Thank you all for your encouraging comments. They help a lot ,especially while rigging the tailplane. I never did something so difficult before. It warps and bends in all unwanted directions.

@Charles, yes indeed, somtimes I think a bigger scale would have been easier to build. I try hard to built this model exactly as the origin was made and this is often a source of headaches.

As I needed a short brake from the wires I started with the fuel tank. The pics display a testfit on its mounts.

Well, this just goes to prove that there is absolutely NOTHING that you cannot do with Evergreen Strip, A Sharp Knife, Good Drawings and Patience.

Sensational Stuff!

Cheers,

Hugh

This is truly amazing work.

It took my some time and patience tu finish up the tailplane rigging. Now all tha static bracing is done. this was neccesary before starting with the painting procedure. As hard as I tried I couldn`t avoid some slight wrapings.

Excellent Peter. I honestly did not believe that this was possible in plastic.

Simplly awesome Peter ! this has turned out to be most enjoyable so far . Looking forward to more

This will make an excellent diorama piece. Thanks for sharing, Peter.


Mark

Thank you all for your encouraging comments.
Scratch building si not that difficult but requierese a lot of patience. Especially if you think over a project while working, as I do. In this case I have changed my primary intensions and decieded to build a pair of new wings of an earlier version. I will display the modification from one version to another.
So I will start to build up the wings from the beginning step by step.
First part ist laminating the nose spar. It consist of 3 layers 0,5X1,5mm evergreen strips. Glued carefully together over a wooden former as shown on the pics. It needs to dry at least 2 days. The longer the better.

Hi Peter,

Any new progress on the Taube and diorama?

Mark

Sorry for being abscent such a long time. I have been stuck up in business. I hope you will still be interested in this slow project.
In the meantime there have been few steps done. First, I did start with the painting. Second I needed a long time to think about how the undercarriage could be done. Considering what material to use, either brass or plastic. The next steps will show how it was realized.
As usal I forgot something, the flooring of the cockpit area. For this veneer (0,3 mm thick) was used because i never will be able to paint woodgrain in a proper way.

Peter,

Excellent, excellent work, my friend. You are a true master. The forms and rigging look awesome.

Mark

I swear if I am ever feeling low about building I simply show up here and check out what is being done. I have been sick the past couple of days.

Peter you made my day.

thank you Mark, thank you Stephen!

I always try to improve my skills and will never be satisfied. There are so many excellent modellers here in this forum whose work I really adore and it makes me very happy to be allowed to publish my work here and share my experiences.

The undercarriage is a very tricky part. Originaly it was made from rectanguler ash-tree ridges which was profiled eliptical between the joints. That means a lot of difficile sanding. The skids supporting the wheels was made from laminated evergreen strips. The undercarriage frame is also important as it finally supports the wingjoints and and has so many fews to be out of angel.

As also Peter this is truly enjoyable to watch your progress on this project . Wow it's cool !

Glad to see you back at it once more .

You are welcome Terry,
compared with the progress of the other builds in here my output seems a little bits slow and sturdy. These early birds are real rigging monsters and the do have more of a sailing vessel than of a plane.
The undercarriage is now completed except som riggs and the metal parts are missing but first it needs to be coloured.

Hi Peter,

That's a fantastic build!

Jean-Luc

you make it sound so so simple and easy......excellent work and such attention to detail, I know I wouldnt have patience these days.

Keith

Thank you Jean Luc, thank you Keith
Somtimes the feeling appears the feeling that this "Taube" consist only of detail. Some more general parts would be sometimes appreciated.
Now there are a lot of equipment parts to be done as the pilot seats and other cockpit equipment.
The seats have been made originally of simple plywood framed with rounded ridges . The rear seat was for the observer it was slightly more comfortable, as the observers have been commanding officers.

Peter,

Looking great!! Are the skids laminated pieces or one part carved to shape?

Mark

Stunning work, Peter!!!
I'm following your build closely because I want to use your techniques in a Pyro Bleriot IX.

Cheers,

Claudio

simoply amazing.

@ Mark, the skids are laiminated as I usually do for these curved pieces.

@ Claudio , a Bleriot would be a wonderful piece to biuld. I am wondering why there is no kit in 1/48 scale available of this famous plane. But it will also look gorgeous as a strip down.

the following pics show some dry fits of the forward seat and he control column.

As you have regarded this piece is getting always a little more colourful. Painting is always a long term run and always a hazardous decission between what to paint when. I do always fail. There always appear some parts which can never be touched again or nobody knows how to paint when assmbled.

Basically I do use several airbrushes for foundation or finising. As you al know displaying wood is always a challenge. For larger surface I do apply real veneer, for me the most appreciating method. In this case as developed on some of my ship models I do it like his:

First I spray a thin layer with a broken white... white with a very little brown, with airbrush.
Next svereal thin layers with various oil colours are applied. For me, I do get best results with gold ockre, burnt siena and natural burnt umber, as thinner Terpentine oil is used. Terpentine generates a nice semi gloss to matt apperance.

This needs a lot of patience and confidence. The first oil layers simply look ugly. But the more layers added it develops nicely.

I've only just discovered this vein of pure gold in the mines of modeldom- and I'm both amazed and delighted! Peter, you're replicating in plastic what a few brave souls have ventured in balsa wood- right down to the laminated curves. Brilliant stuff- and wonderfully executed. Here's to wishing you steady hands and straight spars!

Cheers-
chuk

Interesting method on the woodgrain , Having an off white as the base coat is different . Looks really good , will have to try this in the future ..........................