Coming along nicely.

Another minor setback. I was not at all happy with the elevator control wires. I used mono and it just would not maintain tension as I had hoped. (the EZ Line, which would have been my first choice for this part, is still somewhere in the bowels of the postal system!)
So, off it all came; lots of cleanup required however that's done and I'm ready for a fresh second attempt using guitar wire tomorrow.
I also had to remove and redo the steerable tail skid control wires. They were fine initially however the "builder" put on the skid component and rigging very late at night and somehow managed to have it a good 20-30 degrees out of alignment with the rudder. This after a couple of really good libations....think I'd learn!!
More to come soon, at least all the setbacks to date have been minor and relatively easy to fix.

Cheers,
Lance

Hello Lance:

This is really coming along nicely. The rigging is truly outstanding. This is a tough bird to do and you are doing it justice. As you say, you are on the home strech with a great looking model.

Best
Mark

Very nice Lance....looks like a spider web, just like it should.

Mark

Mark & Mark,
Thanks for the nice words. It's still going in the right direction but slowly. I have the upper wing aileron and inter-aileron cables left to go and I can call the rigging complete. Then it's a hopefully short run to the finish(ed) line.
We are in the midst of a real prairie blizzard presently so once I dig out tomorrow I hopefully will make some real progress.
Cheers,
Lance

She's come along really well, all that loose rigging is where I'm gonna be for a few days...EEK

Looking forwards to seeing her done now.


Keith

Hi Lance,

Nice progress – rigging is looking sharp!

Mikael

Thanks Keith, I reckon were both looking forward to the finish. Although I enjoy all phases of the build the rigging does inevitably bog down; takes a lot of time as I find I have to go in stages or I tend to get tunnel vision and miss the big picture as I did with the rudder/skid alignment earlier. That sort of gaff leads to more time and more then a modicum of frustration with me.
Just about there...........
Cheers,
Lance

Mikael,
Thanks. The rigging has been a bit of a challenge; the usual "can't get there from here" syndrome as you try to plan a few steps ahead to minimise the conflict between areas/components as it progresses. I've learned a few things on this one, will be trying a different approach (per Keith's new method) on the terminal tie downs/eyelets next time around.
Should be able to get a few more pictures out late today/early tomorrow however I've got a lot of snow removal to tackle today; we really got snowed in yesterday and overnight.
Cheers,
Lance

Got the rigging completed today and have a few pictures to update the Blog.
I mentioned earlier that the mono elevator control wires didn't work out, kept loosing connections and/or loosening off. They were all stripped off and I started that phase over again. A shot before removal, very poor and definitely had to go!

I decided on wire versions (PL 008 or .20mm Guitar Wire); lots of measuring, trial and error, and trimming on dimensions but not difficult:

Installation of the control wires was a "finicky" task but again cost only time and I am pleased with the results. The empannage support wires were also added.


The same method was used on the elevator control points:


All that remains is to install the Lewis Mount and Gun on the upper wing, add the fuel vent lines there as well, re-install the windscreen, and add the magneto hand crank below the cockpit on the right side. A little more touch up and weathering and I believe I'll be done.
Here she is at present, just a couple of quick shots.....


That's it for now, I'll hopefully finish tomorrow or latest the day after and will post the usual "pinups".
Any comments or suggestions that may help before she's complete would be, as always, most welcome.
Cheers,
Lance

Hello Lance:

Well done! I like the color and the after market parts look like they were part of the kit.

Best

Mark

Thanks Mark. The True Details A/M Set really does work well, Squadron did a great job on it.
Definitely on the "home stretch" now, will have her done and finished model photos by end of tomorrow; then on to another for the Campaign I hope.
Cheers,
Lance

Update by way of a delay notice of sorts:
Got a little more done however I've been wrestling with the dreaded "Floor Monster" big time!
The scratched magneto hand crank is in place; the second one I built as version one got gobbled up immediately on hitting the floor despite a half hour search.
Then the drum for the Lewis pinged off somewhere; same routine and the second one to disappear! Thankfully the Encore Kit had a spare and given the vast difference in quality to this WNW jewel I'll probably canabalize it for the spares box anyway.
All in a day's building, despite these minor irritations I'm still much impressed with the supurb quality of this kit and enjoying the build immensely.
I'll get the construction part complete and then post a few photos before the paint touch up and final weathering to complete the project.
Very much appreciate the comments and interest I've recieved on this one; more to follow once I stop dropping nearly everything I get my hands on!
Cheers,
Lance

An absolutely amazing effort, Lance. I'm very impressed with your rigging job, and rigging problem solving. It looks to be daunting.

