Mikael,
I just did a quick comparison of the Tamiya Mix I spoke of to the PC10 I'm using. The Tamiya is really reddish brown and does have a "chocolate" impression to it. I used 3 parts of the XF51 to 1 part of the XF10. I'd recommend less of the brown ie: maybe start with 5 to 1 or 4 to 1 of the Khaki Drab and sample from there. I believe this would work very well for a more brown/red effect as described for PC12.
Let me how it works out if you try it.
Cheers,
Lance

Will do Lance - Thank You!

Mikael

Hey Lance , thumbs up buddy !


Terri

Thank You Terri.
And a bigger thumb's up to you Girl! Nice to see you back in force!
Cheers,
Lance

Fair progress made since the last update. The entire model got the standard coat of PLedge/Future in preparation for the decals. Per some advice I got on my last build here the stuff was thinned for the airbrush (about 30-40%) with Isopropyl Alcohal versus water; much better all round. Dry to the touch in less then 30 minutes and a nice uniform coat although it took 2 coats to get it where I felt comfortable with it.. The decals are a total "mishmash" of the Pheon SE5a Aces in France Sheet, the WNW Sheet, and the Sheet from the Encore Kit. The white tail stripe was cut from a couple of roundels in the spares bag and was a b....d to get on; I applied it as a 2 piece, lots of trimming around the V-Stab and Tailskid fairing but it worked out wellin the end. All of the decals used were of excellent quality. The entire aircraft was sprayed with a thin sealer coat of Model Master "Acryl" Semi Gloss Clear after drying the decals for 24 hours.


I had a terrible time with the black "6" under the wing. Self induced I'm afraid as I got it folded under itself and lost about 1/4 of it rescuing it. It took a very careful touchup with semi-gloss black to complete the salvage job! (It was one of the few "key" decals I only had one of!)

Next the cabanes were tackled. (they were first wrapped with Tamiya tape and sealed to simulate the fabric wrapping on the originals, given a coat of PC10, and then a coat of Tamya Smoke to hilite the wraps) I had dry fitted the rears in the original kit coaming, they virtually snapped and locked into place however not so with the After Market coaming. This added a lot of time and effort to getting this phase started. In the end a lot of trimming and "eyeballing" got the front ones installed and "true" and a simple jig will be used to get the rears properly alignned and installed.The engine (basic block and exhaust only as she'll be fully "buttoned up") is "Posed" in these shots.



Last, a shot of the jig ready to install the rear cabanes for pre-rigging. I'm still waiting for the EZ Line I ordered to arrive; I'd like to use it on the cabanes and landing gear of this one.

And that's where she's presently at. I'll get the rear cabanes on, the engine and panels installed, and then there's no more delaying the eyelet thing. At least at this point it feels like progress. As someone said in KoTS I, "once the decals are on it looks more finished then not"!
More to follow soon I hope.
Cheers,
Lance

Hi Lance:

This is really looking good. I will be interested in seeing how the aft cabane struts go on to the A/M coming. This is really a great work, lots of attentin to detail, really looking good.

Best

Mark

Thanks Mark. The following should answer your question on the aft cabanes; despite my dread it turned out to be a relative "non-event" thankfully
The Vickers gun and covering panel were both installed prior to the rear cabanes being tackled.
Just a brief update and a few quick photos before I disappear for a few days to install a "gazillion" rigging eyelets. She's not a Fee or DH2 but the rigging plan is fairly busy.
The rear cabanes, once the bases where they join the fuselage coaming were carefully trimmed to fit snugly, proved to be a relatively easy job. The jig/template was mounted on the front cabanes, then the top of a rear cabane was fitted into place in the template and the base then CA'ed into it's recessed fitting on the coaming. The same followed for the last rear cabane. I should mention that a lot of care was taken to ensure there was no bending or rotation induced during this fitting, the logic being that if adjustments were required to fit the upper wing they could be made on the lengths of the "pins" on the tops of the cabanes. The amount of trimming required was very little as the cabanes were slightly large for the receptacles in the After Market Coaming (but had test fitted the original kit coaming beautifully)


And the end result, both rear cabanes in place and alignment looking good. Some touching up of the black metal fittings and the cabanes is required after the handling and squeezing to get them installed.

I posed the upper wing on the four cabanes with the spade shaped "pins" inserted into the wing receptacles and the alignment both horizontally and from the top looks right on. Some luck involved here no doubt however the final hurtle will be the addition of the interplane struts, spacing/length looks good at this point.
Front view.........

And from the side........

Other then a few minor "bits" being readied for install later that's where she's at presently; comments welcome and I'll be back in a few days hopefully with some progress.
Cheers,
Lance

I have to tell you how good it looks,Lance. Its just coming along in a grand manner, and I really do like it.

Good luck with the rigging. I just know you'll pull it off, though.

Hello Lance:

It is looking good. I like the effect of the wrapped cabane struts. I forgot all about that, and your work really looks convincing. The coming really looks good especailly the side shots you can see the wood grain and the bracing.

Best

Mark

Hi Lance,

Boy, you build so fast... If only I could achive that speed! I really like the larger scale planes. They seem a bit easier to handle. As I am total beginner in the Early Aviation, every post is an opportunity for me to learn! Thanks!

