Hello friends, as the name of the threas says, I need some help for techniques about scartch building early Aviation aircraft.

I have the plans for Voisin, Demoiselle, Bleriot, Farman long horn and Deperdusin. That planes are the pioneers in my country and I wish to build them in 1/72 scale.

I got some wheels that can be used, not totally scale shape, but will be fine. I have some experience in balsa wood and foam of depron.

I hope you can share some help.

Cheers.

Al

Have a look here for some tips and ideas on scratch building

http://www.wwi-n-plastic.com/Book/harry/contents.htm

Lot's of helpful tips on making your parts and adding detail .

Thanks Terri. I going to see the link you posted.

Cheers.

Al

Hi Alfredo,

Those will be ambitious types to build in 1/72! One of the problems you face is a material to get scale thicknesses of the timber parts of the aircraft, which still maintaining strength. If they were made from balsa strips, the tension of the rigging will deform the structure.

I'm not sure with those aircraft have there wooden parts with round sections, but if they do, then soldering a framework of brass rod would seem to be a fairly fast and very strong way of doing them. If the timbers have square sections, you may be able to find thin enough square brass rod? I've not see it though...

Detail parts like spoked wheels and wicker seats could be taken from photo-etched metal detail sets designed for 1/72 WWI kits. I know Part (of Poland) do a set with a selection of seats- these look nice, and would be impossible to scratch build any better.

Good luck with your project and post photos so we can follow your work!

I love your choice of aircraft,though it would drive a swiss watchmaker to distraction to tackle one! Choroszy do a 1/72 Farman that has 105 resin bits that would keep you busy for a bit. May i suggest carbon fibre? You can buy 0.5mm sheets that sand down well to whatever thickness you want,it cut's well and glues with CA,it drills well too,though be careful of the splinters,and dust.
That takes care of your booms struts and undercarriage,and give you that vital regidity factor.

Guys, thank for the words and advices, really I do not want (?) to build them with high details, only those that looks fine as the sit and sticks. I have 2 Wright Flyers 1903, one from History Channel conmemorative model from 2003, and the other is from an old Hasegawa kit. Both models only carry the elemental details, so I think that only to represent the shape of the planes.

The carbon fiber really is a nice option, can be sanded to low the diameter, and fix fine with CyA glue...and the best, can be paint to represent wood sticks

I going to change of house in next days, but when I live in new house, sure this planes will be the first, and 1 or 2 weeks to think how to build them and read new advices.

Lot of thanks.

Al

Another item you can use for making the struts and tail booms on the voision - chop-sticks . the spilt very easy sand really really well to the shape needed and are very strong . You can also use brass rod with a wire inside flatten in a vise . Sand and file to finally shape and you have mounting pins already in place .

Hi Alfredo,
I did and do some of these early birds actually. My experince so far is, that thickness of material becomes problematic. Wood in 1/72 scale for spars, stringers or longerons will be either to weak or to rough. I used evergreen for my 1/48 scale taube and even this was to weak for rigging. I think to obtain the fragile impression in 1/72 scale brass would be the best material to work with. Or even a combination brass/plastic would work well.
A change to a larger scale at least to 1/48 would be recomended from my side, regarding that 1cm means 0,14 mm in 1/72 scale.
If you need further detailed information please mail me.
Best regards
Peter

Thanks Peter, I sent to you an PM.

Al

Hi Alfredo!

I'm from Guatemala (I can speak Spanish too). Is very interesting your project. I almost finished two scratch builds: The fokker E.IV and Fokker Dr1 in 1/72. Always you will find the problem of the scale. But I think, even of that problem, you make and very interesting project because, when you work in scratch, the concept change and need to focus in 'artesania' and can make very beauty your project.

I’m already joining to this forum and you can see below the address of my project. Good luck!!


Click here.

Adrian Urrejola