Airfix Albatros DVa 1:72

Airfix Albatros DVa 1:72

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dr_gn

Original Poster:

16,144 posts

184 months

Friday 24th November 2017
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This is another model being built by the boy. He’s doing a WW1 project at school, so he’s building the old (1957) Airfix Albatros DVa. This was one picked up free from Airfix at Telford a couple of years ago, along with the Sopwith Pup.

I figured if he can do rigging at 1:72 it would be a big step. It’s very intricate work for a 10 year old, but it’s looking good so far:

[url|https://thumbsnap.com/KrQVMbdR[/url]









Got some decals on order, so hopefully it’ll be finished soon. Just need some decals for the Pup, and a grass base and that’ll make a nice display.

AER

1,142 posts

270 months

Monday 27th November 2017
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Seriously impressive!

TR4man

5,222 posts

174 months

Monday 27th November 2017
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I'm envious that you and your son can do something like this together.


Eric Mc

121,896 posts

265 months

Monday 27th November 2017
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Rigging - yuch.

Hope he manages that tricky little task.

I've never built the Airfix Albatros (although I did build the Revell one).

perdu

4,884 posts

199 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
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He is doing this one awfully well doc, is it time to introduce him to Perfect Plastic Putty which wet sands to invisibility in no time?

No nasty chemical stinks either

Back to the Albatros, must have been early seventies when I built that kit, it seems to have lasted well

The young geezer is doing very nice work on the seams

And may I echo Eric's sentiments slightly

Rigging yeuch! frown

dr_gn

Original Poster:

16,144 posts

184 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
quotequote all
perdu said:
He is doing this one awfully well doc, is it time to introduce him to Perfect Plastic Putty which wet sands to invisibility in no time?

No nasty chemical stinks either

Back to the Albatros, must have been early seventies when I built that kit, it seems to have lasted well

The young geezer is doing very nice work on the seams

And may I echo Eric's sentiments slightly

Rigging yeuch! frown
It's nearly done - just needs a wash and matt coat.

I had some plastic putty, but it seemed to set faster then I could apply it.

The Albatros is OK considering its age, but he's started cleaning up the Sopwith Pup parts, and they look really nice even by modern standards. It got good reviews when released in '73 and I can see why.

Eric Mc

121,896 posts

265 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
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Up until the recent BE2c and Eindekker, the Pup was Airfix's last WW1 subject.

dr_gn

Original Poster:

16,144 posts

184 months

Sunday 3rd December 2017
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Finished...shame the tail plane isn't level though, and I think the front bracing wires should cross in reality (I told him wrong!).

Not sure if we'll get the Pup done before the end of term, but at least one's ready:








Eric Mc

121,896 posts

265 months

Sunday 3rd December 2017
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Pretty amazing work.

Well done that lad.

perdu

4,884 posts

199 months

Sunday 3rd December 2017
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He built it better than I did

He's coming on in great strides

dr_gn

Original Poster:

16,144 posts

184 months

Sunday 3rd December 2017
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Thanks guys.

He does have a worrying tendancy to revert to building and painting dwarves, wizards and catapults.

anonymous-user

54 months

Monday 4th December 2017
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Stumbled onto this forum, haven't done a model for decades.

That looks great, congratulations to your son!!


dr_gn

Original Poster:

16,144 posts

184 months

Monday 4th December 2017
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REALIST123 said:
Stumbled onto this forum, haven't done a model for decades.

That looks great, congratulations to your son!!
Thanks, I'll tell him.

caterhamnut

429 posts

203 months

Tuesday 5th December 2017
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Flipping 'ek - seriously impressive - especially that wire!

dr_gn

Original Poster:

16,144 posts

184 months

Tuesday 5th December 2017
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caterhamnut said:
Flipping 'ek - seriously impressive - especially that wire!
Thanks, it's EZ line (elastic). It's actually pretty simple to use.

lufbramatt

5,337 posts

134 months

Tuesday 5th December 2017
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Brilliant work. Great to see new blood getting in to the hobby. Looking forward to getting my kids in to a bit of model making when they're bigger! (Few years yet, they're only 6 months and 2 1/2 years)

Rigging small stuff is strangely satisfying, I rigged my little aeroclub 1/144 Dragon Rapide, just for the challenge! I used 2lb fishing line which doesn't really stretch though.


dr_gn

Original Poster:

16,144 posts

184 months

Tuesday 5th December 2017
quotequote all
lufbramatt said:
Brilliant work. Great to see new blood getting in to the hobby. Looking forward to getting my kids in to a bit of model making when they're bigger! (Few years yet, they're only 6 months and 2 1/2 years)

Rigging small stuff is strangely satisfying, I rigged my little aeroclub 1/144 Dragon Rapide, just for the challenge! I used 2lb fishing line which doesn't really stretch though.

Looks nice, very small to try to rig that though, so great work. The Airfix Rapide (or was it Dominie?) looks a nice kit - much like the Pup. My LHS has one that I really should snap up.

This is the Airfix Gladiator I built a while ago (reviewed by me in Scale Aviation Modeller International magazine a couple of months ago - just in case you want any other biplanes reviewing hehe)



Simple rigging method was:

First, drill the rigging end points in the plastic.

Attach the most difficult to access wires before attaching the upper wing. I did this by applying a dot of cyano into the drilled holes, then dipping the end of the EzLine in cyano accelerator before dunkin it into the hole with some tweezers and leaving until set (a few seconds).

Attach top wing.

For the free ends, stretch the rigging and trim to give a small amount of tension.

Fill the holes as before, but this time paint the accelerator on the end of the line with a paintbrush, then dunk into the hole and wait a bit. You can't dunk the free end in accelerator because the wires are too short.

I simplified this further for the boy by getting him to drill through the lower wing, then poking the free ends through them, stretching slightly and cyanoing. Then trim, paint and cover with the decals. Less refined, but easier than the above.

dr_gn

Original Poster:

16,144 posts

184 months

Tuesday 5th December 2017
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Bit of oil paint wood graining on the Airfix Pup propeller this evening. Might as well chuck every modelling technique I know at him and be done with it biggrin


lufbramatt

5,337 posts

134 months

Wednesday 6th December 2017
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The little 1/144 model has a wingspan of about 8cm and consists of about 6 moulded parts, a small sheet of etch and decals from the spares box.

The Airfix Dragon Rapide was a rebox of the Heller kit- which I think has just been re-issed by Tasman with some new parts to make a skywriting 'plane. I had a look at one a while back, overall looked ok but with the potential for some very tricky to hide joints where the very square fuselage meets the full-span wings.

dr_gn

Original Poster:

16,144 posts

184 months

Wednesday 6th December 2017
quotequote all
lufbramatt said:
The little 1/144 model has a wingspan of about 8cm and consists of about 6 moulded parts, a small sheet of etch and decals from the spares box.

The Airfix Dragon Rapide was a rebox of the Heller kit- which I think has just been re-issed by Tasman with some new parts to make a skywriting 'plane. I had a look at one a while back, overall looked ok but with the potential for some very tricky to hide joints where the very square fuselage meets the full-span wings.
I don't think I'd attempt a 1:144 biplane...

You've now got me thinking about the Airfix Rapide. I think a trip to the LHS might be in order this lunchtime.