bughunter Welcome mates! This will be the second/my first german two seater for my collection.
Will be "nearly oob", but with my usual enhancements, like wooden airscrew and metal struts. And some accessories of course.😉
10 January 2021, 14:33
bughunter The kit includes 3 plastic ones, shows the options during the build - but do NOT tell, which option has to be used for which marking. The WNW manual says Garuda. Ok, that is not the identical machine, but I will go with that.
I selected the kit one, which looks like the WNW Garuda as template for sanding.
Is this another "I can do better than the box-art" projects? I hope so, the presented pattern with red nose & "natural colors" looks spectacular 🙂
Off to a great start!
10 January 2021, 22:09
bughunter Welcome mates! Yes, since I like it colorful, the red flames are the only option!
We're a little crazy, aren't we? We find the red flames beautiful and spectacular, although on a fighting machine. I think those in the trenches thought otherwise when this biplane appeared. Good that those times are over!
I have also the Cl.IV in my stash, but I will _not_ build that one with "the monster face" (manual) because it looks like a gas mask. Gas masks and skulls do not go on my models.
Sorry, that just came to mind ...
11 January 2021, 14:48
bughunter A lot of metal work, after I cannot airbrush due to snow and ice on my roof window.
For me it seems, building a kit "out-of-the-box" means "by using some kit parts".
Hope the picture description is visible now, edited them the 3rd time (lost before).
bughunter Thank you James!
On the way back from my last exhibition, the axle of a Nieuport broke. I glued it, but it will always be visible. So I take special care now for robustness so a metal undercarriage is a valuable addition.
17 January 2021, 21:19
bughunter I don't have the WNW kit at hand, but that undercarriage could not look better😉
19 January 2021, 19:46
Slavo Hazucha Well, when even unintentional paint damage looks this good... 🙂
19 January 2021, 20:24
bughunter Thx Slavo! So the effort to tin the parts before payed already back😉
19 January 2021, 21:17
bughunter Today I was put to my limits by this challenging kit! I was not able to use the kit PE, but don't worry, this build is NOT going to hold! I will use Eduard parts instead! More the next days, as usual with pictures.😉
20 January 2021, 21:34
bughunter The fit is bad ... Want to see an example?
Do they build the kit once after designing, before starting the production? Wrong in both Cl.II and Cl.IV kits in different ways.
The kits have a great potential to deliver nice details even in smaller scale, but I think the quality control of WNW was much better!
I learned to check here every small step for surprises, but this needs a lot of time 🙁
You may ask, what kind of headline is that?! Of course I talk about the communication system of this Halberstadt. I found an interesting page about that wireless communication system: stonevintageradio.co..p;UID=20210113135642
24 January 2021, 20:43
Christoph Kunz Somehow I missed this 🙁
Needlless to say, but perfect work again.
Nur Bild 35 tanzt aus der Reihe.
25 January 2021, 20:02
bughunter Welcome Christoph!
Und danke für den Hinweis, ist jetzt 42😉 Habe da schon einen Bug an Tim reported. Das erste Bild ist immer das letzte, wenn ich es dann hochschiebe rutscht es viel weiter nach vorn.
bughunter Thank you! I created a wooden spool for the aerial. I really like the copper shine seen from above. Wood was used because do not influence the electromagnetism. The remaining missing parts was added to the cockpit and the fuselage is closed now.
30 January 2021, 16:09
Slavo Hazucha Beautiful cockpit details and materials... 👍 - pity the opening to see it all is so small in the end
31 January 2021, 08:36
Hanno Kleinecke The skillful way you juggle the different materials to a superclean and realistic result is always breathtaking, no matter if it's the prop, the tank or the undercarriage, outstanding !
31 January 2021, 08:44
bughunter Thank you Slavo and Hanno! I think it looks so "superclean" since I try to use the properties of the material so I can avoid detail painting. So it is easier for me and looks better. But that's also where the "old biplanes" theme plays into my hands; it wouldn't work like that on a modern jet!
