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Kit: Frog (1:72)
This is the Frog Bleriot XI, I started it about 4 years ago, merely as an exercise in rigging the fuselage. I later decided to finish it, using some of the wire wheels I had made. The wings and tail are the kit parts, I didn't take to much care over these, so it's far from a prize-winner. The undercarriage and tail wheel supports are made from brass rod and guitar string, the wheels are nylon fishing line in plastic rims/tyres. The spoke patterns I took from the Bleriot at the Shuttleworth Collection.
Kit: Airfix (1:72)
This was built when the kit was first released, many many years ago. It was finished in green and rigged with cotton thread from Mum's sewing box. I later learned that RFC green was more brown, so it was overpainted gloss brown, and some white outlines crudely drawn around the wing roundels. What a masterpiece! Still, everyone starts somewhere, and I hope I've improved since then.
Kit: Airfix (modified) (1:72)
This was an early attempt at modifying a standard kit- the Airfix DH4. The inspiration may have come from a modelling magazine, but it's so long ago I'm not sure. I can't even remember whether the new nose was made from plastic or balsa, but it is scratchbuilt- not the Blue Rider conversion kit. I am sure the radiator is balsa. The arrow markings were hand painted - I didn't know about masking tape back then.
Kit: Maquette (1:72)
I bought this to be a quick build, but was shamed into improving the basic kit a little. I removed the 'starved cow' ribs, and scratch built a better Scarf ring, but that was about all. The decals are from the kit, and are a bit pale. It gets displayed with the DH4 and DH9.
Kit: Czechmaster Resin Snipe + Scratch (1:72)
When the Dragonfly engine performed it gave the Dragon outstanding performance, about 25% better than the Snipe in speed and climb rate. This model was built for our club theme for 2008 "The Name's the Same", for display with a DH Dragon Rapide, Saab Draken, and a fire-breathing dragon. It represents a machine from the first production batch. The cowling is shaped from layers of plastic sheet laminated together, the cylinder cut-outs drilled out with a dental burr to make the mounting for the cylinders. These came from a white metal radial engine from the spares box, which had plain cylinders. These were cut off the centre block and fixed into the cowling. The gear on the top is from stretched tube, with copper wire for the tubing and steel wire for the push rods. The Dragonfly engine was completed before anything else was started, just in case it didn't work out. The top of the fuselage was cut down to blend in to the cowling, and the length extended by milliput. When dry this was facetted with a knife blade to simulate the stringers. There isn't much detail inside the cockpit, just a few scratchbuilt instruments which are hardly visible. The decals are Pegasus, with the black serials and white outlines for the tail numbers. These went on surprisingly easily. The shot with the Snipe highlights the difference in the fuselage between the two types.
This model illustrates F4728 as modified in the early 20s to test the effects of different wing aspect ratios on the Bristol F2b. The model is based on one photo and some published dimensions of the wings. The Airfix fuselage is basically OOB with support struts added to the tailskid, and the exhausts modified to a short stub. Cockpit detail is as supplied, i.e. none. The cut-outs in the front legs of the undercarriage were filled, as the legs are in front of the narrow-chord wing. The 4-blade prop is made from two kit props, each slotted halfway through the hub in a lap-joint. The wings were made up from parts from two kits, with the chord reduced at the trailing edge. The wings were assembled using the Aeroclub jig, which although fiddly to set up initially, made getting all 20 struts in place relatively easy. The dials on the wings struts are painted on to clear plastic discs punched from packaging, with metal foil brackets. The foil was cut into a diamond, the centre cut out, and then folded around the strut. The serial numbers decals and most of the markings are from Pegasus sheets.
