Balsa USA Brotherhood
#2527
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DMehalko (06-30-2023)
#2531


This is my BUSA 1913 Etrich Taube. I painted Aces of Iron WWI German Pilots. I have it for sale under Warbirds. I would like it to go to someone who would fly it. Would take an offer. BUSA suggested this price at Joe Nall this year.





The following 2 users liked this post by DMehalko:
mgnostic (10-09-2023),
RICKSTUBBZ (10-08-2023)
#2537
#2538

hahahaha, Everytime I have to stop and scratch my head on my current Albatros plan.. redesign I think.. Why didnt I have a friend with a 1/3 kit to shrink !
I keep finding its not that I am getting lazier..( so much) I just can't focus and concentrate like I could ten years ago !
Loving that Pfalz DIIIa build!
I keep finding its not that I am getting lazier..( so much) I just can't focus and concentrate like I could ten years ago !
Loving that Pfalz DIIIa build!
#2539


you should be able to take the plans to fed ex and have them copied at a smaller size, if they have the formers on them get 2 copies so you have the patterns to cut out and use. I have done this to enlarge several sets of plans.
#2540

Its way easier if you trace all the parts, and then shrink both the plans and part tracings.
But its all just after thought at this point... Man so many friends and I wanted to buy the 1/4 Albatros.. and they just never made it. I doubt hardly any of my friends would buy and build it anymore..
But its all just after thought at this point... Man so many friends and I wanted to buy the 1/4 Albatros.. and they just never made it. I doubt hardly any of my friends would buy and build it anymore..
#2541

Its way easier if you trace all the parts, and then shrink both the plans and part tracings.
But its all just after thought at this point... Man so many friends and I wanted to buy the 1/4 Albatros.. and they just never made it. I doubt hardly any of my friends would buy and build it anymore..
But its all just after thought at this point... Man so many friends and I wanted to buy the 1/4 Albatros.. and they just never made it. I doubt hardly any of my friends would buy and build it anymore..
The problem with the Albatros and several other WWI planes that I would love to model is that they require a propeller spinner that isn't shaped like the one on a P-51 or an Extra. That is a pretty significant expense for a kit manufacturer on an item that may or may not sell well.
#2542

True, I know BUSA themselves once told me the spinner was part of the problem. It sure seems like someone good with a lathe and forming could sure have kept busy though. Or if they could be stamped.. or even safely made with plastic or glass..
#2543

I think a molded carbon fiber spinner would be the way to go. I have a spun metal spinner from Arizona Models. It took a little bit but think they are made up on demand and I don't know if he does custom work. The point being there are people out there who can do the work. I have an ancient 9 inch South Bend lathe. The catch in a project like that is in the tooling. I would need to by a new check with reversible jaws to mount up a big enough chunk of billet and then a fixture to hold what would become a very flimsy piece of metal. Spinning the metal might be an option but that would require it's own set of tooling. I suspect that you would pretty much have to be doing it as a sideline to one's day job. I think that was what the people who did Tru-Turn spinners did. Going back to the first statement, I see a lot of very nice molded carbon fiber spinners on the big 3-D planes at the field. I'm sure a lot of that stuff is made in China using a nice set of metal molds but I've been pondering the idea of a set of printed molds for whipping up a carbon fiber spinner to fit an existing backplate. It probably wont happen but it is a fun mental exercise.