If I have good references it is pure fun to replicate the engineering solutions a century ago. It doesn't have to be perfect because it wasn't back then😉
A lathe is also able to do woodturning, so to do the aerial spool in wood was a try with nice result at the end. The axle is a piece of a tooth stick.
bughunter Thanks my Lord - I hope you are ok by now!😉
1 February 2021, 15:40
Greg Baker "Hmm... I'm thinking about building that Spad XII... maybe I should check out Bugsy's latest build for inspiration and tips..."
Looks at every picture in the album twice... throws Spad box away and goes to lie down...
1 February 2021, 15:53
gorby I'll have to start calling you Fantastic Frank - certainly a worthy moniker.
I nearly missed this one but just had a very enjoyable catch up - coffee in hand.
1 February 2021, 16:10
René "Lord Bilbo" Bartholemy @Greg Baker I sooo know that feeling...
@bughunter My thick beard protected my glass jaw quite effectively, thanks!
🙂
1 February 2021, 16:30
bughunter You are all welcome here mates 👍
Greg, really a SPAD XII ??? In 1:48? The JMGT kit? I want that! The other SPADs are much more common: VII is available from Special Hobby and the XIII in many Eduard boxings ...
@gorbygould You haven't missed much yet. It's only the cockpit that's finished. I still have a long way to go.😉
1 February 2021, 16:53
gorby But by the time you get to the cockpit, you've put more effort in than most of us do for half a dozen kits!
1 February 2021, 18:07
bughunter That is part of my problem to build so slow ... and this one is a two seater, which means much more parts in the cockpits. This kit is very special, with many many parts and every single one of it needs careful cleaning and test fitting.
I have also the Halberstadt Cl.VI kit from Mirage, but it will go very deep into the stash after this is finished ...
1 February 2021, 18:39
Greg Baker Uh, oh... I meant Spad XIII... I was thinking more.... 1/72... Academy.😉
1 February 2021, 18:49
bughunter Oh, in God's own scale, ok. There was also a SPAD XI, which was used as Nightfighter with a huge search light in front of the air screw hub. It was hold by a lot of struts from below, with the generator belt driven by airscrew. That would be a crazy project!
1 February 2021, 20:16
HSC1932 Amazing detail. Please don't tell me you're going to cover it all up
1 February 2021, 20:20
bughunter Thx! The fuselage is closed already. The opening on top is wide, because pilot and gunner have a nearly common fuselage opening, only a small wall between, for good communication. So you can still see a lot of the details - but not the cartridge belts! On the other hand there will be later a gun ring on top with a Parabellum MG, so this may cover details. Let's see ...
However, some details will be clearly visible to the naked eye, the cockpit is not covered by thick clear plastic as seen he on jet models😉
I made a good progress on the engine, but it is not yet finished.
1 February 2021, 20:33
bughunter The Engine and the Spandau MG are in place. That was a lot of work, but an important step is done
Daniel Klink Amazing and i really hope that you build a early japanese Navy plane like the Nakajima A1N or the B1M one day...
3 February 2021, 22:00
Greg Baker Since we're firing off requests... I want to see a small DC motor inside that fancy engine!
3 February 2021, 22:56
bughunter Greg, on picture 15 you can see the self-created easy running bearing. The slightest breeze and the propeller turns - very environment friendly😉 There is no need for an electric motor.
4 February 2021, 11:52
Boris B Amazing build ! When I start on my WWI models, I'll be sure to come and check back here for inspiration (and hopefully not desperation !).
That's what I call multi-media : not what's in the box, but how you improve on it... Even just that beautiful gas tank !
4 February 2021, 12:39
bughunter Thank you Boris! Do you plan to build WingNut Wing or 1/48 ? If you like this biplane you should not miss my other projects😉
4 February 2021, 18:41
bughunter I'm not sure about the painting of the fuselage. The kit provides two decal sets. WNW recommends painting, with very low pressure. So I experimented with this. The result should look like this: [img1]
What do you think?
