Four WWI Aircraft

[aaronw]

Apr 10, 2024 6:32:26 GMT -5 tcoat said:

Apr 9, 2024 22:51:16 GMT -5 aaronw said:

Nice to see these getting built up. Neat idea to display with the guns, and a nice selection. I hope these ancient kits don't scare you off of WW1 aircraft. Kits have come a long way from these, but the old kits can be made to look decent as you are showing.

Oh I have done many biplanes but they were all later (Walrus, Swordfish, Tigermoth, etc.)  and in 1/48. This will be my only foray into 1/72 WW1 aircraft anyway as it just isn't a scale or subject that grabs me.

modelerssocialclub.proboards.com/thread/14145/airfix-1-48-odd-duck 

I LOVE ancient kits and actually prefer them over newer more complex kits but part of the problems I run into with them are self inflicted due to my obsession with using only what comes in the box.

In the case of the Spad it was already fully assembled so I couldn't do the painting in sub assemblies like I normally would and that complicated things a bit. I knew going into it that the decals would be an issue since they were pretty dried out but I managed to save them. I actually am ahead a bit by building these ancient kits because they are pretty much still reissued now but the molds are showing wear while these are mostly still pretty crisp. I would be very upset to buy a new reissue for the $20+ they sell for here to find 8 parts with about 2 cents worth of plastic and injector marks passing almost through the wings!

I like the color variety of WW1 and the interwar period as well as the technological advances through 1960-ish.

Also a fan of older kits, Matchbox, Airfix, Monogram in particular. A lot of the old kits are a pleasure to build, and seeing how each approached kits is interesting to me, particularly when you get a subject covered by more than one kit maker.

Airfix has cleaned up some of their older kits in more recent re-issues. I built a pair of Grumman Ducks a few years ago. Originally released in 1968, the kits I built were a 1995 re-issue with lots of old tooling issues, the other 2012 which was very clean and crisp.

[tcoat]

Apr 10, 2024 11:04:17 GMT -5 aaronw said:

Apr 10, 2024 6:32:26 GMT -5 tcoat said:

Oh I have done many biplanes but they were all later (Walrus, Swordfish, Tigermoth, etc.)  and in 1/48. This will be my only foray into 1/72 WW1 aircraft anyway as it just isn't a scale or subject that grabs me.

modelerssocialclub.proboards.com/thread/14145/airfix-1-48-odd-duck 

I LOVE ancient kits and actually prefer them over newer more complex kits but part of the problems I run into with them are self inflicted due to my obsession with using only what comes in the box.

In the case of the Spad it was already fully assembled so I couldn't do the painting in sub assemblies like I normally would and that complicated things a bit. I knew going into it that the decals would be an issue since they were pretty dried out but I managed to save them. I actually am ahead a bit by building these ancient kits because they are pretty much still reissued now but the molds are showing wear while these are mostly still pretty crisp. I would be very upset to buy a new reissue for the $20+ they sell for here to find 8 parts with about 2 cents worth of plastic and injector marks passing almost through the wings!

I like the color variety of WW1 and the interwar period as well as the technological advances through 1960-ish.

Also a fan of older kits, Matchbox, Airfix, Monogram in particular. A lot of the old kits are a pleasure to build, and seeing how each approached kits is interesting to me, particularly when you get a subject covered by more than one kit maker.

Airfix has cleaned up some of their older kits in more recent re-issues. I built a pair of Grumman Ducks a few years ago. Originally released in 1968, the kits I built were a 1995 re-issue with lots of old tooling issues, the other 2012 which was very clean and crisp.

Airfix are tricky these days. Some are still the ancient original molds, some are old but cleaned up and others are brand new. Many of the old ones are marked as "Classic" so you know what you are getting but not all. Really need to do your homework to understand what you are getting into.

[tcoat]

Was going to do the Albatross in the box scheme Of wood with red tail but came across the Wingnut schemes of the plane's transition from factory camo to all red and really liked stage 3 of mostly red but still factory painted wings. This scheme gives more variation in the group than so many browns and greens would.




This scheme shows the cross on the tail repainted but the stage before it had it mostly painted out. Again I liked the look of the painted out so drew a cross on in marker before painting the red. As per usual the brush painted sections are all deliberately streaky to work with the wash to come. Wing will not be attached until I do some preliminary rigging.

