Hi all.
Im working on my first biplane.Dont ask,,lol,,sudden rush of blood to the head after all the rigging talk recently?,,,Actually I really fancied doing a trainer to go with my fighters.
Im wondering what the best build sequence is,especially for aligning the top wing.(struts on lower wing then add top,,,strutts on top,attach to bottom?
Heres what I plan to do.
Build the plane as a monoplane,drill all the rigging holes.(done)
Spray it as normal,,including the seperate top wing.
Attach all the rigging to the "monoplane".
Attach the top wing and then connect up all the rigging.
Im thinking of using black thread for this,,will it be too harsh or should I use a different colour.Personally I think the contrast of black rigging and a yellow plane will look nice
You have no idea how much im dread,,,,er i mean,,looking forward to the rigging bit :-)
Any comments and advice welcome. ( "stick to monoplanes" doesnt count :-) )
Nige
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Question for all you biplane fans
Posted: Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 04:46 AM UTC
JackFlash
Colorado, United States
Joined: January 25, 2004
KitMaker: 11,669 posts
AeroScale: 11,011 posts
Joined: January 25, 2004
KitMaker: 11,669 posts
AeroScale: 11,011 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 05:24 AM UTC
Hey Nigel; I have posted some of this here before for free. You Can do a search for "rigging" or try my website for the whole download.
http://www.wwi-n-plastic.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=93
http://www.wwi-n-plastic.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=93
wonktnodi
Nevada, United States
Joined: September 07, 2005
KitMaker: 190 posts
AeroScale: 12 posts
Joined: September 07, 2005
KitMaker: 190 posts
AeroScale: 12 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 05:53 AM UTC
I have Revells 1/24 scale (I think) Fokker Dr1 and Academy's 1/32 scale Sopwith Camel setting in my stash that I'm trying to get the courage to build, I'm going to try using 1 lb. fishing line for the rigging. It's thin enough that I can take a little flat black thin it and give it 1 or 2 passes to give it contrast. I used black thread on a 1/48 scale B-17G and it looked good when I first put it on but it got fuzzy over time, but now it works great for capturing any dust or cobwebs in the air........just cleaning the stuff out is another story. :-)
Good luck.
R.J.
Good luck.
R.J.
Posted: Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 06:18 AM UTC
Thanks guys.
Just to clarify my question.
Its not a question about actually doing the rigging.Ive read all the threads I can find on here and Im pretty happy I can handle that ok.
Hope this helps.
Nige
Just to clarify my question.
Its not a question about actually doing the rigging.Ive read all the threads I can find on here and Im pretty happy I can handle that ok.
Quoted Text
Im wondering what the best build sequence is,especially for aligning the top wing.(struts on lower wing then add top,,,strutts on top,attach to bottom?
Hope this helps.
Nige
wonktnodi
Nevada, United States
Joined: September 07, 2005
KitMaker: 190 posts
AeroScale: 12 posts
Joined: September 07, 2005
KitMaker: 190 posts
AeroScale: 12 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 07:33 AM UTC
Oh, ok sorry about that I guess I mis read your post. I think it would be easier to attach the struts to the lower wing first and then add the upper wing. There would be a little less stress on the glue joints and a little more room to reach in and adjust the struts while they set.
R.J.
R.J.
JackFlash
Colorado, United States
Joined: January 25, 2004
KitMaker: 11,669 posts
AeroScale: 11,011 posts
Joined: January 25, 2004
KitMaker: 11,669 posts
AeroScale: 11,011 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 03:35 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Im wondering what the best build sequence is,especially for aligning the top wing.(struts on lower wing then add top,,,strutts on top,attach to bottom?
Hope this helps. Nige
I understood you Nigel. The topic of rigging biplanes usually includes setting the struts first. Let me explain a little...
"...Struts are the bane and pain. The battle-cry of the neophyte modeler - “I can’t do that, it has all those struts!” Several methods are used with struts. I will either replace kit items with extruded (airfoil shaped) brass sections or put brass rod in all the ends of the kit struts. This reinforces your work but also gives your struts an adjustable (by bending) pivot that works to your advantage, especially when your kit has dihedral ,forward or reverse stagger. . When you have all strut locator holes in the right places and the cabane struts are fixed at the right angles, everything else should go great. Simply use a temporary jig of children's Lego blocks to hold the assembly straight and plumb while the glue cures..."
Posted: Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 10:07 PM UTC
Thanks guys.
That just about covers everything I wanted to know.
Not the sort of thing I usually build but we'll see how it goes
Nige
That just about covers everything I wanted to know.
Not the sort of thing I usually build but we'll see how it goes
Nige
Posted: Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 10:59 PM UTC
nigel - be very wary of rigging then attaching the upper wing, i had the bright idea of doing this on my DH2 by running the threads over the top of the struts, then putting on the top wing. problem was the upper wing was slightly out of alignment so half the rigging snapped and the other half sagged- one of the reasons that one took me eighteen months on and off to build. but apart from that it sounds like you should be able to tackle this no problem. i often find the hardest part of rigging is researching where all the wires actually go on the real plane!
Posted: Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 11:04 PM UTC
Cheers Phil.
I had a good look at the TigerMoth in Hendon and noticed that the wires are all close to but not through the struts,,so Ive drilled holes and I'll attach the bottom wires and then trim and glue into the top wing.
Thats the plan anyway,,when the xtracolour finally dries,,
This kit is really just a bit if fun to see if I can do it
I had a good look at the TigerMoth in Hendon and noticed that the wires are all close to but not through the struts,,so Ive drilled holes and I'll attach the bottom wires and then trim and glue into the top wing.
Thats the plan anyway,,when the xtracolour finally dries,,
This kit is really just a bit if fun to see if I can do it
jRatz
North Carolina, United States
Joined: March 06, 2004
KitMaker: 1,171 posts
AeroScale: 151 posts
Joined: March 06, 2004
KitMaker: 1,171 posts
AeroScale: 151 posts
Posted: Friday, March 31, 2006 - 07:03 AM UTC
My preference has been to build the top wing then erect it onto whatever struts are under the center section, maybe dry-fitting the outer struts just to ensure alignment.
I have never had success following kit instructions to erect just the center section, then add the outer top wing sections to that.
John
I have never had success following kit instructions to erect just the center section, then add the outer top wing sections to that.
John