Boris B I have collected a few 1:48 WWI kits, mostly eduard. I will definitely check your other builds when I get to them. I like your attention to detail and painting, it's never unjustified or overdone, but still meticulous, reality-based and creative in your solutions.
7 February 2021, 10:37
bughunter Wow Boris, what a feedback 👍 Now I need a red-face-smily😉
7 February 2021, 10:45
Greg Baker Most of the rest of us have given up with anything like feedback and just drool with our mouths open at bughunter's projects.
8 February 2021, 03:21
bughunter Thank you Greg, nice to know you are following.
After I tried to paint the fuselage with five-color lozenge patches I don't like the result and removed the paint. Luckily the white primer has survived the attack with alcohol.
So I tried something different ...
Now patience is needed to not apply those huge decals on fresh future.
10 February 2021, 20:55
Slavo Hazucha That wing-job looks fantastic so far - hope the result will follow the intended path! Watching with a lot of interest! 👍
10 February 2021, 22:04
bughunter Thank you Slavo! It looks like the special lozenge decals are working much better on a more glossy surface. 🙂
11 February 2021, 19:42
bughunter The lozenge decals are applied on the wings. More work was to cut 0.7mm rib tapes and wider tapes for leading and trailing edges and apply them.
I'm very happy so far. Luckily to lower surfaces don't need lozenge decals, because I need a break now!
12 February 2021, 20:55
Thomas Bischoff Speechless - as usual when looking at your work 🙂
bughunter Thank you Gordon! The major problem was a clean cutting of the 0,7mm rib tapes.
13 February 2021, 15:51
Chris Greathouse Oh a bughunter special aye?... I've been gone for a year, I've missed your insane craftsmanship!
13 February 2021, 15:53
bughunter Welcome back Chris! I have built more in the last year than ever before, but SM does not forget anything, you can still enjoy it afterwards😉
13 February 2021, 16:24
James C Impressive work as always mate, and those wings look amazing! 👍
13 February 2021, 16:29
bughunter Thx James! I only don't know, if I break the strong color with a very thing layer of linen or off-white. I like the look in the profile by Ronny Bar. But I don't want to loose the fine fabric structure.
13 February 2021, 19:43
JW Coming together beautifully! What was your technique for cutting consistent .7mm rib tapes? I've had two problems, consistent width and decal chipping and cracking.
14 February 2021, 12:47
bughunter I used a fresh scalpel blade and a steel ruler. To be able to hold the ruler, the pieces could not be too long.
15 February 2021, 17:03
HSC1932 What varnishes do you use and at what thinning ratio and PSI?
15 February 2021, 18:50
bughunter The wings are primed with Alclad white, shaded and some layers Future added (low pressure, no thinning) as the lozenge decals need really a glossy surface. On top of the decal there is no varnish yet. The pictures shows pure decals.
15 February 2021, 20:10
Slavo Hazucha That looks just plain excellent - not that any of your builds would be lacking in any departments, but you still keep pushing closer & closer to representing all the different real materials involved in these machines...
The wings and the lozenge camo, shading & co are just a perfect scale representation of what they should be, nothing missing & nothing overdone! 👍
16 February 2021, 13:23
bughunter Thx Slavo! The paint job is still my weakest point, I tend to use to much paint, so the lower layers are often too much covered once dried. And also on the wings there some areas, where it was not glossy enough for this picky transparent decals. Added a new picture of comparison to the profile.
16 February 2021, 19:41
Greg Baker This is like watching Michael Angelo argue with Leonardo da Vinci... 🙂
17 February 2021, 03:22
Alec K I have no excuse for missing class thus far... That fuel tank is just amazing. So, of course, is the rest 👍
@Greg: I know the feeling 😭
24 February 2021, 13:49
bughunter Welcome Alec 👍 No problem, everyone needs a vacation! You can always catch up on everything.
24 February 2021, 15:35
Alec K I sure did 👍. You always do a spectacular job describing your work, very helpful and much appreciated by all, I am sure.