Its all turning out so well. Good job!

Thank You Guy,
I don't know why but the rigging of this one has been more of a challenge then any others I've tackled. It certainly does require a little forethought and planning to "de-conflict" overlapping areas of work and arrive at a sequence that doesn't create obstacles to the following or remaining work.
As for the problem solving, the more wire I use the better things seem to fall together. Unfortunately I've found over many years that although it's a great looking and durable solution only short "runs" work; on longer components it's difficult to get straight and it does tend to curve anyway.
Just about complete now, the Lewis assembly and fuel tank vent lines are ready to install and the windshield goes back on first thing this A.M.
Cheers,
Lance

Completion is at 99% (finally)
The last of the actual construction is completed, only a few minor paint touch ups and some dirtying of the tires remain until I discover I've missed the obvious and forgotten something.
The Magneto Hand Crank, brass wire and styrene base by Waldron Punch and Die Set:

The kit's Lewis Gun is a beatifully molded and detailed piece. I added several scratch components: the release handle and cable which allowed lowering of the gun in flight to replace the magazine and the Bowden remote trigger cable.

There were 3 separate routings I could identify for the Bowden cable to the Joystick triggers; directly into the cockpit on the left side and then down through the panel "sill" inside, directly into the cockpit through the coaming just in front of the windshield, and into the fuselage below the windshield on the left side. I opted for the latter as most 56 Sqn aircraft in the references used that routing.

The cursed Digital Machro Mode illustrates the need to clean up/touch up the leather coaming.......missed til just now.

The lines on the top of the upper wing (which I believe are vent lines for the wing fuel tank) were scratched from steel wire, the clamps being constructed from a Scotch Bottle's foil shrink wrap......Single Malt of course and thus double the fun!



I decided to limit further weathering to some mud/oil spatter created by the wheels mainly. Very thinned down Tamiya Smoke was "flipped" on with a brush full of the stuff until I was happy with the results; idea courtesy of James Fahey's (Jamo Kiwi) wonderful photos of the TVAL Birds published here a week or more back. Two examples:


All that's left at this point is the touch up and mud for the tires and I'll get some "portraits" on here and into the Gallery. I'll make up a quick commentary, high points and "lessons learned" at that point and it'll be on to the next project.
Any suggestions or, hopefully minor, oversights/recommendations before I go final much appreciated.
Cheers,
Lance

Wow, beautiful model. I thought I was the only one losing parts to the floor monster. Rigging is a pain, I still have a Camel, finished apart from the control rigging that I am still trying to raise the motivation to finish. Maybe when I retire I might get the time and motivation to complete it.

Andrews quite right, Lance. You do have a beautiful model there.

I'm thinking you could have drilled out that Lewis gun barrel a-bit and highlited it with slight drybrush. Other than that very small suggestion from a hugh admirer of your work, I think you pretty well have it covered.

Well done, indeed.

Fantastic effort Lance, can't wait to see the finished pics.

Mark

Thanks all you Guys!
Andrew, just pull out the Camel and get at the rigging; it's not so bad once you are "tied up" in the task, pardon the pun.
Guy, great minds and eyes work alike. I was looking at the photos and the gun barrel jumped right out at me. It's very small and although I have a good selection of micro bits I think a tube would work better. I'll be working on that today along with removing the "lame" representation of the leather strap on the top of the magazine and putting on either a PE or "scratched" one. Beats me how I missed that as well. As for the dry silvering I put on a tiny amount but the Refs I have show little if any, especially the Mini Data File on Lewis Guns.
Mark, Hopefully I'll get the foregoing done with enough time to get out some Pics today. Also have a ton of snow to move around, a great Winter past time in these parts!
Thanks again, I really appreciate the "second set of eyes" inputs and take them seriously.
Cheers,
Lance