Kit: Airfix + ? (1:72)
F4360 was a second aircraft modified to test the effects of different aspect ratio wings. The fuselage and prop are identical in construction to that of the F4728 model. The wings were cut down from a 1/48th scale vacform Roland C.II kit. The ribs were made by sticking on strips of tape, painting, peeling off the tape, then repainting. The Aeroclub jig got its second outing to assemble the top wing and struts. The serial number decals caused a lot of grief, but since there are no duplicates on the Pegasus serials sheets each number and outline had to go on. I have it on good authority that the next issue of these sheets will be single scale and with duplicates.
Kit: Scratch (1:72)
This aircraft was designed by James V. Martin for the same purpose as the Port Victoria PV7 and PV8 Kittens - airship interception. It suffered from the same problems of low power, but was also grossly overweight, and although it flew it never got more than a few feet off the ground - an early but unintentional instance of wing-in-ground-effect. The design had several unusual features, the most visible the 'K' wing struts and outboard ailerons. It also had a semi-retractable undercarriage, the wheels swung back and up into the fairings on the fuselage sides. The wheels were the Ackerman 'innerspring' design, so there was no shock absorption in the undercarriage. The tail-skid was built into the rudder! An oxygen cylinder and socket for a heated flying suit were fitted. Twin Vickers guns were intended. The Model The fuselage is plastic card formed onto spacers. The top decking is thin card with the stringers impressed from the reverse side with an old biro. Wings, tail and rudder are from 1mm card, the ailerons are held on by a short length of guitar string drilled into the wingtip. The wheels were made by scratching the spring hoop pattern onto clear plastic, cutting out the wheel disc, and inserting it into a rim cut from the end of plastic tube. The engine is an M3 screw cut down, with copper wire pipes and guitar string push rods. The ventilation panels by the engine are modelled by pricking the holes with a sharp pin. Cockpit detail is just a few scratchbuilt instruments, but it's very difficult to see them. The prop is made from two blades glued to the spinner, which was sanded down from a block. The final picture shows the two Port Victoria Kittens.
Kit: Eastern Express (1:72)
This is the Eastern Express 1/72nd Morane Saulnier I kit. I built it out-of-the-box. I put it together while at the Peterborough Model Show, between manning the club table and browsing the other tables and vendor stalls. The modelling bench was a cutting mat on my knees. Painting and rigging was finished off at home later. This kit is really basic, there is no cockpit detail, not even a seat.
It must be 35 years since I last built a kit in a day.
Kit: Classic planes (1:72)
This is the 1/72 scale Martinsyde Elephant vacform kit by Classic Planes. All the cockpit interior is scratch-built except the engine and seat. I added all the extras as there are so many holes and cooling slot that show the interior. The radiator was made from plastic card with net curtain material bonded on either side with CA. The pump was turned from brass rod, the handle is turned copper wire. Instruments were turned plastic rod handpainted. The seat belt straps are cut from aluminium cooking dish foil Progress on this kit stopped once the fuselage was closed up - I found the wing chord is too narrow.
Kit: Phoenix (modified) (1:72)
This is a modified PV2bis kit, intended to show the aircraft as it was when originally built. The main changes are shortening and dropping the top wings so they sit on the fuselage, extending the length of the ailerons, and scratchbuilding the pontoon floats. All the struts were drilled out and brass rod inserted in the ends, so that the model could be assembled dry, and then glued when everything was in place. Cutting out the 'V' struts and getting the alignment correct was time-consuming. To get the float/lower wing/fuselage alignment correct I built a jig out of scrap plastic card.
Kit: Phoenix (1:72)
This was built in parallel with the PV2 model, using the same technique for assembling the multiplicity of struts. For both these models I tried making the instrument dials by drilling the kit panels with a flat ended dental burr, painting black, then scribing the markings and needle with a sharp point so the white shows through. This works quite well, but it doesn't show in the photos. I'm now trying the same technique on the end of plastic rod, for black and white dials. The rib tapes are simply painted white over the first coat of CDL, the whole wing then washed over with CDL diluted with Clear. Problems with the kit? During the build I found some drawings that show the top wing chord much deeper than the kits, but I can't find any pictures that are definitive. My gut feeling is that they are too narrow.
