Erich_Prinz

Seth,

The spars were built up and clamped or solid with the carbon being clamped? Was that what you were showing there?

Anxious to see the wheels.

I've designed a jig that allows a wheel to be built out on both sides in ranges from 2" to 3" rim sizes. Still working through an acceptable technique to build a rim, though it's close now. Using 1/32" birch (balsa works too -- though I like a little more rigid structure), the part is laser cut in a length to match the desired diameter wheel. Lacing holes are included in the cut. The part is soaked through, then wrapped around a circular form, clamped, then left to dry. A little CA to seal the deal and it's ready to be laced.

All this to say that any photos of wheels will help when it comes time to build them out for the Pfalz project.

Also, when you built up the wing, what type of jig did you use, if any?

arspievack

Seth
I'm still here watching with great pleasure.
You may have said this but , who did your plans?
Did you draw them?, use a computer, ? etc.
ars

Sethhunter

Hi guys,
Erich - yes the spars are solid with cabon laminated to them. The wing uses 4 spars, each 1/4 H X 3/8 W, on ribs about 7/8" deep (3/8 gap betwen spars). Balsa vertical web in the gap between spars. I measured the panel flexibility by putting some weight on it; supports 32" apart, 6 lbs of suba weights in the middle, I measured 1/32 of deflection. Pretty stiff for a wing with no sheeting. The panel is not super light; but light enough at 12 oz. I did not use a jig; just blocks under the spars (due to the undercamber) and pinned over the plans. The spars are not hollow but I might consider that for the lower wing!

Can you post pictures of your fixture and wheels?

Alan - I drew the plans on CADKEY (CAD program) about 8 years ago. Unfortunately I lost the file after a couple of computer changes. All that's left are the outlines that I plotted; side view, wing panels, bulkheads. The rest I've been filling in as I go and trying to keep a sketch book updated!

tyr2473

I live in the UK where do I get 1/6th scale plans to build an albatross DVa?

Sethhunter

Tyr2473, Arizona Models http://arizonamodels.com/ has plans for a 1/6 Albatros DVa; I'm sure there are other sources on the net.

Erich - I've attached a few pictures of the wheels from Herbie wheels http://www.herbiewheels.de/index3.htm. As mentioned in earlier posts, the tire material is MUCH lighter than tires from other manufacturers. I bought an extra set of tires for a very nominal fee, although Herbie and Thomas assure me they wear well. They're great looking wheels. The tires have a seam where they are glued together, and I might add a valve for detail. The price is very good - assembled wheels competitively priced compared to kits from other sources.

I enjoyed working with Herbie Wheels; they answered all my questions and turned the order around very quickly. They painted the wheels (my choice of color) and reamed the hub to fit an english size (their standard sizes are metric). I placed the order through paypal, which handled the currency translation. Best of all, their shop is just a few miles from Speyer, Germany, where the original Pfalz factory still exists and makes Airbus parts! I am proud to be the first US owner of Herbie wheels!!

Erich_Prinz

Seth,

Fantastic looking pair of wheels. They compliment the aircraft perfectly.

Erich

tommyp

My Feedback: (1)

Hi,
I've been out of touch for a little while but wanted to say that your Pfalz is looking great Seth!
Also, thanks to Erich for the nice comment posted a while back, and good luck with your project. I spent most of my building time this year building FF models of a Blackburn, a Schutte Lanz D.III and a Hanriot Monoplane. Only the Blackburn has flown so far...my hat is off to the guys who can make small scale FF models fly!
...and Hi Alan! Hope all is well with you...what are you building now?

Best regards,
Tom Polapink

abufletcher

Seth, really gorgeous! Almost too pretty to put covers on. What size are these wheels?

