Thanks for the positive comments so far everyone.

Got all the main decals on today. They're the usual quality that i've come to expect from anything by Cartograf. Note that WNW's got the different style of "MoRoTAS" correct for each side.

Next (maybe tomorrow) will be some post shading over the ribs and small detail painting for the exterior. I do the decals before all that simply because i feel any sort of washes and rib shading needs to go over the decals as well- i mean doesn't it look a bit odd to have a pre-shaded airframe with clean, perfectly solid coloured markings? That why i prefer to post shade over ribs and fabric covered airframe with thinned "smoke" instead of the pre-shade method.




Andrew

Decals look great.

I have to echo Carl's sentiment that the decals look great. I will be watching to see how your post shading turns out. You are really making progress on this kit. I also see green foliage through your window. Nice!

Best

Mark

I'm sorry to say that the green stuff you can see through the window is mostly weeds. "Let's see, what will i do today...pull out weeds or make models...?"

I agonise over the decision for up to 5 seconds sometimes.

Andrew

She is looking might fine so far Andrew !

I received the Windsock Modelling Special today, so the build is going onto a temporary hold whilst i do some reading. A quick flick through has already answered one question i had, "what to do with the forward interplane strut bracing points?". The contact point is very small and hard to drill for a secure rigging attachment. I'll be simply cutting a slight "V" and drilling into that for the rigging point as per one of the suggestions in the guide.

As for rigging i plan to use fishing line for the bulk of the rigging as i simply don't like the look of EZ Line 100% - even though i've used it on many of my own builds! Still, i'll be using EZ Line for the fuselage control cables- for no other reason other than it won't break every time i need to handle the fuselage.

No new pics just yet, but i have done all the rib shading and i'm pretty happy with it. I'm now doing some detail painting by brush and beggining to glue in the eyelets to the rigging points (Bobs Buckles of course).

Andrew

Andrew I'm loving your build here mate. I'm still waaaaaaaay too chicken to think about something with so much rigging.

If you haven't done so already, check out braided fishing line, I use Berkeley Fireline. It's metallic grey, braided like cable, non-stretch and softer and easier to handle than nylon mono.

Cheers, D

Damian,

Thanks for the tip on braided fishing line. Actually i did look at some when i was in a fishing and boating store recently and most of it seemed too big in diameter. But i maybe didn't see the stuff you mention- well i'm sure of it actually, because i don't remember any metallic grey line. Does it have any problems with the cut ends fraying? That could make it hard to thread through ultra fine brass tube if so. I'm going to look out for it next time i'm in a suitable store.

Andrew

I haven't had any problems with fraying, just make sure you cut it with a very sharp blade or manicure scissors (don't tell SWMBO). I'm sure a tiny dip in CA would seal the end if you're worried.

I finally got some quality time back on this one over the past two days. I've finished most of the detail painting and sprayed the flat coat today. So i was finally able to remove all the interior masking and window masking...it all worked okay, no overspray got in anywhere.

So now you can see inside finally. I didn't fit any of the tiny interior bombs, somehow i doubt they would have been much use on the England raids and bomb loads were lightened to save weight. Maybe the small incendiaries would have been carried sometimes. I also left out the rear tunnel gun, as references seem to indicate that these were also rarely carried to save weight- plus the upper rear gun could cover much of the undersides through the tunnel anyway. I did still fit the tunnel gun mountings however, i reason that the mounts may have been left on.

Next step is to fit all the miniature eyelets to the wing rigging points and then the struts....then the scary part -fitting the upper wing. I'll be using turnbuckles only on the lower wing attachment points- the upper wing attachments don't seem to have had turnbuckles.






The new Windsock Modelling Special has turned out to be a good buy for the price it sells for. Though it would be better bought and read before starting on the kit and not more than halfway through like i did! That's the disadvantage of having to start any new model the moment i get it instead of waiting. I managed to work out most of the tips in the book myself, but the section on attaching the upper wing is very useful information.

Andrew

Andrew,

She looks beautiful. Dont know as theres much more that I can say

Keith

I can only totally agree with what Keith just said – most beautiful. Also I 'm decided now – I will get me one of these at some point.

Mikael

My book came in yesterday. I have only had a chance to glance at it so far, but I agree with you on the points you made. Get the book early, it is worth the money.

Your build looks great. how did you do the skid / walkway strips? They look good.

Second that !

Andrew, Most impressive!

Hello Andrew:

I echo all the above sentiments on your model to date. It really is stunning to see it thus far. Great job on the interior and overall as well. I too have the book, but not the kit. I was hoping to get it for my birthday, but alas and alack, no such luck: I can't complain though I did get the NINAK, PFALZ and HB for Christmas, so it is not for lack of material that I want.

Keep up the great work and keep us posted.

Best

Mark

The walkway strips are just Citadel Boltgun Metal hand brushed on, they're actually a bit rough when you look closer.

I've now started the scary part. The top wing is on, sort of. It's currently glued only at the engine nacelle stuts and the centre section struts. I'll let that set until tomorrow before glueing the interplane struts pair by pair. Actually, even with just the engine struts holding the wing it's quite strong and stable- i guess because of the tripod arrangement of the nacelle struts. Looking staight down on the top wing already shows perfect plan view alignment, so the interplane struts should simply slot into place i hope.

Then i have to sort out that mess of pre-glued rigging wires.



Andrew

The top wing is really on now. It will be left like this until tomorrow to be certain it's fully set. Everything is square and true- one of the easiest top wings i've ever put on a biplane, it just fell on.



Andrew

Hi Andrew:

It looks like so many of them in those pictures. You know, the ones with their tails in the air and their noses in the ground!
It is really coming along, I am trying to picture the size of the box based on the size of your work station and the items surrounding it, it is a big box isn't it? It is really neat seeing this come together for you.

Best


Mark

Both thumbs way up Andrew!

Wow – most excellent and impressive – this box thing seems to be working quite well with the WNW kits.

Best Regards

Mikael

I look at these pictures again for the tenth time, so beautiful this big bird

Wow , she is beautiful !

Not a lot left to do now. But i do have one correction to something i said earlier. I said that you can just push fit the engine side panels and be able to remove them as you wish. Well that would be true...as long as you don't do the rigging! Obviously once rigged you would have a hard time fitting or removing the engine panels without breaking wires. So i followed my original plan of one engine open and one fully closed up.

I also have one bit of important advice: don't do the wing rigging with the model nose down in the box. I started doing that- and Ray Rimell's photos in his book sort of suggest to do it that way. The problem is that the wings are unloaded whilst the model sits nose down like that. So the dihedral is exagerated. When the model is right way up supported on its engine nacelles the wings sink down to the correct dihedral- it was designed that way. BUT if you do the wing rigging with unloaded wings, obviously some of the wires will sag when right way up. I'm not sure if i'm explaining it clearly. Anyway i started rigging with the wings unloaded before i realised what would happen and changed to having the model sitting in correct attitude. Of course if you use EZ-Line or similar elastic rigging then it doesn't matter how you do it because it's self tensioning.

It's now sitting on the landing gear struts until the glue sets, until tomorrow. Just need to do the control cables to the wings, put the bombs on (racks are on already), wheels on and guns and it's done. So probably just a few more days. Almost a 2 month build...my longest in years.



Andrew

Your Gotha is looking fantastic. Those colors are so cool on a bomber, and your skills have really brought out the best the kit has to offer.