Kit: Scaleplanes (1:72)
One of two designs built in 1917 at the RNAS Experimental Station at Port Victoria on the Isle of Grain. The Kittens were intended to be flown off small ships such as torpedo-boat destroyers to intercept Zeppelins. Designed for the 45hp A.B.C. Gnat engine only 35hp engines were available so the Kitten was always underpowered. Pups and Camels were found to be effective, and these became the standard shipboard fighters, so the need for the Kittens disappeared. The PV7 Grain Kitten was a tiny aeroplane, 18 ft wingspan, but even with its all-up weight of just 500lbs and its high-lift wings the ceiling was less than 12,000 ft - inadequate for its role. Additionally the Gnat was notoriously unreliable, and would rarely last a whole flight, pilots always stayed within gliding distance of the aerodrome. This is a standard vacform kit, but its size makes it feel like you're building a 144th scale model. The engine is scratchbuilt, cut down from a machine screw, with wire for the pipework.
The second of the two designs built in 1917 at the RNAS Experimental Station at Port Victoria on the Isle of Grain. The design was started at the Test Flight at Eastchurch on the Isle of Sheppey, hence the name. The PV8 Eastchurch Kitten was a little larger than the PV7, with 19 ft wingspan and an all-up weight of 590lbs, but its larger wing area gave it a ceiling of 15,000 ft, an extra 3,000 ft. It was a pleasant aircraft to fly, and carried twice as much fuel as the PV7. With a 45hp engine it may have made a practical anti-airship fighter. Construction is as the PV7 Kitten model, but 5 years separated the builds. The final picture shows the two PV Kittens, and the K.III Kitten built by J.V. Martin in the USA in 1918.
Kit: Airfix modified (1:72)
One of my early attempts at modifying a standard kit, in this case an Airfix Avro 504K. The cowling and other special markings were handpainted, this was in those far away days before personal computers were invented to print your own transfers.
Kit: Scratch (1:600)
This model started life as a Sopwith Baby, being built on the GWICC stand on the first afternoon of Scale Modelworld 2008, and displayed on the deck of a model of HMS Engadine on the adjacent Brampton Club stand. The dimensions were estimated by scaling off my Baby model on the GWICC Display. When I got home I decided to re-model it as Schneider 1557, so it was broken up and the fuselage reshaped. Wing struts and a prop were added from stretched sprue. The colours are speculative, as the reference photos are black and white. They show the wavy markings on the wings, with early navy roundels on the undersides only. Getting good photographs of it has probably taken as long as building it! Photo 1 is the first build, photo 6 is some in-build shots, with a 5p piece for scale.
Kit: Scratchbuilt/Conversion (1:72)
Siddley RT1: This aircraft was designed as an improved variant of the RE8, but only four were built, with various engine installations. I used the 1/72nd Airfix RE8 kit as the basis for the model. There are minor modifications to the fuselage, to raise the gunners cockpit and rear decking. The engine cowling was made from thick aluminium foil from a foil dish. The wings are scratch built from 5thou plasticard, scribed gently with a metal pointer to give the ribs. Then I folded the wing along the leading edge around a shaped plastic core to give some strength.
Rudder, fin, and tailplanes are made from scribed plasticard. The unfinished look? I found two roundels that were the right size for the top wing, but one of them disintegrated when I soaked it, it was so old. Still haven't found any more. The kit propeller is so awful I decided to find an aftermarket one, just haven't done so yet.
Kit: Toko (1:72)
This is out of the box, in the markings of Georgi Stepanovich Sapozhnikov of the 1st Soviet Aviatryiad. Sapozhnikov died in a flying accident on 8 September 1920 while flying this aircraft.