24 February 2021, 18:25
HSC1932 How did you cut the 0.7mm stripe decals in a consistent way?
24 February 2021, 18:52
bughunter Alec, are you sure with "much appreciated by all"? 😳 I'm just an advanced beginner after all and have to learn a lot.
Now I had an déjà vu! After the experience on my (still on hold) Dr.I I wanted to avoid masking on top of the decals and so planned to use the kit decals. But they are very brittle, the black crosses fall in many parts. At that time I had the white-border-crosses already applied but they breaks the later during try to cut them on the separated (by kit!) control surfaces. But I was not able to remove them completely without ruin the decals below.
So I put flat varnish on top and masked the crosses, at least on the rudder. But my self cut cross was not perfect, and other mistakes, so the end result is not that great. On the upper wings I need to think about a solution, I put them aside. Let's see ...
The middle part of the upper wing and the fuselage are still unpainted, or more the first try is removed. And I have started to cut brass sleeves for rigging. I'm doing everything I can right now to avoid having to paint the fuselage, but I'm starting to run out of excuses.
@OttovonLindberg I used a new scalpel blade knife ( I have a deep respect for those little bastards as they can brake) and a steel ruler. I was only able to cut shorter pieces, otherwise I'm not able to hold the ruler and the decal moved out, or more the knife pull it out and you will get inconsistent wider stripes.
24 February 2021, 20:42
bughunter Found some out of order pictures, sorry. Now all should be in correct order.
24 February 2021, 21:03
bughunter Some new pictures of work here and there ... I'm really glad to have the lozenge decal work behind me!
25 February 2021, 21:51
Hanno Kleinecke Boy, I thought I had it rough with the decals for the S5, being brittle and broke over the side radiators. But that could be fixed with a little white paint. I can very well imagine that this has the potential to drive one up the wall..... I am sure that you are pne of the few who will come up with
a exemplary solution.
25 February 2021, 22:22
bughunter Hanno, today I ruined even the small stencils 🙁 Take another ones from a CL.IV kit and sprayed a layer Gunze metal primer (should have done this on the original ones), now the text is wrong, but at least the position VL HL VR and HR are readable. [img1]
After I found this sketch I thought about how the replicate that strut mount. Now it is done 😉
bughunter Uff, the stipple camouflage paint job is finally done! Hope you will like it.
4 March 2021, 20:42
Alec K Looks great 👍 . I imagine that to get that nice even pattern was not easy to do.
5 March 2021, 01:04
bughunter Thx Alec! I am really glad that this task is done!
5 March 2021, 12:11
gorby That's looks remarkable paint job. I'd run away screaming if I was told I had to paint that scheme. 😮
You certainly don't go for the easy option Frank. 😉
5 March 2021, 15:48
bughunter Thx my friend! The other options needs more work, often also lozenge decals on lower surfaces (=double effort on wings) and this special camouflage on the whole fuselage. On the other hand I'm trying to do the flames now, which is also not easy. More work than expected.
5 March 2021, 19:41
Alec K I don't know the answer to your question in photo 120, but you my want to reach out to Mirage hobby. It's a long shot but you may just get lucky.
5 March 2021, 20:13
bughunter I'm not sure, but the web domain moved to a shop, which is selling the remaining kits. This kit here is long gone, otherwise it would be nice to have replacement decals for the struts. I found out the answer to the question myself😉 All are prop decals, 6 is "Niendorf", 8 is "Propulsor" and 5 is "Halberstädter Flugzeugwerke". They are not only the manufacturer of this aircraft but also wooden airscrews.
The decals are really problematic, the next batch of pictures soon.
5 March 2021, 21:07
bughunter For me is the handling of the kit decals is the weakest point of this kit. I'm able to work with them.
I would say that I would never have achieved this result with the decals. In this respect, I am satisfied.
This must now dry thoroughly before I mask again and paint the rest of the nose red.
bughunter Thank you mates for your great feedback! I like those colorful schemes😉 But this is a very time consuming project, with many parts in the kit, lozenge decals and huge effort paint job.