Entoni

Guy, Mark,
Thanks to both of you for the positive comments. I'm sure we are our own harshest critics and getting encouragement and the perspective of others is a real confidence builder. So far this build is progressing well, hopefully there is no "catch" further down the road!
Cheers,
Lance

Entoni,
Thanks! You are correct in that the larger scales are easier to manage; my eyes (even with the occasional help of an Optivisor) are not what they once were, and I made the change from 1/48 to 1/32 for that reason, I just could not get the details or quality I wanted in the smaller scale anymore. Getting old is not great for sure!
As for the speed, I actually think I'm a pretty slow builder compared to most. Presently I am fortunate to have lots of time available for my hobby as I am mostly retired and my wife still works thus most days I can build as I please. Today, as yesterday, I can work for a good 6 hours if I wish and still give a little time to my constant companion (my "wonder dog"), do a few household chores, and have a decent evening meal ready at the end of the day. Life is pretty good and given I was a "spectator" at the hobby for many years due to a busy work schedule I feel I earned it!
My wish, since you mentioned it, is to be able to produce even a small version of the tremendous small detail that you do, it's most impressive so if you need to take it slow, do so!! I'll be following your Alb. Build closely.
Cheers,
Lance

Looks beautiful! That fabric detail on the sides is awesome. Very cool.

Thanks Mike. The fabric detail (Sagging/rippled) is actually molded into the kit by Wingnut Wings. They give you a choice of fuselages, this or a smooth version. Just another reason why their kits are so popular; they are simply of a far better quality then their competitions. With very minor exceptions this particular Kit virtually snaps together and everything fits beautifully.
Cheers,
Lance

Lance – You're cooking with gas! Great progress, and a very handsome build! The plastic card for the cabanes is a neat trick!

Best Regards

Mikael

Thanks Mikael. The card template works well for setting the spacing between the attachment points; the correct angle(s) for the struts from the fuselage (which translates to spacing between upper and lower wings and the "levelness" of the wings has to be carefully watched. I have a Biplane Assembly Jig which works well but takes forever to set up and then assemble the aircraft structure, this is simpler and faster if you can get away with it.
No photos today, I did make some progress however. The good news; yesterday saw 52 eyelets/turnbuckles installed in preparation for the rigging. The bad news; at least an equal number of the tiny fittings were "tweezer-pulted" in approx. a 50 foot radius of my desk. I've found 3 so far, the rest have apparently been digested by the floor monster. I figure my efficiency rating on this technique is hovering around 50%; not great economy.
Enjoying the comments and feedback; "keep em coming"!
Cheers,
Lance

I have similar expereinces from this!

Mikael

Lance, I also had the vanishing PE experience just the other day. I don't even have carpet, and its still gone. My little CSI light dosen't help.

I wonder how far that stuff can travel.

QUOTE: "I wonder how far that stuff can travel"?

One way or another at least 10 feet; thats where I found one this morning.I don't have a carpet in my work room/den either, which might have helped when I dropped one of the magazines for the overwing Lewis Gun. It rolled like a penny, homed in on the only heat vent in the room and was last heard "plinking" it's way to the lower level somewhere in the bowels of the house. Fortunately the kit came with a spare or two, I'll recover.
I usually do a careful sweep of the floor when finished and then sort through the debris, that netted me three more eyelets so I only lost about 1 dozen I think. Small event compared to others such as dropping a really critical component and then stepping on it when you try to get up and find it. I know I'm not the only one to ever pull that one! I'm thinking a thread of "My most traumatic Modeling Moment(s)" would maybe be worth a couple of laughs? Oh, and I did get 8 more buckles on this morning, top and bottom of each interplane strut so now it's 60 done and I think that part is complete.
Cheers All,
Lance

A better argument for cheesecloth covers draped under the vent grates I've never heard.

Very little progress the last couple of days despite putting in a number of hours at the desk/bench. Pecking away at the fiddly stuff which, as we all know, seems to take forever.I'm off to the big city for the weekend; have a list to fill at the Hobby Shop so there is some incentive.
The gear has been mounted, lots of fiddling and trimming but it went on well. The rigging supports as well but not painted yet.


Also finished the Flight Control pulley inspection ports. Great fit on the clear parts I must say. I had planned to use the PE outlines on them but I don't think they'll "lay down" well enough; I'm going to try some decal strips to clean them up as a first attempt.

In closing, and completely off topic, I have to include a photo of the entrance of my driveway several mornings ago. She's huge, has been hanging around my spread all winter with her calf, and kept "Mother" delayed for work on this occasion until I got dressed and ran her off. Moose are making a great comeback in our area and are off limits to hunting, adds a bit of "ambiance' to my little world!

Cheers,
Lance

"A Møøse once bit my sister…"

Nice pic of the moose Lance, looks a bit like over here actually. Though we don't have any snow at the moment, and in my case its deer in the garden.

Oh – nice progress on the SE too!

Mikael

Now that would hurt!
Cheers,
Lance

Mikael,
Once I start the rigging it should go rather quickly. I'm delaying a bit waiting for the EZ Line I ordered to arrive as I'd like to try it on some of the pre-rigged locations. This shipment from WNW seems delayed; hope it's not another sad tale of lost packages etc. like some of our members have experienced.
I too have deer all over the place, maybe I should stop feeding them in the Winter!?
Cheers,
Lance