Kit: Scratch and ? (1:72)
This was built for my clubs 2008 annual show. It took a month, which is pretty fast for me. The fuselage was salvaged from the breakers yard, the rest is scratch-built, from plastic card. The wing outline was taken from the book Sopwith, the Man and his Aircraft. The normal ribs were made by painting thin lines with white acrylic ink, the extra stiffening ribs in the centre are thin plastic strip glued on and then sanded down. All the struts are plastic aerofoil section, the ends drilled with a 0.25mm drill, and guitar string inserted. I find this gives a good joint to both wing and fuselage. The pyramid is fine Strutz stock. The axle is steel wire, angled and sat in a trench in the spreader bar to mimic the Sopwith split axle. The instruments are scribed into the end of plastic rod before cutting off to glue to the dashboard. Serials came from the Pegasus sheet, one letter at a time.
Vickers FB19 is a 1/72nd Scaleplanes vacform, my first attempt at vacforms.
Kit: Emhar (1:72)
Russian design in service mid 1917. Emhar kit 1/72nd (nearer to 1/66th when measured). Built straight from the box, apart from scratch-built wire wheels and some rigging. This was the first kit I'd built after a long break, and the first time I'd used monofilament for rigging, except for the elevator wires which are fuse-wire. The monofilament was a success, although two flying wires have sagged with age and handling. For the first time I tried to put some laminations into the propeller. I used Games Workshop red glaze to give a red tint to the Kleer topcoat.
The Triplane was designed and built in 1914, though Bezobrazov was sent to the front before it was finished, and so was test flown initially by F.E. Mosca, in Moscow. Bezobrazov was seriously wounded in December 1914, and returned to continue development of the aircraft at Sevastopol. Back in Moscow in August 1915 undercarriage failure caused a crash which needed extensive repairs. The aircraft was last recorded in 1917. I started out by building the fuselage, as I expected that to be the most difficult part. Sure enough, the first attempt came out too deep, so I cut a few mm off the bottom and re-skinned it. The curved decking went on next, then I realised I hadn't put any cockpit detail in, so I scratched a few instruments from plastic rod and added a seat. The cowling was made by heating and bending some plastic strip into shape, then adding the front face from card before sanding down. The undercarriage came next, made from strut with some white metal wheels. The wings were shaped from plasticard, and drilled through with guitar string for the rigging holes. The struts were shaped from 2x1mm plastic strip, and holes cut through the middle wing ready to pass the struts through. Then I put together the pyramid cabane and the rear wing support. The middle wing was butt-jointed to the sides of the cockpit, then rigged with fishing line to hold in place. One length was taken round from the undercarriage, through the wing, over the pyramid, down through the opposite wing, back through the u/c, then all round again to finish at the u/c. It was glued at the wings but not at the u/c , as the other wing rigging needed to come through here later. This rigging IS structural. Next wing on was the rear one, for this I glued it to the centre support, slid the struts through the middle wing and glued them in place. After setting the top wing in place I finished the main rigging to hold everything in place. Finally the tail and wing skids, tail, engine and prop were added, before painting. I don't think the strut angle has turned out right, the rear wing support is probably the cause, setting the wing too low.
HP O/100 and O/400: These are both the 1/72nd Airfix kit. The O/400 is OOB. The O/100 has scratch built engine nacelles and the interplane struts altered to suit at the rear of the nacelle. The full chord roundels were handpainted. These were built sometime around 1968-69.
This aircraft was designed as an improved variant of the RE8, but only four were built, with various engine installations. I used the 1/72nd Airfix RE8 kit as the basis for the model. There are minor modifications to the fuselage, to raise the gunners cockpit and rear decking. The engine cowling was made from thick aluminium foil from a foil dish. The wings are scratch built from 5 thou plasticard, scribed gently with a metal pointer to give the ribs. Then I folded the wing along the leading edge around a shaped plastic core to give some strength. It was only after the model was almost finished that I realised that the ribs on the undersurfaces should be different to take account of the curvature. Rudder, fin, and tailplanes are made from scribed plasticard.