That is a stunning piece of work!

This is a beautiful piece of work!
And thanks heaps for including the WIP shots.

Cheers,

Hugh

The first little Bird of Etrich isn´t finished so far but it is on an exhibition since 4 months.
In the meanwhile I started some new projects on this theme.
The first I would like to share with you is building a factory diaroma of the Fischamend Aircraft Factory prudicing an Etrich Taube. In the center there will be one strip down bird in 1/48 scale.
I don`t know why but this time I had the intention to build this model mainly out of plastic.
Here ere the first steps of building the right wing

[/url]/image.file[/img] [/url]/image.file[/img]
[/url]/image.file[/img]
[/url]/image.file[/img]

Absolutely fantastic, Peter !!!

Maybe you should start a new thread for your scratchbuilt Taube

Cheers,

Claudio