BTW, who'd a thunk that this thread would have gotten over 11,000 hits! Guess there's a lot of Blue Max fans out there.

arspievack

tommy
Thanks for checking to see what I'm up to.
I'm sorry to say that, at the moment my only scale project is watching Seth build his masterpiece.
Over the last several years I've flown but not built. Largely because I don't have the time to travel and compete and that's why I used to love to build scale models to do. So what I'm doing now is trying to get pictures of my Westland Whirlwind ( best in show at Wrams some years ago)on to this site for Seth to see.
I figure that will really screw things up because people are coming here to see "pfalz"-es and suddenly they're in the wrong war.
At the moment I can't get the site to accept the picture... it probably can tell i've gone weird.
In any case thanks for asking. I'm still around and who knows?? what's next Are you still competing?
best
alan

Sethhunter

Hi Abu - the Herbie wheels are 190mm OD. Haven't given covers too much thought yet. PS - Your Snipe is looking great!

abufletcher

Wow! Seven and a half inch wheels! That really puts your model in perspective. I really will have to do a larger project someday.

I remember when the 32" wingspan RE8 model I use as my avatar seemed HUGE to me -- the largest model I had up to then attempted. The Snipe is twice that. And THAT seems really big.

Sometimes the Snipe project (being a de facto prototype) seems large and heroic (in a nerdy sort of way [sm=49_49.gif] ) but then I remember I'm just putting together a sport-scale kit. Someday, I'll get around to the "super-scale" scratch build -- like your Pfalz!

Sethhunter

Been awhile so I thought I would post a few pics of the DIII.a; it's finally taken on a (slightly) more colorful look! Hope everyone's having a safe and happy holiday.

abufletcher

That looks fantastic AND very festive!

arspievack

Seth,
Absolutely spectacular!!!! What a piece of art.!!! Magnificent, Congrats... Great work I can't wait to see it lift off.

A couple of issues. 1) have you picked an engine yet? Can you show any installation pictures of it in place?
2) Big problem FOR ME. I always "weathered" my models. Never thought they looked "right" without the oil dripping, the exhaust heating the side. Even a little blood dripping down the cockpit edge now and then. A rag tucked in somewhere, a bullet hole ( the Smithsonian Albatross has some). Mud on the wheels and covers etc.

What's your plan?? I can't imagine "messing" up such a gorgeous creation as yours.
What are we to do?
Happy New Year and all success.
Your admirer
ars

Sethhunter

Thanks guys - yes weathering will come. I've done the obvious weathering on and around the machine guns; some green tarnish from the brass jacket breaking through the black paint, brown rust and silver highlights on the steel body. Lots of shades on the exhaust manifold. In the next week or so I'll go over the photo's again for weathering details. Obvious locations will be around the steps, access ports, fuel tank, handholds, mud on the lower wing above the wheels, and undercarraige. I don't think I'll poke holes in the fuse although it's tempting and the plywood would probably splinter nicely! I haven't figured out a good way to put covers on the Herbie wheels yet. I'm still looking at engine specs and the airplane weight. I feel I need to finish the wings and running rigging before making a final pick. Then there's the cockpit... details details!

Erich_Prinz

WOW! Just stunning Seth!

Erich

arspievack

Seth,
I know that you know this but I'll say it anyway.
Some wheel covers were fabrics , linen, canvas , and just sewn on. A simple over and over whip sitich. I used to use Coverite or similar, take off the tire, cut a circle (oversized) heat stick the extra material to the inside of the rim. Then do the sewing and replace the tire. Then I'd heat shrink the part over the spokes and they would show through the coverite very realistically and I never had one come off.
Other covers of the day were plywood and some were leather. They never looked as good, I thought, though I once used 1/64 ply and used very small nuts and bolts 00/90 and 00/82 through the inside and outside covers.
It worked but I preferred the clothe type.

I know you'll come up with as good or better solution.
What's the present all-up weight?
ars

Mode One

Absolutely marvalious! I was wondering if the Pfalz thread was going to die out. No way.

