Not new to modeling, but am new to WWI vintage. So I bought a Wingnut Wings LVG C.VI kit. I already have some questions and I hope you all will be patient and kind with me as I learn what this is all about.

Question#1. I have seen some online pictures of the front seat (wooden) of a LVG with small holes all over the seat back, sides and bottom. The kit seat (padded) doesn't show these. Would a wooden seat be appropriate for this version or no?


Glenn

Padding a seat was the normal situation with the LVG.

Glenn,

I have to agree with Stephen, all the pics I have seen have had the sumptious looking padded seat, maybe the one you saw was stripped down to the frame for restoration?
But saying that...who knows for sure if it wasnt field modded for a reason.

Stephen & Keith-
Thanks for your replies! I bet a padded seat was easier on a pilot's body (rear-end).


Glenn

I do have another question! What color should the 'rigging' lines be on this kit. Looking at some online photo's of the Shuttleworth LVG the control lines appear to me to be metal cables, silverish in color. Correct?

Glenn

I would say yes, silvergrey, but I'll most likely use a mid grey myself, I'm not fond of hard metallic looks personally

Keith

So can anyone tell me where the pilot seat belts mount to? Since the seat is mounted over the fuel tank I guess I'd find it hard to believe the seat belts would mount onto it! So did they mount along the inside of the fuselage? Or to another point on the floor? Reason I ask is that the instructions just show them laying on the seat and/or draped over the armrests. They are not shown to be connected to anything, which I find very unlikely. Anyone have a photo?

Glenn

Greetings Glenn;

Usually in German aircraft all seat, lap or shoulder belts were attached to the skeletal frame. There may have been a cable attached to the belt ring leading bacl to an area near the lower congeron . The other end running through a metal loop attached by bolts through plates (washers) through the wood framing through another plate and finally hex nuts with cotter pins.

"Flight" magazine from 1918 -1919 may have more info.They surveyed captured aircraft.

Thanks for the info. I guess I was looking for a way to place them that looks factual and/or real. Appreciate your input!

Glenn

Glenn,

Here's a picture from "Flight" magazine for the Pfalz D.III seatbelt attachments. Might be similar. I wonder how they are attached in the Shuttlesworth and Memorial Flight's LVG's? Maybe someone out there has some pictures?



Mark

Thanks Mark and Stephen! The pictures give some ideas for attachment points! Many Thanks!

Glenn

Was wondering about this Benz BZ 4, 6-cylinder engine. Wouldn't mind trying to run ignition wire from the plugs....but to where? Looked at a few pictures online but didn't see any with ignition wiring in place. So what's at the other end of the plug wire? Magneto? Anyone have a picture of where it is on the engine? Or is there a place where I could run the wires and let them blend into the engine compartment? Help!

Glenn


P.S.- Well if all else fails look at the kitmakers website. There are some archive pictures at Wingnut Wings website of the engine 'wired up'. Looks like the plugs on the respective sides of the engine work their way to small housings on the respectives sides of the engine near the rearmost cylinder. Is this a distributor cap?

The distributor caps are on twin magnetos.

Thanks Stephen! I'll dig around some of my auto spare parts and see if I can come up with something that will look magneto-ish!

Glenn

Glenn theyre already in the kit

E15 & E16 the wires go either to the terminals (bumps) or in an example I found pics of they connect through the side and there are no external terminals

http://www.mikerlewis.com/lvgcvi/lvgengine.html

Yeah! Am embarrassed to mention that about 5 minutes after posting my question I noticed them while looking at the instructions!


Glenn

We've all done it.....I'm an expert in the feild of not spotting the obvious Glenn, but I hope the link works there is some wonderful shots of the various components there.

K

Broken link repaired. This is a great site by the way.