Should have used liquid mask on problematic points additionally. Afterwards one is always wiser.
Hanno Kleinecke Lots of „never seen befores" for me in this project. Wasn't aware of this cool camo technique, and even more so that the stiff prussian dominated german army allowed such a degree of non regulation aircraft decoration. Love these „hot rod style" flames, great work !
7 March 2021, 09:27
bughunter Thank you! @Lord Bilbo - I think everyone prefers to learn from own mistakes. That is called "experience": be able to detect, that you made the same mistake already before😉
@Hanno: the kit contains two larger sheets with different camo shades for the fuselage with little white "holes", which have to be applied on a base paint where the color matches the dots. Found a build on britmodeller with a nice result using this decals (in small pieces, panel by panel), but I preferred to use the airbrush.
7 March 2021, 16:28
Juergen Klinglhuber I didn't comment since a long time, even when I following your builds. Reason is, that I'm constantly running out of words of superlative. What you doing here just makes speechless.
So I am sitting back and enjoy the show. One after the other,....thx Frank
7 March 2021, 17:52
bughunter Juergen, um so mehr vielen Dank für Deine netten Worte! 👍
7 March 2021, 21:29
bughunter After red painting I could add the remaining details to the fuselage. This is a huge step forward! The number of remaining parts is going down dramatically😉
14 March 2021, 21:29
Christoph Kunz Well, well, well, when props become regular, the master makes his own spinners. Another step closer to complete scratchwork.
Alec K More glorious eye candy from Bughunter's modeling shack 🙂. I really like the red color variation achieved with a different underlying color 👍
15 March 2021, 00:21
Slavo Hazucha Kept watching but could not find the time to post in proper here.
I´m really impressed by the results of the masking & airbrushing jobs 👍 - I think that especially on "front modifications" this method - tiniest imperfections included - provides a better result than a completely flawless decal would. Looks very natural and true to original (in this case, as I imagine it😉 )
15 March 2021, 08:54
Boris B The tail skid (to take just one exampe among many, many) is amazing... the modest little tail skid !
15 March 2021, 13:16
bughunter Thank you mates for your great feedback 👍
@Christoph I like to work on the lathe, even if I have to learn a lot, how to do things on it. So it was a great opportunity, and the final piece is nice.
@Alec: that works even below a metal finish. I primed a Nieuport grey and white to get this effect.
@Slavo: I wanted to cut a second set of masks, with only the outer line to put that on top of the first layer to secure the small stripe. Then when I was working on it, I just forgot about it! I am getting old 🙁
@Boris: I try to improve those parts with every model, at first airscrews, then tail skids and now I really like the freshly build metal undercarriages of my latest models.
Now I can start the final mounting process. With finishing the fuselage, my preliminary conclusion is that on the one hand it's a great kit with lots of detail, but on the other hand there are some fit problems, as if they never tried to test build the kit. I think there are not many of my finished models with such amount of work spend! I have also the Halberstadt Cl.IV in my stash, but it will move now to a very low position😉
15 March 2021, 16:41
bughunter The mounting and rigging has started - I really like this bird!
16 March 2021, 20:50
Mathieu Total awesomeness. Will bookmark this build for my 1/32, I'll be happy if I achieve half of your precision.
17 March 2021, 08:31
bughunter Thank you Mathieu! Your words are nice fuel to keep the build log running!
Oh yes, the WNW seems to be a great kit, as far as I know from some friends. But the finished 1/32 biplanes are too big for my cabinet.
17 March 2021, 18:53
Bernhard Schrock Meine absolute Hochachtung für das Anbringen der Lozenge Decals auf der Hälfte des Modells!! Und überhaupt. Genau. 🙂
160-165: Hast du ein langes Stück Leine für mehrere Abschnitte der Verspannung verwendet, um alle gleichzeitig stramm zu ziehen?
