Albatros Dva
 

I am looking for some help finishing the fuselage of an Albatros Dva. I have been trying some different color stains trying to get the correct color. Once stained I was going to finish it off with urathane varnish. I can not seem to get the right color. I know the color of the stained(varnished) fuselage varried from one to another. The fuselage is balsa. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

Wild Bill

RE: Albatros Dva
 

Bill tell us what wrong color you have. That'll help. Many of the Albis just had natural varnished wood. Spruce was the most common wood used during construction. The varnish would of course color the wood somewhat. To what degree would depend on what varnish was being used.
So look at some raw spruce OR a Martin Guitar top! Typically Martin uses Spruce for its tops. Pretty much the same look as on the Albi.
The guitar tops age over time to a more yellowish look. I doubt the Albi survived that long!
The Martin Guitars I'm referring to are the D18, D28, D45 dreadnaught models. I know these use spruce.

RE: Albatros Dva
 

Depending on weathering the ply fuselage would take on some slightly different hues but they were "straw yellow" according to the late great Dan San Abbott. Varnish on birch ply would give that color but you have to experiment with different varnish or stain on balsa. Dave Johnson has a good solution but I forget what he used. I think he mixed Golden Oak with something.

RE: Albatros Dva
 

I have tried ipswich and puritan pine, they come out kind of with an orangish tint.

Wild Bill

RE: Albatros Dva
 

Obviously not what you want. Stay tuned and I'll post a photo. If you have access to The Aerodrome you should check out Koloman Mayerhofer's Albatros reproductions.

RE: Albatros Dva
 

Here ya go. You'll like this. AlbatrosErstflug.mp4 video by kolomay - Photobucket

RE: Albatros Dva
 

Oop's, sorry I thought that would open as a link. Try this http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/re...i-news-57.html Guess you'll have to paste it in your browser.

RE: Albatros Dva
 

Thanks for the info John,
I found some info from Mr. Johnsons post a few years ago, he used golden oak from minwax.

Wild Bill

RE: Albatros Dva
 

Okay, That's what I thought.

RE: Albatros Dva
 

I repeat.. guitar top! And I'm not kidding lol. I can see the Albi Stroppe a the Air and Space in DC any time, I live close.. I also have the long, out of print, book of the reconstruction. I'm sure you can use a substitute stain just make it light in color. You can call Proctor Enterprise and ask him for a suggestion.. He knows his stuff!

RE: Albatros Dva
 

Balsa just isn't the same as hardwood or ply. A stain that works well for ply probably won't look at all the same on balsa. You might also find that, in the end, a lacquer or colored varnish or even a stain+polyurethane/polycrylic combination will give you the look you want.

RE: Albatros Dva
 

Abu is right, you will kinda need to do some experimentation with different types because you will get varied results. One item of note is the fact that many Allied observers of the Albatros, often unable to get a real close look in the heat of battle, often described them as "Yellow". This was due to the fact that they were seing the natural stained wood from a distance and believed it to be some coloration. A good poly stain on natural (light colored) wood will provide this outcome. Depending on how "white" the color of your wood is intially.

ZZ.

RE: Albatros Dva
 

To further complicate things, the oil-based stains can have a completely different color from a water-based stain with the same name from the same company.

RE: Albatros Dva
 

Wildbills21 probably knows better than anyone that balsa acts different than spruce or birch. Birch seems to oxidize to a yellow, spruce goes red/brown, and balsa kind of goes grey. Then on top of that a varnish that either yellows or darkens some other way when it oxidizes. With balsa you really should stableize it with some kind of sealer and then top coat varnish. It just soaks in too much, with balsa.

RE: Albatros Dva
 

Balsa grain is too open. Seal the balsa then paint. There are great tutorials on the IPMA website. Another option is to replicate an aircraft with painted fuse. Otherwise just stain it as close as possible and let us enjoy your results... pics please!

RE: Albatros Dva
 

Hey Bob, I have seen those guitars and they do seem to be very close to the correct color but the bottom line is as many people have said here, it will be very difficult to get balsa to look the same as varnished ply. If he does what Dave Johnson did he will get very good results.

RE: Albatros Dva
 

I remember seeing an Albi years ago that was entered at Top Gun I believe and the wood grain finish was all painted with latex paint. A light tan color applied and each panel painted with a slightly different shade then darker brown streaks added for the wood grain and dry brushed. Looked very good and you could not tell it wasn't a true plywood finish.

I think you will find trying to stain/varnish balsa a very tall task. A test panel could be done very cheap using samples from Home Depot.
Later!!
Anthony

RE: Albatros Dva
 

ARUP,

The first Balsa USA Alby was painted, as you can see. The second is going to be Walter Bonings, natural color front painted blu and white diamonds on the back. Plane is completely built and covered. Waiting for warmer weather to paint it. I have never did a wood finish on a model before so I am to say the least experimenting.

Wild Bill

RE: Albatros Dva
 

I did a faux woodgrain on my 1/6 scale Alby.
An enamel base, latex glazes, and a polyurethane topcoat.

RE: Albatros Dva
 

With that wood grain painting skill you could be using fiberglass fuses hammerd !

RE: Albatros Dva
 

Hammered-You have to give a more info how you finished your model.The finish on your model is stunning.How did you accomplish such a beautiful wood grain finish?-Jeffo

RE: Albatros Dva
 

Now that is excellent work with paint. If I build the 1/3 Albi I will definetly give that a shot.
Anthony

RE: Albatros Dva
 

Beautiful paint work on the Albi but.. *there's always a but* Can you imagine the size of the trees that that wood would need to come from?

Spruce just isnt that pronounced in its grain pattern. A few pictures of the full sized planes. One belongs to Kermit Weeks. Its nearly new being built in New Zeland a year ago or so..

RE: Albatros Dva
 

'Balsa grain too open. Seal the balsa then paint faux wood grain'. There are great tutorials...'.

RE: Albatros Dva
 

Hammerd,
Where did you get the guide for the nail markings
Wild Bill