Sethhunter

Thanks again for the positive feedback. I'm definitely deep in the "boy this project is dragging" stage and everyone's comments are great motivation!! In fact I ordered MAN plans for a Junkers J10 thinking I needed a not-so-scale quick-build diversion plane to add to the Mercer County RC circus this Spring. But then I fall into the usual trap - posting questions about corrugated skins, order all kinds of documentation... the madness starts all over! Hopefully I'll start that project soon but keep it simple - I just feel the need for a big, simple, WWI monoplane, not too common, with smoke and bombs!

So - back to the Pfalz! I spent today "dirtying it up." Tried not to get carried away. Here's a few pics of the fuselage masking - I used strings to guide the spiral pattern. The stencils from getstencils.com worked great; they conform to tapes and stitching magnificently.

Allan, I follow the wheel cover suggestion, but not sure where to stitch. Do you recommend drilling the rim? Anyone have a good detail photo of covers?

I'll give you a weight update when I put it back together and finish the lower wing. Right now I'm puzzling over the aileron cabling. I'm thinking of putting bellcranks in the lower wings to convert the cabling to a pushrod, which is easier to connect when I mount the wings.

Mode One

Very nice weathering. I'm with you on not going overboard and have always felt with weathering, that less is best!

arspievack

Seth,
I've seen the stictiching two ways. But no, don't drill holes in the rim.
First way was to wrap the thread around the rim between each of the spokes. Leave it lax so the tire won't cut the string.
The second is to wrap the string around the spokes as it enteres the rim (top). Place a little adhesive to keep it in position. That's harder and take more time cause you have to work in sections before gluing the cover material to the inside of the rim.
But once that's finish cut a circle of coverite and heat it over the the thread just like you do with the rib cap covers over the rib stitching to make it water tight.
Some of the covers (I think the leather ones ) has metal grommets around the edge of the covers for the thread to pass thorugh,
I'll see if I can find some pictures.
I used to get the "when will I ever get this done? , syndrome and make a quick dirty airplane just to break the monotony. But the fire always comes back.
I used to know it was time to get back to it when I began to dream about it at night. I always dreamed I was doing the final rigging. That's when I knew it was time to "buckle down".
The muse is there. You can't escape.

Been there, done that

ars 3155

Sethhunter

Installed the control cables to the tail yesterday, and a shutter on the radiator.

I've also included a few pics of the covered top wing. Since the partial ribs are not stitched on the bottom, I covered the top of the wing first, stitching the partial ribs only (running the thread all around the rib). Then covered the bottom of the wing, and stitched the full ribs through both top and bottom covering. Balsa Rite on the cap strips did an excellant job of holding the 21st Century Coverite on the undercambered ribs. I put straight tapes (no pinking) of Coverite down before stitching, marked the stitch locations with a template, pre-poked holes through the covering, then stitched. Then put a wider tape over the stitches. Standard 40 weight thread seemed too heavy but I found 50 wt. thread didn't bulge through the covering too much. I just hit it with a hot air gun to tighten the tape while rubbing it down; ironing around the stritches also seem to make them too pronounced. In my opinion, the silver Coverite (as shown) is too shiney, and can't easily be dulled. I tried steel wool. But a light coat of Rustoleum Aluminum, steel wooled, then sealed with War Bird Colors satin clear comes out pretty nice.

Allan - Plane weighs 16 lbs w/out engine, radio and ballast. Final weight will probably be around 24 lb.

Hope everyone has a great new year. We should have more holidays. I'd get a lot more building done!

PS - Allan; A small detail you might notice; check out the notches on top of the stub spars sticking out of the center-section, right where the backing plates go for the upper cabane anchor assembly; I had (functionally correct) through bolts sticking out of the top of the wing, but you correctly commented the nuts looked just too big. So I shortened the bolts, burried the nuts in the spar, and will put a more scale, non-functional cover plate over them. There's still a good 3/4" of ply and a brass plate holding the @#$*(%#@ together. If that lets go, another 1/4" sure wasn't going to make any difference! (although it will make for a spectacular decent!). Oh by the way, if you think the socket heads on the bottom side of the wing look too big too, I agree but they stay!!!

