Great Wood effect. I like the top version. As was noted, you can always add, hard to tone down.

Best

Mark

Marc,
Like your wood effect a lot. For what it's worth, you may have solved a "thing" I've been puzzling over for a while. In my reading the early versions (DI DII) of the Albatros's seem to have a darker wood finish then the later versions. This could be a result of the films used in photos however Windsock's various references (notably the Richthofen Special) show a dark brown on the natural finish of his DII and light natural wood color on the DIII and follow ons. Your yellow version looks like a varnished unstained wood to me, the next orange added version portrays a darker stained effect. I'll have to do some trial and error as I progress but this works for me.
As for the grain, the method used in plywood production can vary. As a casual woodworker I am aware of the difference in grain this can produce. Quarter sawn ply is different then (can't recall the other term) and I have no idea what the plywood technique(s)of the early 1900s was. Perhaps someone else can comment?
Bottom line, nice wood effect and I look forward to more of your results! And Thanks for the inspiration on wood finish tone.

Cheers,
Lance

hi marc,
i like the second best, a more yellowish flavor is just about right.
your wood grain interpretation is also very good, even if such a very 'evident' one always puzzle me a little due to the scale factor, you know...
very good work indeed!

ciao
edo

Thanks for all the feedback folks.

Kieth, yes 34E is indeed broken. Even though the archive photos don't show the apparatus I think I may take a little artistic license and include it. Maybe it got shot off just before those archive pics were taken

I am going to try lightening the base coat with 50% white and instead of 1 layer of yellow that I mixes 1 to 1 I will try a very thin, almost a filter, consistency and slowly build up the yellow.

Marc, I now use a linen colour for my wood base, as you note its easier to add tone or colour than to try to lighten it back up.

As for the instrument theres a lovely shot on Tval's website. Its only clamped around the strut so who knows one may have been fitted at some time.

http://thevintageaviator.co.nz/projects/albatros-dva Dunno if you have this link but happy AMS if you havent.... laughs demonically

AMS? Why whatever do you mean... grins, rolls blood red eyes and also laughing demoniacally

You are as twisted as I am ... If you are ever in Jersey we should have a beer


And no I did not have that site so thanks for that.

Work continues on the engine, slowly but surely. Needed to make the plates on top if the springs for the lifters. They are not flat but have a curled under edge with a dimple in the middle. I came up with this...

The 2nd to smallest punch on the Micro Mark set fits the top of the spring. To figure out what size bit to use to make the little rings I doubled the size of the wire (0.02) and the thickness of the lead foil (0.1). Take that off the size of the punch, .058 leaving .038. I went down a tiny bit to a #65 bit at .035 for some wiggle room.

In the standard ring making manner, wrap the wire around the bit shank and cut of the rings. Press the lead foil over the ring. Run a burnishing tool around the outside of the ring and make a dimple in the middle. This should capture the ring which is what you want. The next step will explain why the calculations. Turn the foil over and the shape of the rich should rest perfectly in the hole for the punch... ring side up. Now gently punch it out and, Bob's your uncle, lifter spring covers.







The nuts, such as they were, by the lifter were chiseled off and replaced with Tichy plastic bolts heads. I get these at a local model RR shop. The engine mount bolts were replaced with machined brass from Scale Hardware. The brass stuff is some of the most amazing stuff that add a great light bit of detail look. The engine is just dry fit at the moment waiting for paint.

That is an incredible piece of engineering It seems many of us will be able to learn from your build!
RAGIII

Wow! I was attracted to your woodwork technique earlier, and I'm really liking your engine. Makes mine look like kindergarden work.

I'm taking some of your techniques with me! Guy

Greetings Mark

What an interesting build thread – many great hints and tips on those little details indeed! Looking supergood too

Looking forward to more

i like it so far ! Something to try out in 48 scale !

Thanks all so much for the comments. Glad you like the build so far and that you find the tips useful. It's only far as I glean tips from your threads as I go

Your details to the engine are really noteworthy and add so much to it.

Best
Mark

Mark,
A little late (I've been wrestling with the "add a photo to your post demon")
Very very nice work on the power plant, I'll be stealing a lot of your technique on my next build for sure. Keep this inspired stuff coming!

Cheers,
Lance

Mark, Lance.... my turn to be sorry with a late thank you.

I really get excited when parts become recognizably assemblies and get painted.

Here is a group of some of the sub-assemblies I am working on with a close up of the engine. I am very pleased with the look of the spark plugs.





I used the buckles from the kit PE belts and made new straps from lead foil. They are textured by rolled a round micro file back and forth. The rest of the cockpit formers are dry so I can get the rest of that together soon.

Marc,
Those little spark plugs are incredible.............just got to get some.
You referred to them earlier in yout thread a being for 1/24 Scale cars, do you have a source or product name/company you can share?
Your build is really coming along nicely, I really like the clean and crisp effect you have achieved on the components. This build is most impressive and I'm learning a lot as you progress.

Cheers,
Lance

Thanks Lance I appreciate the comments.

The place is R.B. Motion. It's all car stuff but I have found lots of uses for some of his stuff.

RB Motion

Check out Scale Hardware
for other great stuff.

Those plugs are neat! The lead foil when painted really looks like fabric, the way they lay and all that is really neat. It's all looking outstanding.

Best
Mark

Thanks Mark. lead foil is incredibly useful. So many things to do with it. And all those years of a former life being wined and dined... and taking the foil form the wine bottle... I have a lifetime supply. Getting hard to find on wine bottle. Grey Goose vodka has good foil. A friendly bartender can probably score you some.

Slowly getting closer to buttoning up the fuselage. Need to put in the controls and wiring on the left side of the pit.

The formers for the front of the fuselage that hold the engine mounts was a girl dog and a half. If you look at the slots in the mounts and the notches in the formers as separate pieces you get a mental image that they will, or should, go together in a certain way. They don't and it take some finagling and test fit, test fit and test fit again to get them just aligned so the engine will sit perfectly centered so the there will be an even space around the spinner.

Extra wiring was added for various cockpit controls and instrument. The glass instrument faces and bezels are made wire wire wrapped around a punch the same size as the instrument decal to make a ring. Then the same punch is used to make a clear plastic disk that will be a perfect fit in the ring. Glue the ring to the panel, apply the decal then put the disk inside the ring. A drop of future fills the space between the decal and disk making it crystal clear.

Any guesses what the straps for the oil tank are made from

Hi Marc:

Looking good, I will have to try to scare up some lead foil. We do have a lot of wine in the house so will keep the bottle foil for modeling purposes. When you put the engine mount formers in the front fuselage, ensure that the ones with the little notches are equal in the fuselage. The cabane struts fit into those so proper alignment is critical. I made some small progress on mine last night, but not enough to post.

Best

Mark

When you put the engine mount formers in the front fuselage, ensure that the ones with the little notches are equal in the fuselage. The cabane struts fit into those so proper alignment is critical

Thanks for the warning. The very last word of the quote scares the crap outta me. Not knowing this in advance combined with how tedious it was to get it "straight" it will a miracle if the struts fit

Marc,
Beautifully clean work from front to back. Really like the instruments, will be reviewing this again in future with an eye to "borrowing" some of your techniques.
Looking forward to seeing more and your completed results.

Cheers,
Lance

Just beautiful – both in detail and as a whole – this will turn out really well I'm sure!

Mikael

Lance, Mikael... thanks for the comments guys.

Lance it is an honor to have my ideas "borrowed"