[tcoat]

Decaled and weathered. White around side cross partially painted over as per pictures. Still needs rigging, wing attached and flat coat.

[tcoat]

Bristol painted. Anybody following knows what else is going on by now.

[kyledehart5]

Brilliant!! Loving all of these. That Albatross scheme is super cool too.

[tcoat]

Bristol washed and decaled. For a 1988 issue this has some of the nicest decals I have ever used. Thin yet strong and opaque and settled right in. They were super important on this one since they really give it all i's colour.

[lyle]

You have turned some tough kits into nice finishes to go with the weapon display. Well done.

[tcoat]

Apr 13, 2024 8:57:37 GMT -5 lyle said:

You have turned some tough kits into nice finishes to go with the weapon display. Well done.

Thanks! They still look a bit off since they are not flat coated to even everything out but they are coming along splendidly. Beyond having to clean up the two that were already 90% built when I got them they have not been overly tough. A bit fiddly for my liking but if I stick out  my tongue and tilt my head at just the right angle things line up pretty good. I am surprised that once painted and things start to pop that they are as detailed as they are for their age.

[ogrejohn]

That is some nice work on these. I really like that Bristol!

[tcoat]

Apr 13, 2024 12:10:36 GMT -5 ogrejohn said:

That is some nice work on these. I really like that Bristol!

It is my favourite so far.  The marking on it make up for the lack of a real camo pattern. 

[tcoat]

[tcoat]

Decals were toast on this one so as per plan I just used the left over scheme from the Albatross. Since they are not "correct anyway I decided in for a penny in for a pound and used the flag as well. It fit perfectly and adds a splash of colour on the almost monotone paint. It is also hilarious to me since it is actually upside down for the Imperial German flag.

[tcoat]

And here we have a picture of the Hannover pilot and gunner prior to leaving for a mission. This has to be the picture that Airfix based these figures on!

[kyledehart5]

Outstanding!!

[tcoat]

Apr 15, 2024 1:37:58 GMT -5 kyledehart5 said:

Outstanding!!

Thanks. Now I just need to dig out my EZ Line and start rigging. That should be interesting in this scale.

[handiabled]

These are all looking wonderful! I don't envy you doing the rigging on these but when completed you are going to have a very impressive display with the gun rack

[tcoat]

First rigging done. This is only about 75% of what there should be but that is as far as I am interested in taking things in this scale. It busies it up enough to give the illusion of fully rigged.
I used fine EZ Line (an elastic type thread used in model railroading) which has a diameter about half of normal sewing thread. Works really well for scale sized wires in 1/72.

[tcoat]

Spad rigged. Hard to get camera to focus on what I want but you get the idea.

[tcoat]

One more rigged. One to go.




I am starting to go cross eyed

[jeaton01]

Nice job! I do know that feeling.

[tcoat]

Apr 20, 2024 19:51:03 GMT -5 jeaton01 said:

Nice job! I do know that feeling.

Doing one wouldn't be so bad but four in such quick succession is a bit much.

[tcoat]

And all rigged. Flat coat over all of them is all that is left.

[handiabled]

Your rigging on all four look great!

[tcoat]

Apr 21, 2024 3:33:04 GMT -5 handiabled said:

Your rigging on all four look great!

Thanks! Although some may consider "lazy" or "inaccurate" I sort of approached it like my weathering "what can you see from the scale number of feet away in real life" rule of thumb. So looking at the models from 3 feet away I wanted to only see it as if it was the real thig about 70 feet away. At 70 feet you are barely going to see the main rigging with things such as turnbuckles, control horns, fine control wires, etc almost if not completly invisible. I know the super detail crowd may disagree but to me it makes it look more realistic.

[Steve Zuleski]

Fine lookin birds, T!

[kyledehart5]

Beautiful work on the rigging. Goal achieved. It looks rigged enough to appear complete for sure.

[tcoat]

Apr 21, 2024 19:22:09 GMT -5 kyledehart5 said:

Beautiful work on the rigging. Goal achieved. It looks rigged enough to appear complete for sure.

Thanks. Once I get them flat coated and take some shots from further back it is even more convincing. The close shots show way more than the eye can see.

[tcoat]

All done! Will take better pictures displayed with guns once I decide what I will be using for a base.

[jeaton01]

That will be a great display.