Fellow Wingnuts,

This project has been occupying most of my modeling time the last five months or so and I've completed the first six machines of what will be eleven. I am collaborating with another enthusiast named Russ Hornbeck who is the main catalyst for the project and the main researcher. The final goal is to show the majority of the machines present at the Boistrancourt aerodrome in July of 1917.









The models are all Eduard of 1/48 scale with photo-etch, mono-filament and guitar string added for detailing.













I will be updating this thread with machines and shots of the base when they are complete.

Thanks for letting me share.
Regards, Dwayne

Dwayne, you definately qualify as a "Wingnut"....................but they sure do look purty......Like REAL purty. Something "New" on each......



Regards
Steve

WOW, Dwayne, that's an incredible collection. Post some more pictures up if you have the time.

Mark

Most Impressive! I smell a Feature coming on! Model On Please!

Most very impressive Dwayne , Lovely collection . Keep the pic's cpming !

Impressive.

About a year ago, I had the same idea. You have six finished aircraft, I have a closet full of unbuilt Albatri. Most excellent.

Yes but one of them is 1/32. . .maybe a forced perspective project?

Six in four months? Dwayne you sure you don't need to get out more?!

Seriously though, that's some effort to that many to such a good standard, and they're not just straight from the box as well.

Are you building several at once "production line style" to speed things up? Or are you a one model at a time sort of person?

Andrew

That is some lovely looking lassies mate! Keep 'em coming please!

Fantastic!

Absolutely beautiful work and a colorful lineup!. The 1/32nd bird is great!
RAGIII

Wingnuts,

Thank you all for the kind words. I really admire everyones work here. I've been greatly aided by your input and from observing the work that is shared here, there is a tremendous amount of talent on this website. Its been a most eventful 2008 and this helps keep me sane!!!!! Andrew, actually the time frame is more like from early June so it is a bit longer. Steve, I had some time off in August so I'm not completely nuts and besides, my family knows exactly where I am, especially when someone needs a little something from Dads wallet !!!

I started four D III's and finished two, then I built and finished four D V's, so assembly line is kinda accurate. Everything was done a lot of times instead of once. I dressed them up with etch and corrected some of the flaws a bit more than I usually do. I still have two D III's partially done, waiting to have the fuselage halves joined. I only needed two for the project, so one is for the "When I flew with" build, the other may turn out to be a Voss. I have a couple of other things on the bench unrelated to this project so stay tuned for further developements.

Thanks again.
Regards, Dwayne

Dedicated to my Dad..............Thanks Dad!

Oh your not getting off that easy! Tell us about your wood grain method. I like it.

Mr. Lawson, you are indeed a task master, now I know how Igor feels! I think a demo would be the best way to describe the method. When I complete one of the remaining D III's I'll take pics of the process and post them. I'll write a brief explanation for now.

Using oil based enamels, I paint the natural fuselage using Humbrol #63 which is a warm honey brown. I let this cure for 24 hours. I then mix Humbrol #74 which is a yellowish Ivory with the #63 color in a ratio of 75/25, darker to lighter color. I then use a #00 brush to freehand the wood grain pattern on the panels, trying to alternate the pattern on the panels as I go.

After this is dry for a few hours I mix up another batch of the colors mentioned above but only this time a little lighter, say 60/40 dark to light. This is used to highlight the second color. I will use it in the middle and along the contours of the second color.

Once the third treatment has dried for a few hours I then mix up a new variation using #63 as the base and add #73 which is like a reddish burnt sienna color in a mixture of about 85/15. The #73 is pretty dominant so I take it easy on how much is used. Then I take out the dreaded #0000 brush and add contour lines between the base color and the larger wood grain areas as well as some grain lines within the base color itself.

The final step is to use the last mixture to add the panel lines. If they come out as too dark then I wait another 48 hours and give a light wash of the base color over the panel lines to tone them down. Ease does it on the last step because too much thinner can mix the whole lot if not let to dry for a nice spell.

I try to keep the variation in tone from the base color to a minimum to reflect the subtle differences found in sheet plywood. This method is constantly evolving so feel free to try it and change it around to make it your own.

Regards, Dwayne

P.S. How come Ursula never has to do any of this stuff?????????

I would love to see a demonstration of the wood grain painting technique you describe. Excellent work and a fantastic series of aircraft! Thank you

Messer Williams,
Thats Eyegor (he hates it when we misspell his name.) Also Ursula has many tasks keeping the 24 all girl ground crew inline. They can be more than a hand full if not overseen constantly. Cooking cleaning and late night pillow-fights.

Aeroscalites,

Well this has been one very busy Winter/Spring and Summer of 2009. Between work and house projects I have barely enough time to sit down let alone get some modeling in. The current economy has made all businesses tighten their belts and a lot of us must get used to the idea that we are now expected to do more with less. I won't complain because I find myself among the fortunate as I still have a job, well so far!

Anyway, I have been fortunate in having acquired a set of Americal Gryphon Jasta 5 decal sheets. This has rescued me from learning how to make my own. It didn't seem to be an impossible task to learn how but with my limited time resources its has been a most fortunate development. The Americal sheets do not appear to have separate carriers for each decal so it looks like quite a bit of trimming will be needed. Does anyone out there have experience with this set of their decals and is there anything that I should know about?

So now the assembly line has started in earnest. Here are a couple of pics from the next batch. The interiors are almost complete. When they are I will be assembling them according to which markings they will have. I can see that the Rumey and the Bavarian pattern machines will need to have the fuselage assembled without wings or tail plane to ease in putting on the rather large decals.






I will post pics as they are completed.
Dwayne

Excellent Dwayne! No need to say it but I will. Model On!

Most impressive work Dwayne , any close up pic's of the cockpits before you close them up ?

Per your request Teri, here are a couple pics of the interior of one of the D,V's. It is out of the box, which in this case includes photo etch seat belt and harness from the 1124 Dual Combo profi-pack.

Great collection

Congratulations

Cheers Nick

I can truely appreciate the repetitive nature of your project. Also I have a large admiration for your skills and workmanship. Dwayne Model on!

Thanks Dwanye !

Your woodgrain is fantastic as well . Nice clean workmanship in the painting in the cockpits .
I Have built one plane from the dual combo kit 1124 . Was the first kit I posted pic's of .

Keep up the great work and I look forward to more of your progress

Thanks folks, I have a couple getting close to joining the line-up. I'll post when they're done. But first it's time for a little R and R, I'm taking the family for a bit of summer vacation fun. I've been looking forward to some time off for a while now and I have my fingers crossed that all goes well and everyone has a good time. See you in about a week.

Dwayne

Are there anymore Jasta 5 additions to be made to the line-up?