17 March 2021, 18:57
bughunter Dankeschön Bernhard! Die Spannschlösser links im Bild 160 habe ich in einer ruhigen Minute nur schon mal aufgefädelt. Die gingen alle in die Fahrwerkverspannung. Da noch nichts verklebt ist kann man die noch auf dem Faden verschieben, aber die Teile können auch nicht mehr flitzen gehen😉 Das ist dann fix montiert:
- am aktuellen Ende den Faden in der Messinghülse verkleben,
- das Spannschloß bzw Öse einkleben.
- Das nächste Schloß in das gegenüberliegende Loch kleben. Kurz warten, strammziehen, Hülse verkleben und abschneiden.
Und den Zyklus von vorn am nächsten Seil.
Erfordert aber ein gewisses mitdenken beim Auffädeln ...
17 March 2021, 19:32
bughunter A huge step forward, the rigging is done😉 Have you ever seen such small hose clamps?
18 March 2021, 21:06
Alec K I'll never get tired of those turnbuckles 😄
19 March 2021, 11:40
bughunter Alec, here you can see the used Gaspatch turnbuckles: 10 Albatros, 8 One End and 18 Anchor points
19 March 2021, 14:28
Ricardo Reis Great work indeed @bughunter. Regarding WWI planes, it is so far, to me, a mistery which turnbuckles to use with which planes. I have a few 1:48 and 1:32 WWI planes in my stash and at some point I will have to dive into this subject myself. This build is a great inspiration to me. 👍
19 March 2021, 15:01
bughunter Thank you Ricardo!
That turnbuckles business is no rocket science 😉 At first: check references, e.g. pictures, Datafiles
The available types of Gaspatch can be seen here: [img1]?c=2
Some general, typical rules:
- only one turnbuckle in one rope, so a Anchor point on the opposite site
- turnbuckle on the lower side, so the mechanics have easy access
- if a turnbuckle is somewhere in the rope: Type C
- if there is a mounting device (two noses and the tb between) see pic 110: type Albatros
- if the mount is hidden (inside the fuselage etc): One End
- Type A is Type C with a Anchor point
- Type B is a turnbuckle mounted to a fitting, on a wing for example
A special thing are the british RAF wires. Those were no steel cables but flat steel bars in a aerodymanic shape with threads on the ends. Those have on both ends special mounting terminal, but not turnbuckles.
And again, check references.
James C That is so impressive mate. I really like it 👍👍👍
19 March 2021, 17:15
Dietmar Bogatzki Wahnsinn das anbringen der Spannschlößer 👍 👍 und die Lackierung ist sehr gelungen 👍
19 March 2021, 17:47
Alexander Grivonev bughunter, the medical world lost a star neurosurgeon with you.
19 March 2021, 17:52
Daniel Klink Yap Alex thats the correct description of what Frank does
19 March 2021, 18:02
bughunter Thank you mates! Your comments are highly appreciated 👍
@James Oh yes, I like this bird too! I know someone who told me that this is the most beautiful biplane build ever😉
@Dietmar That is all a good preparation. This was an easy task, compared to other birds in my cabinet. For example on the lower mount there was a half ball in plastic (see pic 168). I drilled holes instead. The Albatros balls need a 0.7mm hole.
@Alexander and Daniel: No, I can't see blood! And I could not live with mistakes in that case.
Worked on more details today, but the weathering is not yet done.
19 March 2021, 19:42
bughunter In a last sprint I added again a lot of details. All the prepared parts are now mounted, for example the air screw, but I don't have more pictures.
The Halberstadt CL.II is finished now, so again a project come to the end.
Thanks for watching and commenting! This was a great fun to build this nice aircraft and I hope you had some fun too😉
bughunter
7+
Slavo Hazucha
Christoph Kunz
Hanno Kleinecke
Greg Baker
gorby
René "Lord Bilbo" Bartholemy
Daniel Klink
Boris B
Chris Greathouse
JW
Alec K%20wing%20and%20undercarriage%20detail.jpg)
Dietmar Bogatzki
Juergen Klinglhuber
Mathieu
Bernhard Schrock
Ricardo Reis
Alexander Grivonev