I'm afraid I wasn't quite as finished as I thought. On viewing the status this A.M. and recieving a few solid recommendations regarding minor improvements, I launched into a frenzy of AMS on the Lewis Gun.
There were five areas I wanted to improve or add to: the leather strap on the top of the magazine, the gun barrel, the foresight of the gun, the wear or "silvering" on the gun components, and finally I wanted to add the locking clamp lever at the rear of the barrel as illustrated on the cover of the Mini Data File on Lewis Guns.
The gun barrel and facsimile of a strap on the magazine were removed, the former being replaced with a piece from the Eduard PE Sheet and the latter with a 2.0 mm. long 0.5mm brass tube from Bob's Buckles. Drilling for the barrel was a little dicey as the gun assembly is very fragile.
The clamp lever and the double tanged foresight were also from the Eduard PE Sheet and worked very nicely. The Eduard Instructions place the locking lever on the left side of the gun however my Refs showed it on the right side, and it was installed there.
Finally a very light and subtle dry brushing of a 50/50 mix of Model Master Steel and Engine Grey was applied.
A few quick pics of the Lewis assembly with the improvements .................


This last shot seems to portray the front of the gun jacket as blurred or fuzzy, not sure why unless it's a reflection off the light silvering.


Unfortunately the domestic snow removal ate a large part of my day and this is where I'm at. I still have to deal with the footstep inserts to call her finished so hopefully I'll be able to wrap it up tomorrow.
Cheers,
Lance

Well, in my eyes that is indeed a fantastic improvement for a lovely little Lewis. I'm quickly learning that attention to the small details brings on huge gains.

It took some time for me to realize that modelling is a very disciplined hobby. Most times, its far to easy to just want to get it done, and bypass what you really want to do.

You didn't bypass, Lance. The result is a quality and very noble addition to your display case. Well done!!!

Lance,
Congratulations my friend she's one AWESOME SE-5a.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette

Greg and Guy,
Thank you both for the compliments; as I've said before positive feedback is motivating and does a lot for the confidence factor.
I got her finished this morning; now I need to organise some photos on Photobucket for the wrap up Post on this one.
Back here with pics soon.
Cheers,
Lance

I completed this build this morning and, I'm happy to say, there were no serious problems throughout. Any minor problems encountered were self induced to a large degree and easily remedied. I elected to hold off on the mud treatment of the wheels as I need to make a display base with a winter type terrain of dead grass/ mud etc and will match up everything at that time.
My assesment of this Wingnut Wings SE5a Kit is, in a word, spectacular. The fit is incredible, the moldings with a few minor exceptions, superb, and there is literally no limit to how far one could super-detail this one.
My initial plans for After Market additions were somewhat amended by the fact that the Scale Aircraft Conversion set is made for the Roden/Encore kits and the metal struts don't fit this one. Once cemented in place and rigged with monofil the kit struts provide for a very rigid structure. The Eduard Pe Set was only about 25% utilised due to my lack of skill in this medium(with the tiny bits). The radiator, gunsights etc., under nose panel, and cockpit components proved very well done and were used. The main A/M addition, the True Details upper turtle deck and cockpit coaming, is an excellent product and fit like a glove; the LVG spinner and the 4 blade prop also were very well done.
Last, the References were all very good, the photos in the Instructions included however I completely forgot the photos on the WNW Site this time around. The Albatross Windsock Data File Special was used the most and the excellent photos in the Albatros SE5 Sqns. book were used extensively. These two books proved by far the most valuable of the pile I had.
So, a bunch of photos (hopefully not too many) of the finished model, McCudden's modified SE5a of 56 Squadron in Jan. 1918.
The plaque for the (future) display base posed on a spare base

Several basic three view type shots:




Some "bird's eye views:




A few "ground level shots:





And last a couple of closer ones:



This proved to be the nicest Kit I've ever had the pleasure of building. I hope to build another (stock/unmodified version) in future. The only tough challenge was the rigging; I believe the OOB approach vs. modified would simplify this stage as the cabanes which basically snap into place in perfect alignment could then be pre-rigged to greatly simplify things.
Now it's back to the bench for a massive cleanup and "reorg" exercise before making the decision on what's next. I'm torn between another for KoTS II or a change of pace, an old Monogram 1/48th Kit of my beloved Voodoo that I've been dragging around for years.
Cheers All,
Lance