JohnF

Started working on the wing while I'm waiting for the instrument prints to arrive from the Netherlands. I am using bass wood for the spars and they are 1/4"x1/2". I'll web them with a mix of 1/8" ply and balsa. These ribs started as Pfalz D.XII ribs cut be Bob Holman who also re-sized them for me. They are 1/8" balsa and I have made them more like the Aviatik rib. The spar location is a little different than the drawing shows but they work for me. I'll use cabon arrow shafts for the leading edge. I have spaced the spars up because of the under camber of the ribs. The wing tips are cut from 1/8 aircraft quality ply and I'll finish them with balsa. I will glue them to follow the rib shape in the middle of the rib. This is the same method GTM uses on the Fokker's.

JohnF

Just putting the finishing touch on the wheels and tires. It is obvious that the tires were not black so this is what I did and what I used. Glued the tires on with the Loctite that stays flexible.

JohnF

Should have the wing done soon. I finished the right side first and then the left which I am adding the webs to now. I will be using ribbon to hold the ribs from twisting per the full scale after the rib caps are on. The pic is a GTM Fokker DVI wing. The ribbon on the Aviatik wing goes down the middle between the spars and is black in color. I considered building the wing in three sections but I don't feel it's safe and it would add weight I don't want either.

JohnF

Just wanted to see it with the wing in place. Still lots to do with the wing. I am figuring out how to make the strut attachment points now. One change you may notice is that I am not using the carbon arrow shafts for the leading edge. The ribs were not originally cut for them and it would have been a lot of work to adapt them so I am using Sig preformed 1/2"x3/8" leading edge.

JohnF

Starting to work on the instruments and panel.

JohnF

More done on the instruments and panel. Bottom panel will be removable.

JohnF

Just about done with the cockpit and This is one gun just about done. Lots of time taken to make all the little latches and try to tell how things were made from the drawings and photo's I have. Once it's painted black It will be hard to see the work involved. I will make a cushion for the stock butt too and then it's on to the next one.

abufletcher

John, that is all looking SUPER FINE!

JohnF

Thanks Don, Got to get this little detail stuff out of the way so I can pick up the pace. It takes so much time making these little parts and pieces and trying to keep it all scale looking too. Maybe some one will make an affordable Schwarzlose laser cut kit one of these days or just do a CAD drawing so I could get the parts cut. I doubt it though.

JohnF

Okay, one down and one to finish. Well, almost. Have to make the fittings to bolt the guns to the aluminum frame and paint the guns. Yard work got in the way of finishing the second gun today.

JohnF

Last detail for the instrument panel will be this "pump instruction" plate which is placed under the RPM gauge. You can see this in the photo above of the Aviatik D1 instrument panel. Henri Kaper has made it for me from drawings provided by Koloman Mayerhofer.

JohnF

Finally getting to the glassing, I am using very fine glass cloth I got from Dan Parsons a few years ago. It is very easy to use. I finally made up my mind how I wanted to do this and picked up some FinishCure epoxy which is a Bob Smith product. I did not thin it. I will let it cure for a day or two and then sand and prime it to see what imperfections I get. I also finished the fuselage wing strut hard points and the bottom panels. The bottom was not painted on the full scale but Varnished or shellacked so that's what I have done. I'll post pics of that later. I painted the guns with Model Master "Steel" and then clear coated it. Final black color is Rust-Oleum "high heat". I scuffed the black with a pad to make the "steel" color come through some and make them look used. Although I haven't put every detail on the guns I feel they look good enough. I hope people will like seeing something other than the usual Vickers, Lewis and Spandau. I scaned the photo of the Albatros with the clover and cropped and enlarged the clover. I'll make a stencil out of it.

JohnF

Well, a number of projects around the house have slowed my building some. I am finishing the wing using full scale photo's and drawing's http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchi...0-%201286.html
to get all the details right and have installed the (GWS) servo's. The servo wire will be routed through the wing strut. I'll make an access panel to connect and disconnect the wire near the strut attachment point in the bottom of the wing. Henri Kaper has provided the pump instruction plate which was made from drawings provided by Koloman Mayerhofer. The last instrument panel detail is this oil pulsator. Now that the weather is warmer I'll finish glassing the fuselage and then it will be paint time. The last task will be to make a dummy 11 cylinder Styer built LeRhone. Henri Kaper produced this one for me from photo's provided by Koloman Mayerhofer.

JohnF

Well, I am plugging along. Wanted to have it done by Memorial day weekend for the MCRCS Jumbo Jambory but too many things got in the way so here are some pics of my progress anyway. Making sure she is level while I figure out incidents and make sure I drill the strut fitting holes right through the spars . The wing is now done and ready for fabric. Spent some time sanding things to final shape and adding the ribbon. All the major building is done now and the rest is details and finishing. I fired up my radio today and made sure all the servo's are working. No problems thankfully. It's been 1yr. and 4mth's since I started and that includes the engine conversion. With a little luck it will be done next month.

JohnF

Finally got the fabric on the wing and I'm working on the ailerons. I'll be adding the dummy access panel in the middle, top of the wing and the rib tapes next. No stitching on the ribs since they used screws or rivets instead according to Koloman Mayrhofer.

abufletcher

That's one hell of a model!

JohnF

Thanks Don, It has been a fun build although it is taking longer to finish then I thought.  Finishing it with latex (Behr) will be another new hurdle for me.

JohnF

One more detail I'll be adding is this nice tire graphic. Mike Celesky was very kind to give me a pair of these "Continental" stencils. This is how they look on his 1/3 Halberstadt build over at RCScalebuilder.com

abufletcher

Can you tell us more about these "stencils" for the tires?

JohnF

Don, The Continental logo is made from thin sheet vinyl cut on a laser. Super glue is used to apply it to the tire. It will be painted with DupliColor ( gray) vinyl/fabric spray can paint.

JohnF

Well, I had a little medical issue to deal with but I'm back at it. I am using Behr latex thinned with windshield wiper fluid and Floetrol. It is my first time using latex but I am pretty happy with the results. The colors are based on the chemical analysis done for the Aviatik D1 at the Vienna Technical museum. I think I posted a picture previously.

JohnF

A little more done. Should get the rest of the tail feathers done today and then on to the wing. Interesting difference in colors between day light and indoors.

JohnF

Been nursing my dermatitis so working has been slow. Got the stab and rudder painted and am working on the control horn fairings. Next I'll finish painting the elevator. I have also started the cockpit combing.

JohnF

Decided to get the wing painted and here is how it looks. I am using "GetStencils" stencils for the iron cross's. I made the "sawtooth" pattern and traced it onto the clear self sticking shelving stuff. I marked out the bands on the wing and sprayed the light gray on. Placed the pattern over it and then sprayed on the dark gray. You get the idea.

JohnF

Well it's been awhile but I am making progress. Here are a couple of pic's. Still have to finish the ailerons and do a lot of details.