Mode One

Seth, If you've explained how you made the control horns visible in the left photo above, could you direct me to where you've discussed this. Otherwise, could you explain it now? How are they secured to the control surface/

arspievack

Seth,
Great stuff. I noticed the changed bolts but couldn't
see the whole construction, so thanks for the explanation. Early in my "career" I built a big , but not very scale Fleet BiPlane. Pulled out of a high loop and the whole top wing came lose and fluttered down from about 200 feet.
The ailerons were on the bottom and the plane kept flying, so I landed it and went back up (with top wing attached better) A friend had his camera and caught it midair in the photo.
But that plane had NO rigging cables. You do so it will stay together.
But now for the real problem !!! My God your work shop is clean!!! No floor or work bench mess. Tools all lined up in cases etc. If I ever did that I couldn't find a thing. I'd clean up to start a project and clean again when it was finished (2-3-4 years later). That way I knew where everything was. It kept my "place" in the project like a bookmark. I can see you're a neat-nick. If anyone like you came into my house and my wife knew about you, she'd have you cleaning the place up in no time.
We're all a little nuts... but your project is spectacular
Thanks
ars

Sethhunter

Allan - that's an AMAZING story! I once saw a guy have a mid air - and toss his transmitter on the ground in disgust. Then his plane flew out of the cloud of debris in one piece. To the sound of everyone yelling "its still flying" he managed to pick up the box and land!

ModeOne -
There is a sketch of the control horn construction posted on page 9, August 16, about ½ way down, but I didn’t describe the construction. So here goes:

The control horn is “bell” shaped, turned on its side, symmetrical top-to-bottom. Start by cutting 1/64 brass to shape. Extend the brass template at the ends of the horn so it can be rolled back on itself to form a little tube at the ends. The tube needs to be big enough for the eye of the turnbuckle to fit inside. When you roll the ends of the horn to form a tube, wrap it around several nested smaller brass tubes, which “step-down” the ID of the tube to form the smaller hole that the threaded end of the turnbuckle sticks through. Roll the tubes into the end of the control horn and solder. The result is a stepped ID hole that the turnbuckle end sits in. Cross drill the horn end to receive a safety wire that passes through the “hidden” end of the turnbuckle. Wiggle a drill bit in the small hole where the turnbuckle emerges to elongate the hole vertically, so the turnbuckle can pivot freely as the control surface moves. Drill lightening holes in the brass, then sandwich it between two wood doublers. I used 1/6 ply but hard balsa would be lighter. I then wrapped the whole assembly in 1/2 oz fiberglass. They aren't the lightest horns ever. You could probably skip the FG. Other ways to lighten would be to use brass just at the tip, and laminate them into a wooden body.

To mount, I cut a large sideways “Y” shaped notch in the front of the horn, where it passes through the control surface. I glued a hardwood piece inside the LE of the elevator, forming a male sideways “T”. Slide the Y of the control horn onto the T of the LE. Cut relief notches in the LE for the arms of the Y so the horn is held vertical, and emerges close to the front of the LE. The horn lies against a rib, and I box around it for surface to attach covering to. A few diagonal braces radiating from the horn/rib junction at the LE to the TE at adjacent ribs further locks the horn in place.

I wanted the exposed tip of the turnbuckle to look round rather than oblong, so I filed a flat on top, soldered a small brass disk, and filed it to fit inside the horn.

This morning I discovered it’s pretty easy to make nice looking thimbles for the eye spices in rigging:

I put some soft wire inside a brass tube, and bent it to shape. Then grind off the outer ½ of the tube, and peel out what’s left of the wire. Your left with a nice thimble shaped channel to lay the wire. I used 3/32 tube, and pinched it down a bit between two steel plates in a vice to tweak the size. I think it will save wear on the brass anchors where the steel cable eyes pass. It only takes a few minutes to make them.

BTW - I've given up on splicing cable this small. It takes too long and I could not find a good way to control the final length accurately enough. I cover the swage and bitter end of the cable with heat shrink tubing for a neater look and to resemble the whatever the stuff is they wrapped the full scale cables with.